Game Debate #15: Xenogears

[Reed Rothchild 8,516]

 

[Reed Rothchild 8,516]

@RH's pick

[Gloves 10,905]

I still don't know exactly what it was about the game that didn't draw me in. I played for a good 10-15 hours, and I liked the characters and the battle system, but I dunno... maybe I just couldn't get invested in the story. 

[RH 4,438]

Immediate 10, flaws and all. It's definitely not a truly "perfect" game considering they had to rush through development of the second disc, but since 75% of what makes a good RPG, to me, is the exploration and game play mechanic, this one was about as good as it got.  Two types of combat plus just enough gear customization to not be overwhelming.

I really enjoyed the story too, even though there were times when I had to read through 45 minutes of text walls.  That was tough as a kid because I was playing this game while I was in High School and I had a bed time.  Never failed. 10 minutes before lights-out, I'd hit a text cut scene and I knew that I was screwed.  I left my PS1 on over night more than I did my NES back in the old day before save files.

Regardless, if you like RPGs at all and have never played this game, it's definitely at the top of my "essential" pile.

Thanks @Reed Rothchild taking my selection!

Edited September 17, 2020 by RH

[RH 4,438]

2 minutes ago, Gloves said:

I still don't know exactly what it was about the game that didn't draw me in. I played for a good 10-15 hours, and I liked the characters and the battle system, but I dunno... maybe I just couldn't get invested in the story. 

[tidaldreams 654]

This game is basically Evangelion in video game form.

[Hammerfestus 3,587]

I had pretty much the same experience as Gloves.  I put a solid chunk of time in and it never really grabbed me like it seemed it should have.  Just kind of stopped playing it.  

[DefaultGen 4,934]

I think I pirated this on PSP back in the day solely because the ISO size was super small and memory sticks were expensive. No memory of it though. Meh, RPGs.

[TDIRunner 2,455]

43 minutes ago, RH said:

 

I really enjoyed the story too, even though there were times when I had to read through 45 minutes of text walls.  That was tough as a kid because I was playing this game while I was in High School and I had a bed time.  Never failed. 10 minutes before lights-out, I'd hit a text cut scene and I knew that I was screwed.  I left my PS1 on over night more than I did my NES back in the old day before save files.

 

I know exactly what you mean.  I had the same issue with MGS cut scenes (any of them, not just MGS1).  A super long cut scene would always start up right before you were ready to turn it off.  Probably one of the best things to come out of the current generation of gaming is the ability to hit the home button and suspend any game at any time.  

Also, I haven't played this game...

[arch_8ngel 1,597]

It was a favorite of mine, back in its day.

Only played through it all the way once, though, due to the length.

And then found Xenosaga to be a huge letdown.

[Nintegageo 550]

Among the best PS1 RPGs, which is a serious compliment. I voted 9 due to the mentioned deadline cuts in the 2nd CD however what an amazing game.

[AstralSoul 474]

Absolutely amazing game. I only gave it a 9 instead of a 10 because it felt a little slow the first time I tried it and took a few attempts for it to really click but once it did, it became one of the best RPGs ever.

[Sumez 2,454]

One of those myriad of elusive Squaresoft titles from the 90s that you had to import to have a chance at trying, so that probably added a sense of mystique that really drew me to it back in the days. I also really enjoyed the 2D characters in 3D space aesthetic at the time.

It's a deeply fascinating game with an overwhelming lore, and when I first played it it probably placed itself somewhere in my top 5 RPGs of all time, but as time has moved on, a lot of the things that carry the story are things that I've grown more and more annoyed with in video games. Most notably when story elements are obscured unnecessarily in the service of making the story more mysterious than it needs. Some of the plot is mere nonsense, but it has elements that still draws me to it.

At the end of the day, the elephant in the room is the latter "half"(?) of the game that's blatantly missing, and of course that's going to drag the score down.
At least it's not like FF15 where they'd just pretend that they were releasing a full game - Xenogears pretty much admits that story beats are missing, with the way it inserts a character to sum up everything that happens in those moments that you don't actually get to see. It's almost absurd to a degree that I feel like everyone needs to experience it.

[Reed Rothchild 8,516]

I'm ashamed to say I can't give it a score.  I only played through a part of it before it got stuck in hiatus-limbo.  I will be rectifying that in 2021 or 2022.  In fact, it is partially the impetus for a big thread I plan on creating in the future.

[RH 4,438]

2 hours ago, DefaultGen said:

I think I pirated this on PSP back in the day solely because the ISO size was super small and memory sticks were expensive. No memory of it though. Meh, RPGs.

I think you mean Vagrant Story. That one was a late in life title and I think the ISO clocks in under 200MB. I had asked about in once and, supposedly, the textures were minimal and since they had perfected their ability to 3D model on the PS1, they saved a lot of space not needing so many images and all of the FMVs were actual on system rendered scenes.

I don't know the size of Xenogears but it's two discs, so if likely around 800-900MB.

[DoctorEncore 3,687]

Great game from the glory days of JRPGs. Unique battle system with an interesting story that wades deeply into usually taboo subjects such as religion, class warfare, and existentialism.

[Jicsan 540]

On 9/17/2020 at 4:40 PM, Reed Rothchild said:

I'm ashamed to say I can't give it a score.  I only played through a part of it before it got stuck in hiatus-limbo.

Same here.  I only ever got like an hour into it, then never went back to it.  That the news got to me so early on that it was 'unfinished' or whatever killed my motivation.  I'll try to get to it again eventually.

[RH 4,438]

8 minutes ago, Jicsan said:

Same here.  I only ever got like an hour into it, then never went back to it.  That the news got to me so early on that it was 'unfinished' or whatever killed my motivation.  I'll try to get to it again eventually.

It's honestly worth it.  At least play until you hit the text walls, and then find a story synopsis and finish reading the "Cliff Notes" of the game.

The game play really is solid. I'm guessing if you only played an hour or so, you never got to your gear, or even the ship Yggdrasil (which, yes, I did have to Google how to spell.)  Anyway, when you get your ship, that's when things really open up and the game becomes the game that it was meant to be.  There's a lot to this adventure, and that's why I think it's worth giving an honest try.  But, if my memory serves me correctly, it takes about 3-4 hours before you get a really good picture of what this game has to offer.  Even later (maybe 10 hours into the game) a card-based mini-game opens up.  I don't remember the mechanics but as a kid, I seem to recall I actually liked this one and I tend to be annoyed by that stuff when it's required for good upgrades/weapons/armor/etc.

Edited September 21, 2020 by RH