Xenogears
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You are currently reading a thread in /v/ - Video Games
You are currently reading a thread in /v/ - Video Games
So, when does this game get really good? It's often praised as one of the games that gave the PS1 the title of the best JRPG console but of what I've played up until now (fight against Elly influenced by Drive) the game seens extremely exposition heavy (more so than many of its contemporaries like Chrono Cross, FF7 and Parasite Eve), has had 3 dungeons and has an "ok" fight system.
Is it going to be like this the whole time?
Is this game just not for me?
>>339421564
Keep going you retard, you're going to spoil one of the best parts, delete this thread and keep fucking playing jesus fucking christ.
Game was highly overrated. It may be just that.
It's good from about a few hours in.
It's not the best JRPG on the PS1. That's FF7. It's just that it has become so universally acknowledged that FF7 was the best that people try to find more esoteric titles to say were the best to satisfy their weeb hipsterism.
>>339421834
>It's not the best JRPG on the PS1.
>That's FF7
Translation: Not only do I have shit taste, I'm also impressionable and cannot form my own opinions.
Just kill yourself.
>>339421710
Weird way of saying best JRPG ever made and top 3 of best game ever made no matter the genre.
It doesn't help that Bart and his cronies are horrible characters and that the plot goes into "overthrowing a tyrant" in less than 2 hours.
Best JRPG console of its time certainly, but all-time is debatable.
>>339422076
Could you give your power ranking for PSX JRPGs?
I've been hunting them down for the last year and my favourite up until now has been Cross.
I wanna know if I'm missing anything.
>>339422076
Suikoden fans are so defensive.
>>339422497
Do tactical ones count or not?
>>339422687
That's because their franchise is dead and only 2 of the games from it are worth playing
JRPGs are pretty shit in general, don't force it on yourself because of reputation.
Here's a tip, OP. Any game that is praised to be 10/10 isn't actually the best game ever made for everyone, it's just really a game that happens to fit a specific preference of very few people. You're better off finding a game of 7-9 / 10 range and you'll generally have a more fun time.
>>339422693
God FM3 was so great when it came out. Pity the series died like it did.
>>339422693
Sure, I love tactical games. Only ones I've played on PS1 are FF Tactics and Tactics Ogre though.
>>339422968
Thing is, I should like it. I really like JRPGs ever since I had a SNES but due to destiny, I ended up owning an N64 and missed on a whole generation of them.
>>339423210
You aren't always going to like it, that's just how it is. Honestly, I didn't like Xenogears or Suikoden/Suikoden 2. Sometimes a game just isn't for certain people, whether it be the story, gameplay, music, etc. There's always that single factor that influences decision-making.
>>339421564
Like 40 hours in, the game is like one of this anime with a lot of filler.
>>339421564
Xenogears is my all time favorite game, but honestly if you are not enjoying it to that point I would say you should drop it.
Its either not for you or you were overhyped for the game. Maybe both.
Its a very complex type of jrpg that references a lot of religious and philosophica concepts that most people doesnt understand. Thats why the game isnt even half as popular as the rest of SquareSoft series.
>>339423043
Best
Front Mission 3, Suikoden II, Xenogears
Great
C.Cross, Vandal Hearts II, FFIX, Tactics Ogre, Vagrant Story, SaGa Frontier 2, Valkyrie Profile
Good
FFVII, Vanguard Bandits, Alundra, Legend of Dragoon, Breath of Fire 4, Wild Arms, Lunar, Tales of Destiny, Azure Dreams
it's a pretty overrated jrpg but it's still pretty good. expectations are probably too high if you're doubting it already.
>>339424105
I'll keep going until things stop being about overthrowing Bart's uncle and become more centred on the whole Gebler and Lambs/God versus man aspects which I hope it will eventually lead to.
Xenogears is a greatly improved by emulation.
The shallow as fuck combat combined with the shitty pre-analog platforming and control and the punishingly high encounter rate that not only triggers every 4 steps but can actively fuck you when you're trying to make important jumps collectively makes it damn near unplayable without a fastforward key to zoom passed it.
Playing the game at 10x speed through all the shitty and dated combat sections makes the game actually enjoyable.
>>339424642
>until things stop being about overthrowing Bart's uncle
What? Fuck you really should keep playing them.
Xenogears has a LOT of side plots going on, and Bart's is one of the least relevants.
I barely remember anything about Bart's plot in that game cuz everything else is so much more interesting.
>>339424926
About the combat system, is there any way to know how to unlock Deathblows (without using Walkthroughs)?
I find myself trying random combinations to unlock the next Deathblow but there's no way to know if the combination I'm pressing is right or not.
>/v/ suddenly hates Bart
explain yourselves
>>339425207
No one harts Bart, they just don't care about the whole plot with Shakhan.
>>339425180
If you go into the deathblow menu there should be a Bar in there telling you your progress to unlocking the next deathblow.
If there isn't you've unlocked as many as you can for now until you get far enough in the story to get more AP.
You can find out if your current strategy is making progress by checking that progress bar after every couple fights to see how it's going.
Just using your best deathblow basically every turn is usually enough to unlock the next one eventually, but if you go in there and you've got no progress on it and you know you've got more deathblows to learn at your current level of AP you can just change your attack pattern. IE instead of hitting Square X every turn try Triangle Triangle Square or whatever the next deathblow down on the list is.
Best family.
>>339425207
Not hate, but as a character even Sigmund was more interesting.
In my list only Chuchu is more irrelevant than Bart.
>>339425949
This
>>339426248
How do you think Fei would be as a father?
>>339426134
>Ricardo "dropped my plotline" Banderas
>Maria "Once I drop you off in Solaris I might as well be mute" Balthasar
>Billy "I sold my asshole to clergy but I'm still not worthy" Black
I think you need to rethink your list
>>339424926
You're so underaged I can smell your soiled diaper from over here.
>>339421564
>So, when does this game get really good?
It doesn't.
It's a retarded fanfiction tier story with crap gameplay.
>>339426587He already is, anon
>>339426587
Grumpy yet energetic during his younger years - then the shell-shock of being a mass murderer with split personalities will take its toll on his psyche and turn him into a suicidal drunk.
>>339426815
Nah. All three you mentioned have more interesting backstories than Bart. And theres way more to them than what you just said.
>>339426948
I'm 29 sorry.
I played Xenogears when it came out and loved it but it has not stood the test of time, at least the combat and exploration hasn't.
Especially with that fucking encounter rate and PSX era load times all to get into a boring as fuck fight where all you do is use your most powerful deathblow every turn. Some of the bosses can be clever and have some unique gimmicks to them but the normal fights are a goddamn chore to get through now.
>>339422076
Suikoden II has aged really well which is something that can't be said for many PSX JRPGs.
I think it's the very pretty sprites and unique combat.
It's more praised for what it tried to do than what it did.
I'd kill for a game with a fully realized story in the same vein as Xenogears in terms of scope with actual good gameplay.
>>339427238
>mentioned have more interesting backstories than Bart
Opinions and not the point we're discussing.
We're talking about their relevance, Bart stays relevant, late into the game Bart is still essential to the plot.
Rico, Maria and Billy all fall into the background 5 minutes after you recruit them.
>>339427186
let me clarify
How would he be as a father raising a teenage Emeralda?
>>339427892
>pic
Why was Fei such a manlet?
>>339421564
I feel like it's one of those games that you had to get into around the time it came out. Tried playing Xenogears multiple times and it's just meh to me. It's like your adverage 90's mecha anime. Doesn't help that the game tries to be as slow as possable with the text and that there's more story than gameplay. I probably would of loved the game to death if I'd had gotten it back in the day but trying to play some older more propular games I missed out on is a lot harder for me to get into these days. Same reason I can't get into Final Fantasy Tactics.
>>339424360
I'll add FM3 and Azure Dreams to the list then. Thanks, man.
>>339428595
Front mission 3 is fucking boring with a crap story and one of the worst inter-mission UIs in the history of man
For people praising Xenogears, would you recommend Xenosaga and Xenoblade?
>>339427379
I'm also 29 and played the game for the first time last summer. The platforming was easy and made the otherwise-mostly-unremarkable dungeons fun to explore, I thought the encounter rate was mild (I replay the original Final Fantasy at least once a year), and the combat was no more repetitive than basically any turn-based JRPG.
The "magic users" can mop up groups of lesser enemies quickly, and I don't know why you'd bore yourself with the most powerful deathblow every turn because it often isn't necessary. The combat system gives you the freedom to shake up what would otherwise be a repetitive "fight" command with different deathblows or non-deathblow combos to watch different animations or speed things up in a low-stakes fight. It's kinda brilliant. I loved finishing off enemies with Citan's little "flick" in his melee combo.
Xenogears is significantly flawed, but I rate the gameplay among the best of the "golden era" JRPGs, in spite of the fact that it's clearly unfinished even before you get to the second disc. Like how some accessories and items are worthless or how the game doesn't always distribute things throughout the path of progression very well.
>>339426815
>not "billly 'i'll pop my pop in your ass' black"
>>339429497
>you'd bore yourself with the most powerful deathblow every turn because it often isn't necessary
Why would you even use anything else? Base case scenario you save yourself 1 second of attack animation worst case scenario you've got to hit them again because you undershot their health.
Just hit the fastforward button, play the game at 10x speed during those dungeons and it improves dramatically. What used to be an hour and a half of tedium becomes 10 minutes of inconvenience.
>>339428830
If you really like Gears then Saga is worth a shot, but a lot of people find Episode II to be a horrendous struggle to get through and Episode III attempts to finish a narrative that was intended to continue for another 3 games. As you'd expect the game suffers as a result, but it's still a worthwhile and entertaining experience.
Blade is worth a shot for anybody that's remotely a fan of JRPGs, but don't have your expectations set too high. It's good, but it's nowhere near the level of greatness people here try to say it is.
I'd call X the best of the Xeno games but that's very much an unpopular belief here. What it lacks in its main narrative it makes up for in world building, side quests, combat, character building, giant robots andmusic.
So yeah I'd recommend them all.
>>339428830
>>339424105
>Its a very complex type of jrpg that references a lot of religious and philosophica concepts that most people doesnt understand.
Most people who took college philosophy can understand these concepts. I don't think OP dislikes this game because it's 2deep4him.
>>339430556
>>339430859
>Most people who took college philosophy
<1% of the population
>>339430303
I don't think you enjoy playing turn-based JRPGs. There are certainly tedious ones, but the pace of combat in Xenogears is more than snappy enough and the different combos give you something to amuse yourself with. The on-foot attack animations are a delight.
>>339430801
>X
>Bad soundtrack
>Not finished
>>339430884
>Xenosaga
>Finished
>>339421564
Xenogears has some pacing issues. Especially in the early game, Fei is directionless, weak-willed, and just getting caught up in the struggles of others. Which helps introduce you to a ton of new information, but often feels like you're just constantly getting yanked around. I probably wasn't super invested until the finale of Bart's arc, where shit actually starts to go down. Of course then the story completely changes, and you have to go through the worst dungeon in the game.
>>339428830
Xenosaga 1 plays almost exactly like Xenogears. So yes.
Xenosaga 2 is shit, it butchers the characters models, voices, and gameplay. but it's worth playing if you liked the first game to connect the gap to the third or at the very least to see KOS-MOS in a bikini.
Xenosaga 3 is often considered the best (i personally like XS1 more) it plays more like XS1 but iirc adds some of the better elements from XS2. Also features KOS-MOS in a bikini, and a secret boss battle against Ω Id which greatly resembles Weltall
Xenoblade plays like a single player modern MMO and sucks at the beginning, but once you have more characters and attack skills the game really opens up and gets great. Music, story, characters, extra content, this game is great.
>>339431397
>you have to go through the worst dungeon in the game.
Tower of Babel?
>>339431625
I'll take the tower over the sewers any day. Maybe that's just me.
>>339430801
>>339430884
My $0.02, but I haven't played Xenosaga.
>>339431673
Nothing can top that shitty maze end game dungeon. Now that is painful.
>>339430801
>>339430884
X has an interesting story, it just isn't as well fleshed out as the other Xeno narratives because it wasn't the focus of the game. That said, the side quests and such more than make up for the barebones story.
>bad soundtrack
It has the best soundtrack of the series, two or three mediocre tracks don't outweigh the quality of everything else. And it isn't like the other games don't have their fair share of throwaway tracks.
>>339431846
To me the first floor of that was the only area that was bullshit for no good reason. What I did was scope it out and then back out to refresh my HP/etc. (I don't remember if you can leave or if I just reloaded the game), then just went straight to the next floor.
Beyond that, it's a bit of a puzzle figure out how to get around, but it's logical, and there are plenty of opportunities to get HP/fuel back.
>>339421564
>seens extremely exposition heavy
oh man, you haven't seen anything yet
BRING XENO BACK TO SONY
>>339432316
>It has the best soundtrack of the series
That's a strech, it has a pretty generic sounding soundtrack but it's mostly innocuous save a few really shitty tracks. Nothing you're really going to be humming but you'd miss it if it's gone kinda shit. Nothing close to the melodies you get in the previous xeno games that would get stuck in your head for weeks after you finished the game.
>don't have their fair share of throwaway tracks
Yeah but the worst tracks weren't the
>Only Town music in the game
>Main Battle theme
>Flight theme
![Screen-Shot-2015-10-04-at-11.52.36-AM-1443974006[1].png](https://i.imgur.com/RZaEkZA.png "Screen-Shot-2015-10-04-at-11.52.36-AM-1443974006[1].png")
>Elly will never give you a piece of the Aggro Crag
JUST
>>339432384
>>339431846
>>339431673
>tfw all of this was effortless on my replay because of emulation and fast foward
>tfw I fell the full three screens of babel when I missed a jump towards the end and didn't give a single fuck because I only lost like 5 minutes
>>339432316
>[XCX] has the best soundtrack of the series, two or three mediocre tracks don't outweigh the quality of everything else. And it isn't like the other games don't have their fair share of throwaway tracks.
Your latter point is exactly what I think when people dump on the soundtrack because of its worst songs (though they're REALLY bad). I also find all the cinematic drum-beating and dissonant noise stuff worthless to listen to, but the continental themes are fucking brilliant. Those and some other standouts make the whole thing for me.
Personally, I think the Xenogears soundtrack is head-and-shoulders above the rest, with its worst fault being the lack of a strong battle theme. I also really like the orchestral arrangements on the "Myth" album.
>>339421564
>exposition heavy
You do know what a JRPG is don't you?
>>339433268
my first crush
>>339427573
>PSX
>PEE ESS CROSS
>>339433270
We get it, fastforwardfag, you just recently discovered emulators and feel like boasting about using one to cover for your ADHD and the fact that you don't enjoy JRPGs as much as you used to.
>Fei has a cute side to him
What did she mean by this?
>>339432863
>Bring Xeno to all consoles and PC except Nintendo consoles
Fix'd for you
>>339433012
That's pretty funny, I pretty regularly find myself whistling a lot of tracks from X at work, months after I last did a full playthrough. I found the continent themes, battle themes, Mono X, Theme X, Requiem and a lot of other tracks to be a lot more catchy than anything the other Xeno soundtracks had to offer.
>It has a pretty generic sounding soundtrack
It's very distinctly Sawano. Generic for his works maybe, but it's far from a generic JRPG soundtrack.
>Only Town music
Mediocre at worst, they're hardly bad and undoubtably memorable.
>Main Battle theme
One of the many I find myself whistling or humming, I couldn't disagree with you more.
>Flight theme
I'll give you that one, but only because of how it was used in the game. Setting it to play every time you start flying was a mistake.
