Discuss Xenogears with me for the umpteenth time

[Pumpkin]

Because I'm playing it now, watcha gon do bout it

Should be obvious there will be spoilers

Okay so a few years (6 or 7?) I read the game script for Xenogears because it interested me after playing Xenosaga and I didn't have a copy, nor a way to order it online and it was impossible to find in stores.

Well now I am playing the game. I'd tried twice before but stopped at the first forest and then the first cave. Because the gameplay was horrendous. My opinion remains the same. I rage quit today because I found out I might have to use those stupid ^&$&%&^$ gears in regular random encounters and I hate using those stupid ^%&*^*& gears. Also the controls are super clunky and it takes like 5 minutes to load the memory cards.

Anyway, so I've been playing it from the point of view of someone who knows the gist of the story. I don't remember all of the details however. But I did really love the story, especially since one of my favourite things to study at that age was the theory of the Id, Ego, and Superego. And mental illness in general actually.

So I am really liking some of the stuff I wouldn't have picked up on if I didn't know the story. Like the signs of Fei's mental instability (at the less obvious times), like when he's talking to Elly and yells at her about the village, it can easily pass as regular grief. But knowing his problems makes the scene appear in a whole new light. And the foreshadowing with Id.

I just rescued Margie. Discuss le game avec moi

[VeloZer0]

I have to say, as much as the game enthralled me the first time the gameplay and slow pacing makes it really hard to get into once I know what is going to happen.

[Jowy]

Save as much money as possible throughout the first half of the game. You're gonna want a lot of cash to blow on accessories which become unbuyable after a certain point.

[Wolf Kanno]

Yeah, Gears is pretty confusing the first time through since several characters (mostly Emperor Cain, Citan, and the Gazel Ministry) are always talking pretty openly about things you won't learn the context for until the game is over. I actually find the second playthrough a richer experience since the player finally understands the secrets and it makes some of the early out-of-context stuff make perfect sense.

[krissy]

Yeah its near unplayable IMO
Shame cause I like the art and story's sposed to be good

[Bolivar]

Horrendous gameplay on nearly every level. It's still playable though to make it through the story, which is excellent. I think experiencing it with the music and artwork will make it all worth it.

Did you read the full script or are there some things towards the end that can still surprise you?

[Pumpkin]

I read the whole script, yeah

[Vyk]

I loved fighting in the gears lol Which honestly made me super disappointed when the mechs weren't as awesome or fun in Xenosaga. I loved the confusing story, the art style, the music, and the regular battle system. Also loved most of the characters. Only drawback for me was the RATE at which random encounters happened. Especially in places like the sewers where you're just trying orient yourself and run into a fight every 5 steps. And unlike most people, I liked disk 2. Which is weird, because it was just story and battle, which is something I hate about any strategy JRPG

[Pumpkin]

So why is Vierge so girly? I mean its abnormally girly for a giant mech robot fighting thingy and those even look like hearts when it attacks. HEARTS

The writing is excellent I find, save a few forced lines here and there but what RPG doesn't have that. The story is interesting, and when a scene happens I just get so absorbed in to it and I love it.

But the gameplay is just gosh awful. I got stuck in a doorway today. For no reason at all. Just stuck in a wide open doorway. The camera rotation is awkward, and I spent like an hour jumping up cliffs with Weltall because I suck at jumping apparently. These gears can fly, why am I jumping up cliffs?

I find the characters pretty interesting. While I don't like any of them right now, I'm still very interested in most of them and their development. I guess Bart would be my favourite right now. I don't really care for Fei or Elly, but I do enjoy their interactions. It's kind of a cheesy love story but their interactions just feel so... bad. Which makes them good. I don't know how to explain it. I don't really care about Citan that much because he was made to be too absurdly perfect that it just makes me apathetic to him. Like look, here's an inventor/doctor/scientist/master swordsman with a lovely home, beautiful wife, cute daughter, he knows pretty much everything, he has good influence and power, he's mostly one step ahead of everyone, he's cultured and eventually its just like yeah okay, I get it.

I like Margie a lot but she's no playable. I think the villains are very well written, probably the best of any game I've played as an ensemble

[Jowy]

Don't hate on Vierge; best gear in the game. Citan hasn't whipped out his sword yet, so not caring is normal. You'll learn to love him.