Xenogears - Retrospective Review and Analysis

[@gatotsu2501]

FYI: Just last month at E3, Takahashi finally clarified what happened with Disc 2: his team was struggling to meet the release date, and Sakaguchi/Square execs suggested he end the game with the destruction of Solaris. Takahashi was unwilling to leave the story incomplete, so he proposed the final form of Disc 2 as a compromise and got the go-ahead. So, in the end the problem was not necessarily the budget but an inflexible deadline.

[@PhenomUprising]

More budget allows a more flexible deadline.

[@trueblueclue]

Still a management problem

[@Cassandra_Solidor]

Adding to this, Square Soft had a policy at the time which required all games to be released within a two year timeframe. This is what prompted their suggestion to end Xenogears during the Solaris arc. In retrospect, that may have worked if Xenogears received a sequel but I cannot exactly fault Takahashi for wanting to finish the game how he envisioned it.

[@leeman27534]

tbh it really did look a lot like the game was built around the idea of solaris being the end, then the second disc's content was added on with less budget/time/care, really.

[@kazejah1014]

Thank God they never stopped at that point. It would have been immensely unsatisfying.

[@heavymellow333]

Seriously one of the best games of all time, so under rated and deserving of a remake.

[@popobol10]

And a direct sequence.

[@Hammy900]

Now that the Switch is a very relevant system, I imagine that Xenogears MIGHT get a remake, or at least ported to Switch, especially if Xenoblade DE does very well.

[@hayleyscomet3447]

Eric Gerwatowski I feel like they would ruin it tbh

[@Jayrol3]

I agree

[@Jayrol3]

@@Hammy900 I got a question is xenogears and xenoblade connected somehow?

[@PariahEdits]

Just finished Xenogears today and I am in awe. Thanks for making these videos because I would have never checked out Xenogears if not for your retrospective video on it. The depth and complexity of the story is just fascinating and I feel like many games I play today don't captivate me the way this 20+ year old game has. I think that's a testament to how well crafted this tale is. Don't get me wrong, some of the dungeon designs and high encounter rates infuriated me, but I could not stop playing. I truly believe this game is a treasure and there's so many special things about. It makes me sad that a remake is unlikely, but we can always hope...

[@NikiWonoto26]

Xenogears is probably still the deepest, most complex, thoughtful, & philosophical game (or I would even say MASTERPIECE!) that i've ever played. so far NO game has even come close to rival Xenogears. and actually, perhaps contrary to most people, I actually love even more of disc two (despite of all its flaws), because the story just goes even much more deeper, complex, & what's really leaving some very deeply POWERFUL impacts & effects even still until now/today! the music is also one of the best I've ever listened, combining the most epic, 'holiest', & even most touching and tearful music that people will always remember deeply in their mind & hearts. thank you so much for such very detailed as well as heartfelt video/review. very excellent, and subscribed! (from Indonesia)

[@iladhunynugroho2956]

Niki Wonoto njir. org mana lu kok demen xenogears. ane kira d indo tdk ada yg suka xenogears

[@miraj6272]

What about Planescape Torment? Just started playing that game so idk.

[@daoyang6055]

The thing is, this game is beautiful because of how much lore they gave it when the game came out and after it came out. The book "perfect works" is a rare item and I'm trying to get my hands on it. You realize how many libraries don't have this book? All of them.... Lol I've played this game twice. Beat it once only. When I was a kid I made it very far but it never caught me for it's story, it was the varied combat between the button mashing and humans to gears. There were two different combat mechanics and you had to learn both. As I grew older I had a conversation about the Xenoblade and xenosaga games and how well their stories can fit in with the 6 part book that works it's way towards Xenogears premise. It prompted me to go back and play the game again. Used my credit card, bought it on the ps store and sat at home and played for 89+ hours. Then the story hit me. I never knew how deep the game was until I played it. A game that touches upon humanity, spirituality, religion, war, pedophilia, abandonment, and love, it does it really well without completely falling flat on any one topic it throws at you. Disc 1 was a galore of exploration and combat leveling and disc 2 was a virtual novel. It was text after text of exposition and it let you in on the ways of life on an abandoned planet that's torn with war and greed and everything in between (personal stories of love, abandonment, etc). Honestly the sudden change of gameplay worked for me, it's like taking a break from all the drama and fights that were happening in disc 1. The music was beautiful no matter what anyone says. Mitsuda getting Joanne Hogg to sing a thematic epic with her beautiful and angelic voice is genius. Fei Fong Wong saving Elhaym Van Houten in the end and Krelian sacrificing himself to Deus to delay the consumption of "lambs" was the perfect way to end it. Though I think the game could have done without Chu Chu.

[@andrewtyler2605]

Miraj did you end up liking Planescape: Torment? I actually tried playing it for the first time directly after completing Xenogears and I personally wasn't enjoying it at all and gave up. I plan to approach that game and give it another shot in the future but I might need to be in the right state of mind for it.

[@miraj6272]

I took a break from it as well, Im playing all the modern CRPG's first before playing Planescape again. The game can be a little confusing as where to go. However so far the game is damn good(The plot of the Main quest unbelievable.) I recommend you levelling up Wisdom max, then Charisma and Intelligence, because the game is about dialoges and choices, not fighting.

[@ResonantArc]

Just a couple of things I'd like to add: 1. I think the cast in this game is really excellent. All of the characters are likable (maybe excluding Chu Chu), and even characters I didn't think I would like at first ended up being layered and interesting (Billy really surprised me in this regard). A few of the main party are under developed (mostly Rico), which is unfortunate, but the villains... are SO amazing. I love how much screen time they give to villains in this game, and how we're given time to understand their differing and often opposing motivations. It's something you rarely see, and I think it was really well done in Xenogears. I'll talk more about this in my story analysis video later! 2. The lore and plot are really something else in this game. There is tons to dive into outside of the game and it's all incredibly fascinating. I wanted to avoid spoilers as much as I could in the video, but like I said above, I'll cover the story more thoroughly in my story analysis video in the future. Just want to thank everyone again who participated in the discussion video series. I learned a ton from you guys! It really helps me out when you guys take the time to comment and talk about these amazing games with me! You guys are beasts! Now... on to Final Fantasy XI!

[@danholo]

Wait what? :D I started watching the discussion videos yesterday and was going to ask when the Review is coming out. Can't say your reviews aren't well thought out.

[@jus4000kicks]

Ive only played this game to the start of the second disc but I liked what I experienced and wanted to complete this game. I heard a number of times how complex and thought provoking this game is. This review details both the issues and strengths quite well while not spoiling the story and I really appreciate that. It sounds like Xenogears is one of those shining examples of why there are video games worth playing despite the amount of time it takes to go through them. A lot of games are entertainment only and although there might be a few benefits to them there are much more worthy pursuits in real life. This though is one of those games that is worth spending time on because it has the potential to change you and give you an experience that you can get in few other places plus it can carry over into enhancing your life. Im typically not into mech games but this seems to go beyond mechs. Awesome job Dark Pixel!

[@mikeAustinstonecold]

Awesome review as always, good job mike :D

[@LordKaiser003]

Sadly under a politically correct company like Nintendo even in collaboration with SE a remake of a game like this without cut out content will never be a reality. I wished that Monolith Soft had been a freelancer company.

[@ResonantArc]

+LordKaiser003 I don't know man, if Mad World and No More Heroes can be Nintendo exclusives I don't see why Xenogears couldn't work. I really don't think it's that controversial to be honest.

[@Weehawk]

I remember asking a kid in high school to explain what Xenogears was about. He struggled for a second and then said it's basically about killing god. I was blown away that a game would even attempt such a story and I knew I had to play it.

[@Bighomie39]

Well I guess you didn't play that many JRPGs did you

[@Weehawk]

@@Bighomie39 The fuck you talking about?

[@Bighomie39]

@@Weehawk no, it's just that a LOT of JRPGs involve killing God at the end. It's kind of a meme at this point

[@daffty8483]

@@KingNekodom bro BRO B R O

[@TerraOblivion27]

@@Bighomie39 well in the 90s when this game came out, pretty sure it was the first of it's kind

[@layton9660]

This was an incredible, well crafted review. The time you put into this really shows and you made something fantastic that really does the game justice. Now, I think it's time to play Xenogears again.

[@ResonantArc]

Thanks, Layton! I appreciate you taking the time to comment!

[@AaronBowley]

yes i second this, amazingly well done

[@Skyvlk]

The scene in Nisan church with two one winged angels and the explanation behind them still resonates with me after so many years. And the cast, especially Elly, that's something I will never forget.

[@BlueHokage]

ID is still a badass 20 years later

[@marvingomez6016]

20 years???? 😲 this was my first jrpg ever... And I still haven't found another jrpg that make feel... well... the way this game did... an amazing experience

[@GRAG3R]

Xenosaga is also pretty tear-worthy. Beat all of em blind in 2018 and nothing has made me feel like this for a long, long while besides other Xeno titles.

[@ad5232]

BlueHokage Are you strong?

[@deadlift1677]

How odd, I've never seen someone spell Grahf's name like that before.

[@randymorris3417]

The music... while you fought ID was haunting

[@JamesBuschell]

Xenogears and Final Fantasy Tactics are my favorite games of all time

[@armyofninjas9055]

JB TV For real. Why square has no love for them is beyond me...

[@LouciousDark]

Right there with you, bud. Their absolute best.

[@LuminaireLRP]

JB TV SAME. Xenogears takes first but they are both masterpieces in character driven storytelling and human at their core. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

[@partybarge]

I like you

[@standcontractdelta8120]

+1 to Final Fantasy Tactics. I have Xenogears (only just bought it) but still haven't played it yet. Im waiting until I have no distractions so I can enjoy it

[@BigDaddyCrag]

I really wish this game could be brought back in its complete form, its game just screams at you to think and ponder the ideas and concepts that no other ever has for me. Still to this day I play through it and I can keep starting from the beginning to end and not get tired.

[@tmh44]

Xenogears and FF7 shaped a lot of my gaming youth...while there is certainly some nostalgia attached to Xenogears, I really enjoyed playing through it and still think the soundtrack is nearly without equal. Great video!

[@JCrossJ]

It just fascinates me how much more thought and content you still had for the review that we all didn't cover in the discussions. Also! The way you explained the battle system here was just perfect! If anyone ever has problems understanding it now there is one video on youtube I can link them to. I was blown away by the graphics explaining T1, T2... You balanced so well the issues and the praise; and explained perfectly why it all happened. And again, so much time given to Mitsuda and his work. You're awesome! Best Xenogears review on KZbin! No one can get even close :D PS: so stoked for a story analysis video. That's gonna be crazy!

[@christophersuganutz9954]

On Christmas morning this demo was included with my brave fencher musashi and was blown away, the day the game came out I bought it from toys r us and spent the next three days straight in my room to beat the game. I can honestly say this game changed my idea of gaming and is still hands down my favorite game of all time and I always recommend it to anyone who loves RPG’s !

[@blackishpariah]

I remember the demo, played the shit out of it

[@razmeanie4519]

@@blackishpariah Me too!

[@christianprincedebates6740]

Yup, I remember playing the demo to pieces.

[@Shorkshire]

Brave fenced musashi was hard as fuck for 9 year old me. Like god damn

[@FarmersAreCool]

Remember you could pop i nthe demo disc, then switch the the game disc and it would play all the anime cut scenes or something.

[@6lu5ky86]

It's amazing how you guys review older games in such a way that they sound like they're new releases.

[@SuperDuperSonicSpeed]

You are by far the most underrated reviewer on KZbin. Literally everything is constructed so well in your videos. Absolutely top-notch content for sure.

[@internetjesus]

I really appreciate this review. Xenogears is my favorite game of all time because of all the themes you talk about in the video. My god, the story is so layered that I just fell into it. I don't know any other game offhand with a ten thousand year backstory.

[@sor3999]

So sad about Yasunori. He gave us some of the best music in gaming at the cost of his health. Talk about passion.

[@robertbarber1198]

This soundtrack was one of the best of its time his contribution made him immortal.

[@rogerarteaga2665]

And then he gave us the incredible tracks in Soul Sacrifice

[@UsernameInvalid48]

truly the GOAT!

[@omegamanGXE]

I heard he died of ligma 😢

[@TheLuNaMaStEr]

It's hard to express the type of emotions I feel after watching one of your videos Mike, but man is it powerful. For the first time this is a title I haven't beaten yet so largely I'm unable to relate to your experiences within the game, and despite all this I'm still just completely in awe of your delivery. If there were some kind of Academy Award for game documentation, you would rival Alan Menken. There is no one on your level.

[@ResonantArc]

Thanks guys! I really appreciate it!

[@ChrisLeeX]

13:58 In how using the hopeful theme on the enemy is confusing. You missed an important nuance of the game and especially of that particular battle: we are meant to empathize with the 'enemy'. They were trying so hard as a team to beat us (the 'good' guys). Do you not remember how tragic that battle was? It was incredibly emotional to me, seeing how the 'enemy' had the same desire to do the right thing, the same bonds of teamwork, the same desperate hope to survive for the sake of their friends. Using the same theme as the 'good' guys accentuated the bittersweet aspect of that battle. It is perfect and by design.

[@carfo]

Woot finally, you have done this game justice as no one has since 1997. Thanks for the amount of research and time you put into not only this review but the discussions as well. XG is my favorite game but that doesn't mean it doesn't have flaws

[@chrischandra5207]

The music, the stories, the gears and everything that came with this game is a masterpiece. There are still so many memories about this game that I still hold dear. Thank you for doing such a good review on this game.

[@RememberTheAGES]

Thank you for this review. The attention you gave Xenogears is beyond amazing. This game means so much to me and your review really covered the excellence of this experience. This is my all time favorite video game review and I am not using that lightly either. Very well done. Thank you.

[@stefanoannarumma4804]

I have been in love with Xenogears for almost 15 years now. The themes of these games are just fascinating and the music...I still love it and brings back so many memories. Not just a part of my past and my life but much more...

[@brianclarkson5300]

Glad you took your time on this one! It was well worth the wait!

[@cjarmour7288]

CHRONO TRIGGER, CHRONO CROSS AND XENOGEARS, BEST IN EXISTENCE OF VIDEO GAME HISTORY, ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!!!!!!

[@marciamakesmusic]

Chrono Cross kinda bad tbh Edit: alright I tried playing it again and tbh it fucking slaps

[@Sidtheriser07]

Xenoblade too

[@DarkCode]

I disagre. FF 7, FF12, FF8, FFTactics wail, Dragon quest series, and my favorite Tactics Ogre let us cling together are the best. These are worthy challengers perhaps but nothing beats TOgre and FF DQ combo and the world of Ivalice is the best world ever made

[@TouchPlayEmu]

@@marciamakesmusic bad huh but got 10/10 by GameSpot hmmm

[@thegreatpretendo]

Even though it's not a perfect game, it had a profound effect on my at a young age. This is why it will always and forever be my favorite game of all time. Great video, I couldn't stop watching. :)

[@sheercold26]

Me too. This game FUCKED ME UPPPPPP in all the best ways

[@aniketsanyal5586]

Just watched this video for the second time. This is quality content and some of the best work I've seen on this channel! The passion you guys have for talking about and understanding games and story telling is infectious. Thanks for the videos guys, keep it up!

[@Densetsu13]

Thank you for this review. I discovered your channel over the holidays and have been eating up all of your content, including old podcasts! Like I've been telling my friends, these are not just simply reviews, they are well thought out, thought provoking, documentaries on games that I have cherished and loved for years. Kudos! My hat goes to you three and the clear passion that goes into your content. :)

[@ResonantArc]

Thanks! I'm really glad you're enjoying the videos! It means a lot that you are taking the time to reach out. It keeps us motivated to move forward!

[@cronoesify]

Dark Pixel Gaming for real. keep it up, guys. you are onto something big.

[@brunoseveriano8250]

what a great work you did on reviewing my favorite RPG! The level of detail and love for gaming in your videos are always so high! Please continue your amazing work!

[@donaldxavier2056]

Xenogears if my favorite RPG ever. The characters, the soundtrack, the story, the graphics, the combat system, the mechs... everything about this game is incredible. I am a total fanboy. I own 10 copies. I would love if this game were remade so that the entire story was fleshed out properly. It will never happen but the game is unparalleled regardless

[@TheRealEnate]

I fully agree man I have one I play and one unopened and one on my psvita.

[@zaydraco]

I am agreed, probably having the full 6 episodes would have been the greatest thing ever

[@darylrussell7959]

Donald Xavier well... im not sure if i still own my copy i would have to do some searching.. u want to sell me one?

[@blackishpariah]

I would also like to buy one and I. Dead serious.

[@Mentalitythings]

you want to sell me one copy?

[@cavzach]

You've got a new subscriber here after seeing this video. First played Xenogears in 2009 I think and it instantly jumped up there with some of my favorite games of all time and you hit nearly all the major points as to why it's so great. Imagining how awesome it'd have been if it had a bit more time to fully flesh out disc 2 is almost too much to comprehend.

[@Kenshiro3rd]

13:46 Actually that piece of music is being used as a reference to invoke the feeling of old Super Robot series (speficially the Braves Series) which this mecha is directly inspired by and referencing.

[@ResonantArc]

Do you have a source stating that was the intention or is that your opinion on what the intention was? That music was used first in the scene with Maria, like I mentioned, so either it was written with the intention you're stating in the mech transformation--then reused for the other fight--or was intended for that scene and reused here. Either way, the game reuses music a lot, and I found that in a lot of cases it didn't entirely fit.

[@Kenshiro3rd]

Resonant Arc just a thorough knowledge of Mecha Anime and its related tropes. Im kinda a mecha anime nut. I'm not arguing that the music isn't recycled. I'm simply stating that, contrary to your belief, the piece they recycled wasn't out of place, and was in fact used intentionally for a thematic purpose, a reference. It's basically a lampshade, inversion, and subversion of what that bright hopeful music normally represents. That entire mecha is basically one big shoutout combining super robots and the Braves Series ESP. Have you ever watched a super robot show in your life? Uplifting Heroic transformation music is pretty much ingrained with the genre. It's pretty obvious to anyone who's ever watched them. Go watch GaoGaiGar (part of the braves series), or at least it's final fusion transformation sequence, to see what I mean. This isn't the last time in the Xeno series that Takahashi referenced the Braves series, either. Erde Kaiser, in all it's forms throughout the Xenosaga games, is a references to them, most notably Exkaiser. XD

[@shelterfromcold8620]

Your reviews are such a breath of fresh air. The way you analyze and break down a game is captivating!

[@Rafaelanimes1983]

Loved your review man, not just because this my favorite game of all, but because you treat and caring that it deserves.

[@lelxrv]

Greatest JRPG story ever told. Most affecting, dramatic, deep and beautiful. Music from this game still sends chills down my spine.

[@fldhcky1828]

During the part where he explains how to cancel you turn during battle to store AP for later it reminded me of Bravely Default and how you can Default and store BP for later turns. I wonder if Xenogears is where the idea came from.

[@TryckSpot]

I appreciate you being able to do what I could not, and actually give aknowledgement to the games shortcomings (other than disc 2, there was no avoiding that one). I totally agree with your review and like you, I was able to forgive it's faults because of it's wanders. It still remains my favorite game of all time because of it's fantastic positives.

[@viivsyn4893]

i remember xenogears, i still hold a spot in my heart for it, it was truely a great game, the music and anime cutscenes was a very nice touch and the really complex story was also really nice.. i'd absolutely love to see the game remade as long as they don't change how the gameplay is or try to turn it episodic

[@Zematus737]

The best Xenogears review I have found to date. It's like people are almost intimidated of making a review of this title, because there is just no way to fit everything this game embodies in a short review. Now, I used to read a lot as a teenager, so when disc 2 came into play, I welcomed it as a respite from all the walking and camera turning, the anxiety of the fuel shortages in gear scenarios and repetition in random encounters on foot. I sat there pressing a single button transfixed by the story, with my imagination taking it much farther than any dev time could have ever done justice to. Whatever flaws have come out or things overlooked, retrospection has done much more for this game over the years as I pondered the meaning of a soul when I remembered Krelian's flesh factories; when I remembered the role of Ramsus and Dominia's love for him. Sometimes the things you leave out become the ones that are more impactful contemplated later on. How the saga series unfolds that ::spoiler:: Elly is a realian and how these machines become the ruling class is just.. mind blowing. That these machines could achieve a human soul is the absolute best ending imaginable, even though most people did not understand Krelian's ascension scene, with the sexless body and the seraph wings, when they took this concept completely to extreme limits of theology. Thank you for the review. I now love FF6 much more, realizing two Xenogears hearts were part of making that experience too. And I'm surprised, after talking about the mess of camera twisting in a complex dungeon, you didn't mention the last dungeon. LOL.. that honeycomb design was such a troll. I literally paused the game for 15 minutes and grabbed my head. My 16 year old mind almost blew up. Made it through my first attempt still, though I was certain I was going to run out of fuel.

[@BradHelsing]

It's just so sad that series never got a true redux. Xenosaga was supposed to tell the first 4 episode's stories that led up to Xenogears (5th). The story of the Eldridge crashing into the planet, Miang, and the contact.. Why Deus was being transported and to where. And then the story of Cain and the elders, Abel and so on. Then Lacan and Krelian's time with Sophia's era. So much potential. Xenogears is still my favorite game of all time.

[@arrynroyce72]

This aesthetic ended up ageing so much better than Final Fantasy VII. I love the 2d sprites in 3d environments.

[@KrazyKoto]

This was beautiful and I'm impressed with the amount of work that you put into this video and its review. It was nice to hear your thoughts and just see someone talk about this game again. The attention you put into it and the nice cohension of your thoughts makes me appreciate what you do. Thank you for giving this game a fair look.

[@CZARCALIFORNIA]

Love your reviews man! You’re always so positive and always dive deep to break down how they’re made not just opinions on graphics/gameplay.

[@MrBlackswordsman]

I must say, I've never heard of your channel before this. I saw this video posted over at /r/Xenogears and was thoroughly and pleasantly surprised. This is one of the best Xenogears reviews I have ever seen and it got me to subscribe! :)

[@zeiters2055]

20:00 wow you did such a good job of explaining the death blow system lol. I always loved that about Xenogears, but never fully got it.

[@chocobros1]

I love these reviews. If I can get some reliable and disposable income I'm definitely going to support this channel on Patreon in hopes of getting videos of this same high quality released at shorter intervals.

[@Leenia18]

thank you so much! I never heard anyone talking in such amazingly informed way about such little diamonds like Xenogear! I couldnt finish it and stopped playing several years ago might maybe restart completly to not miss out on anything from the story. I cant wait for more review from you about such kind of games!

[@Dacho_Shaki]

Although not a perfect JRPG by any stretch, it is probably my favorite one. Just the scope and the amount of ambition amazes me. I wish that one day Square-Enix goes back to Xenogeears and makes a remake or an extended cut of sort some day. Although it is a wishful thinking. I'd wish they remake Xenogears with better filtered 2D sprites and just finish the second disc properly.

[@nothingtoseehere6142]

Perhaps have Monolith Soft work on it? Nintendo exclusive of course.

[@Dacho_Shaki]

If they do that. I'd be buying Switch immediately.

[@jamesgomez9151]

What they should of done is split it into 2 games the first go around, if they do an in depth remake it'll probably need to be a trilogy .

[@Dacho_Shaki]

***** Xenoblade isn't a bad game, but it didn't hook me as well as Xenogears did.

[@cpncorndogg]

Its really something unique and special. From the story, and the attention to detail in all locations is something we dont find in other games. The music also is seriously one of the best soundtracks that drive the moments.

[@Spielewelten]

Never played Xenogears but I have it in my PS1 Collection. I think it's time to play this masterpiece

[@Julia-hk9jp]

that's cool you have your collection...mine its now but an ashes/dust including my ps2 and games..

[@Jack_80]

i finally played it because of how amazing everyone kept saying it is and i had some fun with it but it's extremely slow paced and seems to often drag on for hours and hours. there is quite a bit that could have been cut from the story so they wouldnt have been so rushed in the end to finish it. i like a deep story but they overdid it in this game. also the combat is just doing the most powerful combo you have unlocked over and over until you unlock a new one. once you unlock the final one that's pretty much all you do, gets old after the first hundred times you do them. idk i got into the game but don't find it nearly as amazing as most people seem to.

[@bornetocosmos3154]

@@Jack_80 You sir, are right. :) Pretty enjoyable game still tho. :)

[@nicolasdg4660]

have you play ?

[@blountman747]

So what you think of the game did you finish it?

[@SSangsen]

Two words: Kahran Ramsus. My god (my deus, lol) how I loved that character and his backstory. Also I think disc 2 > disc 1. The story speeds up so much it's insane.

[@ribertfranhanreagen9821]

It should be 2 3 disc game easy

[@TheDropPodCast]

Just watching this review brought me to tears, this game is such an incredible work of art, I would give the last years of my life to dedicate to it's remake and gift the world of it's perfection. My fear is that the hardwork of the team was like a Deities hammer on a gilded weapon and the mold was simply broken after it was created.

[@s4faction373]

The Drop Pod Cast I'm so happy you feel that way. This game has something I cannot explain. I love FF7, but Xenogears i truly wish had a remake with nothing different but graphics. Best wishes.

[@brunofernandesos]

Remake? Where?

[@davidwu3328]

Yeah A remake with todays graphics n technology will be awesome

[@pmanlicious7117]

@@davidwu3328 i wish they would be remake it with the same style 2D

[@advendra6078]

Absolutely one of the best RPG game of all time with how deep and how much story with its world they made in to this game. This is probably still top 3 of my most favorite RPG if not of all games. Also, the music soundtracks is really really amazing I still remember them all in my heart.

[@MrThephonypope]

Just thought I'd say that your content is excellent, the amount of thought and physical effort you put in really shows

[@VyseLegendaire]

Great work here. Thanks for putting all of this one place for people to digest. Its weird seeing 10 years later how people are still discovering a game which you had been a closeted devotee of and seeing what we saw, discussing it on our outdated message boards and fansites in the infancy of the web. I'm still desperate to see Takahashi approach something of this level of complexity again in his newer works, and was disappointed at the focus in Xenoblade X on combat and gameplay over narrative, but on the other hand you def. need to check out Xenosaga… great stuff.

[@haruhisuzumiya6650]

Vyse Legendaire try out xenoblade 2 then.

[@aaamineee]

I love seeing people so dedicated to create content about these niche games practically no one ever heard of but they take hours to meticulously convey all of the information about them. You are one of them, great video!

[@Terracorrupt0]

This was a joy to watch. Fantastic Analysis. Great to see more content on this game, for all it's flaws and idiosyncrasies, it really is a fascinating case study!

[@tylertanner7378]

This video (and by extension the game) changed my literal whole personality. I am irrevocably changed as a human being. Thank you

[@KraftLawrence1]

God damn that soundtrack. Even hearing bits of Stars of tears or Small of two Pieces can bring on the waterworks.

[@GamingWithSpoons]

It amazes me how much research you put into this review. Your attention to detail and connecting it all together is nothing short of amazing.

[@linkzz00]

I liked how you mention disc 2 being so different. I basically decided the game ends at disc 1 in terms of rpg aspects and then disc 2 story time :)

[@anothergamer3359]

The problem with the platforming segments, or specifically, the longest one of them, isn't as much the platforming itself but the way random battles work with it: when the game triggers a random battle, it disables the jump button during the battle load time, but you can still move freely until the battle actually triggers, meaning that it's easy to suddenly miss a critical jump when the jump button stops working at the worst possible moment.

[@dewaynegray6400]

I still remember playing the demo and searching for this game for months, finally found it and got teased mercilessly by my friends because of the sub par graphics. They would always call it lego men, hut i still kept playing. Then after 80 hrs of gameplay(not in one sitting lol) unlocking all the moves and making it to the final boss i decided to go to bed, my plan was to wake up the next day and beat the game and enjoy the cinematic ending i had read about, since those were so rare back in the day, only to have my brother erase my save so he could play Tenchu. To say I was upset would be an understatement. That was 24 years ago and I can safely laugh about it now, but it was not funny back then.

[@SteveRudzinski]

To this day Xenogears is my favorite game of all time. Even with the Disc 2 issues it's STILL that good. I had my wife play it last year to experience it and while she didn't love it AS MUCH as me she still thought it was a really great game with a great cast, great story, great NPCs, and a battle system she liked way more than she expected to. It was cool to see her enjoy the game so much even with the Disc 2 issues, seeing her love it with no nostalgia at all.

[@iladhunynugroho2956]

Steve Rudzinski you have dreamed girl as your wife

[@whiteyoh6216]

Steve Rudzinski you sir have a great wife !

[@MajorPhilGraves]

This was a seriously impressive video, which was smart enough not assume that viewers were super-fans with intimate knowledge of the game and it's place in Square's catalog. Seriously, I really appreciated the detailed look at the game's development history, which is frequently rushed over on similar retrospective videos for classic and cult favorite games. Subscribed!

[@TaborHill]

I named my daughter after a character in this game.

[@kong.615]

Which female character

[@Terron29]

@@kong.615 i'm gonna guess ellie. :) only a guess though, I really wana know now lol

[@KnoxQT]

Emeralda???

[@jimmyclimer594]

Billy?

[@sunzero974]

Chu chu.

[@opinionpaladin6007]

Dude. I'm like a Gundam fan late to the party and I have never seen clips from this game. It has such OG Gundam feels.

[@MistaFreeman1]

Excellent review of a timeless classic. To cram the magic of this game in 30 minutes is no easy task. Thumbs up. Can I also note, the non-playable characters were just as deep and complex as the playable protagonists. Notably, Ramsus and his obsession with Fei.

[@SuperDerek]

Howdy, Mike! I just finished my own Xenogears review, so now I finally got to watch yours! The sad thing about making my own reviews is I feel like I shouldn't watch others to avoid accidental plagiarism. Anyways, great work man, I love your style. I hope I can watch some of your other reviews soon. :)

[@RM2011ish]

Xenogears is probably my favorite JRPG of all time. Also the fact that such blood, sweat and tears went into this masterpiece makes me appreciate it even more. It's LONG overdue for a Remaster.

[@agroed]

That was the best explanation of deathblows I've ever heard. There were times when I thought my deathblow experience was just bugged, because I knew what my next deathblow sequence was with a certain character having unlocked it with Fei previously, but when I would do the combo I wouldn't get any XP. Really frustrating. I didn't know each specific animation had an XP bar associated with it. That's so needlessly overcomplicated. Welcome to Xenogears I guess LMAO.

[@lynorran]

This game shaped me into the person I am today.

[@lynorran]

kitramsey5150 Well, they taught me not to attack people whom I've never met's parents. So, they were at least better than some.

[@partybarge]

yowza

[@UniQueLyEviL]

LMAO

[@TheDropPodCast]

Me too man, me too.

[@nuckingfuts3204]

Which is why you are a filthy peasant.

[@nustde00]

You have the best voice on youtube. Your review of my favorite video game of all time was amazing. You are the only one on this platform to do this game justice in a review. Subbed.

[@WhoLoc]

Just played this game for the first time last year, fuckin awesome game , I love the combat. Great video guys

[@angusc1983]

First "Dark Dawn", then "Omen", and finally "Awakening". From prologue, to journey, to "final" battle. The connection between these [master]pieces shows us how Xenogears is more than just a videogame, but a collection of millions shades of light, reflecting the Beginning and the End, holding Tears of the Stars, Hearts of the People, contained in Small Two of Pieces. In the end, although the second disc had to deal with budget constraints, Xenogears remains a true Gem Which Cannot Be Stolen.

[@camsterdam3896]

In my opinion, Xenogears was the best Squaresoft game ever made... 20+ mins of anime in a gloriously large game, giant robots, fighting your own subconscious, fantastic character arcs, and a music box song that makes me cry like a little bitch...well worth both the time and money.

[@notimeforcreativenamesjust3034]

I respect your opinion but I have a rebuttal... CHRONO TRIGGER

[@lucasrinaldi9909]

@@notimeforcreativenamesjust3034 This is unfair. Chrono Trigger it's a Square Soft + Enix game. In other words, Chrono Trigger = perfection.

[@Aderael]

Just knew about this channel, really awesome content

[@lucbauer]

xenogears is the wine of the games. the older it gets, the more you appreciate it. everytime i hear the main theme, it brings strong emotions to my heart. i just want to live again those scenes. unfortunately a remake will never be made.

[@tanakattack5965]

WE MUST NOT LOSE HOPE. REBELLIONS ARE BUILT ON HO.... wait wrong story.

[@jlnkeno]

Less of a review and more of a documentary! Really enjoyed this and appreciate the effort you put in.

[@Alvizzei]

great review, btw the mech design itself is also a work of art in my opinion. probably because Sunrise (gundam) involvement in most if not all mech design in Xenogears. I'm a mech big fan, i didnt know that sunrise actually did until sunrise logo appears in the end of the game. But i had my suspicion because the simmiliarities of the mech design mainly in the face and legs

[@linkzz00]

I still listen to this OST daily - random tracks from my playlist. EPIC

[@modms11]

Finally something about the most underrated game in ps1. It was hard to know anything about , since it was restricted in so many countries. Thankfully I had a chance to play this game on psp back in 2012. And it was a blast!

[@jeffreybrown7631]

I know I'm a year late, but I appreciate the thoroughness of the review and the background on the development. Great work, you've earned a new subscriber.

[@RetroFrito]

I'll never forget my first time seeing this game on the shelf at EB Games. I asked the clerk if he thought the game was any good. He glanced over and then went back to looking at his magazine, and then asked "What does that say in the bottom corner?" And I said "Squaresoft" and then he asked "And what was your question again?" I bought it that day. Still have my original copy.

[@Jack_80]

Frito ever since that changed to square enix the quality has been going downhill. with ffxv being the worst ff by far imo

[@RetroFrito]

@@Jack_80 I have to say so far my opinion is that FFXIII is the worst FF game. While FFXV was a very disappointing story, I still found it very fun to play and has what I consider to be the best fishing mini game one can find.

[@shtshw]

@Resonant Arc, I have watched so many retro reviews on this game and you have by far done the absolute best job I have saw thus far. You went into great detail, the kind of detail that my all time favorite EVER deserved. I am with you 110% in that this is the game that truly deserves a remake. You also raised a great point in the shattered glass analogy in that in it's imperfect state, it still turned out wonderful. I have a very small community here on KZbin, but I would like to recommend your channel. Thanks for the very interesting observations you have made.

[@captawesome42]

It's always so sad when you review a game I haven't gotten to yet! Glad you enjoyed it! My copy of Xenogears won't save for some reason. Unless I plan to beat the whole game in a sitting I've got to find another copy....=(

[@Jack_80]

cptawesome i bought it on my ps3 in ps1 classics years ago for 5.99. got a pretty nice collection of ps1 games on my ps3 cheap

[@AlasVic]

Many people will say that I am ridiculous because you took me to tears, I really miss this type of games where you could feel what the devs wanted you to feel, they transmitted it to you in the games, even though the game was not very polished, It was one of the best experiences of my life, like Final Fantasy Tactics. sorry bout my bad english.

[@ShinryuZensen]

We feel you bro.

[@stevendolges8372]

The gear transformation scene has joyous music because it is making fun of Sentai tv shows (Power Rangers and their Zords or Voltron)... I thought that was pretty obvious at the time.

[@TryckSpot]

That's exactly what I was thinking when that scene played out. I was basically yelling gogo power rangers!

[@TrentCastanaveras]

omg, I was singing gogo power rangers too!

[@Slop_Dog]

i agree. i assumed that scene was supposed to be comedic because of how silly it was to couple it with that song. iirc they play the standard boss music after that, would have been cool to just continue playing this during the fight.

[@CrystalFist001]

That's fine in and as of itself but the reviewer makes a good point in that they shouldn't have recycled Maria/Siebzehn's theme (which was also used for Chu-chu's transformation) for it. They should have given the 5 elements super robot its own "joyous" theme tune instead of using one already established as central to one of the heroes.

[@MillenniumEarl014]

CrystalFist001 Can't blame em cuz aint Mitsuda almost dead composing for Xenogears? lmao They can't delay the game anymore so they just recycled some music and make disc 2 a visual novel.

[@DavetheTurnip]

I loved this. Xenogears was one of the first JRPGs that compelled me to finish it. I still remember it fondly. Perhaps it's time for a replay. I'm gonna check out some of your other content. This was well put together. Keep up the great work!

[@Allvah2]

Absolutely beautiful review of one of the best games ever made. Thank you.

[@NationalistAF]

a masterpiece JRPG. i love Xenogears. wish there were a true Xenogears 2. Seriously one of the best games of all time, so under rated and deserving of a remake.

[@ClockedIt]

Stunning video guys, I can feel your passion towards this game, truly inspirational. Great job, you have a new sub :)

[@industrlbeatnik]

I had gone to a friend's house back in 1999 and he had some music he recorded from some of his games on his computer. He would use it to sleep or study or just relax. I heard several of the songs from this game that day and I was floored. I had originally gone over to watch his progress with Chocobo breeding and get some tips on where to find and how to catch the right ones to breed the Gold Chocobo. Instead I made him put this game in. I watched him play for hours. That weekend I had my dad take me to go pick it up. I'm currently on at least my 24th time playing this game. Remake or not I'll always love this game.

[@Zematus737]

24th time! wut! What are your 3 favorite gears and characters to use?

[@MillenniumEarl014]

I play Xenogears once once every year.

[@ForSythEJones]

Let us make a petition to remake the game....

[@partybarge]

Hmmm. Yesss. Quite. Yessss. And remake the game we shall.

[@ajsingh4545]

SE has turned into a piece of crap company. I doubt they care for anything else other than Final Fantasy.

[@iladhunynugroho2956]

AJ Singh and dragon quest. thou its better than final fantasy

[@ajsingh4545]

Still waiting for them to Dragon Quest XI to the states. Other then that I could give a shit less about what else they have to offer. Thank god Persona 5 and Tales of Bersaria was there in time to wash the bitter taste that FF 15 left in my mouth.

[@xenos0121]

ForSythEJones yessssss

[@0oidiedinatimemachineo024]

cool channel man . quality videos and i freaking love these in depth retrospectives about games

[@ahmedkhalil680]

This game made me almost fail out of college back in the day... It also made me want to switch majors.... That music still gives me the chill....

[@brandonscottdurocher8523]

First , Everything you guys said about this review I want to agree. This guy gives the best reviews I’ve ever watched . I normally don’t write anything or comment on anything here on KZbin . I’ve felt compelled to leave praise on how good his reviews are on every review I’ve watched(which is a lot of them )

[@andrewtyler2605]

Its also worth mentioning that disc 2 makes up only 20% of the game. If it made up 40-50% of the game like I originally expected then I would have had a problem with that. I personally really loved Disc 2 a lot. But I can understsnd the criticism it receives. The thing about Xenogears is that this is a game you need to play for the story. If you're not in it for the story, then you're going to have a bad time. In my experience I cared more about the story than I did about anything else so disc 2 for me felt like the payoff I was waiting for. I consider disc 2 to just be one expansive ending that resolves itself and the story content in disc 2 is amazing. Disc 2 may be looked at as flawed, but xenogears is so long, so dense and expansive that by the time I even got to disc 2 after 60 hours, I felt fatigued from random encounters and just wanted to know what was going to happen next. If youre a lover of deep storytelling in games, then you cannot afford to miss out in disc 2. its one of the greatest stories ever told across any medium. But if you're not a fan of that type of thing then you probably shouldn't bother with xenogears at all.

[@Zematus737]

That's what I said! Disc 2 was pure bliss for me.

[@MillenniumEarl014]

Thank you. It took me more than 50+ hours to finish disc 1 on my first play through.

[@leeman27534]

yeah, but on the other hand, it's also the culmination of all your work, up till then, and it more or less kinda gets shat on, really. disc one was a hell of an epic romp, that dealt with most of the nations on the planet and whatnot. disc 2 was mostly told to you, a few dungeons, and oops, endgame, oh, btw, the entire world's been altered, but you've had little to do with it being stuck in the narration zone. shame, that.

[@MichaelMarucci]

That was exceptional. Thank you for bringing so much love and light to a game that means as much to as Xenogears does.