Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht is a role-playing video game created by Monolith Soft and released by Namco for the PlayStation 2. It was first sold in Japan in 2002 and in North America in 2003. This game is the first part of the Xenosaga trilogy and is part of a larger series of games called the Xeno metaseries. Players explore environments through a story that follows a set path, and battles use turn-based combat. Characters can fight on foot or control large machines called A.G.W.S. Combat includes pressing buttons in specific ways to perform different attacks, and there are systems to improve characters' abilities.
The story takes place in the distant future, after humans have left Earth. It follows Shion Uzuki, a worker at Vector Industries, and KOS-MOS, a battle robot designed to fight alien creatures called Gnosis. After escaping a Gnosis attack, Shion and KOS-MOS travel to the planet Second Miltia. They become involved in a conflict between the Galaxy Federation and the U-TIC Organization. Along the way, they meet others who help them, and they uncover secrets about U-TIC’s goals and the plans of an immortal character named Albedo Piazzolla.
Development of the game began in 2000 under the name "Project X," after Monolith Soft was founded. It was inspired by the 1998 game Xenogears, and some staff members who worked on Xenogears also worked on Xenosaga Episode I. These included the game’s director and co-writer, Tetsuya Takahashi; co-writer Soraya Saga; character designer Kunihiko Tanaka; and composer Yasunori Mitsuda. The game received mostly positive reviews and sold over one million copies worldwide. Its direct follow-up, Xenosaga Episode II, was released in 2004 in Japan and 2005 elsewhere. The final game in the trilogy, Xenosaga Episode III, came out in 2006. The game was also adapted into an anime that aired in 2005. Later, Xenosaga Episode I and II were reimagined for the Nintendo DS as part of a collection called Xenosaga I & II.
Gameplay
Xenosaga Episode I is a role-playing video game where players control a group of characters as they move through different environments connected to the story. The game mixes gameplay sections with story scenes shown through full-motion videos. As players explore, they can find items that help improve character abilities or heal them. A database becomes available during the game that explains story events and terms. Players can use Shion's portable console to access mini-games and an e-mail system that lets them make choices with little impact on the main story. The console also allows players to revisit cleared areas, which offer side quests separate from the main story.
While exploring, enemies are visible, and fighting them is optional. If players choose to fight, they can use items like flammable objects to change enemy stats and gain an advantage. When battles begin, the player's group and enemy group fight in a special combat area. The combat system is turn-based, meaning players and enemies take turns acting. Each character can use melee or ranged attacks, use items, or guard. Player attacks are controlled by pressing buttons in specific combinations, which trigger different attack sequences with extra effects. These combinations can be changed between battles.
Each attack uses Action Points (AP), which carry over to the next turn. Special moves are unlocked by saving up AP over several turns. When a character has at least three AP, they can perform a powerful action that deals heavy damage. More AP allows even stronger attacks. Characters can also use Ether moves, which are strong attacks or support actions that cost Ether Points (EP). Both players and some enemies have a "Boost" meter that, when full, lets them take an extra action and stop an opponent's turn.
The group can use mecha, which are large machines that can be activated by giving up a turn. Mecha have their own attacks and are stronger than regular characters, but they carry over damage between battles. After winning a battle, players receive in-game money to buy items and accessories. They also earn experience points that increase character levels and skill points. These points are divided into EP for Ether abilities, Skill Points (SP) for passive effects from accessories, and Tech Points (TP) for improving Tech attacks as characters level up.
Synopsis
Xenosaga Episode I is set in a science fiction universe. In the year "20XX," the Zohar—an ancient artifact linked to a god-like energy called U-DO—was discovered in Kenya by an archaeological team. The Zohar allows humans to travel beyond the Solar System. Over 4,000 years later, a terrible event forced humanity to leave Earth, which was then renamed "Lost Jerusalem." To mark this new era, humans began using a calendar called "Transcend Christ" (T.C.), with the game's events taking place in T.C. 4767, which is equal to A.D. 7277. Humanity now lives on 500,000 planets, governed by the Galaxy Federation. These planets are connected by a time warp travel system called the Unus Mundus Network (U.M.N.), managed by Vector Industries, which also oversees the Federation's military. Realians, artificial humans with the same rights as natural humans, live alongside humans. The Federation faces attacks from the ancient alien Gnosis, who destroy Federation worlds. Normal weapons cannot harm the Gnosis, so Vector develops two weapons: A.G.W.S. (Anti Gnosis Weapon System) mechas and KOS-MOS battle androids. Another enemy is the U-TIC Organization, a former scientific group now seeking control of the Zohar. A key event in the story is the Miltian Conflict, a war between U-TIC and the Federation that caused the Gnosis to arrive and trapped Miltia in a space-time anomaly.
The main characters include Shion Uzuki, a scientist working for Vector Industries, and KOS-MOS, a prototype anti-Gnosis android she created. She is helped by Allen Ridgeley and works with Federation officers Andrew Cherenkov and Luis Virgil aboard the ship Woglinde. As the story unfolds, Shion and KOS-MOS meet the crew of the passenger ship Elsa, operated by the Kukai Foundation and led by Gaignun Kukai and "Jr.," who is an artificial being called a U.R.T.V. Jr. has not aged beyond childhood. The Elsa's crew includes a young man named Chaos, a melancholy individual with a mysterious past, as well as Ziggy, a cyborg, and MOMO, a prototype Realian. The main antagonists are Margulis, leader of U-TIC, and Albedo Piazzolla, Jr. and Gaignun's brother. Events are watched by Wilheim, CEO of Vector, and Nephilim, a girl connected to the Zohar.
Shion is testing KOS-MOS on the Woglinde when the crew finds a Zohar Emulator, one of thirteen replicas of the Zohar. Cherenkov, who is secretly a U-TIC spy, monitors Shion's work. After retrieving the emulator, the Woglinde is attacked by Gnosis. KOS-MOS activates on her own to protect Shion's team, accidentally killing Virgil. KOS-MOS then takes Shion, Allen, and Cherenkov to the Elsa, which is heading to Second Miltia. During a Gnosis attack, Chaos saves Cherenkov's life. The attack causes Cherenkov to change, forcing him to relive painful memories of his past as a soldier who caused harm. Shion becomes worried about KOS-MOS's actions, and Allen is concerned about Shion's emotions. Meanwhile, Ziggy rescues MOMO from U-TIC, as data in her could lead to the lost planet Miltia. Ziggy narrowly escapes an attack by Margulis, while Albedo pursues MOMO for his own goals.
The Elsa is pulled into a giant Gnosis, and Cherenkov transforms into one. The group must kill him to escape, then are rescued by Jr. During the battle, KOS-MOS uses new weapons to absorb the Gnosis. While traveling with Jr., the group learns the Kukai Foundation is collecting Zohar Emulators created by Joachim Mizrahi. U-TIC spreads false evidence implicating the group in the Woglinde's destruction. The group travels to the Kukai Foundation base on Second Miltia, run by Gaignun, and is later held hostage by Federation troops due to U-TIC's influence. With help from Gaignun's ally, they retrieve evidence from KOS-MOS's memory to prove their innocence.
Inside KOS-MOS's memory, the group travels through a dream-like world shaped by their repressed memories, observed by Nephilim, who is familiar with Chaos. Shion meets a vision of Febronia, a Realian woman killed in the Miltian Conflict, who asks Shion to free her sisters, Cecily and Cathe, for the sake of humans and Realians. Nephilim reveals that KOS-MOS was designed to stop U-DO's energy from entering their reality, an event that caused Miltia to vanish and could destroy the universe. Shion, who survived a Gnosis attack and remained human, has the ability to change the future. Meanwhile, Albedo tortures MOMO and triggers the "Song of Nephilim," a melody that attracts Gnosis.
The Federation fleet attacks the Kukai base, believing it to be the source of the song. Wilheim, who has been secretly watching events, arrives with a private fleet to destroy the Gnosis and protect the base. KOS-MOS detects the song's source in a hidden spaceship. The group boards the ship, rescues MOMO, and fights Albedo, but is stopped by a blue-cloaked man who lets Albedo escape with data from MOMO. Albedo then activates Proto Merkebah, a ship built by Mizrahi to summon U-DO, and destroys the Federation fleet before targeting Second Miltia's capital. The blue-cloaked man is revealed to be a resurrected Virgil, who is called away. Shion's group infiltrates Proto Merkebah, destroys its core, and escapes as it self-destructs. KOS-MOS protects the damaged Elsa as it enters Second Miltia's atmosphere.
Development
Xenosaga Episode I was the first game created by the Japanese company Monolith Soft. The company's founder, Tetsuya Takahashi, worked as the director and co-writer of the game. Before joining Monolith Soft, Takahashi worked at Square on the PlayStation RPG Xenogears. Initially, Xenogears was planned as the first part of a six-part series. However, it became a standalone project because Square decided to focus on other games, such as Final Fantasy. Square also said they did not have enough money to support Takahashi's idea. After leaving Square, Takahashi looked for a new company to help him create the game he and others from the Xenogears project wanted to make. Producer Hirohide Sugiura said most companies suggested forming Monolith Soft as an independent developer. Only Namco suggested making Monolith Soft a subsidiary and offered to fund the game's production and manage marketing. Namco helped develop and market the game. While Monolith Soft was founded in 2000, Takahashi had been working on the game's concept since 1999. He intended it to be a spiritual successor to Xenogears, not a remake or sequel. Development took two years, and the budget reached ¥1 billion, which is about US$7,700,000.
Xenosaga Episode I was developed by a team of 60 to 80 people, growing to over 100 members during its busiest period. Twenty of the staff had previously worked on Xenogears. One of the biggest challenges was creating the game for the PlayStation 2, a much more powerful console than any they had used before. A major improvement for Takahashi was being able to use 3D graphics for the entire game, something he could not do with Xenogears. Development officially started in 2000 after Monolith Soft was founded, but Takahashi had been working on the concept since 1999. Namco provided support with motion capture technology. CGI sequences and backgrounds were made by Buildup Entertainment. Takahashi later said that the large number of young and inexperienced developers at Monolith Soft caused delays. The graphics engine was completed only six months before the game's release. Before its announcement, the game was called "Project X."
Character designs were created by Kunihiko Tanaka and Kouichi Mugitani, while mecha designs were done by Mugitani and Junya Ishigaki. Mugitani also worked as the production designer. The art director was Yasuyuki Honne, who had previously worked on Xenogears and Chrono Cross. Character motion was handled by Norihiro Takami. Honne and Takami collaborated on creating character movements for cutscenes. Tanaka created character designs based on outlines and comparisons with real-life actors provided by Takahashi. Tanaka's art style, which featured large eyes on characters, was challenging for the team to replicate accurately without lighting affecting the designs. Takami worked to ensure the large-eyed style remained balanced in character models. Mugitani and Ishigaki designed the Vector staff and Federation, respectively. KOS-MOS was initially designed by Tanaka, but Mugitani helped finalize her look. Tanaka also struggled with designing Shion, using glasses to show her personality.
The story for Episode I was co-written by Takahashi and his wife, Soraya Saga. To keep the team focused, Takahashi asked all staff for input on the script's direction before production began. Takahashi originally planned Xenosaga to be six games, divided into three parts featuring the characters KOS-MOS and chaos. KOS-MOS was created by Takahashi. While human characters were often strong but physically fragile, KOS-MOS was designed to be unbreakable but emotionally vulnerable. The names KOS-MOS and chaos were inspired by philosophical ideas about order and chaos in the universe, linked to Zen concepts. The game used elements from Biblical mythology, a feature shared by later games in the series. The subtitle "Xenosaga" comes from the original title of The Will to Power, a collection of notes by philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche's ideas were a recurring theme in the series. The Federation's military structure was based on the United States Army with some influences from the Imperial Japanese Army. The game also included references to Richard Wagner, such as the ship name Woglinde, due to Wagner's connection with Nietzsche.
Xenosaga Episode I was first announced in June 2001, with a planned release later that year. In September 2001, the release was delayed to February 2002. The game was released in Japan on February 28, 2002. Takahashi confirmed that Western localization would begin after the Japanese release. Interone Inc localized the game for the West, with English dubbing done by ZRO Limit Productions and Animaze. The localization process took over a year. The Western version kept all blood, gore, religious references, and adult language, but one scene between Albedo and MOMO had its more erotic elements softened. The game was released in North America on February 25, 2003. A version with English voice work and bonus features was later released in Japan as Xenosaga Episode I Reloaded on November 20, 2003.
The music was composed by Yasunori Mitsuda, who had previously worked with Takahashi on Xenogears. Mitsuda was both the composer and orchestrator. Mitsuda was almost unable to join the project due to a tight schedule, but he was brought on board. Unlike most RPG scores at the time, Mitsuda created music for specific scenes rather than repeating a few tracks. The score included Gregorian chants because of the game's religious themes. The London Philharmonic Orchestra performed the music. The vocal themes "Pain" and "Kokoro" were sung by Joanne Hogg, who had worked with Mitsuda before. Multiple soundtrack albums were released, first by DigiCube and later by Mitsuda's label, Sleigh Bells. A single was released for the game's theme song, "Kokoro."
Reception
Xenosaga Episode I reached the top of sales charts, selling over 240,000 units within three days of its release. By the end of 2002, the game was the seventh best-selling game of that year, with sales near 340,000 units. Namco reported that Episode I was one of their games that achieved commercial success internationally, though exact numbers were not provided. In July 2003, Namco announced that the game had sold over one million copies worldwide.
Japanese magazine Famitsu praised the game’s world and character development. GamePro said the story and characters were as strong as those in a good science-fiction novel or top anime series. Greg Kasavin of GameSpot enjoyed the narrative but thought the Biblical elements were used for shock value rather than meaningful reasons. Christian Nutt of GameSpy believed the strong characters supported the story well. Jeremy Dunham of IGN was highly positive about the story and character development but noted that some players might be disappointed by unresolved plot points left for later games. Jake Alley of RPGamer called the story “interesting,” while Rob Fahey of Eurogamer praised the complexity and depth of the narrative. Many journalists mentioned the large number and length of cutscenes, with some enjoying them and others feeling there were too many.
GamePro said the game was enjoyable despite appearing complicated at first, even for experienced RPG players. Kasavin liked the lack of random encounters and the strategic battle system. Nutt appreciated the game’s challenge and deep mechanics. Dunham praised the ease of gameplay after the introduction and the customization options but was less positive about most of the mini-games. Fahay called the gameplay “excellent” and, like Kasavin, praised the removal of random encounters. The A.G.W.S. mechs were often seen as a weak addition to the gameplay. The mechanic that allowed players to revisit dungeons was frequently criticized as feeling forced.
Kasavin called Episode I “a great-looking game” despite some lip-synching issues and praised the cinematography and graphics in cutscenes. Nutt called the environments “pure visual pleasure” and the character models “both varied and uniformly excellent.” Dunham praised the cinematography and especially the animations of facial movements and expressions. Fahay, while generally finding the graphics excellent, praised the blending of cinematic and real-time graphics for a smooth experience. The music was generally praised, though Kasavin and Alley said it was too scarce during gameplay. The English voice acting received mixed opinions: Alley and Nutt praised the cast, while Dunham and Kasavin were less impressed, with Dunham comparing the dub to an average anime dub.
At the first Spike Video Game Awards in 2003, Xenosaga Episode I was nominated for “Best Fantasy Game” and “Best Animation” but lost to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball, respectively. During the 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the game was nominated for “Console Role-Playing Game of the Year” by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, but the award was given to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
Legacy
The international success of Xenosaga Episode I led Namco to provide more support to the game's developer, MonolithSoft. At that time, Namco's Vice President, Yoichi Haraguchi, recognized MonolithSoft as an important partner, placing the company alongside Namco Tales Studio. A manga adaptation of the game was written by Atsushi Baba and published in Monthly Comic Zero Sum. The manga was released by Ichijinsha in three volumes between 2004 and 2006. After the release of Episode I, an extra disc called Xenosaga Freaks was created. Released on April 28, 2004, Freaks included four parts: a visual novel featuring characters from the game, a mini-game named XenoPittan, a dictionary explaining the game's terms, and a demo for the game's official sequel. Freaks was part of an effort to expand the Xenosaga series into a multimedia project, which grew much larger than originally planned.
The sequel, Xenosaga Episode II, was developed by a new team led by Takahashi. This allowed younger staff members at MonolithSoft to guide the series in a new direction. The story was written by Norihiko Yonesaka, based on an initial draft by Takahashi and Saga. Some planned content was not included in the final version. Episode II was released in Japan in June 2004 and in North America in February 2005. It was also published in Europe by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe in October 2005. Both Episode I and Episode II were later reimagined for the Nintendo DS as Xenosaga I & II, released in March 2006. This version was co-developed by MonolithSoft and Tom Create. The story was supervised by Takahashi and included material that was removed from the original games. Xenosaga I & II was only available in Japan.
Development of Xenosaga Episode III began while work on Episode II was still ongoing. Although the team considered making more games based on the series' success, Episode III was planned to be the final entry. Arai returned as director, and Yonesaka returned as scriptwriter. Takahashi provided the story outline and oversaw the writing. Episode III was released in Japan and North America in 2006 and was the last game in the Xenosaga series.
After the game's success, a twelve-episode anime adaptation titled Xenosaga: The Animation was produced by Toei Animation. No staff from the game were involved in the anime's production, but the team aimed to keep the anime close to the game's story. The anime was first announced in 2004 and aired on TV Asahi from January to March 2005. It was first licensed and dubbed by A.D. Vision, and later by Funimation Entertainment. Some staff from Xenosaga: The Animation later worked on Xenosaga I & II.