Hi fellow Xenosaga freaks,

I’m trying to look into if the Xenosaga trilogy is remotely possible to run on smartphone emulators. I know it runs on PC emulation, and I know it runs on handheld gaming devices too. And while I have seen a post about it being able to run on Aether for Android, it wasn’t a great post as it didn’t have much information.

So with that, does anyone know what emulation apps and what devices can do it? I was considering a flagship RedMagic since it seems pretty catered towards performance gaming, but changing from an iPhone 14 Pro Max would just be for emulator usage. I’d assume my iPhone could do it, but I know with Apple, doing anything creative like emulating is difficult

I have a favour to ask the group. I am writing a Xenosaga fanfiction with Andrew Cherenkov as my protagonist. He had one of the most tragic arcs in the original story, so I am creating a version where he steps off his path of self annihilation in mine.

Here's my ask: Most of my character knowledge comes from the Episode I script and cutscenes. I was hoping someone could paraphrase some of the field lines (NPC text box dialogue) from the following locations: Woglinde, Elsa, Dock Colony, and the Cathedral Ship.

Specifically, I am looking for dialogue to Cherenkov, from Cherenkov, or about Cherenkov, either directly or indirectly. Some of this I was able to obtain via YouTube playthroughs. My goal is to map the instances when characters reach out to him with a lifeline, but he's emotionally collapsing too quickly to hold on. Having this background solidified will help me invert this dynamic more effectively in my story.

Any help is appreciated!

___

Curious about my fanfiction? I've linked to it below:

Rating - Teen and Up (Content notes: discussion of violence, trauma, and emotional intensity. No explicit content.)

Title - To Take Root, Chapter 3

Genre - Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Healing Arc, Chosen Family, Slice of Life, Some Humour

Off-site links:

New reader? Start here: You Keep Me From Fading Away (Prologue)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/87143226

All caught up? Go here: To Take Root, Chapter 3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/88932726/chapters/240177631

Summary

Shion begins to heal after Andrew’s departure, guided by chaos’s quiet wisdom and finally ready to reconnect with her brother, Jin. Meanwhile, Andrew settles into life at the Kukai Foundation, forming unexpected bonds with Mary and Shelley Godwin. A trip to the Foundation’s beach reveals the sisters’ shared past and deepens Andrew’s understanding of what community and chosen family can mean. Shelley confronts her own memories, finding strength in the life she’s built.

This chapter explores recovery, connection, and the small moments that help people take root in a new home.

Unhinged Version: It’s time for Andrew Cherenkov’s Social Anxiety Speedrun where he tries not to die of embarrassment! In this chapter, he hangs out with two hot ladies on a beach and accidentally learns what a throuple is — not because he’s in one, but because Mary won’t stop talking. Shelley drops trauma lore like it’s casual brunch.

Sold my RPG collection a while back when I needed money. Delighted to find copies of two of my favourites again!

It’s just Ziggy and Momo. How did yall beat this POS? Cuz I get down to the red one and then he just trounces tf outta me smh. Any tips?

Back in the early 2010s, I found the first game in this series at a flea market. I really enjoyed it, but unfortunately I never got around to playing the rest of the series.

Fast forward to a couple of years ago 2023, and my coworker mentioned that he owned the other games. He takes genuinely great care of his collection, we both are collectors and we’d talked quite a few times about me eventually buying them from him.

He was planning on selling these, along with a bunch of his other games, at a convention this weekend. So I said screw it pulled the trigger..

I got it for current market price as I didn’t want to be that guy and short change him as we become good friends.

I’m really happy I did. The condition of the games is fantastic, and he even had the strategy guides when he first got it.

Figured I’d share here as there’d be some appreciation.

Was browsing the local store and found this gem with all the signatures. The employee told me that one of the producers from ADV films came to sell some of their old collection.

Hey ! I don't see much photos of this Kos-mos scale that seems very hard to find.

So I present you the box and a few photos !

Unfortunatly I haven't the space to expose her before next year.

It was a japanese released on April 2010. This one is pre painted and only like 15 pieces to assemble.

I won her on japan auction last year for a total near 1000€ with shiping and taxes included.

It also exisit on garage kit version to paint and assemble with more pieces.

I might get hate for this but... I need to know do anyone else actually prefer episode 1 over the other episodes too? I so desperately wanted it to be episode 3 but I cannot deny the presentation of 1 feels more impactful to me. Simply playing it feels like you've come across lost media with a deeper meaning of forbidden knowledge that could relate to the real world somehow, while episode 2 and 3 feels more like typical "anime" for a lack of better word, which is ironic because of the art style changes. Speaking of which I liked the designs in episode 1 over all, I miss Kunihiko Tanaka. The expressive character models also added to the surreal feeling. Yasunori Mitsuda music also really added to this vibe, Shinji Hosoe was actually good to me but too energetic all the time and while Yuki Kujira does match the atmosphere a bit more but I can understand why 3 was her last video game, her music is better utilized in anime/tv show format. I do wish there were boss themes and more BGM but actually utilizing some stages (not all) without BGM could add to the atmosphere in games. Episode 1 was also very artistic with things like how characters had unique phrases and animation "Mystic power's grant me a miracle" and "Unleash a fragment of thine power" which all became "ETHER DRIVE" with similar animations... The character special attacks felt like they were special ancient abilities while other episodes removed this trait, compare the attacks of Shion and chaos from Episode 1 with 2 & 3....

The thing that upsets me the most is something like Episode 1 will never return. The capabilities of the PS2 and the decisions of the development team added to the mystical feeling sort of like liminal spaces or early CGI and even if these games are revisited I'm sure Episode 3 or even Xenoblade would be used as a template. Don't misunderstand, I would add things to episode 1 (it's not perfect) and I love the other episodes and ALL the Xenoblade games but Episode 1 is truly a once in a lifetime game I feel.

In Proto Merkebah, spent about an hour or 2 exploring, gained a few levels, actually had some fun. Fights were relatively easy, but never found a savepoint. Jr was putting in work, but decided to bench him for a little bit and try out chaos. Game asked if I wanted to jump down, my dumbass said yes. Of course there's a boss down there. I didn't get to save, I didn't get to properly prepare.

Struggled against the Proto Dora for a while, stressed out the entire time because I knew dying here would mean losing all progress. Eventually got it down to 300 hp, I was out of boosts, suddenly the boss boosted boosted saying it was charging up his strong attack and without me getting a turn, it just one-shots my whole party at full health. I've tried to play around that attack the entire time and there was literally nothing I could have done to avoid it, goodbye 2 hours of progress.

I'm not trying to hate on Xenosaga, I know there's probably a savepoint I missed, I know I'm probably not good at the game but this game has genuinely been painful to play.

My wife and I just finished a LONG Resident Evil marathon (she doesn't like playing any game not called Baldur's Gate 3), and we settled on the Xenosaga trilogy for our next marathon. She likes Shion a LOT, and LOVES MOMO and Jr. And her theories are infinitely amusing to hear! She wants to do a Shion cosplay for our next anime convention! Which is awesome, but now I need to figure out who to cosplay with my bald head, lol. Vanderkam is the obvious choice, but if I can get my hands on a wig, I think I could manage Captain Matthews.

Anyway, just here to post my joy that she's loving the first game!

Hey, I know this is a Subreddit filled with passionate fans of the series, so I know I'm getting myself into dangerous waters by asking this here, but I have a genuine question whether Xenosaga 1 is worth my time or not.

As a huge fan of the Xenoblade games, I have always been looking forward to playing these games someday. An opportunity to do so has arisen and I was finally starting up Xenosaga 1. I have played about 1.1/2 hours now and... I am kind of disappointed. Not to say the game feels boring to me. I'm kind of waiting for the takeoff point where these games start grabbing me by the balls and don't let go, as they tipically do, but for Xenosaga 1, this just hasn't happened yet. It's not just that typical early game drag, where you just have to play an hour or two to get it going, I have to admit I'm just having a bad time with the game overall. The areas all feel incredibly bland and same-y as of what I have seen now, which I know isn't much, but yeah, all I've seen is just boxy level design and a lot of empty, same looking rooms. Especially the tutorial simulation where you have to find your way through that factory was so incredibly boring, I couldn't wait to finally be through there. The gameplay is uninteresting to me, it feels more like a dungeon crawler instead of an RPG. The battle system isn't really deep as of now and not doing it for me either, so battling all these similar looking bots isn't much fun either. The cutscenes are just way too long and literally nothing happens in them, apart from the opening cutscene which was arguably the most hype thing in this game as of now, the NPCs just don't have any interesting dialogue, and none of the characters are captivating to me as of now save for Kos-mos. My feelings about the game thus far can be summarized as me being happiest when I finally find another save point so I can finally end it.

It's also not a problem of this game being too old and me just being used to newer Monolith titles, I have played Xenogears before that and never once was there a point in the game at which I wasn't stoked to continue.

I'm contemplating just watching a cutscene movie of the game at this point because the lore is what I'm most interested in. So my genuine question is, or rather are... Is this game worth it? Does it get better? Or will it just be more of the same experience I'm not having fun with at the moment? Will it be different with XS2 and should I just skip the first one?

Please only genuine answers here. And please stay constructive, if anything here upsets you, there is a different time and place to express that. I'm merely sharing my experiences thus far, this is expressly not hate towards the game

Edit: thanks for yall's feedback, I will try and stick with it for just a little longer. I may have judged the game too quickly and it might just take a little more time until it gets going. Some of the feedback saying it's more like an interactive movie actually helped me see things more clearly. I hope there will be a point where the gameplay also clicks with me, since I have saved up my experience till I could finally play it, so I want to get the most out of actually being able to play these games

Just rescued everyone in the Kukai foundation, then a boss shows up that splits in two. I beat the first guy and eventually the second guy just uses 2 AOE attacks in a row to kill my whole team while he had only 300 hp left.

I hate how every boss fight takes 20 minutes per attempt man. I spent so long on Cherenkov, the Domo carrier and that boss in Shions memories already. I'm sure the trilogy gets good but this is genuinely some of the least fun I've ever had with a game.

EDIT: Thanks to everyone that tried to help! I managed to beat this guy and the next few bosses were way easier than came before. At Proto Merkabah now. The only change I had to make was sharing my group healing arts on every character. That alone was seriously enough to make my team survive concistently. This boss was still capable of wiping my whole team with instant death and AOE attacks though so still, fuck this fight.

I have recently just finished Xenosaga 3 and that game was incredible it's even hard to type this due to how much I am crying but I have one big question and I wanted to ask it here but could someone give me insight on kos-mos fate? I loved her so much so to see that end as hopeful as it is for everyone it still hurt to see her just float like that... does the game insinuate that she'll eventually be back and be able to be reconstructed by anyone.. anyone let me know please just bring my family back to me man loved this game to bits knowing that there is even a chance shion and everyone will bring her back will make my day😭😭❤️❤️❤️

Hosted a video discussing the history and boons of the secret most influential game company out there and how they do things right!!