Two hundred years in the future, Shion Uzuki is a scientist working on KOS-MOS, a cyborg designed to combat the threat of the Gnosis, an alien race that is unaffected by conventional weapons. When a mysterious golden monolith nicknamed "Zohar" is brought aboard, KOS-MOS might have to be brought out before it's fully tested.

Thus begins "Xenosaga," the long- awaited sequel to the 1998 Squaresoft sleeper hit, "Xenogears." Five years later, the prequel was created by Namco with plans for five more games in the series, including an eventual remake of "Xenogears" itself.

While most role playing games take the route of player exploration, "Xenosaga" is a quirky mix of linear dungeons and long, we're talking 30 minutes and more, cut scenes. The game is roughly 40 hours long, and half of that time is going to be spent watching the screen, controller at your feet, next to your dropped jaw.

Why? Well, "Xenosaga" is a beautiful game. Everything, not just the cut scenes, is gloriously animated, the battle animations are awe-inspiring (if a bit on the long side) and "Xenosaga's" maps are wholly interactive, with plenty to do. Dialogue is almost all done through voice acting, and characters are fluid in their movements.

Story wise, "Xenosaga" manages to create a deeply involving plot, in a world far removed from our own. My only complaint is that it's a bit too far from our own. Unless you're following the dialogue closely, you'll get lost with all the strange terms and acronyms that get thrown around. Luckily, Namco included an in-game dictionary, but it still gets confusing.

Musically, the game falls flat. Many of the game's locations are completely devoid of music, though the little that does play is good. Namco's choice of ambient sounds, like the hum of a spaceship or the quiet footsteps of Shion, fall far short of the rousing music "Xenosaga" should have had.

"Xenosaga's" biggest downfall is that the game can't be played in short stretches. If you want to play, you've got to sit down and spend hours watching cut scenes, some so long they have save points halfway through. The game's hold between being a movie and a video game is loose at best, and I found myself wishing that Namco had just picked one style and went with it. It's a solid game, but not without a host of problems. If you're looking for a good sci-fi book, or a simplistic RPG, "Xenosaga" might just be your perfect game.courtsey photo

Xenosaga finds itself caught between game and movie.

A cultural event this past week allowed student documentary filmmakers the chance to show off their hard work and dedication.

The four-day Reality Bytes film festival for documentary shorts kicked off Tuesday night and ends tonight with the announcement of the Best of Genre and Best of the Fest.

Guest speakers NIU alumnus Wil Hernandez, Robert Katz and Bill Weinman spoke Thursday night about production, editing and direction in the movie business.

Weinman began his career years ago by editing 30-second commercial pieces for a South American television company. This led to various jobs in the industry, including the second unit director position for the Fox sitcom "Parker Lewis Can't Lose."

Katz, known for his production work on "One Hour Photo," explained to the audience the dedication needed to work in big-time entertainment.

"You need to be flexible," Katz said, while he was working with a student through a scenario.

The biographical/autobiographical entries were screened Tuesday night, along with two of the best student films from last year.

Some of the more notable films on Tuesday were "Labor of Love" and "DeKalb Solitaire."

Jerry Bryant, the founder of JBTV, was the subject of the film "Labor of Love." JBTV, founded in 1986 by Bryant, is an independent music video TV station based out of Chicago. Bryant refers to his job as a "labor of love," meaning that the work is difficult, but worthwhile.

The artsy silent film "DeKalb Solitaire" was shot throughout the United States, with the filmmakers journeying to as far as California to film some beautiful images from across the nation. "DeKalb Solitaire" was mainly set to the music of The Beatles and it features some shots taken in DeKalb.

Wednesday night had many standout historical and social documentaries, which included "Our House," "Save Them! The life of Paul Rader, Christian Radio Pioneer" and "Anna & Bill."

"Our House" is a documentary of Chicago's underground rave scene. It showed a different angle of Chicago's rave sub-culture. The documentary explains why ravers indulge themselves into this commonly frowned upon scene and how a few people can ruin the scene for all.

"It had good camera work, good editing, it reflected the hectic and fast-paced nature of the culture," junior English major Matt Rathwell said.

"Save Them! The Life of Paul Rader" is about the life of an almost forgotten great man. Rader was a Christian radio pioneer who used radio to reach the masses. Having great character and an uncommon care for people, Rader was the spiritual leader for many.

Communication professor Jeffrey Chown was impressed with the film.

"It was the most professional student film I've ever seen," he said. "It opens up a part of Chicago radio history that people don't know about these days."

The film fest wraps up tonight with the awards ceremonies, a guest speaker, a reception and final screenings of the winning movies.