As a fan of the Xenoblade games I decided to finally get around to play Xenogears and boy was it amazing. For a game that came out in 1998 it was very ambitious. This games main focus is on its outstanding story and the intriguing characters within. unfortunately the reason I have it at an 8/10 is due to the games second disc. due to budget costs/time constraints Xenogears went from gameplay/cutscenes, to storybook monologue with pictures of what's happening and this just really took me out of the immersion of the game. but thankfully I was already so invested in the plot that I still got some enjoyment out of the endgame "gameplay". overall a really Great game.

first off, yes I do have nostalgia with this game. However I just recently played through this game and I stand by my score of 8/10. I think im one of the select few people who actually really enjoy the Knuckles/Rouge stages (except Meteor herd). The egg-man/Tails sections are kinda lame, However, the sonic/shadow stages are the best 3d stages in any 3d sonic game, and that's a fact. so many secrets in each level and unlocking the power-ups throughout the game encourages multiple replays of each level. you get a lot of freedom as well since its not just run in a straight line like all the new 3d sonic titles. ALSO, the Chao garden is waaayyyy better in this game compared to sonicA1. so many ways to customize your chao with the hero/dark path, you can sink literal days just messing around in the chao garden alone. i only wish there was more minigames and things to do once you had your chao maxed out.
not to mention that this game has a killer soundtrack as well.
Solid 8/10 dont let the haters turn you away from a very enjoyable game.