Square Enix has been busy re-releasing its back catalogue of classic JRPGs. Their latest title to get the remastered treatment is Masato Kato’s famed classic Chrono Cross.
Chrono Cross is the follow up to Masato Kato’s Chrono Trigger, even though it isn’t a direct sequel the games share a special link.
Chrono Cross was first released in 1999 and was met with critical acclaim being praised for its complex plot, innovative battle system, varied characters and moving score. It has been rated as one of the best JRPGs of its era and has a long-lasting legacy.
More than twenty years later Square Enix is releasing a remastered version that features updated visuals, new quality of life features and the side story The Radical Dreamers.
The Chrono Cross plot follows a teenage boy named Serge who is transported to an alternate reality where he has already died as a child.
In an attempt to find the truth behind his death, he finds himself on a quest to discover the truth about the parallel worlds.
He meets a host of characters from each world who aid him on his travels, each with their own stories and motivations to unveil the truth.
Chrono Cross is a hefty story that packs a lot of content into its complex plot. But the narrative is very well-paced, with each of the forty-plus characters all having unique and captivating tales.
There is a lot to get through but its endearing story will entice players to discover everything its rich lore has to offer.
Radical Dreamers is an extra side story that features characters and elements that Chrono Cross is based on.
Characters Serge, Kid, Lynx, Viper, and Riddel all originate from this game but they are alternate versions from a different reality.
The game centres around an infiltration carried out by the titular thief gang led by Kid; aided by Serge and Gil, she seeks an artefact called the Frozen Flame and revenge on its keeper Lord Lynx.
It's a nice story that provides a different insight into the Chrono universe, whilst trying to wrap a few plot points.
It's also a nice way to see how some of the main characters in Chrono Cross were originally envisioned.
Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers edition offers players the opportunity to experience the game in the classic graphical style or with enhanced HD visuals.
I have to say this is an amazing feature that not only shows the amount of work that has gone into the remastered version but allows players to experience the game in its original form without having to buy a different game.
Chrono Cross looks great in both versions but the HD remaster is the way to go as the character models and updates of other visual elements really elevate the overall experience.
The game performs admirably on the PS4 and Nintendo Switch. It ran much smoother on the Playstation 4, with only a few instances of frame drops and slightly longer loading times on the Switch. But overall a solid performance on both of the major consoles.
The soundtrack for the original Chrono Cross was outstanding and one of the stand out features from when it was first released.
However, this version of the game features a remastered soundtrack, with the tunes sounding much more clear and crisp.
I do think they should have given players the option to select between the original and new version as they have done with the graphics.
Chrono Cross will see players traverse between the two parallel worlds completing various missions related to one of its forty-plus characters.
The parallel worlds play a major role in the game as players recruit party members, obtain items, and advance the plot.
All the missions will feature some sort of decision making that is a huge factor in how the story progresses, as the player's choices will determine what characters join and also can have a significant effect in the opposite world.
Chrono Cross packs a lot of content in its long playtime, outside of the main story there's a huge amount to be discovered through its subplots and quests.
Players won’t be able to unlock every character due to the nature of the game but this is just a great incentivised way to replay the adventure to see what you might have missed.
There is a fair amount of exploring due to the huge two worlds, with most of the action taking place in towns and dungeons.
There’s a lot to see with a good mix of open and linear areas that keep players on their toes. Combat plays a huge factor in Chrono Cross and with over forty characters to choose from, there’s a lot to think about.
Combat is turn-based like its predecessor and features two distinct systems Elements and Stamina. The Element system is basically how players perform magic spells or special attacks.
Elements are items that can be purchased from shops or found in treasure chests. Once players obtain an element they are allocated to a grid that is unique to each character.
As the game progresses, the grid expands, allowing more Elements to be equipped and higher tiers to be accessed.
The tricky part is that attacks using elements can only be used once per battle, so if a player wants to use a particular spell or multiple spells they will have to equip several elements or duplicates.
Elements are divided into tiers on the characters grid but this doesn’t mean you can’t place a level one element in a higher tier, its power will just increase and vice versa if placed in a lower tier.
Elements are also divided into types represented by different colours, with each being weaker or stronger against a different type.
Players won’t be able to use elements straight away, they will have to land successive attacks to be able to use them.
The more attacks landed the higher the tier of elements that can be used. Attacks are also divided into different tiers that have a lower chance of hitting the stronger they are.
The game also features a field effect, which keeps track of Element colour. If the field becomes one colour by a chain of successful attacks, characters are able to unleash a powerful summon element at the cost of a star.
The Field effect will also grant a buff to elements of the corresponding colour and debuff to elements that are weaker. The stamina system works on a meter which will decrease every time a character performs an attack.
When a character attacks or uses an Element, stamina is decreased proportionally to the attack. Stamina slowly recovers when the character defends or when other characters perform actions in battle.
A great feature is that players will be able to run away from every battle, even boss battles. This is handy as it allows players to regroup if a boss is too much the first time around.
There are so many layers within the Chrono Cross's battle system which can make it hard to manage at times.
But even after many years after its initial release combat still feels fresh and fluid, with so much strategy involved making most enemy encounters memorable.
The game also features some quality of life features to help players during their adventure, these include having the ability to turn enemy encounters on and off, so players can focus on the story. Or using the Auto battle function which will allow players to level up a lot quicker.
Verdict
Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is a great remaster that retains all the glory from the original. The updated visuals are great, really elevating the entire experience.
Having the option to play Radical Dreamer is something I feel that only hardcore fans will enjoy as it's so different from the other titles.
There were a few technical issues but that didn’t really take away from the overall experience.
Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is out for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows and Xbox One on 7 April
