Oh, but you're just getting started. Once an enemy is in break, certain other attacks will be able to either send them flying into the air or crashing into the ground. Both states result in a whopping 2x damage multiplier, so one of the main strategies in tough battles will be to maneuver your enemies into these disadvantageous states. While they're there, you would do well to try a team attack. By spending the boost gauge you can have two characters attack simultaneously, complete with special animations. It's kind of like a Final Fantasy summon, and the damage is spectacular. Speaking of Final Fantasy, another new feature is the ability to swap characters in mid-battle, just like in FFX.

The mechanical battle suits (ES) from Episode I are back, but this time the characters can't change into or out of them at will. Now there are special ES-only battles, that have slightly different rules than the regular combats. For one, only two ES characters can fight at once, down from three in the on-foot battles. Further, each ES-ed character can employ one of the other five other characters as a co-pilot, granting unique skills to the equipping ES. This expanded ES system will ensure players get in some quality robot-stomping time, which they may have avoided before due to the superficial nature of ES in the first game.

Quality Over Quantity

While Xenosaga Episode II will retain the familiar, futuristic motif of Episode I, there'll be a much greater variety in the field environments, avoiding the overdose of spaceship-like interiors that plagued the original. There'll also be a major graphical change in the characters: They all look completely different, rendered in a much more realistic style than the cutesy, big-headed anime-types featured in Episode I. Some vets may take exception to this drastic and strange disconnect between the two games. I happen to think the more realistic look is better-suited to the nature of the cutscenes, but your mileage may vary. Namco, for its part, explained that the change was made so that characters could show more emotion during the cinematics, which is a decent enough explanation.


Which brings us to the cinematics. They're back, of course, because it wouldn't be a Xeno game without them. However, the designers have listened to feedback from Episode I and focused on creating shorter, more action-packed cutscenes. I've only seen a few so far, and they were a good couple minutes in length. However, I don't think you need worry about encountering more of the 45-minute monstrosities that gave the first game its reputation for being cinematically lopsided.

Xenosaga Episode II blends a sweeping sci-fi storyline with a complex battle system, creating a rather unique RPG experience. However, it remains to be seen how fans will take to the many changes, especially concerning the appearance of beloved characters. We'll find out soon enough, as the American version ships to retail on February 15th. You've still got time to replay the first if you want to catch up, or at least read a story FAQ. Get to it!