Everything about Season 2… I mean Xenosaga 2 ! ;)
User Rating: 8.9 | Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Bose PS2
If you read my review of Xenosaga 1, I used the TV season metaphor about the game. Well, I reiterate my statement: “Xenosaga series is like a TV season anime where you can level up and do things like any RPG games.” So, I don’t have to say that there are a lot of cut-scenes. However, I thought this second episode was well-balanced if you compare with the first one. In fact, Xenosaga 2 is well over Xenosaga 1. As for the three, I don’t know yet. Story: As I said, I hate to spoil. But I can say that this game focus a lot about the Rubedo/Albedo link and with a cult who’s quite frightening. There are a lot of political deceptions, conspiracies, mysteries in this game again. So, I don’t have to say that Xenosaga 2 story is great piece of story, well written and well set up. Of course, if you didn’t play the first episode, you won’t understand a bit of this sequel. For the rest, I can’t say much except that its title “Jenseits von Gut and Böse” (Beyond good and evil) represents very much the storyline of this one. And, of course, the ending is shocking. Really shocking. The kind of shock that make you want to play the third episode of the trilogy. Graphics: Well, I must say it’s way better than the first one. The characters look more human (which is kind ironic when you think that there’s only 2 real humans in the group) and more “Final Fantasy-like”. Some textures aren’t beautiful at all but hey, if you compare with the first episode, we’re far better. And, in this one, they discover that there are more colours than grey! So, it’s over big, monotonous grey dungeons! Now, there’s a destroyed city or a field covered by snow or a big bizarre dungeon or… So, more exotic place. But hey, don’t worry! Some old places like the Foundation or the Elsa are there and they look the same… with the Xenosaga 2’s touch who make them look better. Sound: Finally, great sound effects!!! God, when I think about Xenosaga’s sounds, I’m starting to scratch myself because of the annoying footsteps sound, for example. So, don’t worry in this one: great sounds effects. Not the best in the video game world, but they really passed the test. As for the music score… Well, we’re far from Final Fantasy series but this second episode got less annoying cues which is a good point. The problem is the same as the first one: no music cue that’ll stay in your head or give you any emotion. It’s flat, there’s some electronic beat that’s not very good and in the end, you’ll forget very fast this episode’s music. Gameplay: What about the gameplay? Well, it’s easier to handle than the first. The reason is you don’t have to manage six different kinds of points. Now, there are only experience points that make you level (so, more Hit Points and more high attributes) and skills points. The skill system of this game is perfect. The fact is you don’t have any equipment. So, there are three types of skills. Skills you can equip like Vit + 2 for example (you can equip up to 3 skills), “magic” or ether skills like healing spells and passive skills which when it’s unlocked, the effects will stay for the rest of the game. There’s four levels of skills and there’s 8 class of skills (a class contains 4 skills) except for the level 4 where there’s only four classes. So, yes, you’ll have to win class skills to unlock them and unlock skills. But, hey, if you finish a class, you get a load of class points. And some enemies and bosses give you class points. The system seems quite complicated told like that but the in-game tutorial explains everything and, in fact, it’s very easy and fun to do. Of course, not having any equipment will disappoint some but I didn’t find it so terrible. In fact, it’s so fun to get skill points that I didn’t care. As for the combats, the system is quite the same as the first episode. There’s still a slot which has some effects (the important skill points slot where when you kill an enemy on that slot, you get more skill points from him) and the boost system except that in this game, the boost gauge isn’t individual but for everyone. It’s really useful that way. The gameplay isn’t too hard except some bosses who are challenging enough. And there’s a lot to do in this game. In fact, they compensate for lack of story. Because if you play only for the story… the game isn’t very long surprisingly. To compensate there’s the GS (Global Samaritan) campaign where you do good deeds for people and they give you interesting rewards. Ok, I must admit I didn’t very love this. Yes, it adds hours of side-quests to the game (and hours of game after the main story too) but there’s some “random” quests that’re quite stupid and yes, unfortunately, there’s a quest where you’ll deal with cats. What’s the problem with RPG and cats? We’re the superheroes of this world trying to stop an overwhelming evil force to destroy the world BUT you have to give cats to some specific NPCs in a SEA of NPCs (thanks to the FAQs). I’m still seeking for some logic point here. So, what about Xenosaga 2? Well, they revised a lot of points and made a better game than the first episode. Great story again, better graphics, better sound effects and a cool gameplay. But there’s still some things who would be nice : a LONGER story part (I mean, the first DVD can be finished in only some hours), a music who ISN’T flat and INTERESTING side-quests would have be nice. But, hey, why staring into the negative points? Xenosaga 2 is way better than the first one and gives enough satisfaction to seek, heart beating strongly, the last season… huh… episode of this trilogy. An episode I’ll start very soon, hoping it would be the best of all and that it’ll give us some answers because there are not a lot of answers in this episode, just more questions. So, see you for Episode 3!!!
