A new fan project called Xenogears Project Animus aims to rebuild Square Enix's classic 1998 RPG while addressing one of its biggest shortcomings: the limited gameplay in its second disc.
The project is being developed by Harry, also known as xHannyah, who wants to recreate the complete Xenogears experience with improved visuals, expanded environments and additional gameplay content.
One of its main goals is to turn Disc 2 into a fully playable adventure rather than relying heavily on dialogue and narrated story sequences.
The ambitious remake remains in early development, and no release date has been announced.
Project Animus Plans to Make Xenogears Disc 2 Fully Playable
The original Xenogears launched on PlayStation in 1998, but development constraints significantly affected its second disc.
Rather than allowing players to experience every major event through traditional gameplay, large portions of the story were presented through narration and dialogue.
Project Animus intends to recreate those sections with explorable environments, battles and additional activities.
The developer has also outlined plans for larger areas, optional bosses and more content toward the end of the game.
An alternate ending is being developed for players interested in experiencing a different version of the story.
However, the expanded Disc 2 remains a long term objective, and the developer has not demonstrated its completed gameplay.
Xenogears Remake Will Offer Original and Expanded Gameplay Options
Project Animus is designed to accommodate both longtime fans and players interested in a revised experience.
When starting a new game, players will be able to select between the original story and an extended version.
They can also choose between the original gameplay rules and a redesigned combat system.
These options can be combined independently, allowing players to experience improved visuals without changing the original narrative.
The developer is rebuilding approximately 682 locations, beginning with the village of Lahan.
While Lahan is receiving detailed manual work, other environments have already received preliminary improvements to their geometry.
Further refinements will follow as development progresses.
Gear battles are also planned to run at 60 FPS, compared with the original PlayStation version's 30 FPS.
The project is reportedly using AI assisted development techniques to help manage its considerable scope.
Although early footage demonstrates progress on the opening areas, completing the entire game remains a substantial undertaking for one developer.
With no official Xenogears remaster announced, Project Animus represents an ambitious community effort to modernize the RPG while preserving its original experience.
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