Gott ist tot

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 10:56 pm

Xenosaga Episode 1 was not an especially good game - it certainly didn't live up to expectations - but it was not incompetent, and I retained the hope that it was simply the first chapter of an epic prequel that would eventually live up to the Xenogears name. As of Episode 2, I declare that hope dead.

One of the major problems with the original Xenosaga (and to a large extent even Xenogears) is that the story is damn near incomprehensible. Episode 2 starts waist-deep in it, so now not only do I still not have any clue what's going on, I've forgotten most of what I did understand the first time. I've also stopped caring about most of it. There are two sides to the Xeno coin: the deep, controversial side that makes extensive use of Christian symbology and the philosophical questions associated, and the cheesy geekbait side that makes extensive use of every generic sci-fi anime clichÃƒÂ© there is. Tragically, it is the latter that takes precedence to the point that any surviving anti-religious themes are suffocated by this smothering miasma of mediocrity.

Unfortunately, even if you choose to disregard the story and skip through the extensive cutscenes, there isn't much to look forward to in the interims. Combat-wise, Episode 1 was solid if not outstanding, but they've even screwed that up. Enemies now possess copious amounts of HP, and the strategy you're supposed to employ is to unleash chain reactions by prudent use of the "boost" feature and 1-2 combos. The problem with this is that to utilize either requires waiting or blowing a few turns on the "stock" command, and even then the boost meter is unpredictable and unreliable. This is especially frustrating on bosses and tougher enemies, whose "break points" may require combination attacks higher than the standard 1-2 chains, meaning that you have to have enough boost to have several of your party members cut in the turn order in rapid succession. (And even then, it's unlikely they'll all have enough stocked specials to do significant damage.) It is, not unlike the storyline, unnecessarily complex and extremely cumbersome. There just isn't any flow at all, it's mostly waiting and hoping. Standard encounters sometimes take upwards of five frustrating minutes, and there's no "run" command to escape unwanted battles.

The characters have been redesigned, most not for the better. Likewise, the English dub cast has also been replaced, again, not for the better. There is actually BGM now, so you have something to listen to other than incessant footsteps, but, while most of it is pleasant, very little is memorable. Quite a far cry from Mitsuda's best.

The one thing I do really like are the environments. There's alot of differentiation even within the Trekky theme, and there are some unique locations. (One early dungeon takes place entirely in an old midwest country setting like something pulled straight out of a Grant Wood painting, a visual theme which I don't believe I've ever encountered in a game up to this point.) I think the most fun I had was in the first portion of the game when I was running around Second Miltia taking in the sights, and even that just made me wish for a more dynamic camera.

I'm rapidly losing faith in Monolithsoft. Whatever it was that happened with the original Xenogears, I don't think it's going to happen again. "This broken bird, away it flies."

chriscaffee · Post by **chriscaffee** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:22 pm

So is that "it sucks" in German or something?

Post by **Squirrelknight** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:28 pm

Shion gives me a boner.

Dark Crow · Post by **Dark Crow** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:30 pm

It translates to "God is dead".

Post by **Delphine** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:36 pm

Wow, it's a good thing I gave up on Episode 2 long before it came out.

Ep. 1 kind of felt like a really longwinded, horrible horrible AU Xenogears fanfic. It even had rape, for god's sake. (Edited out in the English version, but still)

chriscaffee · Post by **chriscaffee** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:38 pm

There's nothing wrong with rape. Some of the best movies out there involve rape: Unforgiven, Absolute Power and Sudden Impact just to name a few.

The Doc · Post by **The Doc** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:40 pm

*looks up "miasma"*

...Oh. Learn something every day.

This is why I come here. Every time I do, my vocabulary expands.

Post by **Delphine** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:53 pm

chriscaffee wrote:There's nothing wrong with rape.

Dude. I know what you meant, but dude.

Anyway. In the fictional sense, yes, I agree. However, this was poorly done little girl rape that was put in because Japan is swarming with pedos. It didn't need to be there at all. Of course, I could say that about the whole damn game.

The Doc · Post by **The Doc** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 11:55 pm

Guys, could we please cut down on the rape and pedophilia? This is a family site!

...

......

............

Sorry. I'm tired. Do continue.

Post by **Esrever** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:02 am

YOU CAN'T SAY "FAMILY" HERE

The Doc · Post by **The Doc** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:08 am

...I have a strange feeling that someone's priorities are in need of dire review.

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:23 am

It even had rape, for god's sake. (Edited out in the English version, but still)

There was no rape or even reference to it. The scene that got changed is the one where Albedo is reaching into Momo's mind. In the original version he reaches into her chest, symbolizing her heart, I imagine, but American audiences are apparently too jittery to even see the guy's hand in the general vicinity of her chest, so they made him reach into her head instead.

I hate to say it, but you've kind of demonstrated why Namco had to make that change. This pedophilia thing is entirely overblown in our culture.

In the Japanese version, you also had the ability to rotate the character models in the options menu, but that feature was removed from the US version apparently because it gives you access to Momo upskirt.

Baba O'Reily · Post by **Baba O'Reily** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 6:17 am

Green Gibbon! wrote: There was no rape or even reference to it. The scene that got changed is the one where Albedo is reaching into Momo's mind. In the original version he reaches into her chest, symbolizing her heart, I imagine, but American audiences are apparently too jittery to even see the guy's hand in the general vicinity of her chest, so they made him reach into her head instead.

Get me a screencap, so I can make an Indiana Jones joke.

Post by **Delphine** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 7:47 am

Hey, I'm just going by what people told me. Someone told me it was rape. *shrug*

I hate to say it, but you've kind of demonstrated why Namco had to make that change. This pedophilia thing is entirely overblown in our culture.

...I'm really not sure what to say to that.

Post by **Popcorn** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:00 am

Delphine wrote:
chriscaffee wrote:There's nothing wrong with rape.
However, this was poorly done little girl rape that was put in because Japan is swarming with pedos.

I'm really not sure what to say to that.

The Doc · Post by **The Doc** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:04 am

Oh, please, Pop. Now you want to go there more than ever.

Knuckles Dawson · Post by **Knuckles Dawson** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 10:55 am

chriscaffee wrote:There's nothing wrong with rape. Some of the best movies out there involve rape: Unforgiven, Absolute Power and Sudden Impact just to name a few.

Aren't you forgetting LOTR?

chriscaffee · Post by **chriscaffee** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:48 pm

No. An implied homosexual relationship (which is really just a misinterpretation of loyal friends that were penned during more innocent times) has nothing to do with a violent sexual assault crime.

Post by **G.Silver** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:51 pm

Delphine wrote:
I hate to say it, but you've kind of demonstrated why Namco had to make that change. This pedophilia thing is entirely overblown in our culture.
...I'm really not sure what to say to that.

Would it be easier if I had said it?

Post by **Green Gibbon!** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 1:10 pm

Momo's not even really a child. She's a robot.

Knuckles Dawson · Post by **Knuckles Dawson** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 1:19 pm

I was leaning more towards El Cernex's story about the friend who raped the girl on tape but was still a friend because he gave him LOTR as an unrelated gift, not towards the actual plot of the trilogy.

chriscaffee · Post by **chriscaffee** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 1:29 pm

Oh. But who gives a fuck about Cernix anyway? You're giving him credit just by acknowledging his existence.

There sure are a lot of robot chicks in this Xenosaga game. Then again there was one in Kikaioh as well, but that could be excused as it was parodying the Max Sterling/Macross/Alien Girl thing.

Knuckles Dawson · Post by **Knuckles Dawson** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 2:08 pm

Well, from a lurker's perspective, I found the whole thing amusing, but that's the past, I'm not gonna bother with him anymore.

Post by **Delphine** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 2:18 pm

Popcorn wrote:
Delphine wrote:However, this was poorly done little girl rape that was put in because Japan is swarming with pedos.
I'm really not sure what to say to that.

So no one actually looks at the lolita/shota porn?

Knuckles Dawson · Post by **Knuckles Dawson** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 2:23 pm

Delphine wrote:
Popcorn wrote:
Delphine wrote:However, this was poorly done little girl rape that was put in because Japan is swarming with pedos.
I'm really not sure what to say to that.
So no one actually looks at the lolita/shota porn?

Nah, I stick mostly to the demolishing of one's throat.