Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra (2006)

This game was an insane trip. As a Xenoblade fan, coming back and seeing a sort of prototype of where it all began was honestly shocking.

Compared to Xenosaga Episode I and II, this is definitely the best in terms of presentation and gameplay. Some of the weird — and frankly lacking — design choices from the earlier entries were corrected here, which makes the experience feel much tighter.

You can really tell how fast-paced this one is. After the slow crawl of Episode II, Episode III just barrels forward, covering a huge amount of content. Especially toward the end, it feels like one “ok, what’s next?” moment after another.

That said, you can also feel the rush in development. It’s clear that the originally planned six-game saga had to be wrapped up here, and the result is a finale that leans heavily on info-dumps — which only get more intense as the story goes on.

That said, what an adventure! In a way, this really feels like the Neon Genesis Evangelion of video games — dense, ambitious, and unafraid to dive deep into heavy themes while breaking down its own characters.

I found myself completely absorbed, not just in the story but in the way it challenged and deconstructed its cast. It’s the kind of experience that lingers with you long after the credits roll.

Truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

A final note for Xenoblade fans: (Heavy poilers for Xenoblade 3) I was shocked how much of Z's dilemma related to N and M transpire into the "Eternal recurrence" thing Willhem has going on in this game. In particular the disussion between Allen and Kevin when Shion switches sides and Allen tries to convince her not to, was a constant deja vu of Xenoblade 3. It is also very clear that Z from X3 is heavily inspired in Willhem, not only in purpose but also in design.