On the eve of Chrono Cross’ twenty fifth anniversary, it’s an excellent time to dive again into Sq. Enix’s weirdest direct sequel ever, and one of many extra underappreciated RPGs from the PS1 period. The remastered model can also be 50 p.c off proper now on PSN, making it a straightforward retro pickup for the PlayStation 5 or PS4.
A sequel to Chrono Set off on the SNES, which comfortably sits close to the highest of many individuals’s best-games-of-all-time lists, Chrono Cross took one nook of the world established within the first recreation and blew it out right into a sprawling, mind-bending journey that goes to unbelievable locations, from the goofy and cliche to the unnerving and emotionally profound. Its wonderful artwork fashion and evocative musical rating are first-class, even when it’s much more uneven and esoteric than the crowd-pleasing authentic. Plus there are 45 playable characters to recruit, together with magicians, pirates, rockstars, and a literal human mushroom (he’s referred to as “Funguy” for all you sickos who get pleasure from puns on the market).
I wasn’t an enormous fan of the remaster, Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Version, when it launched again in April 2022. The port felt fairly barebones, and mileage on the standard of higher-resolution backgrounds and the framerate efficiency different so much. It felt like a missed alternative to provide the sport the comeback it deserved. A 12 months later, nonetheless, Sq. Enix launched an replace that considerably improved efficiency, and now the sport is at present simply $10 till June 6 on the PlayStation Retailer. That’s about how a lot the PS1 basic model was earlier than it was ripped from the PS Vita and PS3 shops.
That makes it a no brainer should you’re in search of a dense retro RPG to go these nostalgic Saturday morning and scorching summer time nights. Some quality-of-life choices like turning off enemy encounters or dashing up the sport additionally go a protracted method to reducing down on the occasional tedium of repetitive turn-based battles and dungeon backtracking. Plus, the Radical Dreamers version consists of the never-before-localized visible novel that connects Chrono Cross and Chrono Set off collectively. Beating each reveals a short new ending to the saga. And the Platinum trophy is fairly enjoyable and easy to get.
For all its flaws, Chrono Cross nonetheless lives in my head hire free prefer it does for thus many different followers who first performed it again within the day. The Useless Sea will ceaselessly hang-out my goals.
