So, what I find interesting about Shulk is that the Xeno series was a Monolith Soft title, and the company was then purchased by Nintendo. So it shows that they're willing to include characters from franchises that weren't CREATED by Nintendo, just acquired. In addition to actual third parties, of course, but they're guest fighters and Shulk isn't.
You cannot firmly grasp the true form of Squidward's technique!Aside from the Xeno- name and that they were all developed by MONOLITH, they're totally unrelated to each other. Xenosaga originally was planned to be a distant prequel to Xenogears, but that ultimately fell through, especially once they had to chop the length of the series in half.
I sure said that!Does that explain the discrepancy between what I expected and what I got? I know very little about the Xeno series, but I thought I heard Xenogears being a serious and philosophical game, while Shulk seems pretty... campy.
Or does it just say "Shulk joins the battle" or something?
Which of course lends credence to the idea that the English title is just a lucky and yet kind of sad coincidence.
edited 29th Aug '14 11:57:44 PM by Fawriel
I'm quite sure it wouldn't be the most depressing game I've ever played, but I am pretty curious now...
All I know is that Live-A-Live was all fun and games until the penultimate chapter drove me into an existential crisis that literally made me go up to my parents and ask if it's really all worth it at all, so the ball's in Xenogears' court.
Granted, that was a while back, so maybe my cold, battle-hardened heart would see things differently now.

Sakurai's comments make me wonder if Shulk is Smash for's Sonic- Added in relatively late compared to the rest of the cast.
I sure said that!