Hier das Review von GameInformer, das XS zum Spiel des Monats gemacht hat.

GameInformer

"GAME OF THE MONTH"
XENOSAGA EPISODE 1:
DER WILLE ZUR MACHT
In Japan, critics gave Xenosaga nearly perfect marks, making it one of the most acclaimed games of all time. Unfortunately, this enthusiasm has only made the wait for Xenosaga to come to our shores all the more painful. However, the exorbitant amount of time has been well worth it. Flip to the next page to find out just how good this potential Final fantasy Killer is. Page 76

XENOSAGA EPISODE 1:
DER WILLE ZUR MACHT
FF X KILLER?

Any seasoned gamer will immediately recognize the numerous parallells, in both appearance and feel, between Xenosaga and Final Fantasy. This shouldn't come as a surprise, considering that many Monolith employees formerly worked at Square. Fortunately, this obvious appropriation of FF elements has been done with smart discrimination. Monolith essentially took everything that makes FF successful, filtered it into Xenosaga, and then cast out everything bad. The final result: a nearly flawless RPG experience.
Gameplay-wise, the basic RPG formula has been applied to Xenosaga. Players will spend considerable time engrossed in the story and combating enemies and several imposing bosses. However, Monolith has diversified the experience by emphasizing he exploration component and adding minigames. Collecting mechanical parts to build Super-Weapons and playing poker are just a couple of the fun diversions.
Battles consist of elements that mostly belong to the Xeno universe and resemble Final Fantasy X only in their appearance. Certain protagonists can operate the Anti-Gnosis Weapon Systems (mechs), which can now be accessed any time during an encounter. Each character also possesses his or her own unique spells (Ether) and fighting style (Techniques). The two new additions (The Skill and Boost Systems) actually create significantly more depth and strategy. Every piece of armor and accessory possesses a certain skill. By extracting a skill such as Ether Defense +4 from an item, players can place it on one of their characters' three slots. Boost points are earned through physical attacks; the more you attack, the faster you'll accumulate BP. Once the meter fills, that character can take an extra turn. Ultimately, knowing what skills and Techniques to utilize and when to boost will often dictate the outcome of a confrontation.
Despite a host of involving GamePlay mechanics that most RPGs can only envy, Xenosaga's crowning achievement is its story. While it's indeed very adult, it doesn't make gratuitous use of nudity or violence. Rather, its mature themes involve a refreshing dose of politics and ethics - two subjects often lacking in the medium. The plot revolves around a society of humans and androids trying to live together peacefully and equally; but given the bloody past betwen the two, they're still suffering growing pains. When a mysterious race of conquering aliens (Gnosis) from another dimension get involved, war breaks out. Episode 1 chronicles the events of this war's beginning introducing all of the principles and the precarious situation that just started. Although the plot is intriguing thus far and I'm hopeful that the six sequels will only improve it, some gamers will certainly dislike Episode 1's ending just as some moviegoers disliked The Fellowship of the Rings' abrupt finale.
Fortunately, Xenosaga's only other faults are very minor - occassionally forced dialogue and a few exceedingly tough battles. However, none of these prolems will hinder your enjoyent of Episode 1. If you've been awaiting the next big RPG, Your wait is finally over.
-CHET

THE BOTTOM LINE
9.75

Concept: It resembles Xenogears in terms of GamePlay, but has many enhancements and additions. The epic story surpasses all in the genre, and the presentation is easily on par with FF X
Graphics: The textures and animation are remarkable
Sound: Xenosaga excels in this area. The music and sound effect are top notch. Voiceovers accompany much of the dialogue
Playability: The control is flawless
Entertainment: The story and gameplay are phenomenal. However, a few of the sequences were slighty cheesy, and the dialogue occasionally felt forced.
Replay Value: Moderately high

SECOND OPINION
Never before have I been as entranced with a story line in a game. Intriguing characters just keep appearing, with tons of bad-asses(Kos-Mos, Ziggy) and few duds(Jr.). Each has depth enough for their own game, but they're together here, stuck in a tangled web. The emotion the story conveys is real, without a cheesy feel to it. When an android is forced by a greedy lieutenant to sacrifice his life, you feel awful. When twists arise, you'll gasp in awe. The presentation complements the great writing, with Suikoden III's cinematography meeting FF X-caliber models. Combat is extensively detailed and fun in execution. Upgrading skills isn't automatic - It's your responsibility. I also like the overworld stealth and interaction. The only flaws I see are bad lip-synching, and not being able to tell if the for-sale equipment is superior to what you have. Xenosaga is truly a triple-A title, and destined for true RPG greatness.
JUSTIN-9.5

captions under screenshots

Like Final Fantasy some special moves are quite cinematic

The Gnosis play an integral role in the story's mystery

The drill game is one of the more interesting and inventive distractions

Our favorite minigame. Too bad real-life Poker isn't so easy

The mechs enhance the game's strategic element

Each character possesses a couple of super-attacks

Ninety nine percent of the cutscenes are all real time - and still look impressive

Kos-Mos is a powerful android with heavy firepower

As you can see, the mechs are much smaller than in Xenogears

Some boss battles are tough, taking over an hour to defeat!"