History VideoGame / Xenosaga

** Professor Haksheen White is like Dr. Light/Right from MegaMan.

* ContinuityReboot: To ''{{Xenogears}}'', according to WordOfGod.

* UsefulNotes/{{Gnosticism}}: The entire series, and even moreso its spiritual predecessor {{Xenogears}}, are heavily influenced by the Gnostic religion. Proper names and even the overall mythology of the series reflects Gnostic cosmology.

* InNameOnly: Xenosaga was originally thought to be a remake/a complete overhaul of the supposed {{Xenogears}} series, but aside from some {{Expies}} and some similarities, it doesn't really connect with it at all. Also, {{Xenoblade}} was originally thought to be a continuation of Xenosaga when its name was announced. It turned out to be {{Nintendo}}'s way of honoring writer {{Tetsuya Takahashi}}, who wrote all three series.

* ShoutOut: Episode III is littered with subtle and overt nods to ''Xenogears''. One of the bosses in the third game is [[{{Xenogears}} Welltall, which later changes to a red Weltall-Id]].

Known for throwing around heavy amounts of religious symbolism, literary references and TechnoBabble. ''Xenosaga'' is a sort of spiritual successor to its {{Playstation}} predecessor, ''{{Xenogears}}'' (In fact, it was originally going to be a prequel, with Xenogears itself being number five in a six-part series). There is also an InNameOnly sequel named ''{{Xenoblade}}'' for the Wii. It's also notable for being one of the few [[Main/{{RolePlayingGame}} [=RPGs=]]] to have a female lead.

* {{Bishonen}}: chaos (no capitalization needed) and, to a lesser degree, the kid [[CuteShotaroBoy U]][[ArtificialHuman R]][[DesignerBabies T]][[CloningBlues V]]s. Only these guys count because they look underage.

* BrokenBase: The fanbase is broken into 3 parts with each episode. The drama with Episode II's changes was so bad, the admin of the fansite Zenosaga.com (who was the biggest fansite at the time) would ban anyone on the forums if that person defended the game.

** There's a ShoutOut for ''{{Antigone}}''/"The Oedipus Cycle": One type of Mooks (Vive II Prototype) has two beam attacks. One's called Antigone, the other is Ismene. Interestingly, you find this type in the [[KnightTemplar Ormus Stronghold]] in Episode II.

* UnwittingPawn: [[spoiler: Pretty much everyone under Wilhelm's XanatosRoulette, though he has a [[XanatosGambit win-win situation]] in that Roulette.]]

* XanatosRoulette: [[spoiler: Most of the various conspiracies are orchestrated or influenced by Wilhelm with the aid of a prophetic device.]] He is a veritable Xanatos Croupier.

* RememberTheNewGuy: Doctus. In all fairness, the web-based side story that properly introduces her in advance of ''Episode III'' [[NoExportForYou was never released state-side]]... officially.

** [[spoiler: Allen]] also qualifies at the end of ''Episode III'', he ''stands up'' after taking three blasts that would have killed any normal person, and in the ending sequence kills a Gnosis single-handedly. He kills it with a gun, but not by shooting it. ''He bludgeons it to death using the butt of the rifle'', and ''then'' shoots it in the face. ''For emphasis.''

VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}} is a series of three [[Main/{{RolePlayingGame}} [=RPGs=]]] for the {{Playstation 2}}, all named after books written by FriedrichNietzsche. They are, in sequential order, ''Der Wille zur Macht'' (The Will to Power), ''Jenseits von Gut und Böse'' (Beyond Good and Evil ([[VideoGame/BeyondGoodAndEvil no, not that one]])) and ''Also sprach Zarathustra'' (Thus Spoke Zarathustra). Other games in the series include: ''Pied Piper'', a cellphone game, ''Xenosaga Freaks'', a FanService game also for the {{Playstation 2}}, ''Xenosaga I&II'', a remake of ''Episode I'' and ''Episode II'' for the {{Nintendo DS}}, and ''A Missing Year'', a Flash game describing the events between ''Episode II'' and ''Episode III''. Unlike the main trilogy, these games have [[NoExportForYou not been released outside of Japan]].

Known for throwing around heavy amounts of [[FauxSymbolism religious symbolism]], literary references and TechnoBabble. ''Xenosaga'' is a sort of spiritual successor to its {{Playstation}} predecessor, ''{{Xenogears}}'' (In fact, it was originally going to be a prequel, with Xenogears itself being number five in a six-part series). There is also an InNameOnly sequel named ''{{Xenoblade}}'' for the Wii. It's also notable for being one of the few [[Main/{{RolePlayingGame}} [=RPGs=]]] to have a female lead.

VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}} is a series of three [[Main/{{RolePlayingGame}} [=RPGs=]]] for the {{Playstation 2}}, all named after books written by FriedrichNietzsche. They are, in sequential order, ''Der Wille zur Macht'' (The Will to Power), ''Jenseits von Gut und Böse'' (Beyond Good and Evil ([[BeyondGoodAndEvil no, not that one]])) and ''Also sprach Zarathustra'' (Thus Spoke Zarathustra). Other games in the series include: ''Pied Piper'', a cellphone game, ''Xenosaga Freaks'', a FanService game also for the {{Playstation 2}}, ''Xenosaga I&II'', a remake of ''Episode I'' and ''Episode II'' for the {{Nintendo DS}}, and ''A Missing Year'', a Flash game describing the events between ''Episode II'' and ''Episode III''. Unlike the main trilogy, these games have [[NoExportForYou not been released outside of Japan]].

* MemeticMutation: You will not be able to hang around Xenosaga forums or watch Xenosaga videos for very long without hearing "SHION. MY APPEARANCE IS DOWN 5%. I NEED TO BE CLEANED." You just won't.

* DontLookAtTheCamera: Used more often in ''Episode II'' than anywhere else. At least one cutscene on each disk has a lot of monologue or scenes (such as flashbacks) that don't need animated mouths.
** This is in direct contrast to ''Episode III'' and even more to ''Episode I'' where the camera would often be focused directly on the character's face when they were thinking or [[spoiler: communicating with eachother via telepathy.]]

{{Xenosaga}} is a series of three [[Main/{{RolePlayingGame}} [=RPGs=]]] for the {{Playstation 2}}, all named after books written by FriedrichNietzsche. They are, in sequential order, ''Der Wille zur Macht'' (The Will to Power), ''Jenseits von Gut und Böse'' (Beyond Good and Evil ([[BeyondGoodAndEvil no, not that one]])) and ''Also sprach Zarathustra'' (Thus Spoke Zarathustra). Other games in the series include: ''Pied Piper'', a cellphone game, ''Xenosaga Freaks'', a FanService game also for the {{Playstation 2}}, ''Xenosaga I&II'', a remake of ''Episode I'' and ''Episode II'' for the {{Nintendo DS}}, and ''A Missing Year'', a Flash game describing the events between ''Episode II'' and ''Episode III''. Unlike the main trilogy, these games have [[NoExportForYou not been released outside of Japan]].

* {{Bishonen}}: chaos (no capitalization needed) and, to a lesser degree, the kid [[CuteShotaroBoy U]][[ArtificialHuman R]][[GattacaBabies T]][[CloningBlues V]]s. Only these guys count because they look underage.

* MeaningfulName: Where does one even begin? There's Kos-mos, chaos, and T-elos; Nephilim, as well as the name of the Zohar Emulators and the E.S.'s. Also, Gaignun's name comes from the horse in TheSongOfRoland. Horses are generally used as a means of transport. What does Gaignun provide? The Durandal and, by extension, the Elsa. The characters' main means of transport throughout the series.

* JigsawPuzzlePlot: [[UpToEleven And HOW!]] Probably the biggest example in the entire genre... if not the entire medium.