Xenogears - Falling behind with the posts here. Or I've just been playing a bunch.
Hour 6: The setting here is Bart's hidden base. To some extent this part of the game remains kinda slow because Bart plot just isn't as interesting as the game wants it to be. In this arc, Fei goes from not wanting to fight at all to getting over that, as Elly's troops attack the base. I'm torn on what I think of Fei's conflict here. Part of me thinks it's a bit ham-fisted, to have Fei be shown the "right" way to go (and we can debate how right it is that he get involved with a country to whom he owes no obligation) mostly because Gebler soldiers are fine with killing children apparently (which, to be fair, isn't just "enemy soldiers are jerks", as the game implies the behaviour is drug-induced). But part of me has respect for the game realising that, even if the game had to bring Fei's inner conflict to a rather predictable resolution, it deserves props for dealing with this conflict at all. The best scene of the hour, somewhat surprisingly, comes from Bart, who appeals to Fei to do something with his life, and with his ability as a gear pilot - not just to run away. That the best thing he can do to atone for destroying his village is to oppose the warmongers who cause such villages to be destroyed, and will continue to do so. It's a simplified view of things but it's heartfelt and probably what Fei needed.
Also Schpariel, the boss here, is worse than Calamity unscaled while you get a third PC and new upgrades, okay Xenogears whatever.
Hour 7: Bledavik. Let me start by saying that I love this city. When I first played the game this stood out as my favourite city in any RPG. Given the game's graphical limitations, I just adore that first look of the bustling market street you see upon entering town; it really made me buy that this was a big city in a way that a few wandering sprites in the old SNES-style maps never remotely managed to convey. Ultimately the city actually isn't even -that- big (which honestly is a positive, since otherwise it could be overwhelming), but it creates the
feel of a big city which I have a lot of respect for.
Almost immediately after entering we meet a bunch of new characters! Ramsus and Miang's introductions are almost insultingly normal on a replay; you would never guess that Ramsus would end up to be the total headcase from the way he takes charge of the situation, and you would never guess that his innocent-seeming female flunky is in fact the game's main villain. While these transformations don't take long to begin, I think it's amusing how XG establishes expectations with these characters, then takes both in completely different directions from those expectations. We also meet Margie, who obfuscates stupidity rather nicely as Ramsus interviews her (the first time I played the game, I legitimately believed she was a moron in this scene... or possibly just a young child, since her art makes it difficult to say). Shakhan's also pretty interesting here, as he appears loyal and obsequious before his Gebler benefactors, but is in actual fact spying on them and incredibly suspicious/frustrated with their involvement in Aveh politics. I like Shakhan. He's refreshingly straightforward in his villany, but pretty competent at it.
Other than that most of the rest of this hour is spent exploring town and figuring out how Margie will be rescued. Citan hatches a plan in which Fei will make a distraction by entering the tournament and Bart will sneak into the castle. This distraction feels unnecessary to me when the tournament would have been a distraction with or without Fei and Bart could really have used some help on the mission (as later events would prove!) but oh well, gotta get that RPG tournament in there I guess...
Hour 8: The rescue. So the plan that was set up in the previous hour is set into motion. Not much to say here, it largely goes according to plan. On the Fei duel side of things, we see that Miang recognises Fei (uh oh!), and he fights Wiseman in a confrontation which is kind of weird. I... could probably have done without Wiseman being in the game, I think; why would Kahn be this stupidly cryptic? If Grahf is constraining him in some way it would have been nice to have that elaborated on. Either way I don't think the character adds much. Also there is Dan. How the fuck does that kid make the semi-finals anyway? Where'd he learn that ether? You better not be trying to make Dan appear competent, Xenogears, that would be unforgivable.
Meanwhile, Bart rescues Margie and gets interrupted by Ramsus, so the two must fight it out. Fei miraculously breaks into the castle and joins (which doesn't make much sense but sure whatever). The womenfolk offer friendly healing support to their side because that's what they do! (see: Miang, expectations) I'd be kinda annoyed if the Miang thing didn't make it so funny.
Also Ramsus recognises Fei's martial arts as those of Id. I could complain about this - surely there are other people who have learned this martial art style in the world, so it would be foolish to jump to conclusions about Fei and Id - but to be fair Ramsus acknowledges they need not be the same person. He just has such a complex about Id that it's already starting to drive him up the wall, just being reminded about this. The first cracks in the Ramsus facade appear!
The PCs escape through the Gebler barracks, running into Elly. Yay! Elly shuffles all three into her room until the commotion dies down, while Bart squawks about being unable to trust her! Dude, she's hiding you in her room instead of just calling for the guards. Use your brain. When Elly arranges a gear for them to steal so they can escape (nicely paralleling how Fei saved her life earlier, though the game doesn't dwell on this), Bart doens't even offer a word of apology or thanks. I'm remembering why I don't like him much. Anyway, Fei obviously wants Elly to come with them, hoping she's better than what he's seen of Gebler, but she refuses. It's pretty hard to blame her. Elly also confesses to her role in the destruction of Lahan and apologises for her earlier behaviour to Fei, who forgives her immediately. D'awww.
Ramsus is pissed and orders a pursuit of the escaping trio, but a soldier interrupts him with a message from 'Hyu'... this is one of those things which is so blatant but I didn't catch my first time through. The game just outright said Citan had the clout to order around Ramsus! But surely that's not the case...
Oh, and we meet Chu-Chu. "There is a doll in front of the door to the bridge! Let's find Margie so she can move it!" may be the most ridiculous line in Xenogears. I tell ya, this game takes itself so seriously normally, and then it throws in things like this...
Hour 9: Nisan. After the actually-somewhat-gameplay heavy (for early XG) previous hour, this one has none at all! I'll take it.
After some exploring around town and learning about the war that is brewing against Shakhan, the PCs visit the Nisan cathedral. Citan talks a lot, as usual. Margie is also surprisingly fun in these scenes. She's a character I mostly was drawing a blank on before this replay but she has a surprisingly quick tongue. Maybe I just like anyone who ribs Bart at this point.
Fei sees a painting of Sophia, and decides she looks just like Elly. Fei is getting kinda obsessed now, it's cute. I do appreciate how in the couple of scenes the two have had the game has sold me on their interaction enough for me to absolutely buy this attraction.
Finally, it's time for major Sigurd and Citan plot. At the start of the hour Fei and Bart eavesdropped on them in a scene which revealed to him that they knew Ramsus and Miang from military school. Now, Bart confronts Sigurd about it, and Sigurd confesses everything, explaining his past as a Solarian and his role in the Gebler army, as loyal followers of Ramsus, whom they hoped would change the rotten Solarian system. Sigurd assures Bart that his loyalties now lie definitely with the surface world (while Citan is
for once completely silent!). In this scene we learn a lot about how Solaris operates, its class system and reliance on slaves from the surface world to support its way of life. Good stuff. I'm also quite impressed with Xenogears that this reveal comes now instead of way later, as XG continues to keep its secrets from the player, but never too many, or for too long.
