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Reader Review: | Xenogears | ||
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Author: | Marco Dimaano | mdimaano@hotmail.com | |
Reader Review
Taking a different road from the Final Fantasy series, Xenogears is a sci-fi epic, opting for a full-blown anime style above the more fantasy and CG flavor of Square's other games. Xenogears is a LONG and epic adventure, spilling into 2 discs. The majority of the 60 hour or so quest is in the first disc, while the second disc are mostly all boss battles connected by length story cinemas. I say lengthy with no exaggeration- Xenogears takes a lot of time to thresh out it's very complex and dramatic story, made a bit longer even by the fact that you cannot skip cinemas (this is necessary, in the long run however). As for mechanics, Xenogears will please you with it's visual style- an interesting mix of fully-rotational polygon environments and detailed sprite characters. While a bit rough on the edges, the sheer detail of populated towns and cities and atmospheric dungeons will amaze you. One gripe though- the camera often is inadequate, leaving you with unsatisfactory views of your party. Movement in the world of Xenogears also contains a platform-like run and jump element, which while certainly adding a degree of interactivity, serves only to annoy you at certain points where a misjudged jump can force you to repeat an agonizingly long climb up a mysterious tower (luckily, you don't die from such mishaps). The fighting in Xenogears, like other RPGs, is still turn-based, though the use of AP points and selectable attacks and combos gives a new twist to the usual "Attack" and "Defend" options. Also of note is combat while riding the huge mechanical Gears. This is where Xenogears really distinguishes itself- there is nothing more satisfying than taking down an incredibly powerful boss with your newly upgraded war machines. As for music and sounds, Xenogears does not disappoint with simply the most atmospheric tracks I've heard. Perhaps there are not so many 'name' tracks as there were in the Final Fantasy series... the soundtrack is more akin to FF Tactics. Even so, tracks like the Music Box theme, Maria's Heroic Theme and the ending song are gloriously beautiful, giving perfect emotion to a scene, be it a romantic interlude, a flashback to some timeless tragedy, or a revelation of a traitor. I do not wish to spoil any of this game's magnificent plot, but suffice to say that it deals with lots of mature issues like religion, genetic manipulation, human nature, love, betrayal, war and reincarnation. Your characters go off on a quest against an unknown threat, and the uncovering of the true enemies is one of the game's great mysteries. Xenogears also is the first RPG from Square (I think) that actually shows bed scenes (though after the act) and implied sexual relations. I'd like to stress though that these issues are well presented, and I see no way any mature player can be adversely affected. This would probably make for a very heavy plot, but thankfully, the game's cast of characters are superbly designed and warmly portrayed. You WILL find yourself genuinely caring for these people; they cease to be onscreen pixels, and soon become your close friends. With them, you'll share laughter, tears of joy and sadness and moments that will really touch you throughout the game. Thanks to the characters and the excellent writing, the game never becomes dragging, and always moves at a fever's pace. The story is so good, that you will not want to put the game down until you finish... and finish it does. Thankfully, the game's story, while initially cryptic, is totally explained with all mysteries solved at one point or another, and most characters have a satisfying resolution. The ending will no doubt satisfy your efforts in full. In the end, Xenogears is a classic, matching FF7 in grandness of scope, story and characters. In it's objective to take you to worlds you've never seen, to make you feel one with dear friends and comrades, to touch and move you from sadness to glorious bliss, this game truly shines. Best of all, unlike FF7, you will not walk away with dissatisfaction at the ending, just happy memories. Rating: A Review by MADman