Xenosaga Ep. 1: Der Wille Zur Macht Review

Space opera. Just hear the words and consider them. Space opera.

Most folks will immediately think of Star Wars and the universe of spinoffs, merch and fanfic the George Lucas brainchild spawned over the past four decades. Not this guy. My first major exposure to space travel as an engrossing experience that spawned a trilogy was the Xenosaga series Namco releases between 2002 and 2006, a massive project that ultimately collapsed under its own ambitious weight before the true potential was realized.

The Xenosaga lore begins with Xenogears, among the most revered titles in the PlayStation One’s annals. Space exploration, far-flung futures and so much mystical and philosophical influence was packed into that adventure RPG that Monolith Soft got started on the Xenosaga series, with six titles planned to expand the universe of the first title and plenty of crossover into anime, manga and novels.

The .hack series had better execution of the multimedia concept, though it got stale in a hurry as the MMORPG conceit driving those titles became flat after the first title, and it seems the Namco and Monolith Soft suits feared the same fate for the Xenosaga series, opting to bring in new story editors and concept designers midstream. This move had the effect of hiring new firefighters as the building is burning; the new team eschewed existing creative direction and sought to make a better product with fewer resources, and what’s worse is that the initial product was in no need of revision to begin with.

Alas, the cruel fate of the Xenosaga series was that its wild expansion and unfolding of plot twists and character development made it impossible to keep everything in line for six games and a library of anime and manga. All told, three games were released before Namco folded the project, leaving a long line of fans gloomy and wanting more.

The existing titles are still plenty of fun, and the first episode, Der Wille Zur Macht, sports the most complex gameplay and most developed storytelling.  The story line keeps party members invested in unique battle scenarios often enough that each character must be kept current in their levels and techniques, lest the run the risk of being way behind but required for use in a boss fight. The spread-out approach is nice, though as with most RPGs it will eventually boil down to selecting three favorites and maxing them out as the others get almost no play.

The story follows several themes that make this title worth seeking out and playing, whether for the first time for a younger player who missed out on the fantastic wave of early-2000s RPGs or for a nostalgic adult gamer who wishes to play it once more. The complexity of the story will certainly keep the gamer’s attention as it jumps from the story of Shion, the lead female protagonist involved with superweapon android KOS-MOS, to the story of Jr., one of three twins resulting from genetic experiments gone haywire. A malicious life form known as Gnosis ravage the humans populating the well-traveled universe of the future 4,000 years ahead of present day, and KOS-MOS’ role as a deterrent in the war against them includes diving into the android’s history while Jr. and Shion’s tales are explored.

A central theme is also on the rights of Realians, biomechanical beings developed to resemble human life but given a lower platform on the ladder of rights than natural humans. Their place in the distant future is up to question, as humans are becoming extinct under Gnosis attack and Realians may be the only form of life with any human semblance that will exist as the Gnosis destroy humanity. No one is even sure what a Gnosis truly is, let alone how to defeat them without the use of KOS-MOS or mecha-weapons designed to stave the Gnosis off but unable to defeat them entirely.

The gripping story and exciting battle system make this title a gem among the bargain bin, one worth seeking out and adding to any gamer’s collection. It may have taken its cues from Star Wars, but this take on space opera is among the PS2 library’s finest.

-Robert Seitzinger

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Xenosaga Ep. 1: Der Wille Zur Macht

Developer: Namco

Released: 2002

Cost: Under $10, IF purchased used, over $35 new.


The bargain bin price will be found at local game retailers, pawn shops, OR online from sites like eBay, Amazon, etc.