It’s
no secret that I am a big fan of storytelling in videogames. Oftentimes, I have
praised videogames for their ability to immerse me in a story, but it is
important to recognize that when I review a game- discussing story, gameplay,
and presentation- I am talking about three equal parts of a greater whole. If
one of these aspects is lacking, then the whole is greatly weakened. The best
games are ones where the gameplay, story, and presentation are of the highest
quality, and this brief tangent brings us to the subject of what I hope will be
a three-part review of the Xenosaga series.
With
the Playstation classic Xenogears being one of my favorite games, I was
certainly interested in Tetsuya Takahashi’s first project after departing from
Square and forming Monolith Soft. Originally meant to serve as a six-part,
multi-generational epic that would encompass the entire universe from beginning
to end (and perhaps include a remake or reimagining of the tale told in
Xenogears), Xenosaga would instead be remembered as a case of failed ambition, and
was cut to only three games after seeing disappointing sales. Still, the
question does remain whether Xenosaga was able to still provide something
special and unique, even if it would never reach its full potential. So, let us
discuss the first entry in this most troubled of sagas, Der Wille Zur Macht- The Will to Power.
