Anyone played this yet? I might get around to it one day. So what do you think of it thus far?

So far i'm not impressed...i mean it's okay i guess,i just think the story is very average so far and they stretch it out even more so then the first,i mean in 6 hours so far i have actually played maybe 1 hour and a half...it's crazy.

I don't like the new interface either and there's stuff i don't understand yet...they added some height or something,low,high and letters,and they still have the "O" button to confirm everything and "X" to back out and stuff...it's annoying because i'm so use to X...i'm only 6 hours in and now i'm finally in a battle stretch so it's picking up a bit...more later.

The cutscene thing never bothered me in the first, since they were very well done. So is there different boss music this time around?

Well the battle theme is different i think...that's another thing,the camera is farther away from the characters and always at their backs...unless there's an option to change that,i didn't see it.I just met a Boss and i was defeated rather quickly...i didn't skip any battles yet(even though you can see the ennemies,they are almost impossible to avoid if you try)so there is definetly something i don't get with the battle system yet...

Hehe, the break system is annoying! Esp since the bosses have a 4-hit break pattern so you have to boost to break them...anyways, a quick low-down of the battle system:

Each type of attack hits a certain area of the enemy
Area A, B, and C.
What area a character attacks depends on the person you use.
Each enemy has a certain sequence to "break" them.
Lets say enemy A has a break sequence of B B.
After you hit it with a B B sequence, it enters a "break" status. This means attacks will now do 1.5x damage. However, the break status ends after a single turn, meaning to keep this status on the enemy, you need to boost or you have to have stocked attacks. Anyways, once an enemy is in break status, certain chars can then put the enemies in "Down" status or "Air" Status. Both of these status' make the damage do 2x damage. However, with Air, after a turn, the enemy gets the "Down" status, then after another turn, it returns to normal.

Its a little hard to imagine, but if you play you'll understand this ><. It's a unique new thing they added, but it gets annoying, especially with boss fights cuz, like I said, they usually have a 4-sequence break pattern so it takes 2 chars just to break him, then down him, but that means you wasted a boost so bleh...

Anyways, about the actual game, fighting is harder, but they made the cut scene thing worse. Riel is in no way exagerating. At one point I had played for 3 hours straight and it was pure story/cut scenes >.< Other than that, the plot is ok, the graphics are a little better, but basically the same. The character designs are better, for the most part...chaos still has really stupid clothes and KOS-MOS and Ziggy have swimsuits this time, if you load a Xenosaga 1 data. Umm...so yeah, the game is good so far.

I think i get the break thing but if that's how it works i don't like it all...so i guess i'll level up in one spot so i don't have to concern myself with all those B,B up,down things...because it's very hard to follow what you are doing with the ugly interface...the charaters are still great,especially MOMO...her outfit with that blue hat is awesome.

I really have no idea what this game is, but I get the feeling that it's imported, right? As in the text is still in japanese.

As for cut scenes.... man, those are a drag. Especially if they don't put in a skip feature and force you to watch. I remember, years ago, Sword of the Berzerk on the DC was like that. Sure some are pretty and good for the whole story part, but sometimes (especially replays) you just wanna play the game, you know?

No, this game is in the U.S. now because I saw it at Game Stop Saturday and Best Buy Sunday. I never played the first Xenosaga but I really wanted to get around to it. The last PS 2 game I got was AC: Nexus (which I also have not gotten around to beating) but the next game I will get for PS 2 will probably be DMC 3. I may get around to Xenosaga one of these days but who knows.

So is this game a must, I bought the first one and didn't get to beat it (thanks PSO) and at the current moment to beat it I'd have to play through it again. I'm thinking about it but it doesn't appeal to me much since I'd have to play through the first one all over again.

Don't bother...well yeah finish the first one,it was good but skip this sequel,worst battle system ever,with a difficulty off the roof...i mean exploding ennemies before they die deal 300 damage to everyone...what the hell...