Xenogears-what am I missing? (1 Viewer)

[Chris Bardon]

Reading the RPG recommendation thread got me thinging about this game again, and how everyone keeps recommending it. I tried playing it twice, and both times just gave up about 10 hours into the game. Really, there are two problems that I had:

-The combat was very shallow, and very boring. I just had no motivation to fight. No problem with any of the FF games though.

-Horribly dubbed cutscenes.

Is there something that redeems this game later on that I'm missing?

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

The storyline does really improve. And the music is incredible.

 

[Romier S]

-The combat was very shallow, and very boring. I just had no motivation to fight. No problem with any of the FF games though.

You don't get to the meat of the combat system until you are a bit deeper into the game. The combat system in Xenogears has always been one of my favorite parts of the game. The button combination moves are great. The variety of fighing as the mech and as the human players was always nice as well.
I'd say to give it a little more time if you can Chris. The storyline gets REALLY interesting the further you get into the game. Dealing very much with religion, the belief in god and the inevitable destiny of one the characters in finding himself (Not too mention an awesome suprise in the middle of the game!). It will also allow the combat system to show what it can really do for you, or that is what you can do with it.
If in the end you do give it more time and still don't enjoy it, don't fret. Tastes will vary my friend.

 

[BrianB]

It's the combat system I love! It's just weighted down with far far far too many randoms combined with /too much/ story development - the story is great, it just takes so many random battles to get to it
I really enjoyed it, but didn't come close to finishing it because of the sheer amount of randoms.
Grandia remains my fav PSX RPG (I don't count the all conquering FFT).

 

[Romier S]

I really enjoyed it, but didn't come close to finishing it because of the sheer amount of randoms.

I agree, far too may random encounters but the story was just too good for me to not work through them. I finished the game with a finish time of 102 hours and 12 minutes. I still have the save game from right before the end of the game on my PSX card.

 

[Damien]

Xenogears is in the top 3 rpg's released on Playstation. I could see it a little difficult to play in 2002, since you may be used to the next-gen titles, but stick with it!

BTW what is the skinny on Xenosaga, and when is it supposed to come out here. And why is namco making it?

 

[Brian Kleinke]

And why is namco making it?

The people who are makeing it are mostly ex-square people who worked on Xenogears, I think they brought the idea before Namco who agreed to publish it.

It's out in Japan now, but as we all know by now it takes a while for RPGS to be translated and released in the US.

I too got annoyed about half way through with Xenogears, the combat seemed to keep going and going, but once you get over that hump you're very glad you did, it's one of my favorite stories in a RPG, it's so deep on so many levels.

Brian

 

[BrianB]

I agree, far too may random encounters but the story was just too good for me to not work through them

I'd love to continue it, unfortunately I lost my save when my two unofficial PSX memory cards got wiped.

 

[Romier S]

I'd love to continue it, unfortunately I lost my save when my two unofficial PSX memory cards got wiped.

Shoot Brian, I'll have to check but I think I have multiple saves throughout the game at important spots (let me know where you were). I can hook up my Dex drive (remember those) and send you a file, if you have dex drive that is. I just need to know where you were and of course I need to make sure I have the saves...
Be happy to help if I can..

 

[JamieD]

-The combat was very shallow, and very boring. I just had no motivation to fight. No problem with any of the FF games though.

Well, like most people here said, you have to give it a bit more time. Or, alternatively, you didn't like them trying to put a bit of interactivity in the attacks. I doubt this is the case though if you say it's boring and shallow. Saying it's shallow then it really seems to be a case of having not progressed far enough yet.
As for the cutscenes, well, there aren't that many of them that even contain dubbing, so that certainly shouldn't sway your opinion THAT much.
Xenogears is a game that didn't have a hell of a lot of buzz going in, and suprised a lot of gamers. Like most things that have been built up over time, if you go in expecting a revolutionary mindblowing game, you're likely going to be disappointed.
Depending on your normal types of reading or movie viewing, you'll see a lot of the twists a mile away. I tended not to at the time, but a friend of mine at the time thought everything in it was mindlessly predictable and was literally disgusted with the game. Honestly, try to forget the great "push" people tend to give it, and that it was made by Square, and try to enjoy the battle system as an independent one.
Oh, and for the record, I bought the game the day it was released, loved it, played through in about 70 hours, and I would still recommend it highly to any RPG/story fan who has a lot of patience.
Oh, and if anyone wants some (admittedly basic) Xenogears wallpapers I made a few years back, let me know.

 

[Brian Kleinke]

Jamie,

I'd be interested to see those wallpapers you did. I loved the art in that game!

Brian

 

[Travis Kolesar]

ooh, wall papers would be really cool, i really loved playing this game, anxiously awaiting xenosaga

 

[JamieD]

Here you go... you'll need to follow the little menu on the left.. sorry the page is pretty poor now.. haven't worked on it in a year or so. 8)
My Web Page...

 

[Woo Jae]

Hmmm.... I guess no one here is crazy like me to import Xenosaga.... (cost a pretty penny, I might add)
I have played about 20 minutes and it is just out right amazing. There is a translation FAQ/Guide at www.gamefaqs.com.
Xenosaga is rumored to come out in the first quarter of next year...