Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra

[Bytor]

-Visuals- 8.3/10
The graphics returned to those used in Episode I with some noticeable improvements. The characters certainly will look much more familiar than they did in Episode II but they are rendered to still be a tad more realistic. The facial expressions are wonderfully done and unlike the previous release the backgrounds are wonderfully done here. The attention to detail and usage of colors and shifts in visual effects is truly outstanding. The cut scenes are in my opinion top notch and of course being Xenosaga be prepared for quite a few of these. Seldom does a game which is basically set in outer space manage to make space look good but also the various planetary environments you will find yourself on.

-Sound- 8/10
The music itself is no where near as expansive as in Episode I but, and this is a big but, they brought back two of the main characters (Shion and KOS-MOS0 original actors to do the voice overs and it certainly makes a big difference. Now you feel as if you are continuing the story as opposed to somewhat just playing a bridge between two Episodes. Once again the sound effects themselves are also well done, whether it is a fight scene or simply the various sounds in the different environments they are fitted well without overwhelming the game play.

-Gameplay- 8.8/10
OK...now, here's where each will have their own opinions. One definite plus is the load times are significantly lower than in Episode II (I no longer had time to get dinner started) and the data base was brought back as well, so if your memory starts to go you can easily check the extensive encyclopedia to get information you need. In this installment the ES battles are actually fun as well, no longer the huge effort simply to defeat a few enemies. Another huge improvement is the battle system, gone are the zone attacks and back (albeit tweaked) are the more familiar attacks from Episode I. The boost system is still there but now you will certainly have to be much more strategic than before. The outcome of battles can, and will, be swayed by a wrong move. Now, here's where some will love it, and some will hate it. Expect some of the boss battles to easily last an hour...that's a long time to play, especially if you die and have to do it again. Now, having said that, if you are a "completest" and go the extra mile to do the sub-quests you can have weapons which with some smart strategy will cut that time easily in half, still challenging but not so much of a grueling marathon.


-Story- 9.7/10
This takes place one year later, and little has changed, except Shion has left Vector and is working more on experimental weapons and along with the rest of the gang is working to find the truth behind the Gnosis, the Zohar, God and basically everything else which has puzzled everyone since the beginning. All of the loose ends are tied up nicely and it concludes what is, in my opinion, the greatest and most complex story ever told on the PS2. I can honestly say I was very, very sad to see it end (although there could be a bit more of the story told if Monolith ever decided to expand it) and I can't wait until a couple of more years have gone by so I can start the whole thing over!

-Overall- 9.2/10
This will certainly be too high for some, but I am going to try and justify it by simply saying the whole series simply "spoke" to me. I simply loved playing this series and only wished it had been the original 10 games as planned.

[solidbatman]

-Visuals- 8.5/10
Of the three games, this one is definitly the best looking. The developers decided to return to the anime look of the first game and it pays off well. For the most part, everything looks crisp and well rounded.The developers took time to include some pretty awesome looking space battles and E.S. battles as well as some serious KOS- MOS butt kicking. Color useage has returned but not to Episode I levels. Another issue I had was that in some cut scenes, the framerate would dop. While this wasn't a huge issue, it happened in some of the best parts of the game, usually when a lot was going on in the scene.

-Sound- 9.8/10
A major improvement over Episodes I & II. The voice actors that played shion and KOS- MOS are back and fill out their roles remarkably well. Shion's actor delivers most of her lines perfectly and with emotion. Having KOS- MOS' orginal voice also adds to the character. The music has returned to the classical soundtrack Episode I with a mix of rock (don't worry, it's well done). The developers retained, who I think, are the best voice actors from Episode II. The result is a perfect mix of the sounds of the first two games.

-Gameplay- 9.5/10
Automatically, this score gets extra points for getting rid of that awful zone system Episode II featured. Instead, everyone has something called a break guage. Every attack you or an enemy does adds damage to the break guage. When the guage is filled up, you or the enemy will be broken and unable to take an action for a few turns (3 if I remember correctly). While broken, the critical hit chance is increased. Using this with the much less easy to abuse boost system adds a huge stategic element to the battle system. The boost system works like this. For every attack you take, your boost guage is increased. When filled, you are able to boost another character to take the next move in the battle. With certain equipment, you can take up to 7 boosts. Many bosses require that you do this in order to rack up the damage in a timely manner.

E.S. battles are back in a big way. Rather than just being a slug fest with giant robots, as it was in Episode II, (read the review if you want to know why I keep bashing Epsidoe II.) the new E.S. battle system requires strategy. An E.S. is basically a giant robot capable of flying in space and fighting hand- to- hand (robot style) or simply shooting you to oblivion. Like I said, these battle are no longer a test to see how long you can last, but rather require you to think about the attacks you are going to take. Certain weapons you equip give you different attacks. Each attack takes up a certain amount of energy, which can be upgraded through out the game. This can give you 2-4 attacks per turn if used properly. After each hit on the enemy, you increase the Anima Guage. When you fill up this guage, you are able to unleash a super powerful attack and for the next few turns, you'll have you energy consumption reduced. Enemy E.S. don't kill you in one hit, as it felt in Episode II. Trust me, you'll enjoy the E.S. battles in this game.

The developers decided to bring back the skill line featured in Episode I. After each battle, you will gain skill points to go along with your money and expereince. When you have enough, you can spend these skill points on skills located on a skill tree with two branches. Both braches are devoted to a certain skill. Some branches teach you break skills, others teach support or ether skills. No two characters have the same skill trees giving you a diverse selection to choose from for the battles. Something that should have never been taken away in the first place is also back. Money and Shops! They quickly become your best friend in this game. An interesting addictive little mini game is also included now. Called HaKox, this game is simply a game of getting frompoint A to point B, but in a puzzling way. Winning in this game gives you some nifty equipment to help you in the main game. All of this added together makes the game play the best in the series.

-Story- 8/10
Shion has left Vector and is working for a shady fringe group called Scientia in order to uncover the truth about her father and Allen is promoted to chief of the KOS- MOS project in the wake of her departure. Jin and chaos both realize that Shion may not like the truth about her father, or about herself as she searches for the truth. As this is going on, Gnosis incidents are increasing in the galaxy and they are laying waste to entire planets. No one can figure out why the Gnosis are doing this and know one really know what the Gnosis are to begin with. Dr. Yuriev, the creator of the U.R.T.V.'s is working on a new battle system that is capable of destroying the Gnosis. This isn't even half of what is happening at the beginning of the game. So much is going on infact, it makes me wish there was a data base that recorded the information the game gives me... oh wait. There is one . The story moves very very fast, and as quickly as new characters are introduced, old ones are killed off. The fast moving story keeps the story interesting, but some parts of the game feel very rushed and left me feeling let down.

-Overall- 9/10
Not the best game I've ever played, but it certainly has to be the most fun I've had playing a game. The visuals and sound are top notch while the game play is stellar. The story is ambitious and for the few letdowns in the story, the game has triumphs in the story telling that more than make up for those let downs. The ending didn't really satisfy me, but after remembering that the series wasn't supposed to end where it did, I felt a little batter. Come on Namco Bandai, make Episode IV!