Gaming Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra

[Dagger]

I just finished Chapter 1, so I reserve the right to take back anything I say here (in speculation or otherwise), in case it ends up looking spectacularly stupid later on. :p

Anyway, I'm already getting a great vibe from this game. The character battle system basically combines the battle systems from the first and second games, but it also adds some new stuff--so attack zones are gone even though Break status is still a possibility (for both the PCs and the enemies), and tech attacks are back (yay!), but you have to spend ether points to use them.

The one thing that makes me a little leery is the fact that you have to save up Boost points to use special attacks (which are different from tech attacks). After using Boost so heavily in Episode II, it's going to be a little weird using it mainly for stocking instead of for constantly cutting in line. On the other hand, it's convenient that the Boost gauge fills up as you attack, since so many turns had to be spent stocking in Episode II, which made even the easy battles pretty long. Anyway, it makes me happy that there are cool individual attack names and so forth again, since I virtually never used Episode II's double techs.

I've only been in two ES battles so far, but I was really rather impressed by how they looked. I wonder whether [spoiler]they're all going to be in space or in the air; that gave those two battles a dynamic visual quality that I can't imagine being replicated if the machines were grounded.[/spoiler] In any case, I'm thrilled that ES battles now give the characters experience points--that's going to make it so much easier to level up, and I think it'll let me enjoy the ES campaigns more. It doesn't seem as if you can switch co-pilots around, as in Episode II, although I haven't take much of a look at it yet. At least they have MOMO with Ziggy; that pleased me.

I think that people (like myself) who had complaints about the character design changes for Episode II should be very pleased with the designs in Episode III. If you have a clear save file from Episode II, you can even [spoiler]put Shion in her old Vector uniform.[/spoiler]

Facially, the designs are more nuanced and sophisticated than those in either of the first two games--I suppose they have more of an anime-ish appearance than in Episode II, but at the same time they also look a lot more human and expressive, so you don't get the creepy blank stares from Episode I. I'd say to look at Jin and MOMO for the best evidence of the improvements (seriously, MOMO just became [i]gorgeous[/i]), but KOS-MOS fans have only to glance at the cover to see how much more attractive she is than in Episode II.

I've heard that the music is a lot better than that of Episode II, and while it's a little early to judge, Episode II's music was pretty horrid. So I think anything different would be a big relief at this point.

On the one hand, the minor cut-scenes (I don't know how to describe them--the ones with the visual novel style talking heads instead of full animation) seem pretty cheap and are coming a little too hard and fast for my comfort. On the other hand, it is kind of fun to momentarily pretend that I'm playing a bishoujo game or something, haha. Additionally, the real cut-scenes look a lot lusher and more alive than in the previous games. Hopefully all of the key plot developments will receive that treatment.

About the prologue: [spoiler]Yeah, everyone knows that it isn't really a Xenosaga game until you can make Shion prance around in her swimsuit.[/spoiler]

And as for Chapter 1: I have decided that I like [spoiler]Margulis. He will never attain an Albedo-esque level of coolness, due to being less mentally unhinged, but I can totally see him teaming up with the heroes at some point.[/spoiler]

~Dagger~

[Sho Ayori]

When's Episode 3 coming out in Europe? I've wanted it since I began playing Episode 2, though I haven't played the first one. But the storyline and characters absorbed me into it, and I liked the battle system. I know what the whole story's about but waiting for episode 3 is really getting to be a drag.

[Dagger]

[quote name='Sho Ayori']When's Episode 3 coming out in Europe? I've wanted it since I began playing Episode 2, though I haven't played the first one. But the storyline and characters absorbed me into it, and I liked the battle system. I know what the whole story's about but waiting for episode 3 is really getting to be a drag.[/quote]
I don't think a European release date has been announced yet, but Episode I would be a great way to kill time between the two games. ;) I really do recommend snagging it--it's much longer than Episode II, and it's a lot of fun. Although you can probably get by just fine without playing it, some of the sub-plots that have come to the forefront in Episode III will seem more meaningful if you've already been through Episode I.

(I'm specifically referring to the stuff about [spoiler]Virgil and Kevin,[/spoiler] neither of whom get much screen time in Episode II--[spoiler]Virgil's[/spoiler] identity is never mentioned at all, and I don't think [spoiler]Kevin's[/spoiler] name came up more than once or twice, if even that. It's also fun just to think back on the events of Episode I while playing Episode III, such as how [spoiler]Virgil called out Febronia's name during his death scene[/spoiler]--stuff that didn't have much significance in context suddenly starts making sense, and it's given me an appreciation for how deeply the writers planned the story.)

I just started Chapter 6. I am endlessly intrigued by [spoiler]Kevin's[/spoiler] new role in the story, and so far the whole [spoiler]sequence in the past[/spoiler] has been cleverly executed and very, very interesting. [spoiler]It's a nifty way for them to gain the ability to revive KOS-MOS.[/spoiler] Plus, it was great to find out how [spoiler]Virgil and Febronia[/spoiler] knew one another. If I play Episode I again, I'll have to keep an eye out for whether there are any direct hints about [spoiler]Virgil remembering Shion.[/spoiler]

~Dagger~