The music in this game is not forgettable. Yasunori Mitsuda is a fantastic composer. Watching reviews like these makes me grateful I played the game when it initally released.
@@PelvicGaming yeah that's why an orchestra was made this year to play the musics from the game. no other games comes close to that level yet (btw it's an amazing orchestral concert)
This is def a fair review - there's no doubt that Xenogears is in desperate need of a remaster at the very least. It'd be nice to be able to play the game at a smooth 60 fps and higher resolution to better appreciate those sprites, as well as dealing with the truly terrible platforming and loading times. I think, though, that when fans of the game say that Xenogears is a masterpiece, it's implied that it's an unfinished masterpiece. As you say, the 'Perfect Works' book is really necessary to help tie things together, because the epic, millenia-spanning plot gets lost in what was clearly a game cut short near the end of the first disc. What makes this game so great is that you can see and appreciate what the creators were trying to do, and that, despite time and budget constraints, they never gave up on it. The game was also supposed to be Part V of a VI part series, so clearly there was a lot that was sadly lost (including Rico's awesome story that was just dropped - wtf?!). The plot I thought was fascinating and honestly half the fun for me was piecing the mystery together as I played it lol (I just finished my second ever playthrough last week - about 20 years after my first!). As for the OST... I've had Bonds of Sea & Fire stuck in my head for the last 20 years lmao :p
I think its story is still miles ahead of all new rpgs, so i disagree on the "for its time it was good" argument, music is also excellent imo. Still loved your review and opinion from a modern gamers persepective and for giving it a chance.
Thats just the way things are. I heard nothing but praises and how much of a masterpiece 2001 A space odyssey was. But I after watching it for the first time recently (after already watching so many other sci fi films for years), I thought the movie was boring as hell.
@@sheldonfredericks8034 understandable. However i think no game has done xenos ideas better or on a larger scale for us to make this analogy, i dont think time or other games have rendered xenos ideas outdated. however to each his own its all about tastes and thats the beauty of it
if anything modern rpgs have taken serious steps back in their storytelling. something like octopath traveler is some of the most dull banal writing I've ever encountered in any game, and something like Bravely Default is just nothing but anime tropes smooshed together.
@@ataridc i have yet to play both those games, but in general I feel the same about every new rpgs Ive played, nothing comes remotley close to neither xenogears scope nor depth. To say for its time it was good implies many other games have since reached and even surpassed its story telling, id love to know what those games are and play them, since like you i feel shallowness in most modern era jrpg stories
I take it you played a downloaded version of Xenogears. I had to get it imported years ago (it still hasn't come out over here in the UK) and playing a physical copy of the game will tell you why you can't jump your gear just before a battle. You can actually hear the playstation grinding as it tries to load the random battle which takes a second or so, this disables the jump as it reprioritizes the processing power (try saying that 5 times real fast). Hearing that noise coming from the console gives you a sooner indication of when you can't jump which you don't get with the PSN version.
This is my favourite game of all time. Thanks for your review, it's interesting to hear the perspectives of younger players. It also confirms this game needs a major remake. The music is among my favourite of any game, but I agree with overplayed tracks, it would be a lot better to add more music or include a lot of ambient sound in a similar way to Breath of the Wild or other more recent games. IMO, this is a story, world, and characters that would be a shame to let slide into antiquity - I hope Takahashi and Soraya Saga get around to create a remake.
Perhaps the jumping delay is made worse by things that are part of a modern setup (which usually have a bit of latency when compared to an analog setup, which this game was originally designed to run on). That said, as someone who played it 23 years ago when it came out on my birthday I do recall the jumping being a bit wonky (but moreso the battle loading ruining it than input lag).
Man, when you were talking about the graphics my old man sensibilities kicked in. When this game hit the market it had to compete with Final Fantasy VII and I think it did well. It was like having to choose between persona 5 and Final Fantasy XV. Nostalgia is a powerful thing for gamers but sadly I think the moment can only be special for those that got to experience it. I hope you enjoy Xenosaga because I think it's Monolith Soft's greatest work. You have a great channel here and I like your review style. Cheers.
I enjoyed your review - I particularly like that you reviewed it from "modern gameplayer" perspective. Understand, when Xenogears first appeared, playing a game where the destruction of g-d was mentioned was actually groundbreaking and controversial. Also, the twist character reveal midway through the game, and the anime like story (including mechs) in a mainstream game were all groundbreaking. However, now, many of these elements are old school, out of fashion, or have been done before. I speak as someone who played the game at age 20, 2 years after it was released. All of this stuff was still "new." Contrary to common belief, Xenogears was not a big hit when first released. It has gained a much larger following over the years 2nd to a devoted fan base discussing and debating the game's merits over the internet. But I still think it's the best videogame story I have ever played, even better than Chrono Cross. Thanks for your reviews. Keep up the good work!
Wow, thank you so much! I understand the games 'greatness' to people considering it when came out and it touched on some heavy topics. As you pointed it out, playing it now obviously doesn't quite have the same effect. As for it's time, some of it's mechanics and story plots were new. Whereas I've played a LOT of JRPGS that share the same conventions...split personalities, religious undertones, betrayal etc. I didn't know however it became popular later. I thought it was popular and a huge hit right away! Again, I appreciate the comment and your view! :)
Along with some of the more obvious twists, the whole "humanity was created by god for the sole purpose of ultimately being consumed and absorbed into it for its own sake, and oh god isn't actually god it was really a sentient planet-destroying weapon all along harnessing a trapped part of the universe's life energy that acts through the main characters to free itself" was pretty damn good!
For how amazing the soundtrack is, it really could use another 20 tracks or so tbh, for how mammoth the game is - she's right there is a ton of song repetition.
I played this game everyday after duty when I was a single Army officer at Fort Drum NY in 1999-2000. Repurchased this game for my PSP/Vita a few years ago. Love it! I bought a strategy guide too.
Ahhh my favorite game of all time. You where very fair with it :) also the last part. You know that's Takahashi and Saga's nod to the dystopian sci fi film: Soylent Green
As someone who played this game in late 1998, it's refreshing to see your perspective playing it just recently for the first time. I'm wearing nostalgia goggles. It's amazing that NA got even got this game in the first place. Spoiler: A video game about destroying God is really controversal, especially in 1998. End Spoiler. The platforming/jumping mechanic can be a real pain in the ass, but back then it was just cool to play an RPG where juming was an option. The Tower of Babel def. had the hardest jumping parts. I don't agree with your opinion about the music. I can't get enough of the soundtrack, I'm so glad Mitsuda (who also composed Chrono Trigger) worked on Xenogears. Anyways, awesome review, you nailed it! It's cool to see the younger generation playing the classics. I for one, would take Xenogears graphics over today's photorealism, any day. Gonna go watch some more of your reviews now!
Having played this back when it first came out, this is a more than fair review. Even back when it came out a lot of the failings that you've pointed out were evident. From the dodgy platforming, to the camera-work, to some of the over-used music tracks. The game's biggest failing, I always thought, was that second disc where there was no overworld until the very end, with the story told via narrated vignettes. Pulled me out of it a bit. But it's still one of the deeper, philosophically and psychologically dense games I've played, toying with Freudian and Neiztschian ideas and themes. (One of Fei's... personalities, I suppose, is called Id, after all.) I can honestly say that I probably didn't understand most of what it explored, but damn if I wasn't enthralled throughout. But, yeah, a good and fair review of a game that definitely had issues even on release, but still kinda holds up regardless. (Final note: the final dungeon for this game is the only one I can remember that actually made me break out a pen and paper and draw a damn map as I went.)
Wow! Thank you for the detailed response! I always appreciate hearing my review of such a classic and old school is fair. Cause I'm sure I made some people who love and cherish this game a bit upset. But alas, I can only be honest. So I really appreciate the feedback. And I do agree it's very deep and psychological, and I'm sure for it's time it was something completely unheard of. I had to use a guide for the Final Dungeon... I was like where...the fuck...am I? Haha. Good times...
I freaking loved this game. Now I'm 34 and I think about it every once in awhile. You must be way young. The graphics on ps2 were the shit back in the day.
I've tried playing this game 4 times now, and every time the pacing kills it for me. I have yet to complete it, because it just doesn't grip my attention... So, I understand people love this game, but I honestly can't get into it (and I've tried, SO HARD)
@@chrisgee8441 The pacing has always been considered to be the big (or only depending on who you ask) flaw of Xenogears. Along with the second disk of course.
I didn't expect her to dump on my favourite song on the soundtrack LOL. I remember being somewhat blown away by the graphics when I was 13 but the standard of what could be done was different back then. It's always interesting to see what modern gamers think of old classics since they don't have any nostalgia to filter things.
Xenogears was pretty badass. Guess my age is showing lol. You whippersnapper! I think you'll like Xenosaga. Be prepared for very lengthy cutscenes. Also, if you liked the battle system of Xenogears, you'll love Chrono Cross', as it almost plays out the same, just without giant robots. Be sure to play Chrono Trigger first lol.
Im late and love Xenogears. Xenosaga not as much. I played Xenogears originally in 2002. Borrowed from my bro friend loved it. Bought my own to finish it. Wish disk 2 got the love it deserved. I enjoy the music of game very much.
I wanted to add my opinion here since you mentioned it in Shadow's podcast. Clearly, this is my favorite JRPG of all time, and I'd like to say that it's not purely out of nostalgia. I've always thought that, while it would be cool to see this game remade in a purely modern fashion, a remake would not yield a better game. The simplicity in the graphics and presentation feel like a classic novel to me, and gives enough room for me to inject a bit of my own imagination. If I had to pick my favorite part about the game I'd say it'd be atmosphere. There was a time I'd stopped playing Xenogears as it became quite the task, but returned to it after watching the final dungeon on youtube. The dark corridors, filled with negative space and near dead silence, made me feel so lonely. Artistically I loved it. There's a strong charm to the graphics that I don't think updating them would improve. The sprites are cute and well animated, as well as totally badass in battle. I think their lack of resolution even makes the game feel more rough and rugged, especially with the janky movements of the gears. I think very few people can safely claim they truly understand what the hell's going on in this game's story, and a lot of that is caused by the rushed development and having most of the exposition stuffed into the Perfect Works companion piece. That said, once you finally get it, it becomes overwhelmingly fascinating and downright ridiculous. One of my passion projects will be doing a lore video on this game. The anime cutscenes are boss. If they made an entire movie or series with this style I'd be hooked immediately. They feel almost dreamlike, contributing to the atmospheric focus I praised earlier. As far as the music, I can agree that the tracks aren't necessarily pleasant, but they make me feel so deeply. Yasunori Mitsuda is a lesser known but still amazing composer, and I feel the tracks in this game have both an industrial, factory-esque theme, as well as that of a sentimental village. Shevat's theme is beautiful tho^^ The combat's not the deepest thing in the world. It boils down to just learning all the deathblows as soon as they're available and spamming them thereafter. In gears it's all about conserving fuel and exploiting a few key techniques between Elly's Aerods, Billy's Cannon, and Bart's Ship. It's very easy to go the entire game and not catch onto how powerful and practically essential the techniques are. In the end I think the best parts of Xenogears are in atmosphere. The entire game has this ethereal, dreamlike quality that's both beautiful and unsettling. It's definitely my favorite JRPG because no other game feels that way. I can't exactly speak for anyone else, but I do feel it provides a perspective on why the game might be so highly regarded. Enjoy Xenosaga, as I'm also quite fond of it. I'm curious to know what you think of Episode II, as many people feel it's the weakest link in the trilogy, yet I really enjoyed it. Either way, lots to look forward to.
So I first played this game in 9th grade, and during that time, it did not even register to me until the gear transformation that Fei was ID. I admit that my ability to pick up on foreshadowing cues was underdeveloped during that time, so the reveal was a complete shock to me.
i remember buying this game at the mall in puerto rico on a kind of whim. i remember seeing some pics in a magazine, plus for its time, squaresoft was a major company to follow at the time. anything they made was almost always a hit. i loooooooved xenogears. i get it can get pretty damn confusing at times though, but even then its an incredible game.
For you to review a game like Xenogears, you have my huge respect. Thay game isnt easy to talk about. Fei Fong Wong is actually a tribute to Wong Fei Hung. With the ponytail and martial arts.
The "problem" with the music in Xenogears is that there simply ins't enough of it. Most of the tracks were really good, but for a game that's as long as it is (and it would have been WAY longer if it had a budget) the soundtrack should have been 50-100% bigger. The platforming is definitely bad, but the trick is that when you come to a jump you have to make sure you aren't about to trigger a random battle. This part of the game was certainly poorly implemented, but this was the workaround. As for the graphics if you compare them to other PS1 games they were pretty solid.
Yep the pacing, the platforming, the overabundance of dialogue and disc 2 are what made me give up on this game. It was too ambitious for it's own good.
Hahaha I can't wait to see your reactions to Xenosaga 1-3. I honestly can't predict whether you'll love them or hate them. I'm personally obsessed with them and the story behind the development of the trilogy (originally planned as six) is so baffling it keeps me up at night!
Just re-watching this funny and interesting video and realising that (for some limitations on connection) I had to put the quality of the video in 250p!! But voila!! The sprites in this game looks so much better in this resolution!!!!
Oooh, in my nostalgia id forgotten about that tower stage. One of my all time top5 fav games, but that frustration was real. Good review. Edit Have you played/reviewed Tales of Arcadia? One of the shining jewels of the Sega Dreamcast, and a great JRPG.
This is pretty much why I've never played it yet despite hearing that it's a classic. I love ps1 era stuff but I just feel like I'm too used to QOL stuff from more recent games, better pacing, ect, that this game in particular would be rough to get through
I just need to bite the bullet and play this game just to see how the philosophy aspect works. Also that team almost destroyed themselves making that game. Unsung heroes...
Playing this game right now again for the 5th time, I just love it. Did you complete the whole game ? Its a very hard jrpg, and are you the one telling the narrative on the toy hunting show on Ginx sports TV? Sounds exactly like you
I absolutely love this game, even with all of it's significant flaws. I bought the soundtrack way back in jr high and would fall asleep to it every night. Fantastic review.
omg pelvic, you review xenogears, you specifically mention the music and what you liked and didn't like and no mention of 'bonds of sea and fire!!' :P ....jk great review. I beat it myself recently along with parasite eve. I thought it was very good except for the godawful platforming and the frequency of random encounters was way too high imo. (do listen to bonds of sea and fire though seriously :) )
Liked the review, but couldn't disagree more about the soundtrack!! There are a few annoying tracks, but overall it's one of the best soundtracks ever made. So many songs! Xenogears/Saga is the #1 series on my list that should be remastered and continued. Perhaps a graphical and quality of life overhaul will allow new generations to enjoy the most epic plot ever attempted.
I haven't played all the way through this game yet, but you have my sympathies with the platforming. Having just finished playing through the game Alundra, I can attest that isometric platforming sucks.
Such detailed review! That´s what I look for when I search for opinions of classic games. Most people only say very basic things like....."the graphics didn´t age well, the gameplay didn´t age well etc etc". No no no no no, that´s bullshit, It´s an old game after all, should be reviewed as such. Of course some of Xenogears features will feel dated, but it´s a timeless classic. Thanks a lot for this review
Did you play all the way until the end where you find out about the secret behind the main character? That is one of the most epic parts of the game. Don't want to say too much to avoid spoilers.
I love how honest you are. Keep it up pelvic. I loved this game but the back half of it seems so rushed and disjointed from the rest of the story. I wish every game didn't have to be saving the world. Id be ok with just saving breakfast or saving something less serious and lower stakes.
😍😍😍😍😍 I just played the emulated version on my phone and it was very difficult but God the stories great I haven't played the ones before Chronicles and I only watched X but I have to say this story is so amazing and good but a lot of people don't like it I'm glad you played it
My only issue with your review is that you seem hung up on how the graphics didn't age well. I always dislike this argument because I don't think its that fair of a comparison. Consider what the graphics of the era the game came out were like. Compare it to titles that were released on the same platform and I'm cool with that. But comparing to modern gaming engines, its just not fair. I would love to see a remastered Xenogears. Now, I'll admit I'm a HUGE Xenogears fan. I think I've played through the game 4 or 5 times. And the plot is complex, I understood most of what was going on the first time through. The second time through, it was so much clearer. But I'm okay with that because that happens a lot with movies. You notice things you missed the first time watching. But your opinions on the platforming are spot-on. I hate the jump mechanics of the game and the camera controls. Its the one of the two huge gripes I have with Xenogears. The other gripe being the one everyone has: the beginning of the second disc. As you pointed out, its obvious they ran out of funding towards the end and had to sacrifice to make the game. But at least they got the story in. But yes, having the full game would have been so much better; although, it would have added probably another disc. As for the music, I agree with you to a point. The soundtrack was small. I got so sick of many of the songs... not because they weren't good or appropriate for the situation; but, because I heard them all the time. A few more songs would have greatly improved the soundtrack of this game. On the other hand, the song at the end still brings tears to my eyes and makes me want to play the game again. So, where the soundtrack was successful, it was AWESOME. When it failed, it failed badly.
I appreciate an honest opinion about games like these. I honestly haven´t played through it yet, but I did play Xenosaga (only the first episode as of now). I am looking forward to this game, but I heard bad things about the platforming sections as well from message boards. I enjoyed the review because it was very informative, and giving a non-biased, non-nostalgia opinion about the game is an opinion that will probably be closer to mine when I actually get to play this.
@@PelvicGaming That's cool, pace yourself. It's long and daunting and confusing and I never finished it. I'm subscribed and look forward to more retro jrpg reviews!
Wow! Quick response haha! Yeah.... The "Xeno" games have a unique time based real time combat system that I enjoy a lot! Looking forward to Xenoblade Chronicles 2, because I enjoyed Shulk and Company's story more than the story of Xenoblade Chronicles X.
great review! i have to say the anime cutscenes look really good in this game, im a sucker for that late 90s to early 2000s anime art style. i miss playing games with anime cutscenes
Honestly I didn't mind the cut scenes. I mean anime cut scenes are always a good thing in my book. It's what drew me to Tales of. But I'll always prefer modern animation..>.>;; I do have a respect for old school though.
The music only had one memorable track for you? I'm sorry, maybe its my nostalgia speaking but hymn for aveh and dazil and the opening "one who bares fangs at god" will always be in my back pocket. Listen to those songs sans context and I think they would recognizable, let Alone memorable!
There are 2 songs that stood out to me the sneaking around track which annoyed me after a while...and the peaceful city in the sky. And when I think about it I remember the battle theme too. But I dont care for the ost as a whole. Didn't do much for me.
Xenogears is actually my favorite console RPG but I respect your opinion about it. This game won't actually appeal to everyone and as a big fan of the game, I have to agree the game has some serious issues but I believe it was at the expense of the lack of budget. I honestly love this game for the sheer ambition at the time and a huge scope they've succeed to implement with the amount of budget they had left and it's a shame that we may never see this game grasping for the full potential and in its true form because the director of the game really wanted to go back to this game at some point since the team had gone through stretching development schedule and had to work with a piss-poor budget and he legitimately felt embarrassed because of the weird pacing of a second half. I can only hope we get yet to witness the news for the possible Xenogears remake of some sort but unfortunately this ship has long sailed. I fully respect that this game wasn't your cup of tea because that was probably the common problem with lot of people who have played it. Maybe the graphics don't appeal to you but I think they have that certain appeal and the team focused more towards the artistic design of the levels and considering the budget they had to work with I have to say they did a tremendous work especially with unique camera work during the story segments. But yeah, the 2D sprites look bit too pixelated and unpolished and Grandia deserves the point of having better looking 2D sprites. By the way my favorite track is Faraway Promise. :)
CliffFitter89 I adore it but when ff6,7, and Chrono trigger exist I could never call it my fav console rpg...love it but it's rough around the edges. Pacing is messy, navigation too, music replays too much, final disc is mostly text...it needs a proper remake I say, let it truly reach its potential and it could pull more from lore if they wanted. No shortage of xenogears lore lol
Well it all depends on a subjective taste. I dig the hell out of Chrono Trigger, it's a fine as hell game, but it doesn't click with me in the same way as with other people. I dig the story of FF6 but I think the game can get way too grindy later on. And I like FFVII but I don't see it as a number 1 JRPG of all times honestly since I find the ones above better than that game. I'm well aware of the issues Xenogears has but by acknowledging those issues I honestly love it even more and that's the reason the game deserves the revisit.
7:47 That happened to me on my first playthrough when i was a kid Y_Y. Then i replayed the game being older and i beat it, but i felt that the gameplay hasnt aged well so i stopped playing.
Great review! You're right about this game not aging so well. I've put the game on hiatus twice after getting to the Thames area. I beat the game several times when it was new, so it already blew my mind back then. They really don't make games like this anymore, so it's timeless in that respect for me.
Thanks for watching! And see, I can respect that. Again, I'm sure for it's time it was mind blowing just now... I couldn't really grasp it as a timeless classic.
I played Xenogears on release when I was 9 years old. It’s one of my favorite games of all time. The story was deep and complex and involved many related philosophies, the music was amazing, it had fully 3D environment with beautiful character sprites, it featured fully voice acted anime cutscenes, and it had an interesting battle system. Yes, it was clear that they ran out of money and production time in disc 2, but that can be forgiven because the story was so enthralling. You really need to play it more than once to fully appreciate the dense story. Also, it broke ground and made a statement that videogames were just as good as movies and introduced nudity to the PlayStation and videogames in general, as well as mature themes. In conclusion, Xenogears was a landmark work of high art with dark themes never seen in a game before.
That's fair. I'm sure it takes many playthroughs to grasp the entirety of this games intense story. However 1 I do lack the time. And two admittedly if I had the time I wouldn't care to revisit Xenogears. Thanks for watching.
the only negative thing about the game was the 2nd disk but that didn't stop me from enjoying this epic rpg. xenoblade Chronicles was just as great but xenogears will be that classic rpg to be remembered
Awesome video! Never played this game before but it does look like an interesting RPG. The game does look really nice for a PS1 game and I love the battle animations! Always love watching your RPG reviews! :)
Definitely try it sometime if you haven't yet! It has the most epic plot I've ever seen attempted, and would dearly love to see a continuation someday And despite the review, most of the music is amazing and highly regarded as well.
Xenogears is still great game. Now I understand it is flaw and that is because the game was rushed in development. As you can tell from the second disk everything was reduce to narrative format which took away from gameplay and cramming the story down. This was probably due to the development of FF8(final fantasy 8) the whole company set their attention on ff8 giving Xenogears only a limited time to complete. The game that was release in 98 was likely a Beta version. Now the 20th anniversary of Xenogears is soon and this is probably most demand remake in Square enix/Square soft library.
I'm amazed you didn't mention the second disk... When they obviously ran out money. I did not like that second disk at all, and I put down the game for years because I got stuck in a boss fight where I couldn't get better upgrades for my gears.
Personaly I loved this game during my PS1 games because of how different it was. Fun Fact, this was a candidate for FF7 before FF7 was a thing, true story, but because it was TOO Scify SquareSoft decided it should be it's own thing rather then be part of the FF franchise. However going back and playing it today... meh. It's fun in certain parts but half the time i'm confused by the timelines, the previous lives of some of the characters, the second disc. I feel like this game tried to cash in on Evangelion BIG TIME when Evangelion was popular. Theres SOOO much exposition that really doesn't add anything to the story that I think the writer was trying to sound deep and profound without any real lesson to it in the end. Overall this game is ok by today's standard but... not taking seriously. Though I will say this... Hammer T_T... you got a raw deal.... he didn't deserve that T_T
Play xenosaga, it had aged alot better and even if the second game looks so different its still really good. And the third game....life changer. I cried like baby at the end even if i had no idea what was going on
I have to disagree about one thing.... The "sneaking around" theme you're referring to...that's actually baby-making music. You can find one or two of them in every Xeno game, if you listen carefully.
Good, thorough review! I actually played this game for the first time in 2011, so I'd like to think I'm not blinkered by nostalgia and I totally get where you're coming from re: the wonky camera, the dated graphics, the repetitious music, etc. Nevertheless, it's an all time favourite for me, sheerly due to the immense scope of the plot, which takes familiar JRPG tropes to unprecedented levels of scale, complexity and depth. When I've gone through an interactive sci-fi adventure as hefty and absorbing as a 1000-page novel or a 5-season HBO series, it's hard to begrudge it the dodgy platforming in Babel Tower, y'know?
What makes this game legendary is it’s story. How it was presented. The many many many references to real life religions and wars. It’s unmatched in storytelling depth in almost any medium. Of course it has it’s flaws. Poorly timed and possibly one take voice acting. Limited music tracks. Some awful dungeons with clumsy controls. And it’s ending. The end was presented very poorly in my opinion. Especially compared to the rest of the story. But, that’s also what makes it special. This story is a journey. And the journey IS the destination. It was made to be experienced. Not to be finished. The clear fact that it was essentially unfinished adds to the theme of the shattered mirror in it’s own story. Overlooking it’s greatest virtues and symbolism because you didn’t like the way it looked compared to modern games? That like loving the new Star War sequel trilogy because it looks pretty, but not liking Casablanca because it’s in black and white. Perhaps you didn’t deserve the experience...
I played this game when it was brand new, and the platforming... Yeah, it was frustrating as hell even back then, lol. The game is still a classic, and despite the shortcomings of the second disc I do still consider it to be a great game, with a few areas that I loved, but it's definitely a bit dated. The combat system was a lot of fun, though. Overall... It's a beautiful, yet flawed game, with a story that was probably way too complex to be told in one game. If you haven't, you should play Suikoden II (I only just found your channel, so I haven't looked at what all you've played yet.)
Awesome! The second one is... Awesome. I'm glad you got it, I hope you enjoy it. Like most people who love that series, I tend to think the second one was the best (although the third and fifth games are also good.) I hope you like it. And I gotta say, you are pretty fun! Nice to see someone who is a bit younger playing these older games, gives an interesting perspective on them, because I tend to look back at them with nostalgia-tinted glasses, lol.
Even I have a hard time playing them, lol, and I kind of grew up playing them. I think you said you were 7 when Xenogears came out? I was 7 when the NES came out, haha. But I go back and play some of them, and wrinkle my nose thinking "this kind of sucks." It's not even that the games suck, just the way they look. I tend to like the 2D sprites way better than the polygons, lol. At least Xenogears had awesome sprites. Suikoden II has aged well, since it's all 2D, and the sprites are actually animated really well. You definitely need to do a video for it when you get around to it!
I enjoyed your review; our music tastes may be polar opposites. I enjoyed the entire soundtrack and your least favorite track is arguably my favorite... certainly didn't annoy me, but I'm of a different generation, so perhaps the musical tastes of younger generations aren't as compatible as 80s and 90's kids' musical tastes. This was actually one of my favorite games ever as a kid, and I've always regarded it very highly since then. I don't pretend it's without flaws, but I think given how large some of those flaws are speaks to how good the core of the game is, because myself and so many others still regard it very highly in spite of flaws that could possibly ruin any other game.
I understand your opinion on it. I loved it when it came out. Replayed it about a year ago, and didn't enjoy it nearly as much. Like Secret of Mana, it use to be my 3rd fav game. I replayed it recently and then played the recent remake. And even though i enjoyed it, it was not the same. Obviously, i'm like 20 years older. ;)
I was 6 when this game came out, but I was around 8 when I first played it. I was raised on SNES/PSx RPGs, and this has always been one of my favorites. If it wasn't for the second disc being rushed and text intensive; this would've been the #1 classic RPG for me. I played the FF games, Chrono Trigger/Cross, Saga Frontier, etc. a lot as a kid, and Xenogears blew my mind. The fact that the areas were rendered in 3d instead of a 2d picture was revolutionary to me. I agree that the platforming mechanics were frustrating, but a lot of the games on the PS1 had similar issues, so for someone like me it was easy to get used to. Also it was pretty cool to play a JRPG back then that let you jump :) The plot is convoluted, but this was a common trope back then. It seemed that everytime a new RPG game was released they tried to make it more complex than the rest. This has made and broke many games. For Xenogears I thought it was perfect. There's enough story on the surface for casual players to experience and understand, but there's so much more if you take the time to look into it. It was no where near as bad as Chrono Cross (complexity wise). Chrono Cross was so convoluted that it's hard to consider it a sequel to Trigger without analyzing the hell out it. That said I love both Chrono games equally. Even if the rest of Xenogears was terrible (which it isn't imo) then the battle system would've saved it anyways.
the game was a small project and it was too dark to be named ff7 and the team was noobish the was basicaly the creator and music composer that did the most good job and damn everybody need to read the story before you play on net
Loved your Xenogears review ! Guess you had to play it on day one to be as fired up as I was ? Its wierd ,when I play todays games im always left with the feeling of , pftt whatever ? Actually feel bad for the current gen of the hardcore, with they shitty lootboxes & what not money grabs !
The music in this game is not forgettable. Yasunori Mitsuda is a fantastic composer. Watching reviews like these makes me grateful I played the game when it initally released.
DwayneK Media To each their own. This soundtrack did not leave any sort of impression on me.
Agreed
No I agreed to his comment not yours. The only reason it did not appeal to you is because you played it in the mellinial era lmfao
@@PelvicGaming
Not even Faraway Promise?
@@PelvicGaming yeah that's why an orchestra was made this year to play the musics from the game. no other games comes close to that level yet (btw it's an amazing orchestral concert)
This is def a fair review - there's no doubt that Xenogears is in desperate need of a remaster at the very least. It'd be nice to be able to play the game at a smooth 60 fps and higher resolution to better appreciate those sprites, as well as dealing with the truly terrible platforming and loading times. I think, though, that when fans of the game say that Xenogears is a masterpiece, it's implied that it's an unfinished masterpiece. As you say, the 'Perfect Works' book is really necessary to help tie things together, because the epic, millenia-spanning plot gets lost in what was clearly a game cut short near the end of the first disc. What makes this game so great is that you can see and appreciate what the creators were trying to do, and that, despite time and budget constraints, they never gave up on it. The game was also supposed to be Part V of a VI part series, so clearly there was a lot that was sadly lost (including Rico's awesome story that was just dropped - wtf?!). The plot I thought was fascinating and honestly half the fun for me was piecing the mystery together as I played it lol (I just finished my second ever playthrough last week - about 20 years after my first!). As for the OST... I've had Bonds of Sea & Fire stuck in my head for the last 20 years lmao :p
I think its story is still miles ahead of all new rpgs, so i disagree on the "for its time it was good" argument, music is also excellent imo. Still loved your review and opinion from a modern gamers persepective and for giving it a chance.
Thats just the way things are. I heard nothing but praises and how much of a masterpiece 2001 A space odyssey was. But I after watching it for the first time recently (after already watching so many other sci fi films for years), I thought the movie was boring as hell.
@@sheldonfredericks8034 understandable. However i think no game has done xenos ideas better or on a larger scale for us to make this analogy, i dont think time or other games have rendered xenos ideas outdated. however to each his own its all about tastes and thats the beauty of it
@@RalphAouad Indeed
if anything modern rpgs have taken serious steps back in their storytelling. something like octopath traveler is some of the most dull banal writing I've ever encountered in any game, and something like Bravely Default is just nothing but anime tropes smooshed together.
@@ataridc i have yet to play both those games, but in general I feel the same about every new rpgs Ive played, nothing comes remotley close to neither xenogears scope nor depth. To say for its time it was good implies many other games have since reached and even surpassed its story telling, id love to know what those games are and play them, since like you i feel shallowness in most modern era jrpg stories
I take it you played a downloaded version of Xenogears. I had to get it imported years ago (it still hasn't come out over here in the UK) and playing a physical copy of the game will tell you why you can't jump your gear just before a battle. You can actually hear the playstation grinding as it tries to load the random battle which takes a second or so, this disables the jump as it reprioritizes the processing power (try saying that 5 times real fast). Hearing that noise coming from the console gives you a sooner indication of when you can't jump which you don't get with the PSN version.
This is my favourite game of all time. Thanks for your review, it's interesting to hear the perspectives of younger players. It also confirms this game needs a major remake.
The music is among my favourite of any game, but I agree with overplayed tracks, it would be a lot better to add more music or include a lot of ambient sound in a similar way to Breath of the Wild or other more recent games. IMO, this is a story, world, and characters that would be a shame to let slide into antiquity - I hope Takahashi and Soraya Saga get around to create a remake.
Perhaps the jumping delay is made worse by things that are part of a modern setup (which usually have a bit of latency when compared to an analog setup, which this game was originally designed to run on). That said, as someone who played it 23 years ago when it came out on my birthday I do recall the jumping being a bit wonky (but moreso the battle loading ruining it than input lag).
You hit the nail on the head with the Evangelion feel. It's like G Gundam and Eva had a baby.
The evangelion people did the cutscenes for this game. Now you know
Man, when you were talking about the graphics my old man sensibilities kicked in. When this game hit the market it had to compete with Final Fantasy VII and I think it did well. It was like having to choose between persona 5 and Final Fantasy XV. Nostalgia is a powerful thing for gamers but sadly I think the moment can only be special for those that got to experience it. I hope you enjoy Xenosaga because I think it's Monolith Soft's greatest work.
You have a great channel here and I like your review style. Cheers.
I enjoyed your review - I particularly like that you reviewed it from "modern gameplayer" perspective. Understand, when Xenogears first appeared, playing a game where the destruction of g-d was mentioned was actually groundbreaking and controversial. Also, the twist character reveal midway through the game, and the anime like story (including mechs) in a mainstream game were all groundbreaking. However, now, many of these elements are old school, out of fashion, or have been done before. I speak as someone who played the game at age 20, 2 years after it was released. All of this stuff was still "new."
Contrary to common belief, Xenogears was not a big hit when first released. It has gained a much larger following over the years 2nd to a devoted fan base discussing and debating the game's merits over the internet. But I still think it's the best videogame story I have ever played, even better than Chrono Cross.
Thanks for your reviews. Keep up the good work!
Wow, thank you so much! I understand the games 'greatness' to people considering it when came out and it touched on some heavy topics. As you pointed it out, playing it now obviously doesn't quite have the same effect. As for it's time, some of it's mechanics and story plots were new. Whereas I've played a LOT of JRPGS that share the same conventions...split personalities, religious undertones, betrayal etc. I didn't know however it became popular later. I thought it was popular and a huge hit right away! Again, I appreciate the comment and your view! :)
Along with some of the more obvious twists, the whole "humanity was created by god for the sole purpose of ultimately being consumed and absorbed into it for its own sake, and oh god isn't actually god it was really a sentient planet-destroying weapon all along harnessing a trapped part of the universe's life energy that acts through the main characters to free itself" was pretty damn good!
Xenogears is a Masterpiece!! the best story I've seen in any game or piece of media period. (makes the platforming worth it)
This game left a mark in me I was only 14 when I played this xmas night 1998 beat by April 6th 1999.
It is a long ass game.
Nice review, but I totally disagree about the music, this is pretty much my favorite soundtrack ever. There's a ton of emotional tracks in cut scenes.
amen brother
Very much agreed. It's my favourite Mitsuda game, easily.
For how amazing the soundtrack is, it really could use another 20 tracks or so tbh, for how mammoth the game is - she's right there is a ton of song repetition.
Even people who didnt enjoy Xenogears, you cant deny that, for a PSX game, it has an unbelievable sense of scope.
I remember getting stuck on disc 2. There was an onslaught of boss battles and little to no opportunity to level up or buy items
I played this game everyday after duty when I was a single Army officer at Fort Drum NY in 1999-2000. Repurchased this game for my PSP/Vita a few years ago. Love it! I bought a strategy guide too.
Damn. That's true love right there!
Ahhh my favorite game of all time. You where very fair with it :) also the last part. You know that's Takahashi and Saga's nod to the dystopian sci fi film: Soylent Green
As someone who played this game in late 1998, it's refreshing to see your perspective playing it just recently for the first time. I'm wearing nostalgia goggles. It's amazing that NA got even got this game in the first place. Spoiler: A video game about destroying God is really controversal, especially in 1998. End Spoiler. The platforming/jumping mechanic can be a real pain in the ass, but back then it was just cool to play an RPG where juming was an option. The Tower of Babel def. had the hardest jumping parts. I don't agree with your opinion about the music. I can't get enough of the soundtrack, I'm so glad Mitsuda (who also composed Chrono Trigger) worked on Xenogears. Anyways, awesome review, you nailed it! It's cool to see the younger generation playing the classics. I for one, would take Xenogears graphics over today's photorealism, any day. Gonna go watch some more of your reviews now!
Nick Howe Thank you very much for watching! I appreciate the kind words and feedback!
I played and beat it for the first time last year, no nostalgia, and found this game to be a 10/10 game.
when grandpa said calamity will kill you, he didn't lie.
Having played this back when it first came out, this is a more than fair review. Even back when it came out a lot of the failings that you've pointed out were evident. From the dodgy platforming, to the camera-work, to some of the over-used music tracks. The game's biggest failing, I always thought, was that second disc where there was no overworld until the very end, with the story told via narrated vignettes. Pulled me out of it a bit.
But it's still one of the deeper, philosophically and psychologically dense games I've played, toying with Freudian and Neiztschian ideas and themes. (One of Fei's... personalities, I suppose, is called Id, after all.) I can honestly say that I probably didn't understand most of what it explored, but damn if I wasn't enthralled throughout.
But, yeah, a good and fair review of a game that definitely had issues even on release, but still kinda holds up regardless.
(Final note: the final dungeon for this game is the only one I can remember that actually made me break out a pen and paper and draw a damn map as I went.)
Wow! Thank you for the detailed response! I always appreciate hearing my review of such a classic and old school is fair. Cause I'm sure I made some people who love and cherish this game a bit upset. But alas, I can only be honest. So I really appreciate the feedback.
And I do agree it's very deep and psychological, and I'm sure for it's time it was something completely unheard of.
I had to use a guide for the Final Dungeon... I was like where...the fuck...am I? Haha. Good times...
I freaking loved this game. Now I'm 34 and I think about it every once in awhile. You must be way young. The graphics on ps2 were the shit back in the day.
"When it came out, it was a masterpiece" well, it still is a masterpiece, it has the best story out of any JRPG though
Sundel ...Maybe for you lol. Glad you enjoyed it!
the best rpg for ps1 i guess
I've tried playing this game 4 times now, and every time the pacing kills it for me. I have yet to complete it, because it just doesn't grip my attention... So, I understand people love this game, but I honestly can't get into it (and I've tried, SO HARD)
@@chrisgee8441 The pacing has always been considered to be the big (or only depending on who you ask) flaw of Xenogears. Along with the second disk of course.
I didn't expect her to dump on my favourite song on the soundtrack LOL. I remember being somewhat blown away by the graphics when I was 13 but the standard of what could be done was different back then. It's always interesting to see what modern gamers think of old classics since they don't have any nostalgia to filter things.
Xenogears was pretty badass. Guess my age is showing lol. You whippersnapper!
I think you'll like Xenosaga. Be prepared for very lengthy cutscenes. Also, if you liked the battle system of Xenogears, you'll love Chrono Cross', as it almost plays out the same, just without giant robots. Be sure to play Chrono Trigger first lol.
Yeah I hear it's like a movie...
Chrono Trigger is on the list! I promise! I'll get to it...eventually...
Mon ami, take your time. Pun intended.
Pun appreciated.
Im late and love Xenogears. Xenosaga not as much. I played Xenogears originally in 2002. Borrowed from my bro friend loved it. Bought my own to finish it. Wish disk 2 got the love it deserved. I enjoy the music of game very much.
I just finished and still think it's pretty badass.
I wanted to add my opinion here since you mentioned it in Shadow's podcast. Clearly, this is my favorite JRPG of all time, and I'd like to say that it's not purely out of nostalgia. I've always thought that, while it would be cool to see this game remade in a purely modern fashion, a remake would not yield a better game. The simplicity in the graphics and presentation feel like a classic novel to me, and gives enough room for me to inject a bit of my own imagination.
If I had to pick my favorite part about the game I'd say it'd be atmosphere. There was a time I'd stopped playing Xenogears as it became quite the task, but returned to it after watching the final dungeon on youtube. The dark corridors, filled with negative space and near dead silence, made me feel so lonely. Artistically I loved it.
There's a strong charm to the graphics that I don't think updating them would improve. The sprites are cute and well animated, as well as totally badass in battle. I think their lack of resolution even makes the game feel more rough and rugged, especially with the janky movements of the gears.
I think very few people can safely claim they truly understand what the hell's going on in this game's story, and a lot of that is caused by the rushed development and having most of the exposition stuffed into the Perfect Works companion piece. That said, once you finally get it, it becomes overwhelmingly fascinating and downright ridiculous. One of my passion projects will be doing a lore video on this game.
The anime cutscenes are boss. If they made an entire movie or series with this style I'd be hooked immediately. They feel almost dreamlike, contributing to the atmospheric focus I praised earlier.
As far as the music, I can agree that the tracks aren't necessarily pleasant, but they make me feel so deeply. Yasunori Mitsuda is a lesser known but still amazing composer, and I feel the tracks in this game have both an industrial, factory-esque theme, as well as that of a sentimental village. Shevat's theme is beautiful tho^^
The combat's not the deepest thing in the world. It boils down to just learning all the deathblows as soon as they're available and spamming them thereafter. In gears it's all about conserving fuel and exploiting a few key techniques between Elly's Aerods, Billy's Cannon, and Bart's Ship. It's very easy to go the entire game and not catch onto how powerful and practically essential the techniques are.
In the end I think the best parts of Xenogears are in atmosphere. The entire game has this ethereal, dreamlike quality that's both beautiful and unsettling. It's definitely my favorite JRPG because no other game feels that way. I can't exactly speak for anyone else, but I do feel it provides a perspective on why the game might be so highly regarded.
Enjoy Xenosaga, as I'm also quite fond of it. I'm curious to know what you think of Episode II, as many people feel it's the weakest link in the trilogy, yet I really enjoyed it. Either way, lots to look forward to.
So I first played this game in 9th grade, and during that time, it did not even register to me until the gear transformation that Fei was ID. I admit that my ability to pick up on foreshadowing cues was underdeveloped during that time, so the reveal was a complete shock to me.
i remember buying this game at the mall in puerto rico on a kind of whim. i remember seeing some pics in a magazine, plus for its time, squaresoft was a major company to follow at the time. anything they made was almost always a hit. i loooooooved xenogears. i get it can get pretty damn confusing at times though, but even then its an incredible game.
For you to review a game like Xenogears, you have my huge respect. Thay game isnt easy to talk about.
Fei Fong Wong is actually a tribute to Wong Fei Hung. With the ponytail and martial arts.
Thank you so much!! It was very challenging.
Huh, I did not know that!!
@@PelvicGaming might actually replay xenogears through an emulator LOL
The "problem" with the music in Xenogears is that there simply ins't enough of it. Most of the tracks were really good, but for a game that's as long as it is (and it would have been WAY longer if it had a budget) the soundtrack should have been 50-100% bigger. The platforming is definitely bad, but the trick is that when you come to a jump you have to make sure you aren't about to trigger a random battle. This part of the game was certainly poorly implemented, but this was the workaround. As for the graphics if you compare them to other PS1 games they were pretty solid.
Yep the pacing, the platforming, the overabundance of dialogue and disc 2 are what made me give up on this game. It was too ambitious for it's own good.
Well disc 2 was rushed, unfortunately.
Hahaha I can't wait to see your reactions to Xenosaga 1-3. I honestly can't predict whether you'll love them or hate them. I'm personally obsessed with them and the story behind the development of the trilogy (originally planned as six) is so baffling it keeps me up at night!
Quit getting me excited for games! I have so many to play already! *explodes* O.O
one of the best games ever created.
Not even a top 50
Absolutely hard disagree, but that's okay!
Same. People hyped this game like the Gospel, and by the time I played it, it was too late. I liked it, but wouldn't return to it.
THANK YOU. I'm glad I'm not alone in this.
Just re-watching this funny and interesting video and realising that (for some limitations on connection) I had to put the quality of the video in 250p!! But voila!! The sprites in this game looks so much better in this resolution!!!!
Booster doesn't make you hit harder. Just doubles agility.
The OST had less songs than it should have because yasunori mitsuda the composer was hospitalized during development.
I know it's....quite late, but disc 2 wasn't unfinished due to budget, but due to time.
GuyverU01 Really? I uncovered budget...either way...the result is the same rushed product. ):
Oooh, in my nostalgia id forgotten about that tower stage. One of my all time top5 fav games, but that frustration was real. Good review.
Edit
Have you played/reviewed Tales of Arcadia? One of the shining jewels of the Sega Dreamcast, and a great JRPG.
I just played this for the first time recently. If I played this back when it originally came out, I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more lol
The 'Invasion' track is the polar opposite of 'the wind is calling' and probably recorded in a speakeasy.
YES! Xenogears AND you rocking the fro?!! Maaaaaaan hold this subscription and like, real quick.
Aight let me watch this video now.
+xcaluhbration LMFAO. Thanks.
This is pretty much why I've never played it yet despite hearing that it's a classic. I love ps1 era stuff but I just feel like I'm too used to QOL stuff from more recent games, better pacing, ect, that this game in particular would be rough to get through
Your reviews are so fucking real. I love them!
Thank you so much!!
No idea what I would think of Xenogears in 2017 or in 2020. Maybe I'll play it one more time before my time's up. It was amazing back in the day.
I just need to bite the bullet and play this game just to see how the philosophy aspect works. Also that team almost destroyed themselves making that game. Unsung heroes...
one thing i gotta say is that cannibalism shit messed me up badly
Playing this game right now again for the 5th time, I just love it. Did you complete the whole game ? Its a very hard jrpg, and are you the one telling the narrative on the toy hunting show on Ginx sports TV? Sounds exactly like you
I absolutely love this game, even with all of it's significant flaws.
I bought the soundtrack way back in jr high and would fall asleep to it every night.
Fantastic review.
Damn that's love. Thank you for watching! ♡
Generally love your content, but the sound track is rad. IDK what you're on about. Faraway Promise gives the feels.
Can't agree with me on everything. :-) still, thank you for watching.
the sound from this game is totally well thought
I adore this soundtrack but yes it has too few tracks for a 60-80 hour game.
I'm struggling to get into it right now. Doesn't help that I've just gotten out of playing the Devil May Cry series which is must faster to get into.
Yeahhhhhhhhhh good luck...
omg pelvic, you review xenogears, you specifically mention the music and what you liked and didn't like and no mention of 'bonds of sea and fire!!' :P ....jk great review. I beat it myself recently along with parasite eve. I thought it was very good except for the godawful platforming and the frequency of random encounters was way too high imo. (do listen to bonds of sea and fire though seriously :) )
Liked the review, but couldn't disagree more about the soundtrack!! There are a few annoying tracks, but overall it's one of the best soundtracks ever made. So many songs! Xenogears/Saga is the #1 series on my list that should be remastered and continued. Perhaps a graphical and quality of life overhaul will allow new generations to enjoy the most epic plot ever attempted.
The slander for the OST; You played yourself.
I haven't played all the way through this game yet, but you have my sympathies with the platforming. Having just finished playing through the game Alundra, I can attest that isometric platforming sucks.
Shit, flashback...fucking ice pillars! Agh, that jump is barely possible! Send......help
Play the entire game it will change your life
Such detailed review! That´s what I look for when I search for opinions of classic games. Most people only say very basic things like....."the graphics didn´t age well, the gameplay didn´t age well etc etc".
No no no no no, that´s bullshit, It´s an old game after all, should be reviewed as such.
Of course some of Xenogears features will feel dated, but it´s a timeless classic.
Thanks a lot for this review
Oh I'm glad you enjoyed it. This was a rough one for me to review but hopefully I got my point across. Thank you so much for watching.
Check out Dark Pixel Gaming Retrospective review on Xenogears.
Did you play all the way until the end where you find out about the secret behind the main character? That is one of the most epic parts of the game. Don't want to say too much to avoid spoilers.
Yankit Wendell I saw the credits roll.
it took me awhile to learn all deathblows but it was so worth it getting those level 3 gear moves and feis deathblows are awesome
I also got all the Deathblows. Fei's DB are the best.
I love how honest you are. Keep it up pelvic. I loved this game but the back half of it seems so rushed and disjointed from the rest of the story. I wish every game didn't have to be saving the world. Id be ok with just saving breakfast or saving something less serious and lower stakes.
I just finished xenoblade chronicles and I NEED some more monolith rpgs, definitely playing xenogears some time soon
this game was a masterpiece and if their budget didnt run out for disc 2 it would of been one of the best.
It is still a masterpiece in my eyes (i'm 46)
My favorite Mitsuda OST, even above the Chrono games.
Love the ost classic at it's best
Xenogears is my favorite rpg of all time. And possibly my favorite game.
😍😍😍😍😍 I just played the emulated version on my phone and it was very difficult but God the stories great I haven't played the ones before Chronicles and I only watched X but I have to say this story is so amazing and good but a lot of people don't like it I'm glad you played it
My only issue with your review is that you seem hung up on how the graphics didn't age well. I always dislike this argument because I don't think its that fair of a comparison. Consider what the graphics of the era the game came out were like. Compare it to titles that were released on the same platform and I'm cool with that. But comparing to modern gaming engines, its just not fair. I would love to see a remastered Xenogears.
Now, I'll admit I'm a HUGE Xenogears fan. I think I've played through the game 4 or 5 times. And the plot is complex, I understood most of what was going on the first time through. The second time through, it was so much clearer. But I'm okay with that because that happens a lot with movies. You notice things you missed the first time watching.
But your opinions on the platforming are spot-on. I hate the jump mechanics of the game and the camera controls. Its the one of the two huge gripes I have with Xenogears. The other gripe being the one everyone has: the beginning of the second disc. As you pointed out, its obvious they ran out of funding towards the end and had to sacrifice to make the game. But at least they got the story in. But yes, having the full game would have been so much better; although, it would have added probably another disc.
As for the music, I agree with you to a point. The soundtrack was small. I got so sick of many of the songs... not because they weren't good or appropriate for the situation; but, because I heard them all the time. A few more songs would have greatly improved the soundtrack of this game. On the other hand, the song at the end still brings tears to my eyes and makes me want to play the game again. So, where the soundtrack was successful, it was AWESOME. When it failed, it failed badly.
that fucking jumping 😂. probably one of my main gripes with this one
It's the worst. The absolute worst.
Also did you know That Tetsuya Takahashi and SoriyaSaga fell in love writting that game together.I always wished I'd find someone that way 😂
I appreciate an honest opinion about games like these. I honestly haven´t played through it yet, but I did play Xenosaga (only the first episode as of now). I am looking forward to this game, but I heard bad things about the platforming sections as well from message boards.
I enjoyed the review because it was very informative, and giving a non-biased, non-nostalgia opinion about the game is an opinion that will probably be closer to mine when I actually get to play this.
Hey thanks for watching! I can't say I've played Xenosaga yet... but I want too. Kinda...
I really appreciate the feedback!
The battle system was the best part. I didn't think Xenosaga replicated very well.
I have yet to play xenosaga.
@@PelvicGaming That's cool, pace yourself. It's long and daunting and confusing and I never finished it. I'm subscribed and look forward to more retro jrpg reviews!
Girl, you're pretty good! Your Reviews always helped me a lot! I'm in love with "The world ends with you" because of you! :D
Hey! Thanks so much!
AND THAT MAKES ME SO HAPPY CAUSE THAT GAME IS
After seeing this...... Xenoblade Chronicles X shouldn't have been my first title in the series... but it is a great game nonetheless.
DatDisneyDewd TH-cam Channel for what it's worth Xenoblade Chronicles was my first. so happy it was!
Wow! Quick response haha! Yeah.... The "Xeno" games have a unique time based real time combat system that I enjoy a lot! Looking forward to Xenoblade Chronicles 2, because I enjoyed Shulk and Company's story more than the story of Xenoblade Chronicles X.
DatDisneyDewd TH-cam Channel Agreed. I'm looking forward to xc2 as well. :D
(Also I just happened to be on YT so I figured I'd respond asap!)
Gratz on hitting over 2600 Subs!!! Saw you slapped that on IG, figured I'd congratulate you :P
Keep up the quality content!
DatDisneyDewd TH-cam Channel AHHH THANK YOU!!
great review! i have to say the anime cutscenes look really good in this game, im a sucker for that late 90s to early 2000s anime art style. i miss playing games with anime cutscenes
Honestly I didn't mind the cut scenes. I mean anime cut scenes are always a good thing in my book. It's what drew me to Tales of. But I'll always prefer modern animation..>.>;; I do have a respect for old school though.
The music only had one memorable track for you? I'm sorry, maybe its my nostalgia speaking but hymn for aveh and dazil and the opening "one who bares fangs at god" will always be in my back pocket.
Listen to those songs sans context and I think they would recognizable, let Alone memorable!
There are 2 songs that stood out to me the sneaking around track which annoyed me after a while...and the peaceful city in the sky. And when I think about it I remember the battle theme too. But I dont care for the ost as a whole. Didn't do much for me.
Xenogears is actually my favorite console RPG but I respect your opinion about it. This game won't actually appeal to everyone and as a big fan of the game, I have to agree the game has some serious issues but I believe it was at the expense of the lack of budget. I honestly love this game for the sheer ambition at the time and a huge scope they've succeed to implement with the amount of budget they had left and it's a shame that we may never see this game grasping for the full potential and in its true form because the director of the game really wanted to go back to this game at some point since the team had gone through stretching development schedule and had to work with a piss-poor budget and he legitimately felt embarrassed because of the weird pacing of a second half. I can only hope we get yet to witness the news for the possible Xenogears remake of some sort but unfortunately this ship has long sailed. I fully respect that this game wasn't your cup of tea because that was probably the common problem with lot of people who have played it. Maybe the graphics don't appeal to you but I think they have that certain appeal and the team focused more towards the artistic design of the levels and considering the budget they had to work with I have to say they did a tremendous work especially with unique camera work during the story segments. But yeah, the 2D sprites look bit too pixelated and unpolished and Grandia deserves the point of having better looking 2D sprites. By the way my favorite track is Faraway Promise. :)
CliffFitter89 I adore it but when ff6,7, and Chrono trigger exist I could never call it my fav console rpg...love it but it's rough around the edges. Pacing is messy, navigation too, music replays too much, final disc is mostly text...it needs a proper remake I say, let it truly reach its potential and it could pull more from lore if they wanted. No shortage of xenogears lore lol
Well it all depends on a subjective taste. I dig the hell out of Chrono Trigger, it's a fine as hell game, but it doesn't click with me in the same way as with other people. I dig the story of FF6 but I think the game can get way too grindy later on. And I like FFVII but I don't see it as a number 1 JRPG of all times honestly since I find the ones above better than that game. I'm well aware of the issues Xenogears has but by acknowledging those issues I honestly love it even more and that's the reason the game deserves the revisit.
Honestly it would make a better live action series than an RPG. Its my favorite RPG but the story is miles ahead of any new RPGs.
7:47 That happened to me on my first playthrough when i was a kid Y_Y. Then i replayed the game being older and i beat it, but i felt that the gameplay hasnt aged well so i stopped playing.
Great review! You're right about this game not aging so well. I've put the game on hiatus twice after getting to the Thames area. I beat the game several times when it was new, so it already blew my mind back then. They really don't make games like this anymore, so it's timeless in that respect for me.
Thanks for watching! And see, I can respect that. Again, I'm sure for it's time it was mind blowing just now... I couldn't really grasp it as a timeless classic.
All i think of about Thames "We are men of the sea"
I played Xenogears on release when I was 9 years old. It’s one of my favorite games of all time. The story was deep and complex and involved many related philosophies, the music was amazing, it had fully 3D environment with beautiful character sprites, it featured fully voice acted anime cutscenes, and it had an interesting battle system. Yes, it was clear that they ran out of money and production time in disc 2, but that can be forgiven because the story was so enthralling. You really need to play it more than once to fully appreciate the dense story. Also, it broke ground and made a statement that videogames were just as good as movies and introduced nudity to the PlayStation and videogames in general, as well as mature themes. In conclusion, Xenogears was a landmark work of high art with dark themes never seen in a game before.
That's fair. I'm sure it takes many playthroughs to grasp the entirety of this games intense story. However 1 I do lack the time. And two admittedly if I had the time I wouldn't care to revisit Xenogears. Thanks for watching.
Loving all the rpg reviews! My fav genre.
Thank you! They're my favorite too! ^.^
the only negative thing about the game was the 2nd disk but that didn't stop me from enjoying this epic rpg. xenoblade Chronicles was just as great but xenogears will be that classic rpg to be remembered
Awesome video! Never played this game before but it does look like an interesting RPG. The game does look really nice for a PS1 game and I love the battle animations! Always love watching your RPG reviews! :)
Definitely try it sometime if you haven't yet! It has the most epic plot I've ever seen attempted, and would dearly love to see a continuation someday And despite the review, most of the music is amazing and highly regarded as well.
Xenogears is still great game. Now I understand it is flaw and that is because the game was rushed in development. As you can tell from the second disk everything was reduce to narrative format which took away from gameplay and cramming the story down. This was probably due to the development of FF8(final fantasy 8) the whole company set their attention on ff8 giving Xenogears only a limited time to complete. The game that was release in 98 was likely a Beta version. Now the 20th anniversary of Xenogears is soon and this is probably most demand remake in Square enix/Square soft library.
One of my favorite games.I love your channel.
Thank you so much.
I understand.
I'm amazed you didn't mention the second disk... When they obviously ran out money. I did not like that second disk at all, and I put down the game for years because I got stuck in a boss fight where I couldn't get better upgrades for my gears.
Personaly I loved this game during my PS1 games because of how different it was. Fun Fact, this was a candidate for FF7 before FF7 was a thing, true story, but because it was TOO Scify SquareSoft decided it should be it's own thing rather then be part of the FF franchise. However going back and playing it today... meh. It's fun in certain parts but half the time i'm confused by the timelines, the previous lives of some of the characters, the second disc. I feel like this game tried to cash in on Evangelion BIG TIME when Evangelion was popular. Theres SOOO much exposition that really doesn't add anything to the story that I think the writer was trying to sound deep and profound without any real lesson to it in the end. Overall this game is ok by today's standard but... not taking seriously. Though I will say this... Hammer T_T... you got a raw deal.... he didn't deserve that T_T
Play xenosaga, it had aged alot better and even if the second game looks so different its still really good. And the third game....life changer. I cried like
baby at the end even if i had no idea what was going on
Its on the list of games to play. :)
I have to disagree about one thing....
The "sneaking around" theme you're referring to...that's actually baby-making music. You can find one or two of them in every Xeno game, if you listen carefully.
BigBrotherW LMFAO this comment . Omg. We are going to have to agree to disagree on that one. But this comment definitely made me laugh.
Pelvic Gaming - Hahaha, glad I can make you laugh so badly on that. Now, you can listen to the baby-making song on Kingdom Hearts 2.
Good, thorough review! I actually played this game for the first time in 2011, so I'd like to think I'm not blinkered by nostalgia and I totally get where you're coming from re: the wonky camera, the dated graphics, the repetitious music, etc. Nevertheless, it's an all time favourite for me, sheerly due to the immense scope of the plot, which takes familiar JRPG tropes to unprecedented levels of scale, complexity and depth. When I've gone through an interactive sci-fi adventure as hefty and absorbing as a 1000-page novel or a 5-season HBO series, it's hard to begrudge it the dodgy platforming in Babel Tower, y'know?
Zaothus lol. What I like about this Rpg is the simple fact that you can jump which most rpgs dont include.
What makes this game legendary is it’s story. How it was presented. The many many many references to real life religions and wars. It’s unmatched in storytelling depth in almost any medium.
Of course it has it’s flaws. Poorly timed and possibly one take voice acting. Limited music tracks. Some awful dungeons with clumsy controls.
And it’s ending. The end was presented very poorly in my opinion. Especially compared to the rest of the story. But, that’s also what makes it special. This story is a journey. And the journey IS the destination. It was made to be experienced. Not to be finished. The clear fact that it was essentially unfinished adds to the theme of the shattered mirror in it’s own story.
Overlooking it’s greatest virtues and symbolism because you didn’t like the way it looked compared to modern games? That like loving the new Star War sequel trilogy because it looks pretty, but not liking Casablanca because it’s in black and white.
Perhaps you didn’t deserve the experience...
I...Didn't not only like it cause of its graphics wtf.
"Didnt deserve the experience" lmfao. Please leave.
I played this game when it was brand new, and the platforming... Yeah, it was frustrating as hell even back then, lol. The game is still a classic, and despite the shortcomings of the second disc I do still consider it to be a great game, with a few areas that I loved, but it's definitely a bit dated. The combat system was a lot of fun, though. Overall... It's a beautiful, yet flawed game, with a story that was probably way too complex to be told in one game.
If you haven't, you should play Suikoden II (I only just found your channel, so I haven't looked at what all you've played yet.)
Scott N Thanks for watching! Ive never played! But I have it downloaded! ;)
Awesome! The second one is... Awesome. I'm glad you got it, I hope you enjoy it. Like most people who love that series, I tend to think the second one was the best (although the third and fifth games are also good.) I hope you like it.
And I gotta say, you are pretty fun! Nice to see someone who is a bit younger playing these older games, gives an interesting perspective on them, because I tend to look back at them with nostalgia-tinted glasses, lol.
Yeah, I hear the second one is AMAZING.
Even I have a hard time playing them, lol, and I kind of grew up playing them. I think you said you were 7 when Xenogears came out? I was 7 when the NES came out, haha. But I go back and play some of them, and wrinkle my nose thinking "this kind of sucks." It's not even that the games suck, just the way they look. I tend to like the 2D sprites way better than the polygons, lol. At least Xenogears had awesome sprites.
Suikoden II has aged well, since it's all 2D, and the sprites are actually animated really well. You definitely need to do a video for it when you get around to it!
I enjoyed your review; our music tastes may be polar opposites. I enjoyed the entire soundtrack and your least favorite track is arguably my favorite... certainly didn't annoy me, but I'm of a different generation, so perhaps the musical tastes of younger generations aren't as compatible as 80s and 90's kids' musical tastes. This was actually one of my favorite games ever as a kid, and I've always regarded it very highly since then. I don't pretend it's without flaws, but I think given how large some of those flaws are speaks to how good the core of the game is, because myself and so many others still regard it very highly in spite of flaws that could possibly ruin any other game.
I understand your opinion on it. I loved it when it came out. Replayed it about a year ago, and didn't enjoy it nearly as much. Like Secret of Mana, it use to be my 3rd fav game. I replayed it recently and then played the recent remake. And even though i enjoyed it, it was not the same. Obviously, i'm like 20 years older. ;)
Heyy what about making a top 100 jrpg list?
Kigama I...don't think I've played that many yet.
Xenogears, Xenosaga 1/2/3 and Xenoblade Chronicles X is ALL part of a great saga. Please play it all. All are great. And may the Zohar will save you.
You totally got me at the end of the video, i was so serious at the beginning! then i exploded in laughter!
Score! :)
I was 6 when this game came out, but I was around 8 when I first played it. I was raised on SNES/PSx RPGs, and this has always been one of my favorites. If it wasn't for the second disc being rushed and text intensive; this would've been the #1 classic RPG for me. I played the FF games, Chrono Trigger/Cross, Saga Frontier, etc. a lot as a kid, and Xenogears blew my mind. The fact that the areas were rendered in 3d instead of a 2d picture was revolutionary to me. I agree that the platforming mechanics were frustrating, but a lot of the games on the PS1 had similar issues, so for someone like me it was easy to get used to. Also it was pretty cool to play a JRPG back then that let you jump :)
The plot is convoluted, but this was a common trope back then. It seemed that everytime a new RPG game was released they tried to make it more complex than the rest. This has made and broke many games. For Xenogears I thought it was perfect. There's enough story on the surface for casual players to experience and understand, but there's so much more if you take the time to look into it. It was no where near as bad as Chrono Cross (complexity wise). Chrono Cross was so convoluted that it's hard to consider it a sequel to Trigger without analyzing the hell out it. That said I love both Chrono games equally.
Even if the rest of Xenogears was terrible (which it isn't imo) then the battle system would've saved it anyways.
the game was a small project and it was too dark to be named ff7 and the team was noobish the was basicaly the creator and music composer that did the most good job and damn everybody need to read the story before you play on net
Loved your Xenogears review ! Guess you had to play it on day one to be as fired up as I was ? Its wierd ,when I play todays games im always left with the feeling of , pftt whatever ? Actually feel bad for the current gen of the hardcore, with they shitty lootboxes & what not money grabs !