ny seasoned gamer will immediately recognize the numerous parallels, in both appearance and feel, between Xenosaga and Final Fantasy. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering that many Monolith employees formerly worked at Square. Fortunately, this obvious appropriation of FF elements has been done with smart discrimination. Monolith essentially took everything that makes FF successful, filtered it into Xenosaga, and then cast out everything bad. The final result: a nearly flawless RPG experience.

Gameplay-wise, the basic RPG formula has been applied to Xenosaga. Players will spend considerable time engrossed in the story and combating enemies and several imposing bosses. However, Monolith has diversified the experience by emphasizing the exploration component and adding minigames. Collecting mechanical parts to build super-weapons and playing poker are just a couple of the fun diversions.

Battles consist of elements that mostly belong to the Xeno universe and resemble Final Fantasy X only in their appearance. Certain protagonists can operate the Anti-Gnosis Weapon Systems (mechs), which can now be accessed anytime during an encounter. Each character also possesses his or her own unique spells (Ether) and fighting style (Techniques). The two new additions (the Skill and Boost systems) actually create significantly more depth and strategy. Every piece of armor and accessory possesses a certain Skill. By extracting a Skill such as Ether Defense +4 from an item, players can place it in one of their characters’ three slots. Boost Points are earned through physical attacks; the more you attack, the faster you’ll accumulate BP. Once the meter fills, that character can take an extra turn. Ultimately, knowing what Skills and Techniques to utilize and when to Boost will often dictate the outcome of a confrontation.

Despite a host of involving gameplay mechanics that most RPGs can only envy, Xenosaga’s crowning achievement is its story. While it’s indeed very adult, it doesn’t make gratuitous use of nudity or violence. Rather, its mature themes involve a refreshing dose of politics and ethics – two subjects often lacking in the medium. The plot revolves around a society of humans and androids trying to live together peacefully and equally; but, given the bloody past between the two, they’re still suffering growing pains. When a mysterious race of conquering aliens (Gnosis) from another dimension get involved, war breaks out. Episode 1 chronicles the events of this war’s beginning, introducing all of the principals and the precarious situation that just started. Although the plot is intriguing thus far and I’m hopeful that the six sequels will only improve it, some gamers will certainly dislike Episode 1’s ending just as some moviegoers disliked The Fellowship of the Ring’s abrupt finale.

Fortunately, Xenosaga’s only other faults are very minor – occasionally forced dialogue and a few exceedingly tough battles. However, none of these problems will hinder your enjoyment of Episode 1. If you’ve been awaiting the next big RPG, your wait is finally over.  

JUSTIN LEEPER   9.5 Never before have I been as entranced with a storyline in a game. Intriguing characters just keep appearing, with tons of bad-asses (Kos-Mos, Ziggy) and few duds (Jr.). Each has depth enough for their own game, but they’re together here, stuck in a tangled web. The emotion the story conveys is real, without a cheesy feel to it. When an android is forced by a greedy Lieutenant to sacrifice his life, you feel awful. When twists arise, you’ll gasp in awe. The presentation complements the great writing, with Suikoden III’s cinematography meeting FF X-caliber models. Combat is extensively detailed and fun in execution. Upgrading skills isn’t automatic – it’s your responsibility. I also like the overworld stealth and interaction. The only flaws I see are bad lip-synching, and not being able to tell if the for-sale equipment is superior to what you have. Xenosaga is truly a triple-A title, and destined for RPG greatness.