An epic saga of unprecedented proportions that can only be described as one of the best engaging RPG series to date.
Those of you that are new to the game, Xenosaga tells a tale of epic proportions that involves religion, philosophy, love, betrayal, power, mystery, and the existence of the universe. The main premise of the story is the universe, why are we here, what purpose do we have in it and what is the nature of our existence. Without spending too much time on the plot line (as it is very vast and deep) Xenosaga III continues the story of a talented engineer, Shion Uzuki, her friends KOS MOS, Jr (Ruebedo), MOMO, Ziggy, chaos, Allen, and her brother Jin Uzuki. The purpose of their journey is to discover the secrets of the Zohar and to unravel the mystery surrounding the appearance of the Gnosis.
Xenosaga III does a phenomenal job at answering the questions that plagued us since the first and second Xenosaga games. The story captivates you and pulls you in a world filled with mystery and suspense and at the same time enables the gamer to form close bonds with the characters involved. I found each character to be well developed and complete within the context of the story as well as the series itself. Xenosaga III continues right where it left off in Xenosaga II just as II did with the first in the series. The flow of the story is smooth and sequential throughout the series and I found that I was able to recall most of the plot by memory. For those with poor memory or for those that have not played the game (although I recommend playing it from the first game) there is a database that you can access during the game that will explain everything that has transpired in the series. This database is updated as you play the game and you always have access to it for reference and clarification of events, items, characters, and miscellaneous themes. The only drawback of this is that it is time consuming to read everything in the database (and I assure you it is a thorough database) which may deter you from the actual game itself.
I found the game play to be exceptional and unique despite the many RPG's that I have played as a gamer. The controls are straight forward and simple enough to execute as well as easy to learn. The characters use a combination of ether (magic) and tech (ability) attacks for devastating results. Characters turn to make a move occurs sequentially and is determined by various factors such as stock points (allowing for boost) and ether support that speeds up reaction times. Boost gauges that completely fill up or reach a certain level (or number) allows a character to use a deathblow or "boost" to move next in line, skipping queue to make an attack or move. These deathblows cause devastating physical to magical type attacks and are simply fascinating to watch. Characters can also "summon" ES units (which are robotic fighting units similarly found in Xenogears or the Gundam anime series for those that are familiar with these).
ES units can also be used to fight your battles as well, with each unit being fully customizable to weapons, armor, ECU chips, and various upgrades to transform them into devastating mobile weapons. These ES units also have their special abilities which are unlocked when the Anima Gauge is filled ( up to 3 levels) and releases a combination of attacks that utterly cripples your opponent. It is ridiculously insane at what kind of damage these units can inflict and equally insane as to the amount of damage your enemy can withstand as well. However with a little common sense and some strategy you can defeat your foes.
The graphics are top notch, simply breathtaking and picturesque and Xenosaga III (just like the previous two in the series) is full of movie sequences that take up most of the game play. Each time these sequences come up I find myself grinning and sitting back on my couch to enjoy yet again a magnificent piece of cinematography. Granted there is quite a few of these sequences, however I guarantee that it will not disappoint and bore you (as you saw in one clip that I have uploaded). Each of these movie sequences are lively, full of emotion, drama, and you are simply left in awe and wonderment at each one of them. Simply put they are awesome!
The music in Xenosaga is very rich and reflects the epic nature of the series. I did find at moments where the music gets lost in the background at some areas of the game but for the most part it was enjoyable. The music reflected the themes of the game very well, especially towards the end where events lead to the unraveling of the mysteries of the series. The battle sequences relating to the music were good but could have been more intense. With the exception of the last boss(s) I found that this area could have been improved on. Non the less the music was engaging and did leave an impression with me.
The voice acting was exceptional, each character was given a voice actor that executed a lively and energetic amount of skill into bringing these characters alive. There were no moments where the voice acting felt dragged, delayed or out of place and this is one of the strong points of this game besides the graphical component. In most instances you control when the next character is to speak (by pressing the X button) and this effectively eliminates the delayed pause between conversations making for a realistic and surreal presentation. I was very impressed with the voice acting and found it to be one of the best amongst all the games I've played involving voice acting.
In conclusion Xenosaga III has been a memorable end to a spectacular trilogy. It addressed all the issues and questions that surfaced from the first and second games and concluded the story in a very complete and heartfelt manner. The characters were interesting and engaging and KOS MOS is one of the most fascinating and enigmatic character I have encountered in a video game. I also found the crew of the Elsa (the space ship captained by Matthews) to be very enjoyable and humorous. Captain Mathews , Hammar, and Tony provide us with comic relief throughout the series and the interaction between these characters is entertaining to say the least. If you have not tried out the Xenosaga series or are just new to the series, I urge you to start from Xenosaga I as it will take you on a journey that you won't soon forget and leave you in wonderment and awe. Xenosaga III is the best game of the three installments and deservingly so as it closes the series in fine fashion and leaves us all wondering what is next for Shion and her friends.