Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra

The epic Xenosaga trilogy comes to a thrilling close, as all secrets are revealed and a combat system that combines the best elements of previous installments is unleashed.

There's an old saying that states that all good things come in threes. It proved true for Star Wars (not counting Episodes 1, 2, or 3, of course) and it also proves true in the case of the Xenosaga series. The first two games-both of which carried equally unwieldy German titles-fared well with reviewers and gamers alike and the tradition of RPG goodness continues with the third installment, Also Sprach Zarathustra.

Meat and Potatoes

Those who missed the first two games in the series may want to revisit the early chapters before tackling Also Sprach. However, if you're the impatient sort, you're in luck: you can access plot summaries of the first two titles through the main menu.

The voice acting is one weak point in the game.

The voice acting is one weak point in the game.

Those unfamiliar with the Xenosaga series should know one thing before they jump into Also Sprach: lengthy cut-scenes abound and it isn't unusual to sit for long stretches of time without actually doing anything but watching and waiting. You can skip through the overly long cinematics, but you won't have any idea what is going on. The cut-scenes could have used some considerable trimming, but the story comes to an intriguing conclusion nonetheless.

Visually, the environments are gorgeous and creative, constantly coming up with new ways to exploit the sci-fi setting. Also excellent is the music, which is varied and employs everything from jazzy sounds with techno influences to somber, orchestrated piano pieces. There is a significant amount of voice work in-game but the quality is middling at best.

Don't you wish your garage looked like this?

Don't you wish your garage looked like this?

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