Product description
-------------------
In Xenosaga II humanity wages an epic battle for survival
against extinction. Earth has been abandoned and what remains of
humanity is locked in combat with malevolent aliens called the
Gnosis. Travelling through deep space, they'll have to seek out
the ancient artifact called the Zohar. Rejoin the characters from
the first Xenosaga in the enthralling second chapter of this
landmark multi-part RPG saga.
Review
------
Imagine if Peter Jackson, instead of continuing his The Lord of
the Rings epic in movie form, had decided to tell the story of
The Two Towers through limited edition Bazooka Joe comics. The
characters would all be there and the concepts behind the story
would still be intriguing, but the delivery and execution would
be devoid of grace or subtlety. If you're having trouble
picturing that, just pick up a copy of Xenosaga Episode II and
you will understand all too well. Despite my undying adoration of
the first entry, I am sorry to report that this game is a dropped
ball of Devil May Cry 2 proportions.
Let's get one thing straight: This is not a bad RPG. It is,
however, utterly disappointing in its mediocrity. Even ignoring
the radiance of its predecessor, this game features some baffling
design choices that seem specifically intended to make it
frustrating. It contains a meager 25-hour critical path (one of
the dungeons is even repeated!), jarring load times before each
fight, and an absence of money or shops that leaves you with a
constant shortage of necessary recovery items. I'm not against
titles breaking from conventions, but these are some of the worst
decisions outside of Charles Grodin's resume.
Unfortunately, the area where Episode II has received the
greatest attention is also where it falters the most. It sports a
redesigned battle system that focuses much more on combined
efforts rather than individual abilities. By stocking extra
attacks and using the shared Boost gauge, the party can
cooperatively unleash devastating combos. First you attack a
sequence of zones on an enemy (which breaks its defense), then
boost other characters into the action queue so they can take
advantage of the weakened foe. Unfortunately, this method quickly
becomes the only viable way to inflict damage on any enemy;
whether it's a simple encounter or key boss fight, every battle
is a pathetic routine of eating attacks as you build up your
various gauges in preparation for the big assault.
My favorite thing about the first Xenosaga was the way it
systematically gave the finger to anyone who didn't devote
themselves, body and soul, to taking in the whole experience.
"Oh, you don't want to watch the plot or figure out the skill
system?" the game seemed to say, "Well toughen up, buttercup.
It's a long ride." On the other hand, Episode II appears to be
ed squarely at the milquetoasts who couldn't handle the
previous iteration, coddling and cooing "Do you want a lolly,
sweetheart?" Where the series' balance (or imbalance) between
story and action was once the subject of criticism, the frequency
of amazing cutscenes is now all that redeems Episode II.
Concept:
Give loyal fans more philosophical puzzle pieces, but make them
suffer along the way
Graphics:
Despite some jaggies and Shion's new "bus station skank" style,
it is a sleek and beautiful game
Sound:
The voice actor switch-ups are unfortunate (especially KOS-MOS),
and the soundtrack frequently jumps between awe-inspiring and
comically inappropriate
Playability:
Increased accessibility comes at the expense of engaging
customization
Entertainment:
The ratio of "pay attention time" to "play time" is still uneven,
but the action cutscenes rank among the very best in gaming
Replay:
Moderately High
Rated: 7.75 out of 10
Editor: Joe Juba
Issue: March 2005
2nd Opinion:
I wish I had better news to share. But facts are facts, and the
follow up to one of my favorite RPGs is a disappointment on many
levels. Graphics, story, and jaw-dropping cinematics are
thankfully not on the list of casualties – those remain truly top
notch as they combine to exhibit expressive characters wrestling
with interweaving themes of family, betrayal, and the nature of
evil. It's too bad gameplay fails to be even remotely as complex.
Combat is desperately shallow, especially in the lengthy mech
sequences that show up in the second half of the time. The
game-spanning series of side quests are contrived and drab, but
you're forced to endure them to get some of the better power-ups.
And when I started encountering frequent inane box puzzles, I
nearly threw up my hands in existential, angst-ridden despair.
The whole affair seems amateurish in comparison to the intricate
original. So do I think Episode II has a lot of problems? Yes.
Will it disappoint you as it did me? Probably. But if you're a
fan of the original, do I still think you should play this one?
As much as it's going to hurt – definitely.
Rated: 7.5 out of 10
Editor: Matt Miller
Subscribe to Game Informer ( /exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000AN45D/ ) --
.com
- Engage your enemies with larger, more powerful mechs with their own independent, battle system.
- Devastate your nents with innovative cooperative combat techniques, with refined boost systems and a unique zone attack/zone break mechanic.
- Customize your party with power-ups, advanced attacks and over 100 different skills.
- Explore lush, expansive environments and enjoy detailed, realistic character designs.
- Challenge more than 30 side quests for hours of action-packed adventure.