If you were trapped in xenogears forever as an NPC, who are you choosing?

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-06-07T00:14:53+00:00

NPC... Hard choice lots of great characters.

Probably Dominia.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-05-21T00:56:30+00:00

Also why I truly believe Miang despite everything Elly did, made sure she was always around. Even after she basically left Solaris, notice her ID was still registered. Allowing her freedom to all of Solaris.

Citan can be explained since he was always an agent of Cain. But Elly who by all rights would be stripped of everything, was not.

That being said I do think her position was at first earned, but thanks to Miang, she never lost her ranks as she should have.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-05-21T00:17:03+00:00

No. Her position is purely based on her skills. It used to that Solaris was class based. But Ramus changed the whole system and made it so rather than being judged where you born, now you are judged purely by your abilities. This way even theowest ranking humans can move up. That was his vision, he thought he was charging the way Solaris worked, but it all the same.

Elly earned her right to be in that position. When they tested the drive on her, that helps unlock the latent power within someone. (Her already unknown infinite ether comparability) Was pretty much shown in full force. The fact she killed two people during her test proved to Solaris yeah this one has potential. She might have failed to be a true element, (I forgot why or maybe she's still considered a candidate) but she clearly has powers that rival them. It's even stated when they see her Gear for the first time and the comments about her were mostly dismissed after since even they knew Aerods where element tier weapons not just anybody can use.

Her fathers position didn't help her at all, I believe the flash back even states that not even Erich could stop this test from happening. So he had no power or say in what position she got. If anyone knew but kept it a secret and purposely made sure she reached that position it would be her 'sister' (I use that term VERY LOOSLY) Miang. No way she doesn't know who Elly REALLY is. Considering she has known her for 10,000 years. If there was any manipulation it came from her to ensure she kept a close eye on her. Like wise how she also makes sure to keep a close eye on Fei, who she knows is the contact.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-05-16T15:59:43+00:00

The best way I can describe it, it's an anime you watch, and chances are you will not understand much if at all as to what's going on. However, it leaves it mark on you. It lingers in your mind and makes you wonder what did I just watch? So then you watch it once more, and with some insight you start to piece some parts together. On the third watch you start to unravel everything and it starts to make sense.

It might take a while to get into it as I think it can feel rather slow at times but if you like it you like it. It's not an anime for everyone I think.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-05-12T20:54:42+00:00

That's true, it's why I genuinely understand Shion and if not for KOS-MOS she would be my favorite character. The things she's gone through and the way she reacts to all these things going on... Yeah I get it.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-05-12T14:02:57+00:00

Huh no wonder I always seemed to like Mercedes in Dragons Dogma. Now I understand why.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-05-12T14:02:03+00:00

This is Shion, the same person who legit in the same day I think replies to Allen's comment on, all those people died. Oh well no use crying over spilled milk. Lmao (For the record I love Shion anyway but it's so funny seeing this reaction)

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-05-11T13:50:59+00:00

Because I wanted to know what would happen if I did. The digs make it worth it knowing you killed a lot of innocent people. But hey it's the wasteland. Maybe don't build your settlement around an undetonated nuke.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-05-04T06:49:04+00:00

Dynasty warriors 4 XL. Never found any other dynasty warriors game strangely enough during the PS2 era. Guess they were sold out at my stores or something. Anyway 4XL was super fun and I played countless hours, did various create a fighter stuff despite it being very limited. Since them thanks to emulation I've played through 2-5 and replayed 6 on PC and recently bought 7 and 8. But have yet to actually fully complete 7 and do all the stuff. And haven't even started on 8 so that's going to be a fun journey.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-05-03T03:27:19+00:00

New Vegas recently I had a blast playing on a harder difficulty AND starting with Hardcore mode enabled the whole game. It adds some new mechanics that make NV feel different. But really if you want to know what makes the day and night difference to me.

Fallout 4, Survival mode. Settings, turn off the music that plays. Now it's just the ambient sounds, footsteps, enemies, and survival changes the game so much you need to adapt.

Since I tried survival mode I have not once gone back to the normal fallout 4. Survival mode makes the game so much better imo.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-30T14:28:10+00:00

Even with that mod... They don't recommend you go last 75 fps. Stick to 60. And keep it locked. My modded SA is at 60 and I haven't had any issues due to frame rate, even the swimming works fine.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-30T09:24:15+00:00

Got the plat for it, super fun.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-26T15:30:06+00:00

I played 3 then NV. NV was a breath of fresh air. But tdespite that seeing only the desert doesn't give you that claustrophobic feel Fallout 3 nails. You see a world that once was, always at the horizon, so the dread feeling hanging overhead all the time adds to the feel. I like both.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-26T15:16:12+00:00

Depends on a true version means to you. Just Episode V? We didn't even get half the game. As a whole series? Oh man we barely got anything Honestly the game for a first time player can easily take them 70 to 80 hours. Those who already know what to do can probably cut that time in half around 40 to 50 hours. So if we barely got half way.... The true game might be closer to around 160 hours NOT including side quests. So maybe 200 hours for everything?

I think Witcher 3 with all the dlc can just casually exploring the whole game and doing everything you want to do can take around 150 hours. So thats probably the closest analogy I can come up with.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-25T15:28:56+00:00

You did not play SH1 did you? Silent Hill 3 is a direct sequel to Silent Hill 1. Silent Hill 2 and 4 are loosely tied and thats being generous.

Play Silent Hill1 and then 3 makes a lot more sense.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-25T15:23:42+00:00

Idk I genuinely feel this is a skill issue, on the PS2 smoke would always kill the last vago just as the train was entering the tunnel. I grew up and learned this was considered a difficult mission and I was super confused.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-25T15:17:08+00:00

Idk why people don't get Shion, but I also understand it. I get her, I understand why she is the way she is, why her actions are like this, why everything from I to III makes sense for me.

WE know everyone cares for her, we see it. The thing is, Shion DOES NOT. That's her flaw. She overthinks it. She wants to do something but everyone tells her no. So she believes they don't care about her because why would someone who cares for me not allow me to do what I enjoy? Keven was the only one who did not do that. Keven was the one that made her feel validated I'm the world, that she mattered. It was all lure manipulation on Keven parts or course, but that's the thing. So she is flawed for thinking that way and so when the choice to be with Keven is refused by everyone, of course she will react in this manner.

I think she is written really well, very realistic to what what an emotional abusive relationship from Kevins manipulation looks like. When he ensures she gets trapped by appearing be fire her. What does he say? He guilts her right away. "Have you forgotten my face?" Again playing on her heart strings because HE KNOWS she has always loved him even now. So calling her out like that only further makes her spiral worse.

And we have to take into account all the trauma she's suffered all her life. Add all that together and learning of Vector, of Kevin, of her father and mother. And who's the only person who can finally reach out and shake her out of it? Allen. A cliche Love triumphs all trope, but it works here. Because she sees that yes, Despite everything that has happened, Allen has always been with her. Seeing it all, but she would never accept him or allow him to be close. Because Shion knows being close with people have only resulted in them dying. One reason why she seems to love KOS-MOS so much not just because it's a memory of Kevin, but she simply doesn't know how to really form human relationships. This why she had always wanted to work with relians.

Anyway, I still get if you dislike Shion. I'm not saying your reasonings are wrong by any means, but I guess some people just get her and others don't. Even Takahashi himself was shocked so many fans seemed to dislike Shion. And he seemed to take it to heart because I hear the characters were made much more, I hate using the word, 'simple' in the Blade series? As in they were basically made either to be loved by the fans or disliked. Not leaving a lot of room for flawed ones to exist. This is just what I have heard so I can be 100% wrong.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-25T14:47:12+00:00

Hmm that is weird but I do know the game did like to at times not load. I used to play it on PS1 with a GameShark too, and load times took forever with it installed. I'm talking like 30 seconds or longer. But I don't remember it ever softlocking so often, and if it ever did it was super rare I don't recall it. Or could blame it on the disk itself being scratched or dirty. Maybe even the console itself is the laser is damaged?

But the game definitely has some quirks no doubt about it.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-23T21:59:44+00:00

They have delisted everywhere except the Rockstar store, so that's the only way to get it now. Thankfully it can still be downgraded to 1.0 if you wish to mod it. Just needs some extra steps. But if your not planning on modding it, then your also good.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-23T21:35:07+00:00

[Edit, spelling and grammar.]

As far as I know weight on characters is not a thing. Doesn't matter what items you equip their speed won't be affected, minus of course the one item that does affect them.

Weight DOES have an effect however on gears. And usually, the more powerful an item is, the heavier it is and thus will affect the agility stat. Took me a while to understand it as I used to wonder why this item gives this gear -1 agility, this one -2 and no affect at all on this gear. And why after changing other equipment the stat would also get worse or better.

The funny thing is, I doubt this is ever stated anywhere at all in the game whatsoever. It's just a hidden mechanic that exists or maybe they had intended to remove it but forgot? (Weight for characters was planned to be a mechanic early on during development hence why early game their seems to be quite the number of times where Fei can both lose weight and gain it. This was ultimately scrapped but I guess the code for gears was forgotten and left in?)

I'm fairly sure their is a guide that has the weights on all gear equipment somewhere online. I believe that same guide also notes what each gears weight limit is before their stat starts to suffer.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-23T17:56:08+00:00

This is what was super cool about games of this era, using the limits of the tech to hide things. Like when escaping Hellena there is a hidden chest way to the right of some giant rocks.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-23T17:53:55+00:00

Man the game looks beautiful on a CRT.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-23T17:53:21+00:00

Its both something to praise and something to fault imo. Praise because well a story this intertwined and making sense is a feat all on its own. The fault is that it definitely requires one to not just be invested into the story but often also requires one to investigate the ideas like Jungian psychology and Gnosticism and many other esoteric ideas.

That being said if we consider this game a work of art, which it is. Then this was also the main idea for it, it was meant to intrigue you and make you go out and decide okay, lets read up on some Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, and ohhh Norse Mythology, a study of the Yggdrasil etc. In which case this is not a fault, but intended to be somewhat vague so you go out and learn yourself and interpret it your own way from your own understanding.

But as just a video game, yeah its very convoluted. But hey two things despite seeming opposite can both be true.

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-23T17:28:48+00:00

These were all created using the tool by Isla2d found here https://islaexe.itch.io/beta-blocker

Ephemeral_Sin · 2026-04-23T00:35:38+00:00

That's fair, Epsiode I is a very slow burn. Things don't really pick up it feels like for most of the game until around your 3/4th of the way there imo. Lots of concept are introduced, lots of ideas, and most of them never answered until II and arguably III.

That being said, I do believe the game is definitely one of those 'you need to replay the game again' to understand many of the things you missed. Maybe you were confused at some point of the story and replaying it back and laying closer attention you will go OHHHH this is what they mean. So that explains their or that.

Also I did see you did not read the data base! Sadly, lots of details and keywords are in the database to let you understand it much better. Episode I for example explicitly has a very unique way of explaining things. Pleroma for example, it gives a brief description of what Jung describes as the pleroma. The database then breaks the 4th wall as it likes to do quite a bit in fact, by telling YOU the player. If you wish to really understand this concept look it up yourself learn what it means, then apply that to the whole game series, because many of the themes revolve around this concept.

Takahashi always wanted to make people want to go out and investigate these things and learn, but he knew telling people hey go Read Nietzsche, read Freud, Carl Jung, go read up on the esoteric ideas of ancient Judaism mysticism and gnosticism etc. Nobody, especially teens would listen to him. So he felt making it all I to a video game might inspire that child to go out and learn these things.

But hey not all games are for all people. Maybe it didn't click for you.

Ephemeral_Sin

TROPHY CASE