Pros: Over 40 characters, nonlinear plot, double teams, New Game +, outstanding music, incredible graphics, complex storyline, amazing movie clips, game has less to do with time.
Pika312's Full Review: Chrono Cross for PlayStation 1
As everyone knows, Square's "sequels" never actually continue the story. They only get bigger and better than ever imagined, and will leave even the most hardcore gamers gawking and begging for more. This game doesn't break that tradition.
RPGs have come a long way from their 8 and 16-bit days. As more and more RPGs were released, they get worse in each game. Sure, they have beautiful graphics, amazing items and weapons, and a complex storyline, but they all seem to lose their key element: the ability to search and explore areas in a great big open worlds. In every RPG, the plots are too linear. Someone would get kidnapped, and rather than you going immediately after them, you can fight a billion enemies, raise some levels, doing this and that, but the plot would never continue. You can do anything and everything, but nothing would happen except what is supposed to happen. You can leave that person to die as long as you want, but they still won't die. The ability to do anything we want, the freedom to make our own choices, never existed in any RPG except one. Chrono Trigger comes to mind.
Chrono Trigger is definitely one of the 16-bit classics every gamer should get. If you missed out on this masterpiece, shame on you. Everything was there. Now Square delivers a true RPG, combining the freedom of Chrono Trigger with whatever makes everything great about an RPG. This game never spoils the ability to search everywhere, leaving no stone unturned. If you ever ask me what was my favorite 16-bit RPG, I wouldn't be able to decide between Final Fantasy III and Chrono Trigger. Now ask me about the same thing for Playstation, and I'd excitedly shout without a second of a doubt, "Chrono Cross!!"
Chrono Cross takes place 20 years after Chrono Trigger. You play as Serge. He does a favor for this girl, and stumbles across another world... one which he's left the circle of life. This world is awfully familiar to his, but some circumstances are different. If you ever made a decision, you would see what would happen if you picked the other choice. Your choice could either help the world, or help destroy it. The two worlds are mysteriously linked in some ways. Serge tries to find a way to get back to his own world, but he's already met with characters with problems he has to help. Depending on your previous decisions, they will join you or despise you. Someone who doesn't join may even affect someone else joining you. There are over 40 characters with their own unique attacks and abilities in this game, and tons of fun-filled hours.
The battling system is different from any RPG you ever played. When you choose to attack, you can either attack weakly, strongly, or fiercely. In that order, you do more damage. But here's the catch. Your natural instinct is to attack fiercely, but as the attacks get stronger, you have a lesser chance of actually hitting your enemy. Each enemy has a different vulnerability, so you have to figure out different patterns.
The magic system is different also (big surprise). You could only use the same spell once! Wait, don't cry yet! Once EACH battle! And there is no MP! Depending on how strong you successfully attack your opponent, you gain levels to use the magic. You can put the spells on different levels as long as you have the slots to put them in. Each enemy also has a different element they are strong against, so you need to re-think which magic you are going to use. And of course, Chrono Cross is complete with your techs and double teams! But it counts as using that spell for BOTH of you, and it wastes both your turns.
The graphics of this game are just simply amazing and easily rival Final Fantasy VIII. Characters have great animations where they act along with what they say. These animations make the characters more real and interesting, especially Serge, since he doesn't talk, just like Crono!
Music in this game is great! Some tunes you will recognize, while others are brand new. The music goes along with every event. You can even predict what will happen next by just listening to the music. It just goes well with the plot, and reflects the event. But a few tunes can get repetitive and even annoying when you're doing something, like when you're in a battle.
This game is great. With over 40 characters, 2 worlds with different locations, and a nonlinear plot, this game will keep you hooked for months. To truly get everything, you'll need at LEAST 100 hours, even with the New Game + feature. The story and dialogue are Square's best. The graphics, music, and combat are just SOME of its strong points. And this game doesn't cheat with oodles and oodles of movie clips to fill up all the discs. There's only a few here and there. Chrono Cross is hands-down the best game ever to hit the Playstation, and beats every RPG in every way. If any game can beat this one, please stand up. That's what I thought. Square redefines the meaning of RPGs with the greatest Playstation RPG ever, Chrono Cross.
Chrono Cross follows a boy named Serge across parallel worlds--both the world in which he lives and one in which he drowned 10 years earlier. Classica...More at MacMall
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