Very true. Gnosticism is also present in Xenogears.. The obvious reference being Sophia (a very important figure in Gnosticism, mysticism, and proto-Christianity).

In Gnosticism, Sophia was the mother of God who created the physical Universe.

In Xenogears, Sophia/Elly is the mother of the humans who would become grow and populate the Earth before becoming the fleshy body of God. Like Sophia of Gnosticism, she became lost from the grand plan of the Universe.

Just because you think the heavy stories were the best part doesn't change the fact that the other Xeno games had weak sales. Too much story turns a game into a movie, and paying $50 for a movie is not something the mainstream does, even mainstream RPG players.

I don't see that as relevant, what the mainstream wants isn't going to affect what he wants.  Just because the mainstream didn't like Xenosaga or gears doesn't mean that he should be happy that this new Xeno game went in a different direction.

@ LordTheNightKnight

What are you talking about? Xenogears & Xenosaga: Episode 1 were both million sellers. The only reason why Xenosaga: Episode 2 & 3 didn't sell that well was because Namco didn't market them right. The Metal Gear Solid games have very long cutscenes and they sell very well. That pretty much proves that there is an audience that likes long cutscenes (or at the very least, can deal with them).

I actually have no problems with all four points. Oh well :(

Just because one franchise sold well and happens to have an aspect does not mean that aspect sells a game. Correlation is not causality. Plus unless I am wrong, don't the MGS games have skippable cut scenes? At least the first one did.

It's just as likely people were turned off from the sequels by the first game.

1. Million+ for Xenogears and Xenosaga, weak sales indeed, my friend.

2. They sold well because of their stories, not because of their battle system or graphics.

3. Here's your mistake, there's no "mainstream RPG players", there's Final Fantasy/KH/DQ fans, and RPG fans, and most of these guys love long stories.

4. Who gives a shit about the mainstream? Are you saying that the game should appeal to as many pepole as it could? So instead of being an RPG, you say that the game should've been a Shooter/Kart/Motion/Party/Weight loss game? That way the mainstream will love the game even more!

LOL

1. I admit I used the wrong word there.

2. Correlation=/=causality.

3. Those were the mainstream I meant, and again, just because the games happen to have those does not mean they prefer long stories, especially when there is more story than game.

4a. Bashing the mainstream is just stupid.

4b. When games cost as much as they do, they sure as hell have to appeal to as many people as they can. Making multi-million dollar games that are niche is a fool's task.

4c. Just because you don't think RPGs are mainstream does not mean I think so. Therefore YOU are claiming it shouldn't be an RPG by those lines, not me.