Xenosaga Episode II
The first episode of Xenosaga was awaited like a Messiah by certain players. Indeed, it was created by the team at the origin of Xenogears, that certain followers of Japanese RPG raised with the row of worship. However, this episode left on its end and its realization was disappointing, but the scenario, complex, was posed. And now, the second episode appears on the displays, in order to continue the saga Zohar…
Xenosaga Episode II begins 15 years before the preceding episode, time to pose certain indices and necessary informations with the comprehension of the scenario. After the interlude passeist, one finds oneself on the Militia news, where Shion and its friends will have to disentangle wire of the various conspiracies which seem to appear in the known universe. I will not reveal anything moreover, because all starts on the hub. Those which did not play first Xenosaga certainly will be able to advance in the history, but they will be likely to lose certain subtleties. On the other hand, luckiest will find a DVD no-claims bonus which summarizes, by taking again kinematics of the play, which occurred in the first episode. Just to give before taste, I will specify that the history is centered here on Jr. and Albedo.
At the beginning of the game, one is plunged in what makes the trademark of Xenosaga: cinematics. That of introduction long, but very interesting and is especially excellently put in scene. A change immediately is noted: graphics. The first episode of futuristic RPG was disappointing on this point and one hoped for much the continuation. Monolith thus had bread on the board and the developers had to rough-hew enormously. That is seen immediately. The characters are animated much better and, especially, their faces are splendid. At the time of the intermediate scenes, which exploit the engine of the play, the facial closes-up show that the PS2 still has beautiful remainders: the expressions of astonishment, are made extremely credible on the level of the eyes is quite simply incredible… If one stopped on the level of the face of the players, it would be good whole, but the remainder is a little more disappointing. First of all, the decorations, if they are varied and rather different from a place with another, remain cold with simple textures. It is undoubtedly a choice of the developers, but it is considered it regrettable that the environment misses life cruelly.
Indeed, episode 2 is still full with cinematics. There are those which hate and those which appreciate. I belong to the second category. I find that makes it possible to have more information as for the history and, moreover, that allows to slacken a little between two engagements. Moreover, as specified before, they are carried out with hand of Master, with an extremely successful sound environment. The voices in the play are very credible, except close for that to Jr., too childish. Shion, in particular, has an at the same time naive and decided stamp, which corresponds to the character completely; in connection with elsewhere of this main character, one will note that it underwent one crowned “face lift”: it is less “nerdz”, more woman, sexier. The graphic designers made good work so that this character is similar to that of the first episode while improving his design. To return on the noise level, the musics are much more present than previously: some is the level which one explores, a small music, enough successful, accompanies us. One regrets however that, sometimes, the stellar vacuum is not there, history to add to oppression and the emergency feeling.
Those who played the first episode of Xenosaga will be disconcerted a little by the jouablity of the play. Admittedly, during, the engagements, one always directs three characters; admittedly, the system of combo and “boost”, which makes it possible to save time of play, is always present; admittedly, the engagements are still with the turn by turn; admittedly, the magic, or rather the ether, is always of topicality. However, some tactical changes appeared. Thus, during a combat, you will be able to change character, following the example Final Fantasy X, but this character will play only turn according to, with the result that should not be done any time. Moreover, if all the characters, even those which did not take part and except close to deaths, gain experiment at the conclusion of the engagements, the additional points are completely different.
The reign of the “skills”, “ether “and “tech” points; all that was exchanged by a system of classes which you resolve and who give you access to new ether fates or capacities sélectionnables. This was done in a preoccupation with a simplification. Almost paradoxically, that makes it possible to have characters more specialized with more marked strong points. On the other hand, it is considered it regrettable that the characters do not have new armours or weapons. In the passing, one will note a beautiful addition on the level of the engagements: the double combinations where two characters attack at the same time as well as the possibility at the time of an attack of “locker” the enemy in the air or by ground so that the following character inflicts additional damage to him, a little as in Shadow Hearts. Moreover, famous robots AGWS, often useless at the time of the engagements in first Xenosaga, return here, in the shape of robots ES, with more functionalities and an interest increased in their use. In certain phases, they will prove extremely useful even necessary.
In the copy returned by Monolith Software for Namco is in general extremely good, it is important to underline some irritants however. The first relates to the many loadings, that is to change rooms, during exploration, or to begin the engagements. Concerning this last point, it is not rare to have to wait nearly 15 seconds before seeing all the antagonists concerned with the battle; it is long, too much long. Moreover, the concept of money completely disappeared, with the result that it is impossible to recover new weapons (as mentioned before) or of the potions; this obliges to make many additional combat in order to stage with the unforeseen one. However, to help us, the many points of safeguard give again the full one with life and magic; as much to say that to seek these zones is not a luxury, nor even a superfluity, especially that the combat remain difficult enough for that which would control subtleties of Xenosaga badly.
Concering the lifespan, it is, alas, not very important for a RPG. About thirty hours will be sufficient to see the end, at least with the normal difficulty. Moreover, the additional searches are definitely fewer than at the time of the first episode. If the first is traditional secret doors to free, the second is however extremely interesting and long. It is a question of making the good Samaritan while helping of the people to solve some problems, and this by means of small “puzzles” sometimes rather difficult, but distracting and integrated well into the principal screen.
