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One of the the most intelligently written story-based games to date: Xenogears

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posted on Dec, 2 2010 @ 04:44 PM
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Im surprised to find that there hasnt been a single post about Xenogears, especially on a conspiracy forum!
I've played a significant amount of story based games ranging from the NES-3DO-PC-PS1-and current generation consoles. But to be frank they they certainly don't touch the influence of Plainscape Tormet and Xenogears.

Xenogears is one of the few games that I know of that touches people on a philosophical and religious level without sacrificing the experience. With that said, it remains to this day to be one of the most influential video game for the more intellectual audience.

Since the dawn of the age of current generation consoles, I've become more attached to casual games such as Call of Duty and Halo. I still keep it hardcore by sticking with the competitive crowd, but I still had the longing of experiencing something influential enough to inspire me to see life in a greater light.

It wasn't until I was introduced to a Playstation 1 game that I found that inspiration. Truthfully, current generation games are lacking in that aspect. And it saddens me whenever I'm reminded of where video games are headed in the near future. A medium of entertainment for vegetables
.

With only a few games like Neir and Lost Odyssey touching the depth of the games of the previews generations, I have no choice but to say good bye to the days when video inspired myself and others to see the world beyond its face value.

So for those of you who have been looking for something that can turn your perspective Topsy-turvy, pick up a classic playstation or rack up search engines for 'other' means of playing this game. As it stands, video games are going to need rehashes to ever do what their predecessors did.

(BTW this is NOT ME but this video will help give you guys a preview of what the game is like)


edit on 2-12-2010 by GambitVII because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 2 2010 @ 05:06 PM
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I did play this to the end, but I think I was too young to fully appreciate it.
I could also think of some other examples of deep story lines, but I'm too lazy right now

Only Mass effect 1+2 comes to mind at the moment.



posted on Dec, 2 2010 @ 05:15 PM
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Yo, OP, I'ma let you finish...BUT FINAL FANTASY 10 had one of theee best stories of all time!!!!

LOL sorry, but I like FFX's story. Woven together like a golden spider web.



posted on Dec, 2 2010 @ 05:45 PM
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I really did like 10s story line too. I'm not sure if it's quite as deep and mature as xeno and mass effect though.
But it's a great storyline for sure.



posted on Dec, 2 2010 @ 05:52 PM
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Bioshock has the best videogame plot of all time IMHO.

Anti-Objectivist plot + Killing mutants in an underwater city = Good game.



posted on Dec, 2 2010 @ 05:55 PM
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Yeah for a FPS, that story line was awesome and very unique.
I've never played half life, but apparently that's really good too.



posted on Dec, 2 2010 @ 11:26 PM
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I have played FF10 religiously, as well as Mass Effect and all else mentioned in here.
(Best of the FFs especially according to veterans are 4,6,7,8)

And the Bioshock 'plot-twist' was something similar to one of the essays I wrote for Advanced English in Highschool. Not that it's bad, its simply doesn't influence the story as deeply as the story based games of earlier generations do.

But truly, its the PRESENTATION most of you all are immersed in. If they were to write them as a book and break down the plot in the same manner of the classics, it would be easy to see how simplified things have become to the point where 'connecting the dots' is a no brainer.

Which is definitely progress but the way it's used sacrifices the depth that the plot line could of presented. In other words, plot revelations are used for "shock" value rather than evolving the plot into something that could expand scale and depth. Which games like Xenogears, Plainscape Tormet, Suikoden 2, Digital Devil Saga 2, FF6, and even Lost Odyssey but that just skins the surface.

By no means those games are bad, but once again I wouldn't have said what I've said without experiencing, immersing, and appreciating a vast majority of story based games (heavy rain LOL, FFX, FF13 LOL, Mass Effect 1-2, etc.)



posted on Dec, 2 2010 @ 11:54 PM
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reply to post by GambitVII
 


The plot twist in Bioshock influences the story a lot, but that's not even the best part of the plot. The game explores themes of slavery, class divides in capitalist societies, morality of genetic experimentation, and it delved into many other things. No character could exactly be described as 'good' but none were 'evil' either, there were a lot of shades of gray. The most 'good' character in the game is a Jewish scientist who became interested in eugenics while inside a concetration camp during the holocaust, and she has pretty suspicious motives throughout the game.

Not to mention the moral choice you had to make with the little sisters, kill them for god-like power and become just as bad as the things you fight or save them and significantly reduce your chances of survival? These are the problems you face in Bioshock.



posted on Dec, 6 2010 @ 04:42 AM
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Xenogears is definitely one of the best games ever, though now a days with its graphics it wouldn't even be worth looking at, but even when it first came out it was not much in the graphics department, till you got some hours into it and it actually suprised you and made you want to keep going and see what it was all about.

They tried to do a sequel to it, or more like a prequel or alternate universe type of story the game xenosaga, and it sucked at best it was alright. But if they ever remake a game into the current generation with updated graphics and all that, then xenogears is definitely the one that needs to be updated and remade, even in the original game they skipped some of the story toward the end were the narrator told you what fey and company did to get to the next part and the whole cutting of the budget and game space thing, but ya if they ever remake it xenogears, it would defiantly be on my to buy list.

One of the best games ever, it pretty much had everything in it from grand fights, to a love story, a mystery that kept you guessing, giant robots, stuff blowing up, to even the a whole japanese power ranger/half sarcasm half goofynes thing, and at the same time it was deathly serious in it's story, the only thing it was missing was it had no ninjas, and off course even had a happy ending.

Heres a tibute vid played to a danzig song, I found on youtube just cuz it made me remember how awesome xenogears was back when I first played it in 1998 when the little sprites in the game were if not top of the line, then at least pretty impressive back then.



posted on Dec, 6 2010 @ 09:38 AM
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This game is on my list of RPGs I want to play. This gen has not been too kind to rpgs sadly.



posted on Dec, 6 2010 @ 10:24 AM
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Originally posted by Nosred
reply to post by GambitVII
 


The plot twist in Bioshock influences the story a lot, but that's not even the best part of the plot. The game explores themes of slavery, class divides in capitalist societies, morality of genetic experimentation, and it delved into many other things. No character could exactly be described as 'good' but none were 'evil' either, there were a lot of shades of gray. The most 'good' character in the game is a Jewish scientist who became interested in eugenics while inside a concetration camp during the holocaust, and she has pretty suspicious motives throughout the game.

Not to mention the moral choice you had to make with the little sisters, kill them for god-like power and become just as bad as the things you fight or save them and significantly reduce your chances of survival? These are the problems you face in Bioshock.


Yes, indeed Bioshock does implement said themes but it only utilizes a very small percent of it. Which is a common issue among Story based games today.

"Just personal opinion, I believe its successor SYSTEM SHOCK was a much more intriguing experience".

To quote wikipedia directly:

The principles and philosophies of Friedrich Nietzsche, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and Jacques Lacan influence the plot, character design, and world of Xenogears. Additionally, the symbols, theological concepts, and devotional practices of several world religions are represented in fictionalized forms in the game. Major psychological themes are the nature of identity and human memory, particularly as these relate to the phenomenon of dissociative identity disorder. The relationship between humanity and machines is central to the game's plot, as indicated by the presence of giant robots dubbed "gears," which each playable character can control.


And believe those who have played it, each time something is revealed, it becomes more than just information. It consistently utilizes it through story and game play as well expands the scale of its experience as each revelation comes to pass.

@galadofwarthethird

Im glad you've had the previlage to experience it. As for myself, Im very BIG into graphics, especially being a graphic designer. But games like xenogears helped me see that some things don't need glamor to be beautiful. Games like this helped expand my horizons in many aspects.

@ghaleon12

Because RPG's is a dying genre. If your read my post, I mentioned how the market is tuned to a brain dead audience. And as each game passes "AHEM FF13", it becomes obvious how generic each "next gen" game becomes.
edit on 6-12-2010 by GambitVII because: Double Quoted the post made by Nosred



posted on Dec, 6 2010 @ 03:09 PM
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reply to post by GambitVII
 





Im glad you've had the previlage to experience it. As for myself, Im very BIG into graphics, especially being a graphic designer. But games like xenogears helped me see that some things don't need glamor to be beautiful. Games like this helped expand my horizons in many aspects.


Ya when the game came out it was kind of on the wrong time and place, because of the graphics were not all that, and better looking games were coming out, many people didn't even try to play it and skipped over it, but a game like xenogears was not really about the graphics. And to tell you the truth pretty much all other games that I'v played since, the story was just predictable, even todays generation rpg like mass effect, it is pretty predictable and not all that interesting even with all the shinny graphic engines. But then again it could just be that I was younger then, and it was something new that I never played before, so it kind of surprised me. But ya I agree with you the rpg is a dying genre, they keep trying to stick to the tried and true cookie cutter path, but it's all been done before so there is nothing really new out there. It really needs a whole new way of getting the story across, a whole new way of doing everything. But since that is easier said then done, square enix needs to just remake the game in updated graphics, and it would still be better then pretty much all new new rpg's out there since they are all pretty much cookie cutter's of older games, might as well redo an old game right.
edit on 6-12-2010 by galadofwarthethird because: (no reason given)



posted on Dec, 8 2010 @ 12:52 AM
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reply to post by galadofwarthethird
 


My friend If you havent played anyone of these three: Neir (360/PS3), 9 Doors 9 People 9 Hours (DS), Lost Odyssey, then you've missed out on some of the best story driven games since this generation consoles. (lost odyssey is last because it barely makes it)

As far as remakes go for Xenogears, you have to know that the development team (Monolithsoft) Left Square quite a while back. They went to Namco to make Xenosaga and you know how that went. Xenogears is a one hit wonder.
HOWEVER, they have returned with an intriguing new tale called Xenoblade (Wii), which veteran RPG enthusiasts consider to be the top tier of today.



The original final fantasy designer of games from 1-4 is working on The Last Story also for the Wii. And in the same is said about this game.

There is but a spark of hope, but hope nonetheless.



posted on Dec, 10 2010 @ 03:24 AM
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reply to post by GambitVII
 


I tried playing lost odyssey never really got into it when it came out, and my 360 went red ring of death for about the 4th time a year ago, so I just switched to ps3 and never really bothered with it after that, but there are a more then a few good games on the 360, but nothing to really make me want to buy a whole new system, at least till gears of war 3 comes out, then ill think about it. But actually I was at the store today and saw a new copy of Neir for $15.99 and was thinking of getting it, but didn't because I heard it was not all that good, and also I guess I'm kind of burned out on video games for a while, the only games I play now a days is sstf 4 and demon souls or call of duty once in a while. But if you say Neir is a pretty good game I guess ill check it out.



posted on Dec, 10 2010 @ 07:08 PM
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reply to post by galadofwarthethird
 


It's a love it or hate it game. If your mainstream and digg games with galmerous games and a simplistic plot, its not for you. But your looking for something that gives tribute to a number of titles (8 games, from starfox and zelda to resident evil), and topped with a memorizing plot that expands as each "new game continue" starts, this is for you.

It looks, and plays like garbage at first. But if you give it time (2-3 hours) the rest is quite a ride, much of which can't be matched by many "plot based games" since this generation of games.

If it wasn't for the recommendation of open-minded experienced gamers both online and off, I would of EASILY missed out on it. Now, I regret purchasing FF13 over a piece of work like this.

And like Xenogears, it has a massive back story that can only be expressed through its "perfect works" book. But the games plot in itself suffice. I'll leave the decision to you, but when you hear about a game or anything of that sort, think over the "resume" behind the person giving you the reason. I only take suggestions from people who have played the best of both worlds (mainstream and underground) and Im glad I took it. Quite frankly, it was last years sleeper hit.

edit on 10-12-2010 by GambitVII because: Missing Information on last paragraph.



posted on Dec, 11 2010 @ 09:24 PM
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reply to post by GambitVII
 


I have to say that I agree... but one can't help but wonder happened to these stories...

I have to say that I also enjoyed:

Sid Meirs Alpha Centauri

Mass Effect

KOTOR

FFX



posted on Dec, 17 2010 @ 08:22 AM
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reply to post by FoxStriker
 


As a HUGE sci-fi fan, I was quite disappointed with Mass Effect. The story was simplistic and the gameplay didn't really hit the spot. I thought It was an amazing game at first, until I thought about it months later only to realize that its just another story based game that doesn't do phenomenal in story. It just does a good job.



posted on Sep, 22 2011 @ 09:14 PM
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Played this when I was young and enjoyed it very much.

Just picked up a copy last week.

Its blowing my mind.



posted on Sep, 22 2011 @ 10:43 PM
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You might really enjoy Chrono Trigger (You practically fight the Illuminati (Lavos - aka The Big Fire)).

Chrono Trigger
en.wikipedia.org...



Story

In 1000 AD, Crono and Marle watch Lucca and her father demonstrate her new teleporter at the Millennial Fair. When Marle volunteers to be teleported, her pendant interferes with the device and creates a time portal that she is drawn into.[22] After Crono and Lucca separately recreate the portal and find themselves in 600 AD, they find Marle only to see her vanish before their eyes. Lucca realizes that this time period's kingdom has mistaken Marle for her kidnapped ancestor, thus putting off the recovery effort for her ancestor and creating a grandfather paradox. Crono and Lucca, with the help of Frog, restore history to normal by recovering the kidnapped queen. After returning to the present, Crono is arrested on charges of kidnapping the princess and sentenced to death by the current chancellor of Guardia. Lucca and Marle help Crono to flee, haphazardly using another time portal to escape their pursuers. Upon arriving in the year 2300 AD, they eventually learn that an advanced civilization has been wiped out by a giant creature known as Lavos that appeared in 1999 AD.[23] The three vow to find a way to prevent the destruction of their world. After meeting and repairing Robo, Crono and his friends find Gaspar, an old sage at the End of Time, who helps them acquire magical powers and travel through time by way of several pillars of light.


Chrono - Cronus - Saturn
en.wikipedia.org...


In Greek mythology, Cronus or Kronos[1] (Ancient Greek: Κρόνος, Krónos) was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans, divine descendants of Gaia, the earth, and Uranus, the sky. He overthrew his father and ruled during the mythological Golden Age, until he was overthrown by his own son, Zeus and imprisoned in Tartarus.

Cronus was usually depicted with a sickle or scythe, which was also the weapon he used to castrate and depose Uranus, his father. In Athens, on the twelfth day of the Attic month of Hekatombaion, a festival called Kronia was held in honor of Cronus to celebrate the harvest, suggesting that, as a result of his association with the virtuous Golden Age, Cronus continued to preside as a patron of harvest. Cronus was also identified in classical antiquity with the Roman deity Saturn.


Lucca - Lucifer - Light bearer (Venus)

Frog Knight - Aphrodite - Venus
www.crossroad.to...


FROG: A symbol of fertility to many cultures. The Romans linked it to Aphrodite, the Egyptian to the shape-shifting goddess Heket who would take the form of a frog. To the Chinese, it symbolized the moon -- "the lunar, yin principle" bringing healing and prosperity.[1] Since frogs need watery places, their image was often used in occult rain charms.


Aphrodite
en.wikipedia.org...


Aphrodite (Listeni/æfrəˈdaɪti/ af-rə-dy-tee; Greek Ἀφροδίτη) is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, and sexuality. Her Roman equivalent is the goddess Venus. Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia.


Why all the occult / pagan symbols?

Occult Symbolism : Saturn Worship
andyettheydeny.blogspot.com...



You might not know it, but the entire world has been worshiping Saturn for thousands of years. The cult has never stopped and its rites are still present to this day. Saturn, dubbed the “Lord of the Rings”, is the reason why we exchange rings at weddings or put halos on the heads of godly people. This article exposes the attributes of the god Saturn and the perpetuation of his cult through in pop culture.

saturn-3d-space-tour

Since ancient times, sages gazed at the stars, admiring their heavenly glow and attributing them godly powers, based on their effect on humans. Before the Great Flood, Saturn was regarded by all mankind as the supreme god and ruler of the kings. Occult researchers affirm that Saturn ruled the kingdom of Atlantis and became the divine ancestor of all earthly patriarchs and kings. The cult has been perpetuated through numerous gods during Antiquity:

“Chronos, or Saturn, Dionysos, Hyperion, Atlas, Hercules, were all connected with ‘a great Saturnian continent;’ they were kings that ruled over countries on the western shores of the Mediterranean, Africa and Spain. ”
Baldwin, Prehistoric Nations

In Egyptian mythology Isis is considered Saturn’s eldest daughter:

“I am Isis, Queen of this country. I was instructed by Mercury. No one can destroy the laws which I have established. I am the eldest daughter of Saturn, most ancient of the Gods”



posted on Sep, 23 2011 @ 12:09 AM
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reply to post by MasterGemini
 


Another one of my all time favorites.



Lots of symbolism in RPGs

Much of it is Norse however. Have to wonder if it means anything.

Why do Japanese game developers obsess with Norse mythology?







 
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