Xenogears

 PlayStation
User Score
9.2

Universal acclaim- based on 397 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 364 out of 397
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 397
  3. Negative: 22 out of 397
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  1. metalboy123
    Aug 11, 2023
    10
    I just finished playing Xenogears for the first time in 2023, and I'm blown away. It's an incredible game with a story that is both thought-provoking and epic in scope. The characters are well-developed and the combat is challenging but satisfying. The graphics are dated by today's standards, but the art style is still beautiful. Overall, Xenogears is a masterpiece that is well worthI just finished playing Xenogears for the first time in 2023, and I'm blown away. It's an incredible game with a story that is both thought-provoking and epic in scope. The characters are well-developed and the combat is challenging but satisfying. The graphics are dated by today's standards, but the art style is still beautiful. Overall, Xenogears is a masterpiece that is well worth playing in 2023.… Expand
  2. DarkwingSchmuck
    Jul 28, 2023
    10
    One year after Final Fantasy VII revolutionized the genre for western audiences, Squaresoft released this lesser known, but equally as brilliant JRPG. Xenogears is Tetsuya Takahashi's magnum opus, and one of the greatest RPGs ever made.

    Xenogears could be described as "Final Fantasy meets Neon Genesis Evangelion" -- if that sentence means anything to you, then you should know right    One year after Final Fantasy VII revolutionized the genre for western audiences, Squaresoft released this lesser known, but equally as brilliant JRPG. Xenogears is Tetsuya Takahashi's magnum opus, and one of the greatest RPGs ever made.

    Xenogears could be described as "Final Fantasy meets Neon Genesis Evangelion" -- if that sentence means anything to you, then you should know right away if this will be up your ally. Featuring one of the most in-depth character driven narratives of its or any other era, a fantastic battle system that allows you to fight both in and out of giant mechs, and one of the best soundtracks composed in the illustrious career of Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross), Xenogears is a marvelous work, even if it was a bit too ambitious for its budget.

    This two disc game was infamously rushed to completion, as its second disc goes from a large-scale exploration RPG to a more straightforward visual novel -- often rushing through key story beats, and, just like its biggest inspiration, the final stretch relies heavily on expository dialogue given by characters sitting in a chair. However, the story itself is captivating from beginning to end, and even its problematic second disc isn't enough to derail a game this special.    … Expand
  3. eded9999
    Jun 29, 2023
    5
    Time has not been kind to this game, feels awfully dated.
    I'm not a graphic vvhore but there's a point where the overall bad look of the game gets between me and enjoying the game.
    Also it suffers from a lot of JRPG "old ways": Bad camera work, way to much and way too repetitive random encounters, lack of personalization on characters, slowness... I can force me to endure some of those    Time has not been kind to this game, feels awfully dated.
    I'm not a graphic vvhore but there's a point where the overall bad look of the game gets between me and enjoying the game.
    Also it suffers from a lot of JRPG "old ways": Bad camera work, way to much and way too repetitive random encounters, lack of personalization on characters, slowness... I can force me to endure some of those thing in old games, but the game has to hook me with something else, i don't feel that "something else" here so i won't keep playing it.
    I'm sure story will get good, but i will pass and wait, maybe the future will bring a remake or something for this title.    … Expand
  4. pharaoh27
    May 24, 2023
    10
    The greatest RPG of all time, and it's not close. Pushes boundaries, seduces you, rips your heart out, shows it to you, and repeats it for 70 hours until you're left in a post-apocalyptic climax wishing it wouldn't end. The fact that no one has tried to remake Xenogears to visually reintroduce it as the thoughtful masterpiece that it is has been the single greatest crime in video gamesThe greatest RPG of all time, and it's not close. Pushes boundaries, seduces you, rips your heart out, shows it to you, and repeats it for 70 hours until you're left in a post-apocalyptic climax wishing it wouldn't end. The fact that no one has tried to remake Xenogears to visually reintroduce it as the thoughtful masterpiece that it is has been the single greatest crime in video games since reboots started. Games that toy with the idea of taking out gods and discussing heavy subject matter owe themselves to Xenogears' refusal to insult the player's intelligence or cave into public pressure to ditch its atheist trope. If it's never remade, I hope people at least historically point to it as a landmark in the legitimization of video games as an art form, because it absolutely was.… Expand
  5. ChristianCon
    May 3, 2023
    10
    One of the best PS1 games. One of the best stories in videogames, memorable characters, and fun battle system.
  6. tristan13234
    Apr 21, 2023
    10
    This is by far the best game I have ever played. Better then ff7, better then Chrono Trigger and better then Ocarina of TIme. It may be that my perception of the game was influenced by Neon Genesis Evangelion sinse Story is as complicated, and there are even references of Evangelion moments in the game and Evangelion is my favorite anime. but alone the User score showes the quallity of theThis is by far the best game I have ever played. Better then ff7, better then Chrono Trigger and better then Ocarina of TIme. It may be that my perception of the game was influenced by Neon Genesis Evangelion sinse Story is as complicated, and there are even references of Evangelion moments in the game and Evangelion is my favorite anime. but alone the User score showes the quallity of the game. pls everyone play this game and make Monolithsoft notice that this neeeeeeds a remake.… Expand
  7. Ghonf
    Apr 7, 2023
    10
    This game is a masterpiece. It's a shame that it couldn't be finished completely. You can see how much passion and love Tetsuya Takahashi, Soraya Saga and the other developers put into it. This story was intended to be 6 Episodes long with Xenogears being Episode 5, tho we got with the Xenosaga Trilogy pretty much Episode I it is a shame that we never got the hole complete story.
  8. zaozabot30
    Jan 28, 2023
    7
    I played Xenogears right after beating Chrono Cross, Grandia, Breath of Fire 3 and 4, and my expectations were very high because of all the positive reviews about this game. Unfortunately I caught myself on thinking "when will this be over". I just couldn't force myself to finish last 30% of the game (major disappointment starting with disk 2).
    Gear combat is boring and fuel management    I played Xenogears right after beating Chrono Cross, Grandia, Breath of Fire 3 and 4, and my expectations were very high because of all the positive reviews about this game. Unfortunately I caught myself on thinking "when will this be over". I just couldn't force myself to finish last 30% of the game (major disappointment starting with disk 2).
    Gear combat is boring and fuel management system in my opinion is probably the worst mechanic in Xenogear. I almost never used ether in this game, because it almost never did any difference, and physical combos always hit harder.
    Non gear combat seemed fun at first, but got boring pretty soon, because after you learn a few deathblows it just comes to repeating them again and again, because there's no reason to use weak attacks.
    Playing as different characters seemed like a cool idea, but in the end it comes to leveling up only main characters, because they are the ones who take the beating most of the time so have to be strongest.
    Many people praise music. After 50 hours, I vaguely remember any tunes from the game, even though they repeat very often.
    Yes, plot is interesting, though too complex at times even for me as an adult. Cut scenes are directed well (except Disk 2 which feels like an addon). There's no option to speed up dialogues unfortunately for those who read faster than text appears.
    In the end, I wish I could get more from this game, because it has potential to be great. But it never hits each mark 100%.    … Expand
  9. ZephyrWeiss
    Jan 16, 2023
    10
    I'm not going to say anything to keep you curious, I only confirm that this game is in the Top 100 games with the best story/lore and if you are looking for something that will leave you with "existential void"...
  10. Caioguitar28
    Nov 1, 2022
    10
    Merely the best game of all times. Not because its history are grandiose as many people say, but because the characters are so charismatic, engaging and unforgettable.
  11. B0ssReviews
    Sep 3, 2022
    10
    This game the most kino pieces of fiction I've experienced, play this game you're gonna be surprised how amazing it is it covers very deep themes and will keep you thinking after the credits. Truly one of the best rpgs of all time.
  12. krelian123
    May 5, 2022
    10
    The best storyline that was created in the games, brilliant dialogues, characters and the main very deep trauma hidden by the hero we play. Today, such games are not made.
  13. Atashka-56
    Apr 16, 2022
    10
    Это лучшая игра всех времён. Пройдите игру, вы не пожалеете.
  14. xeno618
    Jan 18, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. one of the best games that I ever played and now it's my favourite game of all time with a really deep story and engaging gears combat
    with an amazing philosophy xenogears take the cake 10/10    … Expand
  15. ciampasan
    Jan 11, 2022
    10
    One of the best experiences of my life. I plead that anyone reading this should not be dissuaded by the criticisms surrounding this game. I would be remiss to not acknowledge the technical limitations of this game. From a callused, logical perspective there are plenty of fine details that may be picked apart (though I do believe the condemnation of disc 2 is entirely undeserved). WhatOne of the best experiences of my life. I plead that anyone reading this should not be dissuaded by the criticisms surrounding this game. I would be remiss to not acknowledge the technical limitations of this game. From a callused, logical perspective there are plenty of fine details that may be picked apart (though I do believe the condemnation of disc 2 is entirely undeserved). What makes Xenogears so special is its ability to transcend its minimal shortcomings.

    I became a better person through the time I spent on this journey. Though I have no doubt that such a statement may elicit eyerolls, I stand firmly behind this sentiment. I have ever experienced a work of art in any medium that has such command over symbolism, the collective unconscious, and existentialism. It -quite impossibly- accomplished being a tight character-driven experience while simultaneously being a story about everything (the creation of our world notwithstanding).

    I recall how elated I was when I first discovered this game as a young man inspired by Jungian psychology and existential philosophy. I had never believed that a video game could be so profound and reach for such depth; if you're looking for evidence to mount your "games as art" narratives then this is it. The brilliance of Xenogears does not stop with its story however. Tetsuya Takashi himself said in an interview that he felt his vision had failed to come together towards the end of development, until he heard Yasunori Matsuda's score for the game. The music of this game evoked religious feelings at times, speaking directly to the heart in a way that game mechanics and technical prowess never could. If you're still here with me then pause momentarily and listen to "The treasure which cannot be stolen" and read the comments section (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1hrtCC-QWw). Having spent 90 hours over the course of 2.5 years with this game, this theme still evokes chills in me with each listen. Themes like "The valley where wind is born" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCw05TquWik) bring a profound sense of sentimentality, youthful hope and wonder, as though waking up to the sun rise on a misty morning in the Italian countryside.

    I must restate here that my journey with this game has been unequivocally one of the greatest experiences of my life. Xenogears brought me in closer contact with myself and my sense of wonder in the world and I am a better person because of it. While watching the credits roll last night as a 26 year old, I shed a tear and thanked Takahashi and all of the dreamers who worked on this project. I discovered Xenogears when I was 24 years old (also, I've never owned a PS1 so this review is not influenced by nostalgia in any way I am able to be aware of) and was undergoing a tremendous period of growth and transformation. I took my time and savored this game, taking long breaks to dream about what would come next; this game was always in the background, serving as a place of inspiration and wonder. I had delayed fighting the final boss for several months, dreading the end of this beloved journey. Last night I felt within me that it was time. Seeing the credits meant more than finishing another videogame; I had closed what has been the most important chapter of my life. I recently applied to graduate programs in psychiatry, inspired to follow the path of figures like Jung, Karen Horney, and the great thinkers of the soul that inspired this very game. Completion of Xenogears signified an acceptance of the passage of time and a commitment to the very next chapter of my life. Xenogears gave me the courage to leave the darkness in my past behind, to follow my dreams and pursue what my soul had been calling for.

    I have never written a review in my life before this; if Xenogears gives you a fraction of the meaning it gave me then I will be happy with the work I've done here :)

    -To Takahasi and the dreamers, thank you.    … Expand
  16. Neatqt
    Sep 20, 2021
    9
    Cast: 9/10
    Story: 10/10
    Fun: 9/10
    Gameplay: 9/10

    MUST PLAY
    ----------------------
  17. Garathiel
    Aug 29, 2021
    10
    This game is in my "Top3 JRPG of ALL TIME" from the very beginning ... must play!
  18. ThaFlu84
    Jul 5, 2021
    8
    This is arguably the most ambitious game on the PlayStation 1. The story is the star and addresses topics like religion and philosophy in a mature way. It even has its own retelling of Genesis. As fascinating as this game is, it has some problems.

    The story is extremely complicated and poorly paced. Characters are introduced to you far too early and a lot of them are referred to as    This is arguably the most ambitious game on the PlayStation 1. The story is the star and addresses topics like religion and philosophy in a mature way. It even has its own retelling of Genesis. As fascinating as this game is, it has some problems.

    The story is extremely complicated and poorly paced. Characters are introduced to you far too early and a lot of them are referred to as "her" and "him" throughout the game. It seems purposely confusing with the intent to wrap up everything up later. Which it does, to be fair.

    I found some of the combat elements irksome. The main one being how you heal your gear. It is one of the more annoying mechanics I've experienced and is very inconvenient. This became an issue in the lengthy dungeons and later battles. Other complaints are questionable design choices (like collecting 3 books to advance), scripted battles, and tedious dungeons (mainly in your Gear). Thankfully, some dungeons include a map, which is a lifesaver.

    I had not played a JRPG in many years. Despite my gripes, this game renewed my passion for the genre within a few hours. With its intriguing story and beautiful soundtrack, this is a game that will be hard to forget.    … Expand
  19. miguelMORA
    Jul 2, 2021
    9
    The story is so vast, and its lore so ambitious that becomes hard to grasp. Anyway, it's a tour de force with a very psychological angle. The dungeons could be very complex and the random battles add another layer of difficulty.
  20. SaberHazari
    Jun 29, 2021
    10
    One of my 3 most favourite video games ever!!what a brilliant story tackling so many themes... imho this is a true gem of a video game
  21. n_dhruvo
    Jun 17, 2021
    10
    Best rpg game of all time. Square enix need to remake this game as soon as possible
  22. Joerpg84
    May 2, 2021
    10
    Still holds up today as one of the greatest. A true gem that needs a remaster.
  23. AlorN
    Feb 17, 2021
    10
    Xenogears стала для меня откровением не меньше, чем серия Final Fantasy.Но, к сожалению, не сыскала столь большой славы. Если вы фанат олдскульных FF, то я крайне рекомендую ознакомиться с данным шедевром.
  24. GoatSimp69
    Dec 18, 2020
    8
    The story is indeed wonderful.

    Disc 2 is also really unfortunate, if each character can have a complete personal story and take omnigear adventures like Bart, the main character's own problems and the story of the masked man, with the heroine's journey of millions of years, can be interspersed with the unfolding, if so it can really become a masterpiece. But reality is no if, today's    The story is indeed wonderful.

    Disc 2 is also really unfortunate, if each character can have a complete personal story and take omnigear adventures like Bart, the main character's own problems and the story of the masked man, with the heroine's journey of millions of years, can be interspersed with the unfolding, if so it can really become a masterpiece.

    But reality is no if, today's SE is more unlikely to remake this game, even HD is unlikely, after all, free to others to advertise this kind of thing, a company is impossible to do.

    In addition to this combination of 3D and pixel, the bad level of graphics performance really does not stand the test of time. The exploration perspective is terrible, the main line of advancement only hints and is very obscure. The small animations are very ghostly and not smooth at all.

    And as an RPG game, item description is so vague, really do not know what are they thinking.    … Expand
  25. Hashmalash
    Sep 25, 2020
    10
    Hands down, one of the best RPG's at that time and now. Brillian story, characters, and gameplay. Considering that second disc was rushed so the game could even be released, the greatness and epicness of this game is stunning. Imagine a proper remake with big budget for it. Result? a perfect game.
  26. ichiroide
    Jun 28, 2020
    10
    Mejor historia de Sci-fi en videojuegos hace referencias a películas y libros para entenderlo mejor, así mismo su jugabilidad para el tiempo es excelente sobre manejar robots y estos luchen con artes marciales parecido a las películas de Bruce Lee o Fei Wong Hung.
  27. el_jotabadia
    Jun 21, 2020
    10
    No soy de jugar a RPG y cuando vi este juego en un vídeo de un famoso Youtuber de habla hispana (venezolano) decidí jugarlo y me encontré con la historia más grande en todos los videojuegos, los personajes son entrañables, muy humanos, su historia es fantástica, sublime y su mecánica de combos y gears la amé, un clásico para el futuro.
  28. ZackAbraham
    Jun 3, 2020
    10
    The original Xenogears was the best. Xenogears was the pinnacle of the Xeno-series. Since then, the Xeno franchise has gone downhill becoming the mess that is now Xenoblade Chronicles. I will miss Elly and Wong of the original Xenogears. They were a cute and passionate couple. Only wish we could hear more of their story.
  29. iKen
    Apr 12, 2020
    9
    Played on PlayStation.
    Gameplay: GREAT.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: GREAT.
    Music/Sound: GREAT.
  30. Solaris123
    Mar 31, 2020
    10
    Best storyline with Planescape torment , once games is better , intelligent and they had a soul, it used to be a pure passion .Today, games are business and the stories in them are for idiots
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Awards & Rankings

11
#11 Best PS1 Game of 1998
5
#5 Most Discussed PS1 Game of 1998
5
#5 Most Shared PS1 Game of 1998

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. Gamestyle
    90
    Has a very deep and engrossing (perhaps blasphemous, hence the furore) tale to tell.
    Read full review
  2. RPG Fan
    98
    Xenogears is a must for any RPG lover, regardless of your views toward Squaresoft. With its depth and creativity, Xenogears is my choice for RPG of the year.
    Read full review
  3. IGN
    95
    With an intricate storyline, beautifully designed characters and mechs, and some of the most innovative features in an RPG, you simply can't afford to pass this game up.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »