If you're looking for the pay-off and pain Episode I promised, this game delivers in spades by piecing most of its prequels' unresolved narrative threads together, should you look past the rush. Shion thankfully returns to form as a character, reclaiming the spotlight. The database alleviates the availability issue of the spin-off games. As for the combat, it streamlines its precursors while retaining a sense of deliberateness. This saga got me into Nietzsche and Jung for what it's worth.