| Xenosaga Episode 2: Jenseits von Gut und Bose review |
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Such is the nature of episodic gaming, Xenosaga Episode 1: Der Wille zur Macht posed many more questions than it answered; it was functional and enjoyable, but incomplete both in terms of story and execution. Thankfully the opposite can be said of its sequel; for every question Episode 2 has an answer, and then some.
Miltian conflict recollection aside, Jenseits von Gut und Bose picks up the narrative baton almost immediately from where Der Wille zur Macht left off and does so at breakneck pace. Safely delivering the prototype Realian MOMO to Second Miltia, analysis begins on the mysterious Y-Data imbedded in MOMO by her enigmatic ‘father’, Joachim Mizrahi. As the data contains the secrets to unlocking the path to find the Zohar, a lost source of incredible power that Xenogears fans will recognise all too well, no point of this journey of discovery runs smoothly as a struggle for control over the legendary Zohar ensues. This latest episode in Namco’s epic space opera wastes no time in stamping a far more immediate and exciting sense of artistic direction over the lethargic and considered camera pans of its predecessor. From the opening insertion of the handsome E.S. Asher into a war-torn Old Miltia through to the epic clashes between swordsmen Jin and Margulis, the emphasis pivots from power and strength to art and skill. The game’s numerous cutscenes benefit massively from this and the Xenosaga experience transforms from being a passenger to taking a ride; the essence is still the same but this instalment has far more swagger in its step whilst travelling from A to B in its continuing plotline.
Even though it is continuing the same Xenosaga story, Episode 2 looks and feels very different to its predecessor, posing the potentially confusing problem of detaching itself from its closely connected precursor. Rather than introducing these changes gradually, Episode 2 uses an injection of pace into its storytelling to stun players into accepting its curious inconsistencies. Acceptance is made all the more easier when many of these alterations eventually prove to be of benefit of the series. The new character designs, which are a step away from the anime-eyes of Episode 1, don’t quite sit right at first but once they’re given access to costume changes that are better matched to their proportionately taller bodies it becomes effortless to forget that they ever looked any different. Changes made to most of Xenosaga’s vocal cast also feel somewhat contradictory at first; chaos’s voice in particular sounds like a complete reversal from his Episode 1 persona. Yet, despite a seemingly monotone opening and the occasional misread line, the fresh voiceover talent delivers an altogether more convincing performance to show up Episode 1’s original cast. Likewise, the new E.S. mecha designs instantly consign their clumsy A.G.W.S. predecessors to the state of obsolescence that they were always fated to have, whilst continuing to tip Monolith Soft’s cap ever further to the 1998 Squaresoft release that informed the creation of the entire Xenosaga series.
An already strong cast of characters is reinforced with Episode 2’s relationship-orientated narrative (the history of U.R.T.V.s Gaignun, Albedo and Jr. proving to be a strong highlight) which continues to captivate but lacks the thorough attention to minute detail that Xeno fans have grown accustomed to. It also seems a shame how the character models aren’t quite graphically able to physically express themselves as effectively as the script sometimes asks them to, with unnatural gestures and non-existent lip-synching. For the sake of not reducing the pace of the saga to a standstill, the events of Episode 1 are reduced to by-references and the narrative invisibly benefits from not dwelling on the first episode any more than it absolutely has to. However, this lack of anything other than the briefest of recaps may come as a disappointment for newcomers to the saga, especially given the absence of the excellent in-game encyclopaedia of all things Xenosaga that featured in Episode 1. Whilst intimate knowledge of the saga’s opening episode is by no means necessary to understanding the events of Episode 2, the depth of characters, their past experiences and relationships with each other - as outlined in Episode 1 - are paramount to a lot of the enjoyment to be found in this sequel.
The opposite of this ethic seems more relevant when considering Episode 2’s combat; previous tactics for exploiting the turn-based combat’s event slot still apply to useful effect, but otherwise the system has been largely overhauled. The same core rules apply but combat flows better and is far less rigid than before, largely thanks to the move away from the repetitive abuse of special attacks and towards combos involving planned uses of boosts (allowing a character to jump immediately to the front of the queue of characters waiting to act next) and stocks (foregone turns allowing for an extra attack to be made next turn). Add to this formula the ability for some characters to launch opponents ‘broken’ by combos in order to present juggling opportunities to boosting comrades with damage multipliers on offer and Xenosaga’s battles suddenly have a great deal of subtlety and grace (both of which fail to be fully conveyed by the game’s brief combat tutorials). They suffer less from the monotony of its predecessor’s one-dimensional battle tactics, though the over-reliance on a limited library of enemies is still an occasional problem, making some encounters seem a little less fresh than they ought to be.
Xenosaga’s second instalment is an altogether far more approachable videogame. The emphasis on cutscenes remains but they feel much sharper, snappier and easier to digest. Save points are more generously dispersed throughout the game making progress feel less arduous and menus no longer take an age to load up but still look great, fitting with the game’s sci-fi setting. Loading saved games provides a brief précis of the last few events to occur before saving, jogging memories and making it far easier to pick the game up again after a break; Monolith Soft’s ideas are opportunities to refine not only its own series, but the genre as a whole.
All character items and individual ability trees have also gone, replaced with a single, homogenous development path that applies to all characters. Levelling up remains a familiar case of earning experience points but spells and status effects are left to the player’s own acquisition, all being bought with skill points earned in battle. Whilst a satisfying system of unlocking classes of abilities acts to retain some form of structure, upgrade paths are entirely the design of the player. Though some may miss being able to tinker with intricate item and status effect combinations, this unexpectedly simple approach where targets and progress are both clearly indicated at all times is still immensely gratifying. This satisfaction also lends itself to Episode 2’s more numerous and clearly charted sidequests which are genuinely worthwhile pursuits, unlocking the game’s most potent skills and abilities.
Xenosaga Episode 2 is as technically accomplished as any player of its predecessor can hope for, continuing in the same vein whilst building on its previous successes. Which makes it such a shame that the game ends so soon – Episode 2 is comparatively short not only in terms of Episode 1 but in comparison to RPGs in general. Whilst its length seems well paced in terms of the combat and exploration aspects of the title, its narrative just doesn't quite do enough. Those who prefer to do more than they watch should also know that the Xenosaga formula of cutscene-heavy storytelling hasn’t changed significantly. However the manner in which Monolith Soft have simplified many aspects of the game to emphasise its strengths to a greater degree makes Jenseits von Gut und Bose a far more direct experience and a leaner, fitter and more streamlined specimen of an RPG. |
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System: Sony PlayStation 2
Genre: Role Playing Game
Developer: Monolith Soft
Publisher: Namco
Players: 1
Version: United States
Reviewed: Mar 2005
Writer: Edd Hewett
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Pros:
- Compelling character development
- Superior art direction
- Subtly intricate combat
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Cons:
- Ends too soon
- Xenosaga world given less attention to detail than before
- Little variety in adversaries
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