Originally released for US audiences in 2000,ChronoCrosshad the unenviable task of being positioned as a follow-up to one of the greatest JRPGs of all time,Chrono Trigger. Despite facing some criticism for what some perceived to be a lack of connections to its predecessor,Chrono Crossis still highly regarded as one of the best JRPGs of the PS1 era. This is huge considering the quality of JRPGs that were released for the PS1, with the likes ofFinal Fantasy 7,Xenogears, andVagrant Storyall making their debuts on Sony’s little gray box.
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Instead of time travel,Chrono Crossfeatures a complex narrative that focuses on multiverses and inter-dimensional travel. Thankfully, more than twenty years on,Chrono Crosshas aged well and gets another chance to be experienced by a younger audience and the European market that missed out on thisclassic PS1 JRPGthe first time around.
6The Story
Many JRPGs have outdated mechanics by today’s standards, but the great stories often remain as good today as they were upon release. The multidimensional narrative ofChrono Crosswas way ahead of its time and its handling of suchcomplex storytellingcan’t be understated.
It does this without ever tripping itself up or confusing the player with too many plot threads. There’s an excellent sense of intrigue and world-building setting up an amazing story with an epic and satisfying conclusion that doesn’t fully reveal itself in the last few hours. Moreover, the remaster features theRadical Dreamerstext adventure which does a great job of bridging the gap betweenChrono TriggerandChrono Cross. It features returning characters and adds some much-needed personality to Serge as the lead.
5The Huge Cast Of Characters
Chrono Crosshas great character development that surrounds the silent protagonist as an avatar for the player and his relationship with Kid. The relationship and backstories are what keep the player gripped from beginning to end. Another feature thatChrono Crosshas in common with its predecessor is that it manages to capture that fish out of water feeling, adding some additional development to a silent protagonist in the process.
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Further to this,Chrono Crossfeatures a huge cast of playable charactersto find and interact with. InSuikoden-like fashion, there are over forty characters to find and recruit. They can’t all be found in one playthrough and not all of them receive the same kind of development as the leads, but the cast of quirky characters has something for everyone. The game is designed to be played multiple times, which adds even more longevity and replayability to what is already a massive JRPG.
4New Game Plus And The Multiple Endings
In addition to the multiple characters,Chrono Crossalso features different 11 endings for players to discover. This is another feature that was ahead of its time, thanks to JRPGs being notoriously linear experiences. Even today, there aren’t many JRPGs that offer a player multiple reasons to return to a game after completing it.
Chrono Crossfeatures a new game plus mechanic that will allow players to fight the final boss at various points throughout the game’s narrative. Defeating the boss at certain points of the story will unlock different endings with varying outcomes. However, there is only onetrue ending to find that’s canon.
3The Combat System
A major aspect of what madeChrono Crossso great was its combat system. This still rings true 22 years later with theRadical Dreamersedition. It features a slightly more complex system than its predecessorChrono Triggerbut it retains the fast-paced streamlined transition betweenexploration and combat.
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Most JRPGs at the time would interrupt the flow of exploration by switching to a visually different combat arena.Chrono Cross' fights require a sense of strategy and quick thinking. The battles can be challenging but it’s extremely satisfying to win a tough fight.
2The Visuals
WhenChrono Crosswasfirst released it surpassed what many gamers thought was possible on the PS1. It’s not going to match up to the likes oftheFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, but its art design is still impressive. The cutscenes are still beautiful despite some resolution issues with 4K TVs. However, it is the bright and vibrant use of color in the pre-rendered backgrounds when exploring towns in afantasy setting that really stands the test of time.
TheRadical Dreamersedition has been accused of using a minimalistic approach to remastering, but the visuals are so good in the original that very little needed to be done. The animations look great in combat and on the field and so it’s easy to see why the game was considered the pinnacle of what was possible on the PS1.
1The Music
One of the greatest aspects ofChrono Crosswas its music and there’s a reason why Yasunori Mitsuda’s work is still played at orchestral concerts today. The music tells as much of a story as the narrative with a theme that fits each town and scenario. In many ways, the music tells a story of its own, and Mitsuda’s work has continued to evolve with more recent epics liketheXenobladefranchise.
The score is reminiscent ofChrono Trigger, with many tracks having a familiar feel and sound. It’s another clever way to make the game feel more connected to its predecessor and so fans ofChrono Triggershould feel right at home with its successor. Thanks to the great music, exploring the overworld inChrono Crossfeels and plays like a grand adventure that’s always a pleasure to jump into.
Chrono Cross Radical Dreamers Editionis available now for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One
