"...occasionally soars to captivating heights, but invariably winds up falling short of its own ambition".
User Rating: 7.2 | Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Bose PS2
Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht was well received by fans upon its 2003 release. The title offered an engrossing, historically rich narrative that boasted A level production values throughout. The cinematically driven experience also integrated a complex and challenging battle system. The game's learning curve was steep, but those up for the task were rewarded with an engaging and lengthy quest. Episode II is a worthy follow up that retains and improves upon various aspects of its forerunner, and it will undoubtedly appeal to Xenosaga fans for this reason. However, the game's improvements are undermined by a shorter and less involving quest. Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Bose builds on its predecessor's battle system, visual presentation, and cast of characters, but the narrative direction fails to reach the epic heights required to sustain the weight of the voluminous universe that has been constructed. The Elsa crew has made their return in this adventure. Episode II begins 14 years before the drama that unfolded in Episode I. The action begins with an interactive flashback sequence that lays the groundwork for the story that ensues. The team embarks on a mission to Second Militia in hopes that they will uncover the mysteries of the Realians. Nothing goes as planned during the story's cleverly depicted prologue. The crew members attempt to extract the invaluable Y-Data from MOMO's subconscious, but are forced into retreat before they can retrieve the data in its entirely. When the flashback ends, the story leaps forward to the point in time where Episode I left off, and Episode II formally begins. On a quest for knowledge to stop the impending threat of the Gnosis, you will be introduced to a cosmic relic called the Zohar. A broad range of factions and individuals contend for control of this mythical artifact, and in its pursuit, destinies are intertwined. The adventure unwinds through the vast landscapes of the war-torn future. As you navigate your party through the galactic terrain, you will be confronted by a multitude of adversaries, and frequent battles will ensue, not to mention the pesky load times that underscore them. Those who tuned in for the last installment of the series will notice the absence of the shop and AP system. Upgrades are now accumulated by completing quests, and eliminating enemies. The focus of the combat shifts between your party members and the Mechs they pilot. The turn-based fighting engine has been revamped from the ground up. For starters, an enemy can have up to three different hit zones localized to the different regions of its body. "C" is a low zone, "B" is middle, and "A" is high. You must find the weakest region and centralize your strikes on it. If you score two consecutive hits, the zone will break, and you will be awarded 1.5x damage for the following attack. This opens the door for a number of different aerial and ground assaults that can be tallied on your foe. In addition, you can stock up on attacks if you omit your turn in battle; your strikes will accumulate in power on your proceeding turn. Boosting is now a team-oriented effort, and it can yield devastating results if accomplished. It allows you the ability to interchange characters, and deliver additional damage before your enemy takes its turn. In addition, two characters can join to unleash a vicious combo attack. Each new attack builds onto the next, and battles become increasingly strategic as your options multiply. Overall, the new fighting engine works exceedingly well, and allows for easier access to the tactical battles that lie ahead. In a dramatic departure from its anime-inspired predecessor, the graphics are now realistic in appearance. The lifelike cast conveys a broad range of emotions through their facial expressions and gestures. Character models have been brought to life with increased polygons, textures and animations. The luminous magic attacks they wield are extravagant and reinforced by extensive lighting and particle effects that illuminate the vast atmosphere. Environments range from towering and majestic cityscapes to imposing dungeons of sinister device. The new art direction the game takes broadens the canvas on which the characters and environments are portrayed and allows the visual presentation to travel into beautiful and varying directions. Interactive and cinematic sequences of the game merge to form an altogether striking composition. The cinematic illustration of this narrative remains grandiose, and breathtaking CG sequences continue to hold precedence. Fans of the original will enjoy the game's lengthy and impressive cutscenes, but the continual reliance placed on them holds fast to a formula that lacks player-interactivity, and feels increasingly out of place as time passes by. Furthermore, the CG segments contribute to the occurrence of bothersome load times, and further disrupt the flow of play. The audio portion of Episode II falls slightly short of its awe-inspiring visuals. The music fails to provoke the same emotion that it did in the last entry of the series. Dark and haunting musical ballads have been replaced with cheerful pop tunes and ambient melodies. The different tracks are well orchestrated, but not well suited for the game. The voice acting is consistently solid, but it is undermined by verbal exchanges that are often tawdry and cliche. The true strength of the audio is focused on the diverse range of sound effects it features. Not only do they reinforce the drama, but also they make fantastic use of Dolby Pro Logic 2. Episode II is comparably shorter than its predecessor, but it still clocks in at a robust 30hrs of play, and there are enough side quests to keep you busy past that point. However, once you've conquered the game, there aren't many reasons to return. Outside of its engaging and challenging battles, this title is carried by its cinematography. Unless you enjoy watching repeats, you won't enjoy watching repeats. Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Bose builds on the graphics, gameplay, and beloved characters that fans of the series will continue to enjoy, but it fails to make use of its wide-ranging premise. Instead, the focus is placed on a select cast of characters, and their comparably trivial interactions. They are well defined, but restricted within the confines of a storyline that is reduced to a series of subplots. Xenosaga Episode II is a philosophically inspired tale that occasionally soars to captivating heights, but it invariably winds up falling short of its own ambition.
