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This epic adventure begins when a gigantic aircraft called the Eldridge
suffers shipwide system malfunctions. As the crew hurries to regain control
of the Eldridge, an eerie message flickers on the ship's monitors. The crew
loses control of the ship to some unknown entity. The inhabitants of the
Eldridge quickly evacuate, but are gunned down by the ship's own cannons.
With no other recourse, the captain is forced to activate the ship's
self-destruct mechanism. The Eldridge crashes into a nearby planet and
erupts into a ball of flame. A single woman emerges from the wreckage,
bearing in her soul the fate of all humankind. Thousands of years later, a war erupts between the nations of Aveh and Kislev. As the countries constantly clash over scarce resources and scarcer power, a mysterious third party begins to exert their influence on the war by reviving ancient weapons --- enormous humanoid robots known as Gears. The story then segues into the life of Fei Fong Wong, a mild-mannered artist residing in a simple, peaceful village secluded from the wars. Little does Fei know that a battle will soon be waged in his own backyard, and that his hidden memories will become the catalyst for a series of apocalyptic events that will completely change the face of the world. If you think you know RPGs, think again. Xenogears spins a marvelously complex story that is half-adventure, half-romance and sprinkled heavily with religious overtones, examining the relationship between humanity and God. But that isn't all -- the game tracks Fei's search for identity and his struggle with the terrifying power he holds within. Xenogears spins a tale so detailed and illuminating that it takes until the very closing moments of the game to understand how the game's beautiful introduction sequence relates to the lengthy quest of Fei and his companions. As some questions are answered, a slew of others open up, leaving the gamer in a constant state of uncertainty. This isn't your run of the mill RPG. My only problem with the game's plot development comes at the beginning of the second disc. The developers inexplicably move away from the traditional real-time method of revealing events, essentially taking the characters out of your hands and feeding you only bits and pieces of the story. Instead of experiencing the events and emotions of the characters, you have them told to you in a ludicrous rocking chair sequence that temporarily sucks all the life out of the game. Fortunately, the sequence is fairly short lived and the characters are well back under your control prior to the end battle. The game probably had too many unfinished sections close to deadline, and my guess is that quality was scrapped for efficiency. Regarless, it is the one true blemish on this otherwise exceptional CD. The story isn't the only unique element to this stunning game. Unlike most RPGs, Xenogears utilizes a pair of battle engines. Early on and at points throughout the game, Fei and his friends travel on foot. This allows the gamer to choose classic RPG battle commands such as attack, defend, magic, item, etc. Attacking is where the game differs most, as you are given a number of attack points for every turn. After opting to attack, the player can perform a series of moves called Deathblows, costing one, two, or three attack points each. Certain combinations of moves will result in more powerful attack combos, learned throughout the game, and unused attack points can be stored and used to string together a combination of Deathblow attacks. Later in the game, however, the characters are able to control Gears, and the concept of fighting in giant robots should send a twinge up the spine of any hardcore sci-fi/fantasy fan. Fighting in a Gear is similar to regular combat in some regards, but completely different in others. Instead of using attack points for player combos, Gears come equipped with a set amount of fuel used to power attacks. Each move requires either 10, 20, or 30 fuel points, and Deathblow combos require more. Fuel can be replenished by using a charge command, which restores a small amount but leaves the Gears open to attack. Lastly, the Gears can activate a booster which speeds up the machine more frequent attacks at a cost of 30 fuel points per turn. The unique combat system will be a breath of fresh air for RPG fans bored of casual hack-and-slash battles. The graphics and background music are every bit as good as past Square offerings. Towns and dungeons are rendered polygonally from an rotateable overhead viewpoint with sprite based characters. Battle screens are presented in a combination of 2D and 3D artwork, with most characters in 2D and the Gears in 3D. Japanese animation and dubbed voiceovers are used in lieu of the full motion video (FMV) screens made famous by Final Fantasy VII. Overall, the animation and graphics are well done -- nothing to write home about, but nothing that takes away from the game either. The soundtrack is also a solid effort, with a few mood-driven songs standing out of an above average pack. My personal favorite is the music-box tune. Overall, Xenogears is a polished and entertaining game that will keep RPG fans hooked for weeks or even months on end. The game is undoubtedly the best role-playing title of 1998, and gamers will find it well worth the investment. |
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