Xenosaga Episode II is a role-playing video game; the player controls a party of characters that expands during the course of the game, navigating them through a variety of environments tied to the progression of the story. Gameplay segments are separated by story sequences, which are told mainly through traditional full-motion cutscenes. Exploring environments, the party can collect a variety of items from destroying objects; some items can be used in gameplay to boost a character's statistics or restore health. Most areas can be navigated on foot, but some require the use of mechs.[1] In addition to the main campaign, the party can engage in side quests which vary from finding items to completing difficult battles, and unlock optional dungeon environments in which players can fight enemies and obtain rare items.[2]
During navigation, the party can see enemy units in the field, choosing whether or not to engage them. When an encounter is triggered, the party and enemy fights in a dedicated arena.[3] The combat is governed by a turn-based battle system.[3] Any of the three-member player party can be swapped out in battle at the cost of a turn.[4] Each character has access to melee and ranged standard attacks, can use items to affect the party or enemies, and guard against attacks. The player party's attacks are determined through button combinations, with different combinations triggering different attack sequences that can have secondary effects on the party and neighboring enemies. The types and power of actions taken by characters is governed by their available action points (AP), which can be saved using the "Boost" option in battle.[3][4][5]
After saving enough AP, a character can perform a special attack with their accumulated AP, with some "Boost" attacks ignoring turn order to allow a character who has yet to move to steal an enemy's turn and perform an action.[3][4] A character's position on the battlefield can be shifted, which directly affects what attacks they perform and how they interact with neighboring party members.[6] Characters have three level of attacks; A (high), B (mid) and C (low). Each enemy is vulnerable to a particular sequence of attacks. Upon completing a sequence of attacks an enemy is weak to, the enemy is knocked out, rendering them unable to move.[3][6] When knocked out, a party member can perform a special attack which deals high damage.[4] Two characters can also cooperate on a Dual attack, which deals high damage to enemies.[3][4]
In addition to battling on foot, mecha specific to a character can be summoned. While each mech has a fixed main pilot, the sub-pilot can be changed, which alters the types of attacks the mech can perform.[3] After defeating the enemy, the party receives experience points which raise their basic statistics, and skill points which are used to upgrade each character's skill tree, unlocking new skills.[3][4][5] New items and accessories can only be gathered either through searching the environment or defeating enemies, as currency and shops are not present.[1][3][4]
