Current Events > Xenosaga 1 & 2 were able to fit on a single DS game cart.

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenosaga_I_%26_II

Insane you might ask? How you might wonder? Especially if you knew that Xenosaga 2, a ps2 game, came on a whopping 2 discs (Not even actual long games like FF 12/10 came on 2 discs)

Why it's simple, because nothing actually happens in Xenosaga and there's barely any gameplay or exploring of note.

Take the first Xenosaga. Game opens up on a spaceship and the party are heading out to some big major city. So you think oh, the game will probably open up and "get good" after we get to that big city they all mention, like how FF 7 opens up after you leave Midgar.

Nope, the game ends literally right as the spaceship reaches that place they were all going to. It would be like FF 7 ending as soon as you leave Midgar on disc 1 and there were no discs 2 and 3.

Then you have Xenosaga 2. This game is somehow even shorter than 1 and yet it comes on 2 discs, with even less happening during your time in "the big city"

Just always thought it was funny since before actually playing the Xenosaga games, I used to see this as an impressive feat 10 years ago and was very confused how they managed it
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most ps2 games could

did you know metal gear solid 3 fit on a 3ds cart?

You could fit anything on a ds cart if you completely downgrade literally every aspect of the game lol

https://youtu.be/98EaBnZkTX0

Like this isn't fitting a game on the cart, it's a complete remake where everything looks and sounds worse

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So I've heard the story is actually better in the NDS demake of the first two games, and I really wish it was fan translated by now.

I wasn't a big fan of the first game, I hear the 2nd is even worse and while 3 is actually great you need to have played the first two.

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ds or 3ds?


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Also the games were multiple discs due to an excess of voiced over cutscenes.

Simply make those text boxes you read and then there's the space back.

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Arcanine2009 posted...

ds or 3ds?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hPfu5Awp14

did not use 3d models like in ps2

Oh and they actually added content to the DS version that was originally cut from the ps2 games
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ps2 version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03qPiT8SVWg

vs what tc thinks is same game with more content

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hPfu5Awp14

Will_VIIII posted...

So I've heard the story is actually better in the NDS demake of the first two games, and I really wish it was fan translated by now.

I wasn't a big fan of the first game, I hear the 2nd is even worse and while 3 is actually great you need to have played the first two.

I mean kinda, but quite frankly 3 skips over so much of the stuff that they were planning to do in their initial 6-game series idea that even if you played 2 and 3, you'd still be somewhat lost because an obvious fast forward on the plot and characters suddenly happened.

It's pretty hilarious but 3 really does make up for it with the improved battle system and general performance/mechanics enhancement. It'd be worth it to play 1 and 2 if only to enjoy how much better 3 becomes compared to those 2 games battle system.
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WingsOfGood posted...

ps2 version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03qPiT8SVWg

vs what tc thinks is same game with more content

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hPfu5Awp14

Wow. It is admittedly pretty amazing how close that is to the ps2 version.
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One thing that always bothered me is Shion's characterization. They kind of 180'd her personality from what she was like in the first game, and her design in 1 compared to 3 really highlights this, with the removal of her glasses and wearing some shibuya-esque tokyo fashion getup.

In the first game she was more of a scientist, perhaps with some anime cliches like being klutzy and dorky, but otherwise pretty likable and endearing, shown to be intelligent and even resourceful at times. But by 2 they completely nixed her initial personality and she became weirdly bitchy with no reason for it, and it was a very jarring change.
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I take it you never played the game that takes place between 2 and 3, then? The one about Shion, Jin, and a little girl?

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I've actually only played the DS version. I liked it well enough. I really need to play the third game on PS2 to finish it off.

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ssjevot posted...

I've actually only played the DS version. I liked it well enough. I really need to play the third game on PS2 to finish it off.

Wait for real. I've never met someone who actually played it, wasn't it japan only.
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STFU TC...

caps

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saspa posted...

Wait for real. I've never met someone who actually played it, wasn't it japan only.

Yeah, I haven't played a Japanese language game in English since the PS1 era, but my first Japanese language game was Dragon Quest V.


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Xenosaga should be on the ps4 or ps5. all 3 games. separate plats on each.
i never played that series before.
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Huh. Luckily for you they actually ported that one in english on the very same handheld
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ssjevot posted...

Nice. You ever play the actual ps2 ones though to compare?
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saspa posted...

Huh. Luckily for you they actually ported that one in english on the very same handheld

You talking about Dragon Quest V? I have the SFC, PS2, and DS versions, all in Japanese. I only play games developed in Western countries in English, so I don't have very many English language DS games.

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saspa posted...

Nice. You ever play the actual ps2 ones though to compare?

Nope. I haven't even played the third one yet. I really should though.

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Looks like they're super cheap on PS2. Damn the DS game is pretty expensive now.
https://www.bookoffonline.co.jp/

Search for

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I'm surprised you weren't tempted to play 3 just to round out the series, since it actually puts a bowtie on the whole thing as best it could.
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Too many games, too little time. I feel like I'm always struggling to get through some famous game in my backlog everyone says I need to play. Thankfully I haven't played a truly bad game that makes me feel like I wasted my time in quite a while. I even manged to get some enjoyment out of Drag On Dragoon which everyone said is bad.

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I know that feeling, only finally caught up to the ps4 era backlog last year thanks to the pandemic, having exhausted all my other ps2 and ps3 games backlog.
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kingdrake2 posted...

Xenosaga should be on the ps4 or ps5. all 3 games. separate plats on each.
i never played that series before.

You're really not missing much, tbh. I got them on ps2 when they were still cheap on amazon before the price skyrocketed, and... eh.

At least with Xenogears you can see that there was a good game series idea here that wasn't complete or executed well.
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I kinda remember Shion drastic personality change from 1 to 2 is what most people complained about.

I think I read it back then cuz they have different producer/writer, shit just goes wrong big time in terms of character personality and story direction. To the point one myth says the game artist release a fanbook/doujin, and have one whole page ranting about the guy who is in charge of 2 screwing Xenosaga.

There's prob more stuff on what goes wrong behind the scenes, if you look at Xenosaga related fanpages nowadays or something. 2nd game is pretty much where everything falls down and never recover. Monolith just end it at 3 afterwards (as opposed to planned 6).

And obligatory, as per Harada (Bamco), "Xenosaga doesn't make money, so no remaster for you guyz".

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blasster posted...

I kinda remember Shion drastic personality change from 1 to 2 is what most people complained about.

I think I read it back then cuz they have different producer/writer, shit just goes wrong big time in terms of character personality and story direction. To the point one myth says the game artist release a fanbook/doujin, and have one whole page ranting about the guy who is in charge of 2 screwing Xenosaga.

There's prob more stuff on what goes wrong behind the scenes, if you look at Xenosaga related fanpages nowadays or something. 2nd game is pretty much where everything falls down and never recover. Monolith just end it at 3 afterwards (as opposed to planned 6).

And obligatory, as per Harada (Bamco), "Xenosaga doesn't make money, so no remaster for you guyz".

That would be an interesting read. But I think the reason why it wasn't 6 meandering games is the same reason there's no remaster, the series just doesn't make money.
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