I don’t have quite the same issues with the story as Sinistral does, but I can see where it lacks in the grand scheme of things. Personally I’m just glad to see that there is SOME resolution to a few things, but this is mostly due to the fact that I RP Ziggy at VideolandMush and knowing the full story makes things easier for me.
It’s too bad that Xenosaga had to turn out this way. If Monolith made the game system like this from the first game it probably would have become much more popular than it was. The majority of complaints I’ve heard about people who played the first two episodes were about the game’s system. Sadly, even though Episode III’s system is much better too many people are alienated from the series to check it out. I say they should at least rent it and see, but what can ya do?
As for the XS vs XG development, I mostly agree with Seraphim. Some characters got attention in both games, and some got shafted. I was really interested in Rico’s story in XG, and was disappointed that he never got more attention than he did. (Rico and Ziggy, it’s always the tank-characters that get my attention in RPGs)
I still think Virgil was handled pretty well, as well as I would have expected, anyway. My biggest complaint is that his story was left too late. Sure, his role on the Woglinde makes much more sense NOW, but it’s a bit too late for it. He was more or less a no-show in Episode II, so him all of a sudden taking a major role in the story was a bit surprising.
The whole thing on Old Miltia did seem like game-filler. For about 1/3 of the game you don’t accomplish a whole lot, and just see scene after scene while being led on by the Testaments. I think things might have been better if we knew the whole story behind Old Miltia from the get-go. Or most of it, anyway.
Though I think the story picked back up on the second disc, when Yuriev and Sellers came back into play. I’m just disappointed that Sellers’ role was nothing more than a stalling tactic (much like Citrine).
Though I think the character that got shafted the most was Pellegri. She lingers in the background for most of the series, you never get to know much about her at all. Then at the very end she throws all this dialogue at Jin, and dies.
Right now I’m at the Archon Cathedral, right before Voyager. The ES Dan owned me the first time I fought it, so I’ll try again when I get home from work. I’m very glad to see so many Pied Piper references, though. I’ve been looking forward to that since reading the Pied Piper translation project by Chaoslace. Voyager’s an interesting villain, especially when you know his backstory.
I’m not holding my breath on there being a Xenosaga IV. I really stopped caring about the Xenogears-relation after playing the first episode, and I just got into the story of Shion’s arc. Since that’s over I really don’t have any huge interest in what happens after this. IF they make an Episode IV I may check it out eventually, but I won’t be waiting with baited breath like I was with Episode III.
