Few other PlayStation-era RPGs have the mythical status that Square Enix‘s Xenogears holds. A large part of the game’s enduring appeal rests on its one-of-a-kind narrative that blends Freudian psychology, Gnosticism, and shonen-style mecha into a potent mix of influences unlike anything else at the time or since. Though the team behind Xenogears would eventually go on to continue the themes and ideas at the core of the game in its Xenosaga and Xenoblade Chronicles series, many fans still hold the original Xenogears as the best RPG on the PlayStation and even possibly the best RPG of all-time.
At the core of the game’s title, narrative, and gameplay are the Gears themselves — massive humanoid mecha that mimic the abilities and combat skills of their pilots. Each of these Gears has significance in Xenogears‘ story, featuring names that shed some light into the game’s philosophical, literary, and religious influences while also retaining that core component of all things mecha — bombastic action, cool weapons, and an imposing sense of scale. Aside from some standouts, each playable character in Xenogears has two Gears that they will pilot throughout the course of the game’s adventure, with each of them featuring their own strengths and weaknesses in combat as well as a unique set of combo moves the game calls Deathblows.
Weltall
 | Pilot: Fei Fong Wong Weltall is the Gear that kickstars the main narrative of Xenogears and is the former gear of Lacan, the original incarnation of the game’s main character Fei Fong Wong. When Weltall winds up in the village of Lahan and the town is under attack, Fei jumps into the Gear to shockingly discover that he is able to control it effortlessly despite never receiving training on how to pilot a Gear. Fei controls Weltall for much of Xenogears‘ main quest until it is eventually replaced with an upgrade in Disc 2. Deathblows: Raigeki – △△, Weltall punches the enemy twice in rapid succession, Level 1 Reppu – △□, Weltall performs a powerful uppercut punch, Level 1 Raigo – △X, Weltall unleashes a rapid flurry of punches against an opponent, Level 1 Hazan – □△, Weltall performs multiple straight kicks on an enemy, Level 2 Ryuten – □□, Weltall unleashes a series of drill kicks, Level 2 Juji – □X, Weltall knocks the enemy down and does a double stomp, Level 2 Raibu – X△, Weltall performs a combo including a punch, uppercut, and stomp, Level 3 Ryubu – X□, Weltall unleashes multiple drill kicks then finishes with a powerful somersault kick, Level 3 Shinrai – XX, Weltall deals multiple punches and a finishing heavy blow, Level 3 |
Weltall-2
 | Pilot: Fei Fong Wong After Ramsus destroys the original Weltall at the end of Disc 1, Fei receives an upgrade in the form of Weltall-2 thanks to the sage Taura Melchior. Utilizing the power of Id without allowing Fei to transform into the dangerous alter-ego, Weltall-2 is more powerfull and retains the power of an omnigear despite being a normal Gear. Fei pilots Welltall-2, including using it to get revenge against Ramsus, until he receives his final ultimate Gear near the end of the game. Deathblows: Raigeki – △△, Weltall-2 lands two successive punches on the enemy, Level 1 Reppu – △□, Weltall-2 unleashes a powerful uppercut punch, Level 1 Raigo – △X, Welltall-2 lets loose a rapid flurry of punches on an opponent, Level 1 Hazan – □△, Weltall-2 performs multiple kicks against an enemy, Level 2 Ryuten – □□, Weltall-2 unleashes several drill kicks in a row, Level 2 Juji – □X, Weltall-2 performs a double stomp and then finishes with multiple drill kicks, Level 2 Raibu – X△, Weltall-2 lands a punch, an uppercut, and then finishes with a heavy blow, Level 3 Ryubu – X□, Multiple drill kicks that culminate in a finishing somersault kick, Level 3 Shinrai – XX, Weltall-2 unleashes a flurry of punches and then a finishing heavy blow, Level 3 |
Xenogears
 | Pilot: Fei Fong Wong After Fei makes contact with the Wave Existence that resides within the Zohar, Weltall-2 permanently transforms into the game’s most powerful Gear — the titular Xenogears. This ultimate version of Fei’s Gear is not an omnigear but behaves as such, immediately outclassing both versions of Weltall and all other Gears in existence. Only Fei and Elly are able to withstand contact with the Zohar, which accounts for their continual rebirth throughout time to try and break the shackles chaining humanity under control of the Demiurge, and the Xenogears is the means by which Fei will finally be successful. As a result of Xenogears’ improvements over Weltall and divine power, it has several new Deathblows. Deathblows: Raigeki – △△, Xenogears dishes out a heavy blow and a heavy slap to opponents, Level 1 Reppu – △□, Xenogears performs a regular punch and then a reverse hook, Level 1 Raigo – △X, Xenogears unleashes three powerful blows on an opponent, Level 1 Hasan – □△, Xenogears launches an enemy and then performs a heavy blow in mid-air, Level 2 Ryuten – □□, Xenogears lands a punch from its left hand and then follows up with three rapid right-hand punches, Level 2 Jyuji – □X, Xenogears performs two powerful punches and then finishes with a drill kick, Level 2 Raimai – X△, Xenogears unleashes two powerful blasts and then finishes with a massive aura blast, Level 3 Ryumai – X□, Xenogears punches and then headbutts an enemy, finishing the combo with grab and throw into a powerful drill kick, Level 3 Shinrai – XX, Xenogears launches an opponent into the air with a straight kick and then finishes with a powerful heel stomp, Level 3 |
Vierge
 | Pilot: Elhaym Van Houten Elly is one of the only characters in Xenogears that, save for a small story sequence, pilots one Gear throughout the entirety of the game. Her Gear Vierge carries significance in its name, which is French for “virgin” and a reference to Elly’s connection to Sophia, an analogue for the Virgin Mary and a saint within the world of Xenogears. Vierge is also a gear of Solaris design, following the specifications of Miang’s prototype gear and only controllable by highly-skilled Ether users. As a result, Vierge lacks physical melee power but more than makes up for it with devastating Ether attacks. Deathblows: Double Impact – △△, Vierge uses its rod to strike an opponent then finishes with a groin kick, Level 1 Hard Smash – △□, Vierge begins this combo with a groin kick and then follows up with an uppercut and a finishing heavy blow, Level 1 Beat Storm – △X, Vierge strikes an enemy with its rod and then unleashes a flurry of punches, Level 1 Sonic Drive – □△, Vierge torpedoes itself into an enemy, Level 2 Heart Strike – □□, Vierge smashes opponents with its rod and then finishes with a strong uppercut, Level 2 Mega Impact – □X, Vierge utilizes a flurry of rapid punches and then finishes with a heavy blow, Level 2 Flash Drive – X△, Vierge launches an opponent into the air with an uppercut then finishes with a diving stomp, Level 3 High Diva – X□, Vierge strikes an opponent with its rod then unleashes a flurry of punches, finishing with three heavy rod strikes, Level 3 Blaze Dance – XX, Vierge kicks the opponent and then follows with a series of heavy blows, finishing with an attack from behind, Level 3 |
El-Regrs
 | Pilot: Elhaym Van Houten El-Regrs is the omnigear formerly belonging to Sophia, the patron saint and “mother” of Nissan. When Elly sets foot into Shevat, El-Regrs begins reacting to her presence (as the reincarnation of Sophia) but Elly rejects piloting the Gear after sensing the intense power it wields. She later reverses this decision and briefly pilots El-Regrs during Disc 2 in order to rescue Fei and the rest of the party from the clutches of Krelian. After piloting the Gear, Elly collapses due to its immense power and the toll it takes on her mentally and physically, with the Gear disappearing afterwards. Deathblows: Elly is one of two characters in the game that only gets to actually pilot one gear, with her second gear briefly appearing as part of Xenogears‘ story but not controllable in combat outside of the Kislev Arena. As such, it has no Deathblows and its significance is strictly as a narrative device, signifying the connection that Elly and Sophia share. |
Heimdal
 | Pilot: Citan Uzuki A formerly uncontrollable Gear that rejects every pilot that attempts to enter it, Citan successfully controls Heimdal to come to Fei and Bart’s rescue as Bart’s fortress comes under attack by Gebler forces. With Citan’s secret past as an Element and being one of the most capable and powerful people living on the surface of the planet, the unpredictable and wild nature of the Gear barely registers and he’s able to harness Heimdal’s true power. Taking its name from the character of Norse mythology who acts as the God of Light and awaits the time of Ragnarok, Heimdal is a formidable Gear that matches Weltall in terms of power and fights much like its pilot Citan, using martial arts to defeat enemies. Deathblows: Kentsui – △△, Heimdal performs a one-two punch combo and finishes with a heavy slap, Level 1 Reppu – △□, Heimdal unleashes a body blow and then follows it with a two-hit combo and a reverse kick, Level 1 Ryuei – △X, Heimdal backhand slaps an opponent and then finishes with a hard straight punch, Level 1 Shinrai – □△, Heimdal performs a straight punch and follows it with a reverse punch and a finishing heavy blow, Level 2 Fujin – □□, Heimdal unleashes a flurry of four quick punches and then throws its opponent to the ground, Level 2 Ryuga – □X, Heimdal punches an enemy and then smashes it with its heel before finishing with a final heavy punch, Level 2 Hakai – X△, Heimdal uses a reverse-into-straight punch combo and then follows it with a sweep kick and a final heavy punch, Level 3 Kenjin – X□, Heimdal elbows its opponent and then unleashes a three-hit combo and final chop, Level 3 Tensho – XX, Heimdal kicks its opponent twice and then somersaults into a punch, Level 3 |
Fenrir
 | Pilot: Citan Uzuki Citan’s original omnigear Fenrir also takes its name from Norse mythology, this time calling to mind the fearsome wolf that is the child of Loki and Angrboda. Following Citan’s betrayal of Solaris and decision to escape to the surface, he stores away Fenrir in a secret location until the time when it becomes necessary to pilot it. At the same time that Citan reclaims use of his sword (after the player enters Shevat), he decides to unearth his dormant omnigear, resulting in him piloting Fenrir throughout much of Disc 2 and through the end of Xenogears‘ main quest. Like its pilot, Fenrir uses a sword instead of bare-fist martial arts. Deathblows: Kentsui – △△, Fenrir stabs its opponent three times, Level 1 Reppu – △□, Fenrir performs a 3-hit slashing combo against opponents, Level 1 Ryuei – △X, Fenrir unleashes a straight slash and follows it with an upward and downward slash finisher, Level 1 Ryukage – □△, Fenrir performs three heavy slashes against an enemy, Level 2 Shinrai – □□, Fenrir slashes the enemy and then finishes with a thrust of its sword, Level 2 Fujin – □X, Fenrir performs a sweep kick and follows it up with a two-hit slashing combo, Level 2 Ryuga – X△, Fenrir launches into the air and propels downward on an opponent with a stab, Level 3 Hakai – X□, Fenrir unleashes a flurry of thrusting stabs and then finishes with a three-hit slashing combo, Level 3 Kenjin – XX, Fenrir slashes the opponent and then launches a flurry of spinning slash attacks, Level 3 |
Brigandier
 | Pilot: Bartholomew Fatima Bart pilots the Brigandier Gear after he and his crew excavate it from some ancient ruins within the kingdom of Aveh, and he even goes so far as to customize the Gear’s appearance to match his own in-person looks. Although he originally approaches Fei as an enemy, the two quickly find themselves forced to cooperate and work together, eventually becoming best friends. Brigandier wields a whip just like Bart does when battling on-foot and can even call in the Yggdrasil battleship to have it fire its weaponry on enemies during battles. Deathblows: Chain Whip – △△, Brigandier whips enemies twice then finishes with a heavy slap, Level 1 Beat Serpent – △□, Brigandier unleashes a quick whip-smack on an opponent then lashes its feet, Level 1 Spark Wave – △X, Brigandier jumps and whips enemies, then tackles and hits them with a heavy whip strike, Level 1 Blood Snake – □△, Brigandier unleashes three heavy whip strikes in rapid succession, Level 2 Hit Storm – □□, Brigandier grabs an enmy and wrestles it to the ground, Level 2 Dead Cannon – □X, Brigandier throws enemies off balance with a low whip strike then jumps into the air and slams down with a heavy whip attack, Level 2 Dancing Wave – X△, Brigandier deals a rapid flurry of whip attacks against an enemy, Level 3 Twin Snake – X□, A more powerful version of the Spark Wave Deathblow, whipping and tackling enemies, Level 3 Sky Drive – XX, Brigandier strikes an enemy with its whip, wrapping the whip around it and throwing it to the ground, Level 3 |
Andvari
 | Pilot: Bartholomew Fatima Andvari is Bart’s omnigear and the sought-after treasure of the Fatima dynasty of Aveh. Bart’s ancestor and the founder of Aveh, King Roni, is the the original pilot of Andvari and seals the powerful gear away following the end of the war between Shevat and Solaris. The gear is only usable by descendents of the Fatima dynasty, allowing Bart to uncover the Gear and use it with help from Margie and the Fatima Jasper. Bart is the first member of the party in Xenogears to uncover and pilot his omnigear, and it provides a welcome boost to power as Fei and his companions begin to encounter increasingly tough opponents. Deathblows: Andvari features all of the same Deathblows as Brigandier, albeit with greater power thanks to it being an omnigear. The Gear also wields whips just like Bart does on foot and while piloting his original Brigandier Gear, which it uses to strike and throw opponents off balance for devastating follow-up attacks. |
Stier
 | Pilot: Rico Banderas Continuing with Xenogears‘ habit of having its Gears feature names coming from other languages or referencing various works of philosophy and religion, Rico’s Gear Stier has a name that literally translates to “bull” in German. Much like the real-life animal it gets its name from, Stier is a large and powerful Gear that makes up for its lack of speed and finesse with an overwhelming amount of strength. Stier is a specially constructed Gear for the Nortune battle arena, which Rico receives as a gift for his incredible performance as its undefeated champion. Deathblows: Drill War – △△, Stier launches into the air to make a downward punch as it fires from its vulcan cannon, Level 1 Bomber Head – △□, Stier performs three successive headbutts against an opponent then uppercuts it, Level 1 Drill Diver – △X, Stier punches and then grapples an opponent to the ground, Level 1 Grand Slam – □△, Stier unleashes a three-hit punch combo then headbutts it and finishes with a spinning punch, Level 2 Twister D – □□, Stier grabs an opponent and swings it around twice before throwing it down to the ground, Level 2 Hammer G – □X, Stier punches and uppercuts an opponent to launch them into the air then grabs and slams them to the ground, Level 2 Mega Body – X△, Stier performs a three-hit punch combo and then follows with a left hook and spinning punch before launching itself into the air, Level 3 Sky Drive – X□, Stier pile drives an opponent into the ground, Level 3 Scrap – XX, Stier punches an enemy twice before firing at it point-blank with its vulcan cannon and then stomping it while it lies prone on the ground, Level 3 |
El-Stier
 | Pilot: Rico Banderas Stier is one of the last members of the party to have his Gear align with an Anima Relic, transforming Stier into the omnigear El-Stier. Like Bart’s Andvari, El-Stier has the exact same Deathblows as Stier, albeit in a much more powerful form. Like the regular Stier, El-Stier has incredible physical power that is offset by its lack of speed and accuracy. However, El-Stier does have an exclusive Frame that gives it the highest HP of any Gear in the game. Deathblows: El-Stier has the exact same Deathblows as Stier, including their button commands and effects. |
Renmazuo
 | Pilot: Billy Lee Black The Ethos builds Billy Lee Black his own custom gear with Renmazuo, storing it beneath the orphanage that Billy oversees until he joins up with Fei and his companions. Renmazuo uses guns for most of its attacks just like its pilot Billy does when combatting on-foot, and it happens to have some great accuracy and ranged attack power. Deathblows: Double Snap – △△, Renmazuo fires two shots consecutively against an opponent, Level 1 Hard Snap – △□, Renmazuo launches into the air and fires two shots before finishing with rapid fire from its machine gun, Level 1 Hard Gun – △X, Renmazuo performs a one-two attack of a shot followed by a heavy blow, Level 1 Gun Blaze – □△, Renmazuo punches an opponent, sending them into a spin and reversing their direction with a follow-up shot, Level 2 Impact Gun – □□, Renmazuo launches into the air and fires two shots then finishes with a two-hit punch combo and rapid fire from its machine gun, Level 2 Holy Fist – □X, Renmazuo performs a two-hit combo with its fists then fires a heavy handgun blast and finishes with both machine guns rapid firing, Level 2 Blaze Shot – X△, Renmazuo fires both of its guns in rapid succession, Level 3 Hard Gatling – X□, Renmazuo fires two heavy shots then launches into the air to stomp on its opponent before finishing with a final two shots, Level 3 Sky Gatling – XX, Renmazuo launches an opponent into the air with a punch then juggles it in mid-air with machine gun fire before letting it fall and pummeling it with more shots, Level 3 |
El-Renmazuo
 | Pilot: Billy Lee Black Billy’s Renmazuo aligns itself with an Anima Relic near the end of Xenogears‘ main quest to become the omnigear El-Renmazuo. Despite having a slightly different appearance (including new wings instead of a cape and a darker blue color to its armor plating), El-Renmazuo is most identical to its original form. The omnigear still uses a variety of firearms to be the party’s most proficient ranged combatant, featuring excellent speed and accuracy in comparison to other Gears. Deathblows: El-Renmazuo uses the exact same Deathblows as Billy’s Renmazuo Gear, albeit with greater power and fuel efficiency. The names, button commands, and effects of its Deathblows are identical to that of the original Renmazuo. |
Seibzehn
 | Pilot: Maria Balthasar Seibzehn, German for “seventeen”, is the seventeenth iteration of an ultimate Gear design from Nikolai Balthasar. It is different from other gears in that it contains organic components that come from the genetically-engineered Wels, making it capable of autonomous thought and action. Rather than control it from a cockpit, Maria pilots Seibzehn using voice commands and rides on top of its massive frame instead of inside it. Seibzehn’s gigantic size and impressive attack power make it the second-most powerful Gear in the game behind Xenogears, but its strength comes at the cost of it having lower-than-average speed and accuracy. Deathblows: Mega Hammer – △△, Seibzehn performs a single heavy punch, Level 1 Dyna Fight – △□, Seibzehn unleashes a punch and follows it with a heavy blow and missile barrage, Level 1 Gravity Fist – △X, Seibzehn tackles opponents and then punches them using its rocket fists, Level 1 Dyna Rush – □△, Seibzehn unleashes two heavy punches and finishes with a knee, Level 2 Head Dive – □□, Sebzehn flies into the air and then performs a diving headbutt agains opponents, Level 2 Gravity Press – □X, Seibzehn lifts and throws enemies and finishes with heavy stomps, Level 2 Meteor Press – X△, Seibzehn uses its rocket fists to barrage an enemy and then pile drives it, Level 3 Iron Break – X□, Seibzehn body slams an enemy to the ground and then stomps on it, Level 3 Iron Storm – XX, Seibzehn downs an opponent with three heavy punches and then flies into the air to shoot it with its rocket fists, Level 3 |
Crescens
 | Pilot: Emarelda Kasim Crescens is a Gear constructed solely for its pilot, Emarelda, and as a result it features a unique connection to her. Emarelda controls Crescens using her nanomachine colony, ridding the need of a traditional cockpit and instead utilizing a harness that allows her to pilot the gear using mental commands. Its thrusters and large angel wings give it the unique ability to fly rather than walk like other gears, and in combat Crescens is a formidable Gear thanks to its speed, ability to heal itself, and powerful Ether attacks. Deathblows: Arm Bash – △△, Crescens slaps opponents with both its left and right wings, Level 1 Air Bash – △□, Cresens jumps behind an enemy and then slaps it with both wings, Level 1 Dance Bash – △X, Cresens uses its left wing to hit opponents and then finishes with a two-hit combo from the right wing, Level 1 Devil Hand – □△, Crescens performs a heavy kick and then slaps opponents with both wings, Level 2 Devil Hold – □□, Crescens tackles and launches opponents then lets them fall to the ground, Level 2 Devil Bird – □X, Crescens charges opponents head-first and then stomps on them with its feet, Level 2 Dead Spin – X△, Crescens performs a slap with its left wing and follows that with a kick and dual-wing slam, finishing with a flurry of wing attacks, Level 3 Dead Drive – X□, Crescens uses its wings to lift an enemy and slam it into the ground, Level 3 Dead Melody – XX, Crescens utilizes a double wing slap and then follows it with a jumping slam using its wings, Level 3 |