Max, around 18:11 you state that the goal would be to repress the negative traits into unconsciousness. To me, this sounds either like a not-too-cautious simplification or like a downright error. As to my understanding, the idea is to integrate all the existing tendencies, giving them their proper space and time. Those that could have previously been marked as negative and thus kept hidden from consciousness transform into a personal tool. For example, an individualized woman might manifest violence in certain critical situations, while avoiding it in most others.
@maxderrat2 жыл бұрын
This is a good point. It would have been more accurate for me to say "bring the negative traits under one's control so that they might as well be rendered unconscious". Thank you for pointing this out.
@boris_ev2 жыл бұрын
@@maxderrat My pleasure, thanks for the video!
@Proctor_Conley2 жыл бұрын
Carl Youngs' view of human psychology was infamously clouded by his worldview & preconceived notions. His ideas can be self-destructive but, with a greater understanding of the issues, can have a positive effect on the self & others.
@CynicalBastard2 жыл бұрын
@@maxderrat "Repression" is "gaining a lot of fans", but that isn't taking into account the much more important aspect of 'disavowal'. Freud was almost "there", as it were, he was considering this as a replacement for "repression" in his overall schema, before he kicked the bucket.
@gido94672 жыл бұрын
@@user-zp8kj2cl9g People are allowed to make mistakes. We grow when others point them out (kindly, we hope) and we are willing to consider the criticism calmly, being open to the possibility that we were wrong. This content creator seems to be capable of doing so.
@Ton-uy1xd2 жыл бұрын
Xenogears is literally my first encounter with existential dread.
@robokou2 жыл бұрын
😂
@robokou Жыл бұрын
@@EmeraldaKasim ???
@robokou Жыл бұрын
@deaderall , I was laughing _with_ him, not at him. _Xenogears_ is one helluva trip of a game.
@No-onesgayformoleman Жыл бұрын
@@robokou The other guy needs to chill, I could tell right off the bat you were just being friendly.
@erickghoul1742 жыл бұрын
Appreciate the shout out to Resonant Arc. Nothing beat reading your announcement about this vid while they were finishing up their series on this game
@WarblingMarbles2 жыл бұрын
Absolutely blown away by your dedication and thoroughness; it's great to see your take and thoughts on this game. I truly hope we see more from you covering Xenogears and Xenosaga alike!
@CycloneFox2 жыл бұрын
I hope that every fan of Xenogears eventually reaches Xenosaga Episode III and realizes that it’s actually not just a prequel to Xenogears.
@chrislennon4602 жыл бұрын
Not even connected to xenogears at all.
@WarblingMarbles2 жыл бұрын
@@chrislennon460 Spirital successor, which is as much of a connection as any of the Xeno games have to each other. You seem to have misread my comment as meaning they're something you go from in a sequence. I meant more so the overall themes and concepts that both share and build off of.
@chrislennon4602 жыл бұрын
@@WarblingMarbles not your comment I was replying to.
@WarblingMarbles2 жыл бұрын
@@chrislennon460 Oh, my bad! There was no @ attached to it so I didn't realize.
@alexhorn9022 жыл бұрын
Xenogears blew my mind at 14. It was the most engrossing, enthralling, and smartest thing Id ever experienced and still get tingly feelings when I remember it. And that ending Titanic ish song was great! This video makes me want to re experience it all. An absolute titan of a game but moreso the writing.
@robokou Жыл бұрын
👍🏿💯
@AlexBowesVideos Жыл бұрын
Actually, the song you mention Small Two of Pieces was recorded in 1996, according to a fellow Xenogears fan. The movie Titanic came out in 1997, a year after Mitsuda even knew of that song. So it’s not Titanicish, Titanic wasn’t even around!
@robokou Жыл бұрын
@Bowesie Boy , you somehow just made this game even more special for me. 😭🧡
@AlexBowesVideos Жыл бұрын
@@robokou Yeah! Titanic copied Small Two of Pieces! 😂
@daoyang223 Жыл бұрын
Joanne Hogg is in a league of her own and in 2018 even reprised as the main vocalist for the 20 year anniversary concert for Xenogears alongside Yasunori Mitsuda.
@user-ef7gn4jy6v2 жыл бұрын
Only a true masterpiece, regardless of the medium, lives you with emptiness like Xenogears does when you finish it. Thank you for shedding light on it. It warms my heart.
@talonjansen89262 жыл бұрын
I must agree with you Max, when you say that Xenogears was probably the most ambitious game ever made; Xenosaga did a decent job of getting the ideas of Xenogears to synergize, but even a three-game series like that wasn't enough (Xenosaga originally being planned to consist of six games!).
@talonjansen89262 жыл бұрын
The point I am getting at is that Japanese literature usually takes the form of videogames; the ideas you would normally see in serials and novels in Japan are often contained in videogames.
@mythosinfinite67362 жыл бұрын
Thankfully with Xenoblade 1 linking with 2, and 2 linking with -saga, it allows for the trilogy to become an ongoing series of 5 (approaching 6) games. The ideas of Xenogears and the ambitions it could never realize are slowly, gradually, approaching the ideal of what -gears was meant to be.
@No-onesgayformoleman Жыл бұрын
@@mythosinfinite6736 I haven't played Xenosaga yet, I was about to start it as I finished -gears. I've beaten Xenoblade 2 though, so without spoiling saga, how does it connect exactly? It's not just because KOS-MOS makes a Cameo as a blade right?
@Caustic122 жыл бұрын
I didn't even know you were working on this project, but this is THE place I wanna hear it discussed! I was basically a kid when I played that game, but it blew every one of my friends away after playing it. We obviously didn't understand everything that was going on, but it still left a huge impact on us. Truly hope to see more discussion on this in the future.
@Evilatem2 жыл бұрын
Xenogears is to gaming what Neon Genesis Evangelion is to anime.
@nemosotillo2 жыл бұрын
They have been compared a lot before
@blobeyeordie2 жыл бұрын
Retrograde Amnesia(aptly named) also did a podcast analyzing Xenogears on a very granular level with hyper scrutiny, a while before Resonant Arc tackled it. Similarly it is also deep and lengthy(pun intended hehe). They were also featured on the Resonant Arc podcast too giving further supplemental insights, and both of them questioned whether or not they did Xenogears justice or if such a feat is even possible. Xenogears is one of those games where calling it a video game, almost seems criminal and at the very least, severely undervalues what it may "actually be". I feel the same way about FF9 and a few others, to me they go beyond formative experiences or art. Truly something special...apologies for the nerd out. And yes there are quite a lot of FF7 references and easter eggs scattered throughout the Xenogears world, same with FF7 if you know where to look and what to look for. Pretty neat stuff Anyhoo, thanks so much for taking a shot at Xenogears Max! I hope youll enjoy it as much as many of us do, should you make more content on it. We'll always look forward to it, thank you again
@DrySushi2 жыл бұрын
It also says a lot that of all the "Kill God" trope RPGs, Xenogears and the series are the ones I always thinks of.
@fattiger69572 жыл бұрын
And that's carried on to this day with Monolithsoft's work. I mean, just listen to Shulk's speech in the final battle of the first Xenoblade. Takahashi and his wife really like the trope of killing god to create your own destiny.
@ChazTheYouthful2 жыл бұрын
Hey don't forget Saga 1(Final Fantasy Legend). They pulled that theme out in 1989.
@hotman718 Жыл бұрын
Deus wasn't actually God though. More of a manmade science experiment. The wave existence is the closest thing to God in Xenogears
@ludonymous52620 күн бұрын
Those themes are much older than you think.
@nick8592 жыл бұрын
This is my favorite game of all time, thanks for doing a video on it. So heavy and dense with references and allusions, it’s definitely right up the alley of topics you usually cover. FYI, there’s a podcast called Retrograde Amnesia that covers this game in season 1 of their show (about 40 1hr episodes). The Retrograde guys appear on Reaonant Arc in a few episodes.
@_eseru_2 жыл бұрын
Oh! Thanks for this comment! I'll definitely listen to this podcast. ^^
@thekeefer6902 жыл бұрын
This game is a true Gem amongst Gems, one of my all time personal favorites, I still got the strategy guide and game tucked away in a moisture proof container. Great synopsis of a legendary game!
@akoo369 Жыл бұрын
i feel like this is how this game was delivered...found in some ancient sealed time capsule and repackaged for the market...
@vcpinheiro142 жыл бұрын
I have played this game many times and watched countless hours of discussions about it, and you've made the best Xenogears synopsis and general analysis ever.
@StewNWT Жыл бұрын
The greatest story of any video game of all time. Great video. I haven't played it in 25 years but I still remember it like it was yesterday
@vincentmorris60872 жыл бұрын
My favorite RPG of all time! This game had a major impact on my childhood! Thank you for this!
@Izzak_Beck2 жыл бұрын
Welcome to the Xeno community Max. You've just barely scratched the surface of Takahashi's madness and brilliance.
@islandboy93812 жыл бұрын
Takahasi and his wife Soria Saga, she was also integral to the writing of Xenogears
@Izzak_Beck2 жыл бұрын
@@islandboy9381 this is fair, it's a shame she isn't as involved in the more recent entries in the overarching franchise.
@WheatDos2 жыл бұрын
@@Izzak_Beck Her name is Soria SAGA and one of the entries is XenoSAGA... Coincidence? I THINK NOT!!! (seriously now, it's a interesting coincidence).
@akoo369 Жыл бұрын
where does this community meet?
@Sherkel10 ай бұрын
@@akoo369 /v/ and this site.
@robokou2 жыл бұрын
Lol, wow... this seems long overdue-at least in my opinion. 😂💯 It just feels like a video about the story of Xenogears would've been among Max Derrat's very first, given how perfectly it fits the overall content of his channel.
@thefgcsensei44822 жыл бұрын
Same,I've been pestering Max for years in his comment section for his insight on the game. glad he got to it!
@janrea31022 жыл бұрын
Growing, evolving, and sharing new knowledge. That's what I like about his channel.
@thefgcsensei44822 жыл бұрын
@@janrea3102 I dig this part, and he hasn't gotten into the finer Alchemical, jungian,Nietzschian and freudian themes. thats gonna be a blast, this game was basicly tailor-made for his taste
@turdburglar16122 жыл бұрын
I am always impressed how Japanese look into other religions like Christianity and decided to make a video game based off some of the themes in their own way.
@robokou2 жыл бұрын
Indeed, Xenogears was a major component in what served to put me on the path of becoming a Christian. 💯
@zekiel25332 жыл бұрын
... It's not Christianity. It's counterfeiting real Christianity( Those who just follow the Bible teachings and nothing more) and creating a different narrative. A different gospel. And the comments about square not making xemogears a FF game because it would be too dark are true. Because those religions mentioned in this video that try to relate themselves to Christianity are very deceitful in how they tell you there existence
@trappercap2 жыл бұрын
@@zekiel2533 actually based. Gnosticism isn’t Christianity at all by sheer virtue of removing Christ from the equation. It’s yet another works-based-salvation faith. The early Church shunned it when it arose.
@robokou2 жыл бұрын
@@trappercap, with all due respect, neither you nor @Zekiel know what either Gnosticism or Christianity is. Gnosticism refers to a certain school of thought that most scholars agree began with Christianity. That said, Gnosticism isn't necessarily Christianity, but Christianity is indeed Gnosticism. 💯
@harunocaleon57862 жыл бұрын
It's gnosticism, not christianity.
@ramonaneses40172 жыл бұрын
I loved this game; I'll always love this game.
@zakikhan8142 жыл бұрын
Very thorough and clear analysis. You categorize and label concepts well without losing track like many others do. especially with this game as the content is massive
@WhitePilledSanctuary2 жыл бұрын
A childhood favorite that took on more meaning with my adult conversion to Catholicism. Excited to see this. Billy Lee Black was my favorite character.
@charlielyrictarot2 жыл бұрын
Xenogears is absolutely one of the most overlooked JRPG’s in history. Please do more! This game deserves so much more then what it was received or given.
@shadowwolf13552 жыл бұрын
Excellent synopsis and I cant wait to see more coverage of Xenogears
@DarkSol132 жыл бұрын
Xenogears as far as I'm concerned is THE final boss of videogames, the kind of experience that leaves a huge gaping hole in your heart when you finish it and truly understand it. Honestly, once you, at the minimum, have played Xenogears, Nier, Deus Ex, MGS and maybe a Zero Escape game you've pretty much seen it all, when it comes to deeper, more ambitious/twisty narratives in games, everything else is more or less just a variation. And it's kind of sad because that's not a very long list of essentials. Xenogears is far from my favourite game ever (ironically, Xenoblade 1 is easily top 3 but for very different reasons) but it absolutely towers above everything else as a ridiculous, tremedous achievement in terms of thematic depth in a medium where you're just supposed to push buttons to punch bad guys in the face and ask questions later. No other game tells a tale of such epic proportions and huge personal growth. There's just nothing quite like it. Try as I might I never found anything of similar magnitude condensed into one single game. Nothing surprises me, nothing excites me anymore, especially after the aforementioned list of games. And gameplay isn't something that can elicit a profound emotional response from me, ever, I'm all about story, always have been. It's a painful realization that I'm an old, jaded gamer and I simply ran out of sources of depth and profoundness inside my favourite medium. Video games can still be "fun" for me of course but those kinds of "fun" are very different. Books and movies are of course out there, but it's just not the same experience. No one is taking risks with games like Xenogears these days and it sucks. Even the creator of Xenogears himself went down the despicable waifu road in his more recent creations. Anyway, glad that this game is getting more exposure especially with that DOPE AS HELL analysis from Resonant Arc guys which I can't recommend enough for anyone who's interested in Xenogears. And sorry for being such a downer in my post lol. I just needed to vent really badly.
@0005856772 жыл бұрын
I feel you, here's my suggestion in case you haven't played this game: To the Moon (made me ugly cry, also very short).
@DarkSol132 жыл бұрын
Played it, loved it. Kan Gao's games are super legit =)
@Vodoriga2 жыл бұрын
I'd add Persona 2 and maybe silent hill 2 in that list of yours.
@Anthony-un4yz2 жыл бұрын
The Legacy of Kain series should be on this list as well!
@ChaMok2 жыл бұрын
Agree that everything is a sort of variant. I'd still passionately suggest FF 14.
@TheSerioshka912 жыл бұрын
God I wish they finished Xenogears...and I wish there was some sort of HD remaster. This game is the epitome of JRPGs, along with: - Persona 4/5 - Final Fantasy X - The Legend of Dragoon - Parasite Eve
@hekonaleeinos55102 жыл бұрын
Interestingly enough, both Parasite Eve and Xenogears happen to draw from the same "creative stew" that was the conception of Final Fantasy 7. Some major ideas and concepts from both games are essentially re-purposed elements of FF7 prototypes that didn't make the cut.
@harunocaleon57862 жыл бұрын
It's hard. The game would receive a blackash.
@alexisandre852 жыл бұрын
I remember playing this game on high school and how his story blow my mind.
@TheFos882 жыл бұрын
Dude I want to play a game on my school
@intrinsicallylast52462 жыл бұрын
I will always always always give love, likes and watches to anyone who gives this game publicity. So here it is. It deserves a remaster along the lines of FF7. Thank you.
@dragongamer47532 жыл бұрын
Sadly it probably wont happen since the director tetsua takahashi started monolithsoft and works for nintendo now. On the bright side the xenoblade series continues these themes and are just as ambitious espically in their worldbuilding.
@Dionaea_floridensis2 жыл бұрын
@@dragongamer4753 Though I had my issues with X and 2, I still think they were great games and I think Tetsuya Takahashi still has lots of great stories to tell
@docblade32702 жыл бұрын
Hope not, at lest with the story adaptation, i played the original FF7 many time and have no idea of what is happening in the story of the new version, and Xenogears is really complex in its original version, so, when they try to "adapt it to modern audiences" probably will deform everything!
@fattiger69572 жыл бұрын
@@dragongamer4753 The only way I would accept a Xenogears remake is if Square got the cooperation of Tetsuya Takahasi, Soraya Saga and MonolithSoft. That way, they could completely realize Xenogears in the way it was originally intended. I don't think it's completely out of the question. Square and Nintendo seem to like working together, so I don't see an issue with the game being a Nintendo-exclusive (probably on a future system)
@jaygarcia63882 жыл бұрын
not gonna happen lol...
@raindennis55172 жыл бұрын
Loved this video, watched it as soon as I saw it pop up, please do more on xenogears!!! Great job!
@alpharorschach87082 жыл бұрын
Oh Lord, it only has 20k views so far. I need more Xenogears videos from you Max, you are just the most profound and methodical analyst in the video game, media and pop culture industry. Your videos have helped me to overcome a horrible existential crysis, so thank you and please keep them coming.
@ZachAnsley Жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for this video. I'm playing through it again now as an adult and just seeing this synopsis has already opened my eyes up to things I hadn't even considered!
@DaCrazyHand2 жыл бұрын
Always down for more Xeno- absolutely my favorite series.
@thechamberofchillz97052 жыл бұрын
Yes more vidoes about Xenogears!! It's an amazing piece of work that deserves more attention!!
@alovidya2 жыл бұрын
Finally! It's here! I am so glad you made this one Max. I've been suggesting it for years now lol. I'll watch it after I get some shit done.
@IsaacG82 жыл бұрын
Whoa, very deep. I thought I understood the story when I first played it, but you shined some light on details I missed. Also, good analysis. As a Xenogears fan, a Christian, and someone who studied Kabbalah; I have to say this video was on point.
@michiganjack13372 жыл бұрын
Oh I remember when this first came out, I bought it played for 20 hours and didn’t touch it for 6 years. Oddly enough it was those 6 years in I grew and matured in which made me enjoy it more so than I ever would have as a senior in high school when it first came out. Resonant Arc is a great podcast great to see them get a shoutout. 🖖🗽
@ItsAnEndlessWorld2 жыл бұрын
My all-time favorite video game. Love seeing people make content about it still to this day.
@viru520002 жыл бұрын
Having bought and played Xenogears (and still have the original game and stratagy guide!) when it first came out, it will always be one of my favorites. I've been into mecha and gunpla most of my life as well, and it wasn't until very recently that the Gears were made into kits! The mecha designers work(ed) on many Gundam series, so the similarities aren't surprising in my interests. It's a shame that Tetsuya Takahashi, the creator of Xenogears and the entire Xeno game series that is akin to Final Fantasy doesn't get enough credit like we give to Yoko Taro and Hideo Kojima. Please do more on this. It was over 20 years ago that I played and the game is so massive that even once I finished it... I was never 100% sure what was going on, only that it was awesome.
@issa2292 жыл бұрын
Please do more videos on Xenogears! This was an excellent analysis of one of my favorite games! You never fail to impress, thank you, Max!
@ChrisLeeX2 жыл бұрын
Ok, out of all the xenogears videos I've watched, you give the the best synopsis. This is something I can show my friends to entrance them a bit.
@Voitan2 жыл бұрын
20:26 What ALL Xenogear fans came here for. The crucifixion of our lord and savior Chu-Chu.
@maxderrat2 жыл бұрын
Peace be upon him.
@robokou2 жыл бұрын
@@maxderrat *her I'm pretty sure Chu-Chu identified as female, lol.
@blaire41152 жыл бұрын
Xenosaga, arguably, even more ambitious but more complete experience.
@chrislennon4602 жыл бұрын
Cliff hanger ending is hardly more complete. Sure they cut gameplay from gears, but the main story is at least complete unlike saga.
@blaire41152 жыл бұрын
@@chrislennon460 Why, main plot of the trilogy is pretty much complete by the end of Xenosaga 3. I'm aware of many changes, compromises, canceled games and all that, but that still beat infamous Xenogears Disc 2.
@chrislennon4602 жыл бұрын
@@blaire4115 xenosaga has a ton of loose ends. Go play it again, you don't seem to remember. Xenogears wraps up all the main plot points by the end, the only cut content was gameplay and side characters story. You don't see what happened to like the Kaiser of Kislev or Yui, but who cares in the grand scheme of things, they weren't integral to any of the main plot. The ending of xenosaga leaves so much unfinished in the main story.
@blaire41152 жыл бұрын
@@chrislennon460 While story was rushed somewhat in Ep 3, you certainly can't blame it of being inconclusive. The main arcs are resolved, and all of the characters receive some degree of closure.
@notlonnie2 жыл бұрын
thanks for covering xenogears! the game really confused me so much as a kid but it's still one of my favourite games ever
@chauncypeppertooth94382 жыл бұрын
Love your channel. Xenogears goes deeper than any other game. Period. I’d love a series on this game
@ChrisLeeX2 жыл бұрын
The greatest game of all time for all eternity. Full stop.
@mehmetefe50372 жыл бұрын
Whole analysis and linking Jungian references in a nutshell is just super cool man. I know your main focus is perusing video games, but I'd like hear your thoughts on 'Ergo Proxy' sometime.
@DarksteelHeart2 жыл бұрын
This is such a thorough analysis... I see where there's a lot of connections to Xenosaga as well. I'd love to see more of this.
@yia012 жыл бұрын
yea, xeno saga was suppose to cover teh time period after humanity colonize the milky way and lose teh zohar, then got attack by the gnosis and rediscover teh zohar, then weaponize teh zohar into dues to teh defeat of deus and end where the transport ship eldris crash into that lone planet.
@DirtyCasual365 ай бұрын
22:46 I just like to note that, it's not just that they didn't have time to finish the game, personnel were pulled from the Xenogears development because Square prioritized the Development of Final Fantasy 7, which was being developed at the same time.
@robertnyklewicz85822 жыл бұрын
The idea of Adam Kadmon reminds me of the giant Ymir from Norse Mythology.
@ShinryuZensen4 ай бұрын
Well, there's a theory that all religion are actually the same one , just adapted to their respective society. It's symbolism after all.
@lunamoon64102 жыл бұрын
I don't know how to properly word this comment, honestly. I've been a subscriber to your channel for...well...years now, and your videos have been a source of wonder and comfort for me, from your videos discussing Silent Hill and Final Fantasy, to your videos on Autism and Aspurgers Syndrome(as someone who has it, it's such a relief to find someone who has videos on it that just...make sense). I'm a month late to watching this video, but... I've never before wanted to both cheer and cry with relief at one video. I can't properly describe how awesome it is to see someone like you dive even a fraction, properly, into Xenogears. Xenogears and Xenosaga have been a part of my childhood and life since i was old enough to comprehend video games, and just... God, I can't put this into words. This video was *fantastic*, and you're doing an amazing job, Max. Honestly. :)
@maxderrat2 жыл бұрын
Your comment is so sweet, Luna. This honestly might be one of the kindest messages I have ever received. Thank you so much.
@lunamoon64102 жыл бұрын
@@maxderrat I am so sorry I missed this! Thank you so much! Honestly, Xenosaga is almost just as dense and deep as Xenogears, except it has some of the breathing room Xenogears really didn't. Fair warning, with emulating Xenosaga...2, I think, for a few segments there can be some shadow and skybox glitches, so just keep an eye out for that. And if you are able to, look into Xenosaga: Pied Piper, and Xenosaga: A Missing Year. It's extra content that helps flesh things out between the second and third games. I genuinely hope you have fun with the series as a whole, thank you so much for everything, and you just have a fantastic time in general. :)
@512TheWolf5122 жыл бұрын
Morrowind. granted, they were forced to scale it down a lot, but is still a PHENOMENAL game.
@maxderrat2 жыл бұрын
Oh, good call!
@silent_stalker36872 жыл бұрын
I know :( I wish they didn’t have to scale down the map…
@blackdragon54782 жыл бұрын
You might wanna check XenoSaga. Thier kinda intertwined.
@Spacefrisian2 жыл бұрын
I tried Morrowind, but didnt like it. I think Summoner of the same time is the better game.
@512TheWolf5122 жыл бұрын
@@Spacefrisian yes it's not for everyone. Typical CoD fanboy definitely wouldn't enjoy it
@andersdupont472 жыл бұрын
Such a concise explanation of central elements you've had so relatively little time to digest. I so hope there will be more videos, Xenogears is a game that keeps giving and its the perfect match for this channel.
@vagabondgoat2 жыл бұрын
YES! PLEASE MORE XENOGEARS
@thefgcsensei44822 жыл бұрын
Glad you finaly got around to it in any form and am grateful that you have given us your insight on it, especially after my own and several other fans of yours kept pestering you about it for years!
@aaronmarchand9992 жыл бұрын
My favorite game. So epic. Nothing can compare. I remember after beating it the first time, and then at the end of the credits it says "Xenogears episode 5"... I was so excited for all the prequels, but unfortunately that never happened, just another example of how ambitious this was, the fact that after 60 hours it was still "incomplete" with a rushed disc 2, but the entire game was really only 1 5th of the what it was meant to be...
@jeffalcantara6719 Жыл бұрын
This video deserves much, much more likes. The task of summarizing this game in the most concise manner is near impossible !
@azrealelric51012 жыл бұрын
I love this Game and it profoundly impacted me. I remember getting done with FF7 my freshmen year of college and was looking for other in depth J RPG’s when I stumbled across Xenogears. I have never been so enthralled and felt so accomplished when the final scene played. I think I legit cried at feeling like I had come through an emotional journey I never expected. The Freudian references were a little on point but made me laugh as it fell inline with my psych classes at the time 🤣
@EmeraldaKasim2 жыл бұрын
I agree. I’m 19, beat it a few days ago. One of the best experiences ever
@adamorth5335 Жыл бұрын
Please make more. This game needs more love. All the love.
@roseopheliashepherd83792 жыл бұрын
this just backs up my query "why do Japanese creators know western esotericism better than most westerners", terms such as Zohar, Evangelion, Archon, gnosis, all the Jungian archetypes. On reddit four-casette says there was a fascination of Jewish culture in japan in the 80's which would explain their familiarity with these terms. the contraction of God that Max mentions is called Tzimtzum ("contraction")
@fattiger69572 жыл бұрын
It doesn't matter where they are from. I'm sure the creators (Takahashi and Saga) did a lot of research. Western writers also could have done the same research and applied it to their work if they wanted. Passion and due diligence are universal aspects of great creators.
@crozraven2 жыл бұрын
In the 80s & 90s, religious paths & occultism or theology stuffs were a very popular topic to read/discuss in Japan. This is why you would find many of Japanese series/works during that time filled with religious iconography & themes. Not just games, but also manga, anime, novel, movies, etc (even freaking hentai LOL). This trend would continue on in early 2000s (just watch anime & manga of those period to know what I mean).
@roseopheliashepherd83792 жыл бұрын
All you guys gave great answers, like everything there is multiple possible truths, it doesnt invalidate objectifity, it just expands the notion that anything humans have created will have been shaped by their worldview and reflect their flaws. Ive been studying esotericism since maxs video on alchemy x
@inphanta2 жыл бұрын
I'm SO glad you finally did this! Xenogears is one of my favourite games ever and your video served a a great primer. I look forward to seeing more in depth analysis from you!
@mateusgreenwood10962 жыл бұрын
It's a repetitive thing to say but Xenogears would really be impossible to make in modern age, all of its philosophical, and psychological themes would be called pretentious by an endless wave of naysayers, its religious symbolism and concepts called edgy by those who are dismissive of art or easily offended, it's approach to romance and sexuality would be controversial and censored, its sci-fi inspirations from books and old anime would get it labelled as a rip-off and the tropes the story has (such as killing a god and uncovering the secrets of a manipulative religion) would be interpreted as a cliche amongst an sea of RPGS despite being the first one to dare make such a story. It truly is an unrepeatable treasure.
@Kintsugi23 Жыл бұрын
Lightning in a bottle
@jefffarnworth75782 жыл бұрын
ENGAGEMENT FOR XENOGEARS!!! It's been in my top 3 games of all time since I first played it back in 1999.
@arielconstante2122 жыл бұрын
One of the best games i've ever played! The first CD is almost perfect! Sadly... The second part looks incomplete in some sense. But the story, ost, and ambientantion are truly magnificent! Nice work! Also: Deus is the portuguese/latin word for God.
@ohamatchhams2 жыл бұрын
Deus has etymological root of PIE root of Dyaus, usually associated with Sky father deities, one of subjects by "Gnostic" groups and religions to be among the ranks and types of Archons and Demiurge(s), all while Xenogears used sporadically of parts of interpretations of Sethians and Valentinians of Demiurges as either evil to malfunctionally flawed
@benjaminkeith14172 жыл бұрын
“Xenogears is like the entire MGS series in one.” All who asked you to play, “Get it now Max?” And it’s obvious you’ve now been indoctrinated in its complex unfinished but narrative glory. Now just use “The One Who is Torn Apart” as your sleep theme for 24 years… And you’ll eventually realize why so many will never forget or let this story/game go. Well done.
@Pine21422 жыл бұрын
I finished this game last night during the wait for XC3 and I never thought I'd say this but it truly does live up to it's legacy and all this buzz around how ambitious and how much of a masterpiece it is. Xenogears is genuinely beyond just a video game. It's really a journey that makes you question, learn and develop. Not to mention that it's also just a genuinely fun game with great gameplay.
@serhatkucukberksun35232 жыл бұрын
i played this masterpiece when i was in college. bought it at a monday afternoon started it the same night and at friday night of the same week my save file was 64 hours while going to school and attending classes and doing daily things like eating etc.. 4 days 64 hours i was that much addicted to it.. good old golden times of jrpg.
@mLnr-gz3jl2 жыл бұрын
oh wow this games story is so interesting. I would love to have max derrat style explanation, you always do it the best.
@dasuero74892 жыл бұрын
Yet again, you've introduce me to yet another gem of a game that I have yet to play, Max, besides psychonauts and siren. Thanks for giving us something to reflect on and for some, reminisce. By the way, you mentioned something about the jung shadow in another video of yours in that it includes positive and not just dark, negative traits that are repressed. Could you elaborate on what those positive traits of the Shadow are or could be, Max? Once more, I can't thank you enough for your community and your passion for gaming, gaming analysis, your interest in psychology and the links to the traditions of gnosticism, christianity, hindu and bhuddist tradition, etc. I hope you had a warm, good Christmas
@jakeausten96732 жыл бұрын
"Even if I go to hell, I will live till the end of this world. And if the world does not come to an end… I will destroy it with my own hands!" -Grahf Thanks for this video, Xenogears is my favourite game of all time.
@paulfinch10832 жыл бұрын
I've been gaming since that late 80s and Xenogears is still one of best games I've ever played. I wish more people could experience it.
@unskillfullymasterful2 жыл бұрын
nice thumbnail bruh. ive always loved her design and figure, so masterfully crafted
@munkeemojo2 жыл бұрын
I remember when the US release had names and dialogue changed because of the religious zealots here.
@CP-yl2vc2 жыл бұрын
I said it 25 years ago and I say it still: "Greatest RPG ever." IMHO. Great video, would love to see more.
@813quiman2 жыл бұрын
Chrono trigger says hey
@dearhorse0852 жыл бұрын
That's the problems with lore heavy games like that. They give you a lot of information, but they do a very poor job at connecting, unfolding and presenting this information.
@dugtrioramen2 жыл бұрын
I think xenogears did it really well in its grand reveals, but throughout the rest of the game was pretty confusing and sloppy (like all the gazel scenes and also when talking about nation history and stuff)
@ostangvulkahn18752 жыл бұрын
Perfect works for the assist max love your videos hope this blows up so you make more
@HK-420692 жыл бұрын
I would love a remake of this game especially because of the 2nd half. It's such a rich masterpiece that never had it's chance to shine under the shadow of FF7
@maxway74652 жыл бұрын
Very glad you covered this game. I hope in the future you’re able to cover the Xenosaga and Xenoblade games. They all share the same the core 10,000+ year narrative that was created with Xenogears, but told in their own way. Also helps each series builds upons the previous series in terms of gameplay, world design, characters, etc.
@samsalisipan Жыл бұрын
Great synopsis. But when's the next video?
@Niemand2 жыл бұрын
Yes, please, do more of it, my long-lasting wish is that one day this game maybe garners enough attention that a Team, with the blessing of SquareEnix, Tetsuya Takahashi and Soraya Saga, will make a remake, either in the 'complete' Episode 5 or a passing of the torch and Xenogears making a comeback in its entirety.
@islandboy93812 жыл бұрын
I rather wanna see the Episode 6 from Perfect Works be made a game at this point, wheter that be done through a different name like Xenoblade Chronicles
@Niemand2 жыл бұрын
@@islandboy9381 I understand where that notion is coming from, since all other episodes are pretty much having a rough concept framed out for them while Episode 6 is a unknown. But, given concepts that allways repeated I have an Idea, a hunch what it may could have been: The creation of a Zohar/MAM, either in the frame of an Ouroborus cycle of eternal reoccurrence or the birth of a new universe through it. In that sense every Xeno part becomes another 'cycle' if you think about it...
@MementoDespair2 жыл бұрын
5:37 that looks like the Aegis Crystal from Xenoblade 2
@spardadante62952 жыл бұрын
Because it originates here. In Xenogears and the spiritual prequel to xenogears. Xenosaga.
@sacredgear2 жыл бұрын
Great video. I need replay the game because 15 year old me didn’t understand just how epic this game was.
@mihaipisica07852 жыл бұрын
You should play the Yakuza games. They have a phenomenal story. Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen has a really philosophical ending, something close in intensity to the most profound moment in games that you presented on you channel. And is also inspired by Berserk. Anyway.. Thank you for the amazing work!!
@TheFos882 жыл бұрын
Experienced that finale years ago and it never left me. That is a wild wild story no lie.
@mihaipisica07852 жыл бұрын
@@TheFos88 It truly was an astounding experience and memorable.. nothing I have seen before in the game prepared me for it, even though the supposed „final boss” was also amazing, the true ending was like.. „Going all in”. It was perfect. Ending everything on a high note. No bullshit, just a fantastic conclusion to an weird, unique and phenomenal game. One of the GOATS in gaming history. Glad to see more people felt the.. I could say „power” of that ending, but maybe „truth” is a better word for it.
@TheFos882 жыл бұрын
@@mihaipisica0785 hell yes! Really hope to see a well made sequel at some point. Honestly though, I also feel like it stands on its own and maybe it's better for it. Kind of like Breaking Bad ending after just 5 seasons was perfect for it and anymore wouldn't have held the same impact.
@hitokitty2 жыл бұрын
I was waiting for this release for the past month and never received any notification! WTF KZfaq, I have this channel on all notifications specifically for the kind of content I want to catch!
@Voitan2 жыл бұрын
Virtually the Evangelion of video games. On purpose.
@Shamax02 жыл бұрын
Phew I'm an early bird today, never played it but always really wanted to, I'm really captivated by the mysticism in jrpgs
@cerfreferf66002 жыл бұрын
Bro, I assume, you are probably not into visual novels, but if you will ever decide to play one, make it Umineko and please, do an analysis of it.
@E.S.A.Gaming2 жыл бұрын
This kind of video will push the door for remake. I enjoy watching to the very end. Subscribed.
@the_Analogist40112 жыл бұрын
SPOILERS: i wish we could have seen Deus as being similar to Fei. I always read that single line from Deus "you shall be as gods" to be a socially awkward invitation from the newly birthed consciousness of Deus. we know in the end that a fully assembled Deus is capable of some kind of transmigration and this made me see Deus as similar to Frankenstein's creature in that both are artifical beings rejected by their creators. This of course ties in with the way in which Fei is exiled from his town as a result of his own misunderstood powers. I talked about it in my analysis, but i dont produce enough to appease the lords of the algorithm.
@jstealth89 Жыл бұрын
Phenomenal video. I bough tthis game on a whim about 8 years ago for my PSVita. One of the best game I've ever played.
@Felhate2 жыл бұрын
Xenogears > Xenosaga > Xenoblade. I was so disappointed when they decided to go with the Xenoblade weeb route. It is too bad when they decided to "reboot" Xenogears to the Xenosaga and Xenoblade. Xenosaga was ok but I never felt any emotion playing Xenoblade. Just felt like a super weeb game.
@oracle2222 жыл бұрын
Xenoblade may look 'weeb' but they're almost as deep as the other Xeno games, especially 2.
@oracle2222 жыл бұрын
Also this is coming from someone who loved Gears and the Blade games, but never played Saga
@crowstakingoff2 жыл бұрын
I didn't watch the video, but would like to ask: are all these series connected? Or they just share the xeno part
@oracle2222 жыл бұрын
@@crowstakingoff they have similar motifs, objects, character tropes, and plot elements but they are wholly unrelated to each other. Think of them as parallel universes of each other. Even all three Xenoblade games aren't really connected to each other
@wdcain1Ай бұрын
This game blew my mind back in the day. I really don't think any other ps1 game was as deep as Xenogears.
@blountman7472 жыл бұрын
Incredible game Incredible video and analysis
@tbxvividos2 жыл бұрын
it's 2022 and xenogears is still somewhere in my top 3 games ever made.
@Niemand2 жыл бұрын
Just been thinking about this game lately, like a lot, again. SO seeing you looking into it is really something VERY appreciated.
@roadlifeproductions49052 жыл бұрын
Well done. You’re right though, this barely scratches the surface of the ambition and depth of this story. Please cover more with more videos
@AlexerXodiaczoderiaАй бұрын
What's interesting in this is the symbolism present in Xenogears that's based on the Kabbalah isn't the only interpretation of the text I know of in Japanese Media. Around the early 2010's, Konami, as part of its efforts to expand the Yugioh card game to international markets, created the Duel Terminal arcade cabinets. These cabinets featured a host of both new and old strategies, but the most notable thing they had was a *Story.* See, some decks in Yugioh had a small piece of general lore to expand on the card art. Many decks released up to that point that were not part of the various animes of that time had some measure of background story. Duel Terminal's decks, however, were the very _first_ instance of _multiple_ decks having an interconnected story. The first wave of Duel Terminal detailed the story of 4 tribes, the secluded Mist Valley, the war-loving Flameveils, the rigid Ice Barriers, and the noble X-Sabers. These 4 tribes warred with one another for varying reasons, but their struggles were halted by the arrival of the Worms from beyond the stars. The Worms consumed life-bearing planets and left death and desolation in their wake, and to stop them, the tribes united into the Allies of Justice, utilizing a race of creatures known as the Genex to fight the Worms. Eventually, the alliance won, but the abuse of the Genex to do so awoke the creator god Sophia, who decided to wipe out the tribes for their constant warring. Sophia was later defeated and destroyed, at heavy cost, but her loss led to further travesties. It was revealed later on that Sophia's presence maintained a secret mystical and biotechnological system of the planet known as the Sephirot system, responsible for the reincarnation of souls who died. Without Sophia, the system was corrupted by her counterpart Tierra, a god of chaos and destruction, who used it to create lifeless husks from the bodies of the dead, called the Shaddolls, and later corrupted the Sephirot's self-defense system, the Qliphorts, to use their power sources to create monsters known as the Infernoids, with each Qliphort and Infernoid bearing reference to a point on the Sephirot. The Duel Terminal ended with Tierra's destruction and the full resurrection of those who had been lost in ages past, but its interesting to see how similar elements from the same source material were interpreted in different ways by two different forms of Japanese media.
@thomaskehl62052 жыл бұрын
Excellent work! Such a deep and well done analysis, I'm really looking foward for more videos about Xenogears!
@PiedraDeIjada Жыл бұрын
I so need to play this again. Xenogears (and Chrono Cross) pretty much taught me English. I really loved that game but it was a struggle. Sometimes I had to read things over and over again because I had a hard time understanding the story. But the story still managed to impress me. So now I want to play it again just because my English is so much better than it was when I played Xenogears.
@maladavek2 жыл бұрын
Thank you Max for making this awesome video! Xenogears has always been one of my favourite games since its release!
@manamongmen33812 жыл бұрын
Do what you enjoy on the channel, don't overbook your video schedule. youtube burn out can be a bitch. I love seeing things like this though, and I have been wondering where I should start in the xenogear/saga/blade games. I may be convinced that I should check this one out.
@maxderrat2 жыл бұрын
Tell me about it, my man. :/ I took a few days off this Christmas holiday, trying to take it easy. I think I needed that, otherwise this video in particular would have caused me burn out. At the moment, I'm feeling quite good and creative. Thanks for your concern and your support.