Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse is a 2004 role-playing video game developed by Monolith Soft for the PlayStation 2. It was published in Japan (2004) and North America (2005) by Namco, and in Europe by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (2005). It is the second entry in the Xenosaga trilogy, and forms part of the wider Xeno metaseries. Continuing directly from the events of Xenosaga Episode I, Xenosaga Episode II sees protagonists Shion Uzuki and Jr. continuing to combat the plots of the U-TIC Organization and the insane Albedo Piazzolla. Gameplay is carried over from the first game, featuring exploration of environments through a linear narrative, while battles follow a turn-based system featuring a system of button combinations, multiple leveling systems, and combat featuring both the characters on foot and piloting large mecha called "E.S.".
Development of Xenosaga Episode II began following the completion of Episode I. Series creator Tetsuya Takahashi gave control of the Xenosaga series to a new development team, resulting in a number of changes. The gameplay system was redesigned based on feedback from Episode I. The scenario, written by Norihiko Yonesaka, was based on the original draft by Takahashi and Soraya Saga, with Episode II being Saga's last contribution to the main trilogy. The music was composed by Yuki Kajiura and Shinji Hosoe, who worked separately on the cinematic and gameplay soundtracks respectively.
Upon release, the game received praise from critics, with the majority of criticism going towards some of its altered gameplay mechanics. Despite strong sales in both Japan and North America, it failed to meet projected sales targets. Alongside Episode II, the staff expanded the Xenosaga series into other projects. A portion of the planned Xenosaga narrative by Takahashi and Saga was made into Xenosaga: Pied Piper, released in 2004 for mobile devices. The game was remade along with Episode I as part of Xenosaga I & II for the Nintendo DS. The final Xenosaga game, Xenosaga Episode III, was released in 2006.
Gameplay
Xenosaga Episode II is a role-playing video game; the player controls a party of characters that expands during the course of the game, navigating them through a variety of environments tied to the progression of the story. Gameplay segments are separated by story sequences, which are told mainly through traditional full-motion cutscenes. Exploring environments, the party can collect a variety of items from destroying objects; some items can be used in gameplay to boost a character's statistics or restore health. Most areas can be navigated on foot, but some require the use of mechs. In addition to the main campaign, the party can engage in side quests which vary from finding items to completing difficult battles, and unlock optional dungeon environments in which players can fight enemies and obtain rare items.
During navigation, the party can see enemy units in the field, choosing whether or not to engage them. When an encounter is triggered, the party and enemy fights in a dedicated arena. The combat is governed by a turn-based battle system. Any of the three-member player party can be swapped out in battle at the cost of a turn. Each character has access to melee and ranged standard attacks, and can use items to affect the party or enemies. The player party's attacks are determined through button combinations, with different combinations triggering different attack sequences that can have secondary effects on the party and neighboring enemies. Actions taken by characters are governed by their available Stocks, which can be saved using the "Stock" option in battle.
A character can perform a special attack with their accumulated Stocks, with some "Boost" attacks ignoring turn order to allow a character who has yet to move to steal an enemy's turn and perform an action. A character's position on the battlefield can be shifted, which directly affects what attacks they perform and how they interact with neighboring party members. Characters have three level of attacks; A (high), B (mid) and C (low). Each enemy is vulnerable to a particular sequence of attacks. Upon completing a sequence of attacks an enemy is weak to, the enemy is knocked out, rendering them unable to move. When knocked out, a party member can perform a special attack which deals high damage. Two characters can also cooperate on a Dual attack, which deals high damage to enemies.
In addition to battling on foot, mecha specific to a character can be summoned. While each mech has a fixed main pilot, the sub-pilot can be changed, which alters the types of attacks the mech can perform. After defeating the enemy, the party receives experience points which raise their basic statistics, and skill points which are used to upgrade each character's skill tree, unlocking new skills. New items and accessories can only be gathered either through searching the environment or defeating enemies, as currency and shops are not present.
Synopsis Setting Like its predecessor, Xenosaga Episode II takes place in a universe based around science fiction. In the year "20XX", the Zohar—an artifact dating from the beginning of the universe which connects to the realm of a god-like energy dubbed U-DO—was unearthed by an archeological expedition in Kenya; the Zohar is key to enabling humanity to travel in space beyond the Solar System. Over 4,000 years in the future, humanity has left Earth behind to colonize the galaxy following a terrible event. This resulted in Earth's location being lost and the planet being dubbed "Lost Jerusalem"; by the game's events, humanity has adopted a new calendar system dubbed "Transcend Christ" (T.C.), with the game's events taking place in T.C. 4767—equivalent to A.D. 7277. Humanity is now spread across 500,000 planets, with their governments forming the Galaxy Federation. Planets are connected through a time warp travel network called the Unus Mundus Network (U.M.N.). The U.M.N. is managed by Vector Industries, which also controls interests in the Federation's military. Existing alongside humans are Realians, synthetic humans who hold equal status with natural humans. The Federation has come under attack from an ancient alien race called the Gnosis, which begin decimating Federation worlds. As normal weapons are ineffective against them, Vector develops two different weapon systems designed to fight them: humanoid mecha dubbed AGWS (Anti Gnosis Weapon System), and the similar but more powerful KOS-MOS battle androids. There also exist more advanced AGWS models called E.S., powered by Lost Jerusalem artifacts called Vessels of Anima. Important organizations include the Kukai Foundation, a group that acts as a shelter for enhanced humans; the U-TIC Organization, a once-scientific group that now wishes to gain control of the Zohar; and Ormus, a secretive cult who worship Lost Jerusalem which secretly funds U-TIC and operations through a political faction called the Immigrant Fleet.
A key episode in the game's backstory is the Miltian Conflict, which occurred fourteen years before the events of Episode I on the planet Miltia; beginning due to a war between U-TIC and the Federation, it escalated due to a group of Realians going berserk and attacking people indiscriminately. The planet of Miltia was lost in a space-time anomaly when an experiment involving U.R.T.Vs—an army of 669 genetically modified children designed to combat U-DO's energies—goes horribly wrong. Following the apparent destruction of Miltia, new settlements and a new government are established on a neighboring planet named Second Miltia. During the events of Episode I, main protagonist Shion Uzuki and her creation the anti-Gnosis android prototype KOS-MOS are forced to escape a Gnosis attack triggered by the discovery of a Zohar Emulator. During their journey to Second Miltia aboard the passenger freighter Elsa, they are pursued by U-TIC forces; encounter more Gnosis seeking the Zohar Emulator; and Shion experiences visions of a young girl named Nephilim and a deceased friend Febronia, the latter of whom asks her to "free" her sisters Cecily and Cathe. Sheltering with the Kukai Foundation, they are eventually forced to confront Albedo Piazzolla, an unhinged U.R.T.V. determined to reach Miltia, when he threatens Second Miltia with a powerful weapon called the Proto Merkabah. The group destroy the Proto Merkabah, but Albedo escapes with data that could lead the way to Miltia. Episode II picks up immediately after the ending of Episode I, when the Elsa arrives on Second Miltia.
Characters
The main protagonists are Shion Uzuki, a scientist for Vector Industries; and Jr., a U.R.T.V. survivor of the U-DO experiment who runs the Kukai Foundation with his brother Gaignun. The main party includes Jin Uzuki, Shion's estranged brother; KOS-MOS, a prototype anti-Gnosis battle android; chaos, a melancholy young man with mysterious powers; MOMO, a prototype Realian created by U-TIC scientist Joachim Mizrahi and modeled after his dead daughter; Ziggy—short for Ziggurat 8—a cyborg who acts as MOMO's guardian; and Canaan, a combat Realian who worked with chaos during the Miltian Conflict. Other characters include Allen Ridgeley, a co-worker of Shion; main antagonist Albedo Piazzolla, the insane brother of Jr. and Gaignun; Margulis, a high-ranking officer in U-TIC; Sergius, the apparent leader of both Ormus and the Immigrant Fleet; Dmitri Yuriev, creator and biological father of the U.R.T.Vs; Wilhelm, CEO of Vector; and Nephilim, a young girl who appears to Shion in visions.
Plot Episode II begins fourteen years prior to the opening of Episode I during the Miltian Conflict. Canaan and chaos are sent to investigate, discovering that Realians are being driven insane by the "Song of Nephilim", a harmony that affects the mind. They are saved from an ambush by Jin, who has stolen data implicating the people using the Song. After fending off an attack by Margulis that leaves Margulis scarred, Jin transfers the data into Canaan's mind to keep it safe. Fourteen years later, the data remains locked, with the key to unlocking it still being on Miltia. Now based on Second Miltia, Canaan is assigned to protect the crew of the Elsa following their arrival. Upon arrival, Shion reluctantly hands KOS-MOS over to Vector officials while instructing Allen to keep an eye on her, while Ziggy prepares to escort MOMO to have the data implanted by Joachim Mizrahi retrieved. During her stay, Shion receives a vision from Nephilim, asking her to help Cecily and Cathe as she promised.
While on Second Miltia, MOMO, Ziggy, chaos and Jr. are attacked by U-TIC agents in powerful mechs, only being saved by Canaan's intervention. Shion meanwhile has an uncomfortable reunion with Jin, as she blames his absence for the deaths of their parents during the Miltian Conflict. In the hours leading up to MOMO's scan, both Jr. and his brother Gaignun are telepathically tormented by Albedo, who still cannot decode the data he stole from MOMO. During the procedure, a virus implanted in MOMO by Albedo activates, and MOMO fragments her own personality to keep Mizrahi's data secure. Shion Jr. and the rest of the group enter MOMO's subconscious to save her. During this period, Jr. reveals that he and his brothers were part of an experiment by Dmitri Yuriev: Yuriev's wish was to create an existence which would neutralize U-DO. The three were close, but Albedo became despondent when he discovered his ability to survive any injury was unique to him, meaning he could outlive his brothers. During an experiment, Jr. broke the circuit containing a portion of U-DO, resulting in everyone except himself, Albedo and Gaignun being killed. Albedo was touched by U-DO and went insane, while Gaignun remained unaffected. As they save MOMO, Albedo hacks in and tricks MOMO into releasing the decoded data to him. Using the data, Albedo opens the way to Miltia.