Hours of dazzling cinematics are complemented by high quality English voice acting.Complex philosophical themes add depth to an already sophisticated, dramatic storyline that could stand on its own as an intricately woven masterpiece.
Reviews (32)
Namco's got guts releasing a mediocre game after the hype
In all honestly, how could a game series take this big of a step backward? I mean even the best or most average of game series' take a while and a few bad sequels to degrade to such a point (example Mega Man X5~X7). How could one even work on the development team with a straight consciousnesses knowing you were developing and planned to release such a inferior product? These are the questions about Xenosaga II that keep me up at night...
But seriously (no I don't say up at odd hours of the night pondering about what Xenosaga II could have, should have been), for as great as the original was and the amount of hype this game received, Xenosaga II is a perfect example of a 'almost' complete bust.
First off, the game is way to short. I was really surprised I was on disc 2 after 7 hours of gameplay. I'm not quite sure, but does Xenosaga II use dual layer DVD's like the first Xenosaga, cause if it does and that's all they put on the first disc, that's pretty sad. It's almost seems they put it on two normal DVD's instead of a dual layer disc just to give the player the illusion that because it's two discs it must be along game. Nice marketing tactic guys, gamers aren't as dumb as you think...
Xenosaga II's battle system is absolutely horrendous; it's up there with Legend of Dragoon's battle system in my book (I love to bash that game to no end). Expect to die a few times and spend a few hours taking a severe beating (especially if your battle party is surrounded by enemies ~ that's the definition of fun!) until you get the hang of it. Add to the fact the longer you take to enter a command, the more likely the enemy is going to boost and slap you around in the next turn. To add to this atrocity, add the fun of constantly stocking and boosting attacks in conjunction with airing and downing a opponent to cause any kind of reasonable damage. Then add to that fact not all characters can damage airborne opponents. Combat in Xenosaga I may have been a little basic and simplistic, but at least it was easy to pickup and learn, you almost need a degree (or a really good guide) to get anywhere in Xenoaga II. Oh, and don't get me started on the Mech or E.S. combat. While character combat is confusing to no end, E.S. combat is so pathetically simple it makes the gear combat in Xenogears look good in comparison.
As for side quests, add another point to the lame column. 35 sub quests helping complete strangers out of their stupid, insignificant daily problems they won't remember a week from now while the fate of the universe swings in the balance of your quest's success. Yeah sure, that sounds like fun as well. If I don't like to help complete strangers within the real world with their problems, what makes game developers think I want to do it in a video game? Come on!
Graphically, Xenosaga II is pretty much the same as the original, which makes me wonder why they hyped up that part of the game so much? Do they think gamers are so fixated on that lone aspect of a game, they are willing to forgive flaws in execution and gameplay? I mean, you can take the most graphically gorgeous game, and if the gameplay stinks, the game as whole suffers. Xenosaga II, as a game, proves this theory without a doubt.
As for sound or music, you actually better off turning the volume off, unless you're viewing a cut scene. Most of the music is pretty bad (a slim few interesting tracks do exist), and the voice acting is decent, outside battle that is. In battle, the voices make you cringe, where talking "Star Ocean: The 2nd Story" sound bite territory here. MOMO has to be the worst, the first time you hear her say "I'll lend support" you just want reach though the TV screen, or hope she reaches puberty before the series is over.
On the plus side (yes, their is a plus side ~ surprisingly) Xenosaga II's story continues on the rich tale from the first game, even if it seems a little touch and go, and they seem to focus too long on certain characters (the first disc is basically Jr. and MOMO centered); the second disc plays like "hey, we forgot about the core of the story, let's go find the Zohar".
The bottom line, if you like the story, you should play Xenosaga II, despite all it shortcomings. Actually, I'd recommend renting the game instead of buying it, it's short enough, and it'll teach the developers a very meaningful lesson. If this game becomes a greatest hit, like the original, I'd be very suprised (but it probably will just because I said that).
Playing this game is like channeling saidin.
The story is Good.The movies are always entertaining, and the story is always interesting.It never reaches the emotional depths that the last game did.There seems to be a greater emphasis on making the whole thing more...unrealistic.The first game presented a believable future - all the technology was explained, things behaved realistically, etc.That's all thrown out in this game...it might sound strange, but it seems to be more "Japanese" than Episode 1.Characters now swordfight in a Samurai style and shout things in what sounds very similar to Japanese.They shoot lasers out of their swords (and it's never explained why).There's even a character that wears samurai-ish robes.It destroys any believability this universe had.
Also, I'm personally disappointed that the game focused so much on Jr. (couldn't stand him from the first game), and not so much on wonderful KOS-MOS, who's not even present in the first half, and barely says two words in the second.And this is a Very Good Thing, because some of the voice actor changes were not for the better.Shion's VA is improved, but KOS-MOS's was a huge downgrade.
The music is also terrible compared to last game's.Episode 1 marked the first time I ran out and bought the soundtrack to a game.The beautiful orchestra and haunting chorus from that game have been replaced by forgettable boppy tunes, with maybe one decent melody in the whole thing.
Now, one to Dark One's taint = the gameplay.The battle system is easily the worst I have ever seen in any RPG.Ever.They aren't random - the enemies are onscreen.This is the One and Only Good thing.When you do touch an enemy, it takes a strangely long time to load.Your characters appear, one-by one.Then the monsters appear, one-by one.Sometimes, you'll be surrounded by the enemy.Other times, you'll surround the enemy yourself.This is Completely Random.Even if you attack an enemy from behind, you won't start the battle at the enemy's back.Which is too bad, as Back Attacks do more damage, and every time you enter a battle, you'll be desperate to scrape up as much damage as possible.
There's no such things as Powerful Moves here.You're forced to hit an enemy in specific "zones", which you do by hitting Triangle or Circle (did I mention the moves you do have no titles?Bye-bye, Moonlight Serenade or Spell Ray).Hit Triangle/Circle in the right order, and you get what's called a Zone Break.Now, you have to Boost your other characters in so they can damage the enemy while it's in this "break" stage.You boost the other characters by having them sit there and Not Attack during their own attack phase.
You are FORCED to do this - while some enemies do have special weaknesses, they're not exactly mind-blowing helpful for the majority of enemy types.Instead, you have to do the Zone Break, or all of your moves will do about 20 damage...to a creature that has 5,000 HP.And there's still 3 other creatures in the battle, all with 10,000 HP each.
Sound fun to you?Admittedly, once you DO get an enemy's weakness down, and get a Zone Break in, then Boost all of your characters in a row to take advantage of the enemy's weakness and the zone break, you can rack up huge damage.Sometimes it's even enough to take a single enemy down - and it only took 10 minutes to build up!
So, yes, the battle system will corrode your soul.Expect every battle to last at least 5 minutes, and that's if you're quick and know what you're doing.Meaning that you've already fought this enemy before and have either memorized it's Zone Break and weaknesses, or you've taught one of your characters a Memory skill.
And here's another embarassing part of the game.Every single character can learn every single skill.This completely destroys any individuality the characters had.KOS-MOS still has a couple special skills only she can use, but they're not nearly as impressive as the classics from the first game.Instead of being awed by what your characters are capable of, you cooly assign specific skills to each character based on what attributes you want in each battle.If that sounds fun to you, it's not.Many of these skills are useless, and characters will repeat skills that are helpful.
It's possible to "unlock" new skills and Double Attacks (two characters team up to attack) by undergoing the torture that is the game's sidequests.You run around, doing good deeds for people.These good deeds are very loosely explained, and very often involve playing fetch from place to place.I didn't even attempt it.
Other things that will leave you a blackened husk inside when the game is done: The puzzles in the dungeons.Oh how I wish my mind could let me forget them so I could live again.Unfortunately I can't, and so I will always remember shooting boxes to form a bridge, shooting boxes to clear a bridge, and shooting boxes of a specific color that explode other boxes of the same color around them.To form a bridge.
In conclusion, let me just say that I hope Episode 3 is better, or I will go insane.Or the Red Ajah will come for me in the form of Final Fantasy XII.
Nothing on the original game!
Xenosaga Episode I Der Wille Zur Macht, was a breakthrough in gaming!It had deep characterization, a deep storyline, innovative battle system and a soundtrack that blew you out of this world!It was a plot driven game with an intoxicating storyline.Episode II doesn't compare to the original in very many ways at all.Things have been changed that shouldn't have been changed, and in all essence, it's more like watching a season 2 of a declining TV series.
Xenosaga Episode II isn't a bad game.It's actually really good!It's just that it suffers from the sequel syndrome.The first one hit a level that was so high, and now this one has to compare.Either you'll be quite surprised by where it goes, or quite disappointed.
The game opens up with a flashback of Chaos being sent to Miltia with a realian named Canaan to see why all the Realians have gone berserk.Chaos and Canaan meet up with only one who still seems to be in control of himself.General Jin Uzuki, and to prevent spoiling more, let's just the say we rejoin our main cast from the first game in mere moments.
Where as Xenosaga Episode I put an emphasis on storyline, Episode II seems to put an emphasis on character development.It does a fairly good job too.You'll learn more about these characters, and be able to cope with them.Unfortunately, if you haven't played the first game yet, it's all mysterious to you.
A few things about the gameplay have changed.The battle system is refined just a bit.Now enemies are in "zones".Either Zone A, B, or C.Depending on the zone they're in they could take a lot of damage from your attacks.You can also knock them in the air, or down on the ground.You can also link attacks together to perform devastating combinations.Characters attack using points.If you decide to "stock" (by defending) you can attack more times in one turn.
Xenosaga Episode II is not an easy game.You can't just mash down on buttons and expect to win battles.There does need to be strategy involved.Without strategy, you'll more than likely lose.
The character raising is different.In the first game, you had Ether Points (Magic), Tech Points and skill points.In this one you only have ether points to improve your magic skills.Truthfully, that's sad since all your characters learn the same skills, and once you've learned everything (being that there are no Tech points and Skill points in this one) you'll have a bunch of Ether Points sitting around begging to be used, and they never will.
The graphics in the game have been updated from the first one.I personally didn't think this was neccessary.They tried to make the characters look more "human" and I personally thought the anime look of the first game was just fine.Some of their actions look a little strange, mostly because the dubbing of the game to English was terrible, but otherwise, the graphics are smooth and rich.KOS-MOS looks the nicest out of all the characters.
The voices, for whatever reason, have also changed.I was not too fond of this.The voices from the first game were perfect. These voices are either superb, or they're terrible.MOMO for example, has a terrible voice actor, while Chaos has a fairly good one.
The music is no where near as good as the first game.Actually, to be truthful, the music in this game is forgettable, and you won't care too much for it in the end.It's not the first one.
There aren't as many cutscenes as the first Xenosaga, and while the story is intriguing, the cutscenes don't flow quite as well.Also, it's sad to see this game isn't as long as the first one, and there aren't as many secrets.I thought the game would have more secrets than what I got.
It's also very disappointing with what you get from having a save file at the end of the first Xenosaga.Just a bunch of skills and whatnot.Nothing more.No impact on the story or anything.Really, the save file is useless.
Xenosaga Episode II does work, but it's sad that it can't live up to the first game.It had potential to live up considering how long it was in development, and what the first game gave it to go with.I just wish it could've fallen through.
If you loved the first Xenosaga game, pick this up.You won't regret it, but you probably won't remember it as well as the first game either.
Well Done
I thought the first game was so-so; the 2nd much better.The combat is simpler to understand but more complicated to use - you start with all the fighting techniques you're going to get.Its up to you to figure out which characters and combinations of attacks work well in a given situation.Its a bit confusing until you get the hang of it. Bosses are a bit more complicated - you need to mix up the attacks of more than one character to be effective.There's always one major weakness to be uncovered.
As far as the series - well, the story doesn't end here - if anything, it gets more complicated.Only a few loose ends are resolved, and several new ones are added.
After the game ends, be sure to save - then continue using saved data.The game continues with a huge side quest that's not series related but has a story all its own.
Over all - there's room for improvement, bt I'd say its better than FFX2.
A BIG dissapointment
Oh my. What has namco done?! To me Xenosaga II was such a dissappointment and a heartbreak! I impatiently waited for a couple of years with high hopes after finishing the first one for the second part of the series. I found Xenosaga 1 to be a wonderful game. The music was great (it was performed by the Boston Orchestra), the graphics were good, the storyline really enthralled me, and I fell in love with the characters and found most of their voice actors perfectly fitting. In fact, it still remains as one of my favorite games.Then, when the store got Xenosaga II, I immediately shelled out $55 to get it. I started it, got a little far in the game, then stopped because it was so mangled. They changed the characters looks, which was fine by me, but then they changed their VOICES. My god.
KOS-MOS' new voice actor sounds like she's bored throughout the game, I don't know WHY they didn't stay with the old one.
Shion's voice is now whiny and annoying, she's sounds like a total snob. The old voice sounded kind and soft.
MOMO's voice is now REALLY annoying, before she was just somewhat annoying.
Chaos' voice is actually MUCH better, I like his, it now really suits. All the rest of the characters voices are the same, which is good.
The storyline got very mangled, and is now even harder to follow without the word database from before. I just don't see why they got rid of the UMN stuff...
THE BATTLE SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY HORRIBLE. I have NO idea why they decided to do that. They also messed up the techs, the skills, and items. They make it much more complicated than it should be. I sincerely hope that this system will go back to the much appreciated old one in Xenosaga III.
The music was DISGRACEFUL! IT sounded like they went on the internet and got a whole bunch of MIDIs! Either that or horrible elavator music! It was NOTHING like the sweet tones of the Boston Orchestra! I had to hit mute on the parts with no characters talking.
So, overall, this game was, well, a failure next to the first one. I grew bored of this game after only a little while and found myself wishing I hadn't spent my money on it. The game has been sitting in the same spot for a good three months now, since I got so bored with it. Be aware this is only my view of the game, so maybe YOU would actually find it to be the best game out there and worth the price. Either way, I hope you pick the decision that's right for you :)
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Go get it for PC (This review is for the PS2 version only)