Xenosaga Episode I: Chikara he no ishi

I hear too many complaints about this excellent game. Sure, many of the characters are cliché. But you know what, so is Luke Skywalker. If you are going to be complaining about characters you have seen over and over again, go rip into every single scifi out there. And Final Fantasy Seven really doesn't have an original plot. That's what this game has above most RPGs: A well done plot. The game moves on a level where it always leaves many unanswered questions. Even at the very end, you still don't know everything. You can make a distinction like "She's good, He's bad" and such. But not too much more. Your left with "Okay, somethings up with this." Unfortunately, to see the plot unfold you have to sit through what is overdone robot stories very reminiscent of Blade Runner (I sometimes accidentally call the bots, known as Realians, Replicants). THe story doesn't get moving until halfway through. This is always a flaw of a first in a series. You have to set it up. Sometimes its more enjoyable than others. This time its, 'Bear with use' and with this game there was no avoiding it. ith characters that seem like similar things have been done, its a shock that the Battle Android Kos Mos is the most original character. Most sci fi androids are very robotic and heartless, while others are on a quest to become human. Kos Mos becomes more human as she interacts, yet it is not the focal point. She is an Android, and really thats all their is to it. Shion Uzuki is another well done character, only because of Voice Actress Lia Sargent. Actually, The voice cast in this game was Phenomenal. Very well acted. Unfortunately, the lip sync is not the best. It is tolerable, though.

I felt that Xenosaga I was a great doorway to the final story in III. It is most unfortunate that this series is as severely under-appreciated as it is, but it must be approached with an open mind. The story and the characters are well developed, and if the series had been able to span the originally proposed six episodes, we would further be enveloped in this well-written epic tale. However, it is possible that the in-depth plot could be daunting to those who shy away from reading fantasy novels; those who instead prefer first-person shooters over games that have a tendency to emotionally move the player through character development and plot revelations may encounter aggravation and impatience. However, if you are willing to delve into a believable world and have your life changed, this whole series is for you.

I loved this game. Unlike the other guy that commented I think this game a breath of fresh air for RPG games. Its about time a great RPG came out that wasn't made by Square. AND, I could SEE the enemies and chose my battles unlike other RPGs that just throw you into a battle. For someone like me that takes extra time out to really build up his characters its really helpful to your enemies. PLUS NO A.T.B.!!!! YAY!!! I don't have to worry about getting killed while deciding what move would be best to use. The game is original and is EPIC. Its one of my favorite RPGs.

Yes this is my type of role-playing game, more story less action, less fighting to level up and so forth. If that is not your kind of game, then I would suggest you skip this series, however, I thought it was great...though not as good as Xenogears, the game this may or may not be a prequel to. The only reason I say may or may not is that it ends suddenly in part three and it does not all add up to what Xenogears picks up. This game basically stars a cute gal named Shion, get to know her well as she is the focus of this series. During this part of the story you are mainly introduced to the characters and the villains. You get your intrigue and you get your Gnosis, strange creatures seemingly unbeatable at first. The fighting is turned based and fairly fun, however, the inclusion of robots in this particular games seems rather underdeveloped. For the most part they are rather pointless. Still you get your good story and the ending is good too, though almost nothing big gets done and no real surprises in the first edition. All in all though a good game where the only real flaw is the lack of variety in the music during fights and such.

Xenosaga: Der Wille Zur Macht is an RPG that requires great patience and a lot of time. Many people complain that the cut scenes are too long and uneventful (or in other words, pointless). I will admit that Xenosaga's cut scenes come in hefty doses, ranging from 15-40 minutes long at a time.

But believe me when I say, those cut scenes make the game.

For someone first playing through the game, the concepts and stories introduced are hard to follow and understand. It takes a lot of imagination and analyzing to follow a particular storyline. Basically put, Xenosaga does not spoon-feed you the story and what is going on. It's up to you actually put everything together. For some people, that's nice. Others though, will get frustrated with the lack of explanations in the game. I had to play through the game twice before I scratched my head and said "Oooh! So that's what happened! I get it!"

Graphics in Xenosaga are not spectacular; but then again they aren't hard on the eyes either. The characters all have different and distinct personalities. And surprisingly, they all have equally intriguing past histories. The game really does not focus on one main character.

My only real complaint with Xenosaga would have to be the sound. Vocals are fine enough throughout game (and when I say that, I mean they won't make your ears bleed), but the music gets irritating, especially during battles.

Xenosaga's battle system makes the game much easier to play in my opinion. You can see your enemies and avoid (most of the time) the annoying random battles. Tech attacks help make the battles go quicker. It's especially nice that a 1/4 of your EXP points you gain go to your reserve combatants. So no one is left behind at level 5.

All in all Xenosaga is a great RPG. As said before though, this game requires a lot of time and patience. If you are looking for a fast paced, simple story, then stay away from Xenosaga. Otherwise, you'll probably enjoy it!