Japanese release date confirmed to be in July. Meaning we should see a North American release about this time next year.
Here’s the latest trailer. Be warned that it is rather spoilery, but so were all the trailers for Episode II.
Some comments…
So it is confirmed that the White Testament is Albedo. No surprise there, except for the small sect of the fandom populace who thought it to be chaos (too tall). And we also see that the Red Testament is Kevin Wincott, less blatent, though again, a number of fans had pieced that one together too. We see a bit of T-Elos fighting KOS-MOS, and a bit of Voyager being a twink, and a flurry of cutscenes that make it hard to piece together when everything happens.
Namco has said they’re going to ‘extend the scenario’ for Episode III, I guess meaning the game will be longer than the previous two. Which is fine by my book. They’re also bringing back currency, and item shops (woo!), and Deathblows and, well, all the things they removed in Episode II that they shouldn’t have. They’re also keeping the things they put into Episode II that DID work right, ie: ES Battles, so here’s hoping that for the final game they’ll get the balance just right. …well, a fan can dream, anyway. Also… Allen and Canaan are confirmed to be party members, though we don’t know to what capacity. Canaan I can see, but I’m still amused by all the images of Allen in battle.
Anyway… thoughts? I admit to being a blatent Xenosaga fanboy, so I can understand if no one else is as psyched about Episode III as I am…
I’m pretty excited about it, but not rabidly so. I suppose this just gives me some more Crispin Freeman, and of course I find that exciting. Ha ha, you guys probably thought this was earth-shattering, didn’t you? Nyah.
Episode 2 kinda let me down with the good things that were removed, but I did like actually using the mechs rather than pouring money into something I never used. I’m glad that a turnaround seems to be coming on that.
Now maybe the trailer’s downloaded and I can actually watch it…
edit - What’s the deal with T-ELOS? Should I have seen something coming somewhere?
In Episode I, during Jr’s raid on the U-Tic Ship you can analyze a computer and find a schematic for an android called T-Elos the U-Tic was working on. Then you never hear of it again till episode III (note that only works on the initial trip, revisiting the U-Tic ship in the Encephalon doesn’t work)
As for Crispin Freeman, there’s a rumor going around that Namco couldn’t sign him on to do Episode III (he also does Gaignun’s voice, aside from Albedo’s). But, it’s just a rumor, there’s no offical word yet. Personally, I hope it’s just total BS, Freeman was just too damn good at it.
Everything else you said sounds really good. The game has to be longer if they plan on covering all the stuff that needs answers (Almost everything) and I really missed the Deathblows, while at the same time I liked the E.S. much more than the AGWS. Shion is already in the team, why not Allen? Even if she’s a martial artists expert, it’s not like she has ever used her fists before.
Any word on the other voice actors? KOS-MOS and chaos’ specifically? It would really make my day if they got the old guys back.
Hell yes. Freeman was marvelous as Albedo (and a good Gaignun too) and the quality of the voicework will REALLY take a hit if he doesn’t come back for the final showing.
Aside from the rumor I mentioned, no, no official word. From what I know, the Freeman rumor had something to do with something Soraya Saga said about not being able to get him for it, but the problem there is that Saga has been taken off the production team (and what say would she have in the dub cast anyway?). I wouldn’t hold it to much credibility, not until an official english VA list is made public. Oddly enough, I think there’s some sort of oddity involving Freeman and the Xenosaga dub. He can’t say so publically that he did it, and the game doesn’t credit him directly (to my knowledge) despite the fact that it is obviously him. So, who knows what the real deal is there…
No other word on any of the other english VAs either, except that I believe Richard Epcar (Ziggy) subtly hinted at wanted to do Episode III back when he said he was returning for Episode II, which is good, I like his work as Ziggy.
Saga hasn’t been involved in the games since Episode I (The Ep.II script was somewhat based on the one she made, but that was it) so I doubt she’d say anything like that.
Ziggy was one of my favorite characters in Ep.II for being one of the few that didn’t get butchered by design/voice change, so I’d be really glad if he stayed the same. I agree with Sin, Freeman is just too damn good to not include him.
Damn, Richard Epcar was Ziggy? I keep missing things, I knew he sounded familiar! I’ve liked Ziggy’s voice.
Spoony - could the crediting be an SAG thing? I’ve read that VAs use aliases when they take non-union work ('cause they have to pay the bills, but the union won’t allow them to take non-union work… or something) so that they don’t get screwed by being officially credited. I don’t know for sure because I’m not an expert and don’t know the particulars, but it’s a thought.
Actually, I think that’s exactly what it is. So perhaps that’s the actual root of this rumor. We’ll have to wait and see, we’re still a long way from knowing anything official about North American VAs.
And while I would be against even more voice changes, I would welcome a new VA for MOMO, because her Episode II voice was just so annoying…
holy can’t wait for this game to come out i loved the 1 and 2 so i’m going to love this one but i only hope they make it long like number 1 and not like number 2.
I bet Allen is going to die.