I’m still working on Xenoblade Chronicles X, but otherwise I’ve played every main entry in the Xeno series. While the original Xenoblade Chronicles is a complete package, both Xenogears and Xenosaga have rushed endings. The back half of Xenogears is told through a quick summary of events leading to a final showdown. Episode III of the Xenosaga series hastily ties up story threads with minimal explanation.
In my mind, the plots range from average to good between these pre-Xenoblade releases. Yet I’ve also heard others talk about how incredibly deep they are. They explain how certain characters and events represent something greater than the action on screen, but at that point my brain just shuts down.
I’ve never gotten into overly complicated stories that aim to have deep meanings. Often they reference external texts, theories or teachings. However, what’s most important to me is the core story as well as the situations unfolding.
This probably stems from me not wanting to over analyze tales. I purposefully avoided literature classes in college. No matter what approach I took to them, my thoughts were never accepted by my professors or peers. My growing frustration over not being able to wrap my mind around “acceptable connections” eventually caused me to shut them out. I pretty much take creative work at face value and nothing more
I don’t see quite the same reverence for Xenoblade’s plot. Personally, I enjoy it a lot more. It does share themes with the rest of the Xeno series, but they compliment key plot points versus overtaking them.
(Header Image: LaunchBox Games Database)
