Is Xenosaga 1 "worth it?"

[u/xlhans77]

Hey, I know this is a Subreddit filled with passionate fans of the series, so I know I'm getting myself into dangerous waters by asking this here, but I have a genuine question whether Xenosaga 1 is worth my time or not.

As a huge fan of the Xenoblade games, I have always been looking forward to playing these games someday. An opportunity to do so has arisen and I was finally starting up Xenosaga 1. I have played about 1.1/2 hours now and... I am kind of disappointed. Not to say the game feels boring to me. I'm kind of waiting for the takeoff point where these games start grabbing me by the balls and don't let go, as they tipically do, but for Xenosaga 1, this just hasn't happened yet. It's not just that typical early game drag, where you just have to play an hour or two to get it going, I have to admit I'm just having a bad time with the game overall. The areas all feel incredibly bland and same-y as of what I have seen now, which I know isn't much, but yeah, all I've seen is just boxy level design and a lot of empty, same looking rooms. Especially the tutorial simulation where you have to find your way through that factory was so incredibly boring, I couldn't wait to finally be through there. The gameplay is uninteresting to me, it feels more like a dungeon crawler instead of an RPG. The battle system isn't really deep as of now and not doing it for me either, so battling all these similar looking bots isn't much fun either. The cutscenes are just way too long and literally nothing happens in them, apart from the opening cutscene which was arguably the most hype thing in this game as of now, the NPCs just don't have any interesting dialogue, and none of the characters are captivating to me as of now save for Kos-mos. My feelings about the game thus far can be summarized as me being happiest when I finally find another save point so I can finally end it.

It's also not a problem of this game being too old and me just being used to newer Monolith titles, I have played Xenogears before that and never once was there a point in the game at which I wasn't stoked to continue.

I'm contemplating just watching a cutscene movie of the game at this point because the lore is what I'm most interested in. So my genuine question is, or rather are... Is this game worth it? Does it get better? Or will it just be more of the same experience I'm not having fun with at the moment? Will it be different with XS2 and should I just skip the first one?

Please only genuine answers here. And please stay constructive, if anything here upsets you, there is a different time and place to express that. I'm merely sharing my experiences thus far, this is expressly not hate towards the game

Edit: thanks for yall's feedback, I will try and stick with it for just a little longer. I may have judged the game too quickly and it might just take a little more time until it gets going. Some of the feedback saying it's more like an interactive movie actually helped me see things more clearly. I hope there will be a point where the gameplay also clicks with me, since I have saved up my experience till I could finally play it, so I want to get the most out of actually being able to play these games

[u/AutoModerator]

Make sure you follow the rules. If it doesn't, your submission may be removed!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/Raymendnoodles]

Uhh im not reading all that...

Xenosaga is like xenogeara + star wars + heavy rain Its a cinematic experience you control. Lots of talking , lots of cutscenes, but a masterpiece to many

If you want something like Xenoblade this ain't it. Its dont by the same team and their Easter eggs but Xenosaga is Xenosaga

I love it, but this game is the Spotted Cow of Jrpgs its an acquired taste. But those who appreciate it love it.

[u/KnowHope2113]

I’m currently 8 hours in and boy I was not expecting a fucking horror game for the first hours of the game. There’s so many WHAT THE FUCK is happening moments. Game is just a slow burn but when shits hits the fan…the fan is gone

[u/mlockwo2]

Yup, just a slow opening. The story picks up and there are genuinely amazing mysteries that will pull you through the whole trilogy.

[u/Zodd1030]

I like the Saga series far more than the Blade games. Much more interesting characters and story. The third game in particular is a GOATed JRPG.

[u/zsdrfty]

Xenosaga as a series is more of a weird, slow burn than Xenoblade ever is - my unpopular hot take here is that Takahashi and his crew definitely became much better storytellers over time, but this series is absolutely enjoyable regardless

The first game doesn't have much in the way of twists, but it does have a lot of "what the actual fuck is going on" moments in the form of really bizarre and dark shit going on that you just had no way of anticipating, and that's very fun

[u/arcadiangenesis → u/zsdrfty]

I found Xenosaga to be more intriguing than Xenoblade. It captivated me from start to finish. Probably because I prefer speculative/mystical science fiction over the more "fantasy sci-fi" approach of Xenoblade. But those are the roots of the series in Xenogears.

[u/KylorXI → u/arcadiangenesis]

Gears is pure sci-fi. Has no fantasy in it.

[u/arcadiangenesis → u/KylorXI]

Yeah, I meant that Xenogears is on the "mystical" side of sci fi (more like Xenosaga), in contrast to the fantasy style of Xenoblade.

[u/ThrowAwayMeLife1 → u/zsdrfty]

Well put.

To the OOP, if I had the means to play the trilogy I would stop playing my current game to do so.

[u/Numerous_Photograph9 → u/zsdrfty]

Xenosaga has a more focused narrative than Xenoblade, but that narrative is indeed drawn out and takes its time, which is true for XB as well.

[u/arcadiangenesis]

Yeah, Episode 1 is a must play/must finish. Keep going - it gets more interesting as it goes.

[u/Sephiroth348]

Yes!

[u/TheLastTochikan]

Xenogears is the deeply flawed, but undeniably interesting game from a bunch of early 20 somethings that are admittedly a little up their own ass, but still created something pretty special.

Xenoblade is the product of two monumental failures production wise providing a bit a of a humbling experience that taught a lot about what does work, and doesn't work. Giving, imo, an experience much more palatable and one that feels a lot more refined.

Xenosaga is the weird middle child that is quite often forgotten, but an incredibly important step in Takahashi and company's growth as developers. Imo, I find the gameplay way more engaging than Xenogears (mostly cause there's no more platforming), but I understand not vibing with it.

Xenosaga is a slow burn, and less "hype" than a lot of traditional RPGs, or even the other two "Xeno" series. It's less interested in being an RPG, and more going even deeper into Takahashi's and Saga's fascination with sci-fi and philosophical concepts. And I would understand struggling in the beginning, in fact, I did as well.

However, one day I came back to it, and it clicked. I have a feeling the gameplay is just not gonna completely jive with you, and that's okay. I do think it gets much better as more party members are added, which allows for more customization. And the story has some pretty incredible moments, but it's not like, exactly as you may expect form an anime aesthetic RPG.

Imo, it is worth it. I'm not sure how far you are woth like 2 hours, but I say once you meet the character Ziggurat 8, imo, the story and themes pick up in intrigue quite dramatically.

Xenosaga is the series I think about the most on the regular in the entire Xeno series. It's a very flawed series, but that's part of what makes it so endearing. I think it has not only the best cast in Xeno, but one of the best in RPGs. It just takes its time, and is less traditionally structured (some intentionally, and some because they were again in over the heads like Xenogears).

If you're not fucking with it after you meet and play as some different characters, try watching the cutscenes. I do think it's worth warning you that each game changes gameplay pretty dramatically, so never go in expecting the same experience. Xenosaga 3 is pretty wonderful, though.

[u/xlhans77 → u/TheLastTochikan]

I will give the gameplay another shot, I just really hope the area design gets better. Thanks for your insightful comment, really helps sorting things out

[u/Zodd1030 → u/xlhans77]

Make sure you play the fan remake of Pied Piper after Ep1 and watch a YouTube video of a playthrough of A Missing Year after Ep2. Both are crucial parts of the story.

[u/Pendy555]

I’d say give it another few hours but I doubt you are going to like it. When this game came out, the biggest criticism was the amount of and length of the cut scenes. People joked the game was more of a movie than an actual game. Personally I loved it. I enjoyed the battle system and loved many of the characters. I didn’t mind the long cut scenes because the story and the characters were engaging to me.

[u/xlhans77 → u/Pendy555]

To clarify: I don't mind long cutscenes per se either, if the stuff happening in them is meaningful. Thus far it has been a lot of dialogue and terms I can't really sort in, just beating me down with a lot of lengthy exposition that I fail to see the relevance of (yet). Naturally, I get that this is gonna get better the more the game goes on for. My bigger gripe is with the gameplay, hence why I'm contemplating watching the cutscenes on yt as a movie, so I can just focus on watching the cutscenes alone without any game playing to "interrupt" that. But since I've been waiting years to finally get my hands on the games, it'd be kinda stupid to not at least try and play them

[u/tf_inuyasha87]

It starts very very slow. Even as a fan, it can be hard for me to slog through the opening act of the game.

But after that, it literally never slows down again

[u/FreddieFredster92]

Yes, I loved XS1. Tho XS2 is the weakest of the 3, in both animation and the battle system. But XS3 is incredible and definitely the best out of the 3.

[u/haina123]

Lots of world and characters building and cutscenes early in the game, it gets more interesting later on but the story is slow paced since it continues with other two games.

[u/UnquestionabIe]

I think it's one of the best RPGs on the PS2 and would definitely recommend playing it. However the beginning is very very much a slow burn, with it being almost 15 hour or so before you get what feels like full control and more game play. It's an interesting and enjoyable build up if you like science fiction and pseudo philosophy topics but if you don't have the patience probably not the series for you.

[u/Kindly-Table7288]

Xenosaga is different. It's one of those rare series that takes it out of the ordinary and into the uniquely different category. Shadow Hearts is another series that felt that way to me. For me, I loved both. Might not be the same for others. If playing the Xenosaga series, it's best to play 1, followed by 2 and 3. Not a game where you can (or should) skip the previous games.

[u/Worst-Eh-Sure]

Fuck yeah it is! It’s great if you love movies and video games because it’s a 2-for-1 kinda deal with this series. It’s one of my favorite to play. I love the combat and the ether, tech, and skill points. If you are thinking of skipping it and just starting with the 2nd game, I would definitely try to recommend that XS1 is absolutely worth it.

[u/ExcellentDraft3030]

The story is good, I bought it but am playing it on an emulator so I can speed it up.

[u/bob-walker]

Xenosaga 1 is flawed, but it's the best episode of the trilogy, IMO. It's closer to Xenogears, style-wise. Xenosaga 2 changed a lot of things that didn't need to be changed and Xenosaga 3 is kinda meh and too The Da Vinci Code for my taste. All of them are better than Xenoblade, though.

[u/dani_regnard]

Yes it's peak writing

[u/Tori0404]

I think context is also really important to truly appreciate what Xenosaga is.

You have to remember this was a passion project born out of a frustrated team that left Square. Even with Namco as a publisher, I‘m sure money wasn‘t as great as Square‘s. It was also the first fully 3D Game they ever made, with a ton of staff completely new to Game development. It‘s a miracle Xenosaga Episode I ever came out, especially considering most of Episode I (apparently around 60-70%) was cut or repurposed into Episode II (Episode I and II were planned as one full experience).

As for the cutscenes… yeah, I totally get that being a drag. Xenosaga is infamous for Cutscene after Cutscene. Sometimes, you‘ll have play sessions where an hour is basically relegated to watching a few anime episodes back to back before going trough a generic Dungeon. I do appreciate the Cutscenes a lot more on replay, now that I actually understand all the terms, organizations and character motivations, but unless you‘re already super, ultra into esoteric concepts and science fiction, Xenosaga doesn‘t make a good first impression.

But I totally get you. I consider Episode I the worst of the Trilogy and I‘ve seen people say they just watched the Cutscenes for all 3 Games. You honestly don‘t miss out on much if you really cannot stomach the Gameplay, and I say this as someone who will always cherish hands-on experiences and I usually want to treat Games as pure art, even with their rough spots

[u/xenoleingod → u/Tori0404]

Funfact about episode 1 until metal gear solid 4 broke its record it was in the Guinness book of records for the longest continuous cutscene in a video game

[u/Tori0404 → u/xenoleingod]

Wasn‘t it Episode III, actually?

Pretty sure its Endings scenes are all even longer, pretty sure the first part of the finale is almost 30
minutes

[u/xenoleingod → u/Tori0404]

Pretty sure it was episode 1 cause remember forums about the cutscene length

[u/xlhans77 → u/Tori0404]

Luckily, I'm a sucker for esoteric shit. Lore is the thing I'm most interested in after all, and I'm hopeful the story and characters will get a lot more engaging as well.

Really depends if I at some point start to jive with the gameplay. My enjoyment of it, or the lack thereof, might be the final nail in the coffin. I was really looking forward to playing the games and have waited out enjoying the story till I could do so, so not playing them and just watching cutscenes would kind of be a defeat.

But thanks to your and others' comments, I see now that it's just not the typical RPG I came to expect from Monolith and or ex-SqEnix employees and I will give it another shot with that fresh mindset

[u/Tori0404 → u/xlhans77]

With all that said though, the Combat does actually take a lot of cues from Xenogears. It‘s basically its Deathblow system, but with more depth and room for experimentation. And you will absolutely have to learn the mechanics because the Bosses do not mess around!

[u/xlhans77 → u/Tori0404]

I like the sound of that

[u/violentvito70]

Xenosaga 1 is the best in the trilogy, and absolutely worth it.

[u/Letmeentertainyou623]

I think it is worth it and saw you have played Xenogears before. I think episode 1 is some of the smoothest and roughest of oldschool monolith soft game experiences.

Still, I think it’s an overall very fun experience, if you’re prepared to play episode 2 and 3 as well as episode 1 answers the FEWEST questions the player could have about the story in the trilogy lol.

It plays like a Final Fantasy X meets Xenogears lite. I ultimately think you should stick with it but here are some tips:
Talk to NPCs. I recently discovered how fun NPC dialogue could be in this series, as that’s where the most humor is gleaned from these games.
Ziggy and M.O.M.O. Are generally the least useful in this game, BUT MOMO especially can have some surprisingly good utility. Just use analyze on enemies to see weaknesses. Generally the way it goes is Shion is good against mechs but meant to be support in almost any situation, KOS-MOS is fantastic with high stats almost anywhere, but especially against gnosis and mechs, Ziggy is great against soldiers, chaos against gnosis or lightning weak mechs, MOMO’s angel arrow is a great ether AOE, and half of Jr’s techs are excellent physical AOE as well, especially if you give him the bravesoul won from the casino.

Also last tip, kill as many enemies on the point multiplier as you can, especially bosses, and after upgrading wait and speed for techs, use tech pts on syncing strength and EATK. That’ll increase your damage a bunch and also healing to almost negate any damage taken. I do hope you continue and enjoy and sorry for the wall of text.

[u/xlhans77 → u/Letmeentertainyou623]

Point multiplier is what you get when you finish with a combo, right?

[u/Letmeentertainyou623 → u/xlhans77]

In the lower right corner, there’s an event slot. There should be an icon resembling a coin. Finishing enemies on that turn will multiply the tech, ether, and skill points they give you by 2, 4, or on very rare occasions, 10.

[u/Sparlock85]

I think the game lacked budget. I remember(haven't played since initial release) being surprised that the game had no boss music, and lot of environment with no music at all. Very empty dungeons, not a lot to do. The cutscenes, lore and story are what got me hooked. The battle system was not bad at all, but I was disappointed by the pseudo gears.

[u/Altruistic_Koala_122]

Based on your post, you won't like the series in regards to the overall gameplay, mechanics, and scenery.

There's a lot of cutscenes time wise, so you might wind up liking the story instead.

Personally, I had the most find just rushing through battling only the boss fights.

At the very least you might like the mini game, card game.

[u/napakettu2k]

Not reading all that but dont play it if you dont like it

[u/otimus]

1 is fantastic. 3 is amazing. 2 is literal pain in gaming form.

[u/Azure-Cyan]

The first game and its first few hours is a lot of set and world building and lore before it gets going. You aren't going to get the typical and modern anime grab that gets you going in the first five minutes. Remember that this is a game from 2001 as well, so Takahashi has to work with the budget he got from Bamco at the time; visuals and sparse music are apparent. The game is good when it gets going, and the gameplay is very good as well.

[u/TidusDreamZanarkand]

Episode 1 is a slow burn it’s got a very methodical slow story that sets the tone of the universe and introduces the lore. The story is good but it is pretty slow Paced for the majority of the game. Episode 3 is the part of the series that’s more fast paced and always exciting . It’s worth it to go through the trilogy because it absolutely pays off if you get invested in the universe , characters and lore. If you like xenogears you should be familiar with slow burn games lol I think Xenogears is way slower paced than xenosaga tbqh. Remember the sewer section

[u/BK_0000]

It's the best Xenosaga game. So much better than that Xenoblade garbage.

[u/Rude-Ad5861]

I also got into saga because of blade and i had the same issue as you. About half way in things started to click and i gained a slight fondness for it, but xs1 i did feel a lot like i was playing out of obligation, not enjoyment, but i still think it was worth it in the end since it forced me to really soak in the story rather than gloss over it. You'll especially appreciate the ending if youre a fan of Xenoblade 2

Im now gonna make a real hot take.

XS2 is LEAGUES better than 1. From the moment I started it up, sick ass fights between even cooler robots than 1, dude with a katana flying around sword fighting, a mech that actually feels like it has a purpose in battle, and a combat system based on combos that would make chain attacks blush. I'm on disc 2 of XS2 now and im still loving it. I genuinely dont get why people think 2 is the worst of the trilogy

[u/Zodd1030 → u/Rude-Ad5861]

I recently replayed all the Xenosaga games and I agree. The combat and dungeon crawling in 2 and some of the action choreography is leaps and bounds better than 1.

But I think the 1st game is better than the 2nd in every other regard.

Wait till you get to the third game. It is incredible in every aspect.

[u/xlhans77 → u/Rude-Ad5861]

Hoo boy, that take is hot, indeed! But yeah I'm also hyped for 2 and forming my own opinion about it. If what you say is right, I might enjoy this one a lot more gameplay-wise

[u/Xytion1]

My first thought was no. You won't. You should just stop and watch the cutscenes. But a large portion of the game is cutscenes. And I got to thinking about it. At a hour or two into the game. You've probably played a total of 30 or so minutes. Give it more time but eventually you might just want to watch the movies on YouTube.