XG is without a doubt the single finest RPG ever made for the PS1. The graphics are a bit dated now, but the story... oh good lord, the story...! I've played it all the way to the end -five times- now. Next time I may just get a bunch of video tapes and record the damn thing, edited down to the "good parts" version... 
(...and sorry Offsides, I'm -not- selling.
)
False religions, shadow wars, ancient technology, genetic manipulation, self-aware nanocolonies, Soylent Green, so many obscure kabbalistic and angelological(?) references that several eluded the otherwise abnormally good translation team, speculations on the nature of Man and God, layer upon layer of conspiracies and manipulators, a hero who is -more messed up than Cloud Strife!-, and a love that has lasted down ten thousand tragic years...
...all this and anime martial artists piloting giant robots.
I would LOVE to see a Step set here, but I can't see Bob having time to invest the 40-60 hours needed to really get a grip on the game...
(I don't know WHAT would happen if Doug got into a Gear equipped with an Ether Machine. Since he, alone in the world, wouldn't be drawing his powers from the Wave Existence through Zohar, it might not work on him at all. If it did... scaled-up, amplified chaos field...? Owie...)
Also, it comes with two kick-ass songs: Stars of Tears, the overworld theme; and Small Two of Pieces (yes, that's what it's called), the ending/romance theme.
Lyrics to S2oP, from memory (no Akio jokes please, it's all been done):
Run through the cold of the night
As passion burns in your heart
Ready to fight, a knife held close by your side
Like a proud wolf alone in the dark
With eyes that watch the world
And my name like a shadow
On the face of the moon
(Chorus
Broken mirror, a million shades of light
The old echo fades away
But just you and I
Can find the answer, and then
We can run to the end of the world
We can run to the end of the world
Cold fire clenched to my heart
In the blue of night
Torn by this pain, I paint your name in sound
And the girl of the dawn with eyes of blue, and angel wings
The songs of the season are her only crown
(Repeat chorus)
We met in the mists of morning
And parted deep in the night
Broken sword and shield, and tears that never fall
But run through the heart
Washed away by the darkest water
The world is peaceful and still
(Repeat chorus)
...and Stars of Tears:
Your fingertips
Moving gently to my heart
The force of Life goes on and on
The song remains
Like a haunting melody
Of angel music held in chains
(Chorus)
And I ask you
Can we ease the pain of those who lost (The force of life goes on)
Can we know the cause of all this sorrow (Tears of Loneliness)
Can we catch the tears of a broken world
Falling down upon the earth...falling down...
The waves of time take me deeper into you
A haze as blue as summer skies
And turn to find
The key will not unlock the door
This broken bird away it flies
(repeat chorus)
I don't know what, if anything, those would do for Doug... but they're damn good.
(The prequel, -Xenosaga: Der Wille zur Macht- will be out soon... must... get... PS2...!)
--Sam Ashley
"How the hell did I do that?"
(...and sorry Offsides, I'm -not- selling.
)False religions, shadow wars, ancient technology, genetic manipulation, self-aware nanocolonies, Soylent Green, so many obscure kabbalistic and angelological(?) references that several eluded the otherwise abnormally good translation team, speculations on the nature of Man and God, layer upon layer of conspiracies and manipulators, a hero who is -more messed up than Cloud Strife!-, and a love that has lasted down ten thousand tragic years...
...all this and anime martial artists piloting giant robots.
I would LOVE to see a Step set here, but I can't see Bob having time to invest the 40-60 hours needed to really get a grip on the game...
(I don't know WHAT would happen if Doug got into a Gear equipped with an Ether Machine. Since he, alone in the world, wouldn't be drawing his powers from the Wave Existence through Zohar, it might not work on him at all. If it did... scaled-up, amplified chaos field...? Owie...)
Also, it comes with two kick-ass songs: Stars of Tears, the overworld theme; and Small Two of Pieces (yes, that's what it's called), the ending/romance theme.
Lyrics to S2oP, from memory (no Akio jokes please, it's all been done):
Run through the cold of the night
As passion burns in your heart
Ready to fight, a knife held close by your side
Like a proud wolf alone in the dark
With eyes that watch the world
And my name like a shadow
On the face of the moon
(Chorus
Broken mirror, a million shades of light
The old echo fades away
But just you and I
Can find the answer, and then
We can run to the end of the world
We can run to the end of the world
Cold fire clenched to my heart
In the blue of night
Torn by this pain, I paint your name in sound
And the girl of the dawn with eyes of blue, and angel wings
The songs of the season are her only crown
(Repeat chorus)
We met in the mists of morning
And parted deep in the night
Broken sword and shield, and tears that never fall
But run through the heart
Washed away by the darkest water
The world is peaceful and still
(Repeat chorus)
...and Stars of Tears:
Your fingertips
Moving gently to my heart
The force of Life goes on and on
The song remains
Like a haunting melody
Of angel music held in chains
(Chorus)
And I ask you
Can we ease the pain of those who lost (The force of life goes on)
Can we know the cause of all this sorrow (Tears of Loneliness)
Can we catch the tears of a broken world
Falling down upon the earth...falling down...
The waves of time take me deeper into you
A haze as blue as summer skies
And turn to find
The key will not unlock the door
This broken bird away it flies
(repeat chorus)
I don't know what, if anything, those would do for Doug... but they're damn good.
(The prequel, -Xenosaga: Der Wille zur Macht- will be out soon... must... get... PS2...!)
--Sam Ashley
"How the hell did I do that?"