Monolith Soft Should Revive Xenogears

Many people now know Monolith Soft for the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise. However, as someone who adores the various franchises that they have worked with over the years, I hold a different Xeno series dear. While it is suspected that a lot of the source material for the Xenosaga series is considered Lost Media now, I think Monolith Soft should be allowed to dive even further back into its history.

I think that if possible, Monolith Soft should work with Square Enix again to revive a classic that wasn’t really able to experience its full potential to begin with. Xenogears, released in 1998 for the Sony PlayStation, is regarded by many as one of the greatest RPGs of all time. It carries a unique visual design, combat system, and storyline that stands out amongst the other JRPGs of the era.

You play as Fei Fong Wong, a young man with amnesia who is able to pilot a Gear, or mechanical suit similar to a Gundam or other Mecha from typical anime. The story of Xenogears is actually the fifth story in a planned six-story arc. Why the developers began at part five is beyond me, but the story was ultimately left unfinished due to development issues.

Despite a rushed second half and budgetary issues, the story of Xenogears is incredibly unique and full of depth. It combines things such as Jungian psychology, religious symbolism, and a variety of other philosophies to create a vibrant and unique world. Additionally, the characters are well fleshed out with unique personalities that make you want to see their stories play out.

The combat mixes a typical “Active Time Battle” system from JRPGs of the era with combo-based fighting game tactics. It is a style that is incredibly engaging and fun that I haven’t seen used since. Plus, both the heroes themselves and their Gears have unique combos, allowing you to explore a variety of strategies.

If Xenogears were to be revived, I would want the development team to be able to expand however they need to. This might require a multi-game structure similar to Final Fantasy VII Remake’s trilogy, especially if it were to be modernized a bit. I could see it working in either an HD-2D style or a full 3D remake. Either way, there is so much depth and beauty in the story of Xenogears that the team would have no shortage of material to work with.