12-02-2006, 08:14 AM
Truthfully, the first time i played this, i didn't really play the regular game: it was the 2-player mode of the battle arena that first interested me.
A friend of mine introduced it to me late in my high-school days. SF Zero 3 was gettingboring so we were looking for something else. Jan then suggested we try it. Of course, at first, we were skeptical. What the hell was a two-plaer mode doing in an RPG? Later, the rabid button-mashing and fast-pace of the gear battles got us hooked. Sarap pa naman gamitin yung El Fenrir and El Renmazuo.
After getting tired of playing in the arena, i then tried picking up the real game itself. I wasn't much for RPGs back then but since there were mechs (gears) in the game, i decided to give it a shot.
Whoa, after playing for just a few hours, i was definitely hooked. The anime cutscenes were top-notch and the storyline was completely engrossing. THe plot was packed with numerous references to Judeo-Christian jargon and imagery like the twelve anima relics which allude to the twelve tribes of Israel. Also a number of pop-culture (games, movies, anime) influences are evident, ranging from Star Wars, Evangelion, Final Fantasy, Alfred Hitchcock and a hella lot more.
There was also the topic of psychological influences from Freud and Jung with allusions to the Id, Ego and Superego, which were part of the protagonist Fei's mental and emotional problems. The repression of his sad memories while clinging on to the happy ones eventually leads to one of the most dramatic climaxes ever found in a video game.
Pretty fucked up i say.
)
The graphics are a combination of 2D sprite characters with 3D backgrounds and objects. The game environment is fully 360-degree rotatable. The soundtrack itself is powerful and moving with some tracks being reminiscent of Star Wars, Evangelion and Nordic music. Aside from the official OST, i recommend looking for the albums Creid or Xenogears: Light as they contain remixed and reedited pieces.
Trust me: You haven't experienced aural heaven until you've heard the final ending song, Small Two Of Pieces by Joanne Hogg. This one ranks right up there as my all-time fave game song.
Words alone cannot begin to describe this game. I've loved it and hated it at times but i've still stuck with it. I've played it almost seven times already, with my best record being forty-eight hours and twenty-seven minutes before reaching Deus. Actually, typing up this article is now bringing up a lot memories. Enough that i'll be digging out my PS1 later and going for an eight play-through.
Now if only i could find a copy of Perfect Works, my miserable life will be complete.
@Lunar
You really are a sap for the mushy stuff, are you?
A friend of mine introduced it to me late in my high-school days. SF Zero 3 was gettingboring so we were looking for something else. Jan then suggested we try it. Of course, at first, we were skeptical. What the hell was a two-plaer mode doing in an RPG? Later, the rabid button-mashing and fast-pace of the gear battles got us hooked. Sarap pa naman gamitin yung El Fenrir and El Renmazuo.
After getting tired of playing in the arena, i then tried picking up the real game itself. I wasn't much for RPGs back then but since there were mechs (gears) in the game, i decided to give it a shot.
Whoa, after playing for just a few hours, i was definitely hooked. The anime cutscenes were top-notch and the storyline was completely engrossing. THe plot was packed with numerous references to Judeo-Christian jargon and imagery like the twelve anima relics which allude to the twelve tribes of Israel. Also a number of pop-culture (games, movies, anime) influences are evident, ranging from Star Wars, Evangelion, Final Fantasy, Alfred Hitchcock and a hella lot more.
There was also the topic of psychological influences from Freud and Jung with allusions to the Id, Ego and Superego, which were part of the protagonist Fei's mental and emotional problems. The repression of his sad memories while clinging on to the happy ones eventually leads to one of the most dramatic climaxes ever found in a video game.
Pretty fucked up i say.
) The graphics are a combination of 2D sprite characters with 3D backgrounds and objects. The game environment is fully 360-degree rotatable. The soundtrack itself is powerful and moving with some tracks being reminiscent of Star Wars, Evangelion and Nordic music. Aside from the official OST, i recommend looking for the albums Creid or Xenogears: Light as they contain remixed and reedited pieces.
Trust me: You haven't experienced aural heaven until you've heard the final ending song, Small Two Of Pieces by Joanne Hogg. This one ranks right up there as my all-time fave game song.
Words alone cannot begin to describe this game. I've loved it and hated it at times but i've still stuck with it. I've played it almost seven times already, with my best record being forty-eight hours and twenty-seven minutes before reaching Deus. Actually, typing up this article is now bringing up a lot memories. Enough that i'll be digging out my PS1 later and going for an eight play-through.
Now if only i could find a copy of Perfect Works, my miserable life will be complete.
@Lunar
You really are a sap for the mushy stuff, are you?
"May those who accept their fate find happiness. May those who defy their fate find glory."
