For some, Chrono Cross is a traditional PlayStation-era RPG, and it is good to see it being revived all these years later. Whereas we would not say that it is remembered anyplace close to as fondly as Ultimate Fantasy VII via IX, or its predecessor, the legendary Chrono Set off, it is nonetheless a title steeped in PS1 allure — from its rigorously crafted prerendered backgrounds to its placing soundtrack.
And so right here we’re with Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Version, a remaster that provides us the sport at the next decision, full with higher character fashions, sharper menus, and an enhanced — however fortunately not rearranged — musical rating. At a look, Sq. Enix has achieved an honest job; it is retained that aforementioned PS1 allure whereas additionally scaling issues up for bigger shows, with out turning the 35-hour journey right into a blurred mess. However when you truly begin taking part in, you shortly realise how badly optimised the sport is — whether or not it is operating on PS4 or PS5 via backwards compatibility.
That is proper, Sq. Enix has someway managed to destroy Chrono Cross’ body price on trendy {hardware}. The entire thing’s supposed to run at a locked 60 frames-per-second — why would not it? — however the frames fluctuate between what appears like about 10 and 45fps continually. You may barely stroll throughout the display with out the body price tanking to an embarrassing extent — and it will get even worse in battle.
Certainly, these efficiency dips can result in noticeable enter delay throughout fight, which is simply past a joke when you think about how slow-paced the flip based mostly system is to start with. For sure, the remaster’s body price issues come dangerously near outright wrecking the expertise — though complete chunks of Chrono Cross have not aged all that properly anyway.
As you’d most likely count on of a PS1 RPG with mounted digicam angles, the controls are reasonably wonky. At occasions, lining your character as much as work together with environmental particulars or speak to NPCs could be an train in frustration. What’s worse, in sure places, we discovered that our motion bugged out utterly — to the purpose the place we could not even stroll in straight traces. It is an actual disgrace that this type of stuff wasn’t touched up or mounted for the remaster.
Chrono Cross does inform a reasonably attention-grabbing story, although. It is an bold story, dealing in alternate realities, and boasting an enormous forged of largely enjoyable characters. Other than a handful of filler episodes — for lack of a greater description — the plot is properly paced, and as is typical of PS1 JRPGs, the writing is sharp and straight to the purpose.
Having mentioned all that, proceedings can get just a little complicated afterward, once you’re leaping between timelines with the intention to progress. Maintaining along with your present aims throughout these sections could be troublesome as you try to recollect which characters it’s worthwhile to chat with and which locations should be visited. Chrono Cross lacks the copious high quality of life enhancements which have remodeled the style during the last 20 years — and it is one thing that is painfully apparent right here in 2022. Once more, this was bold design within the 90s, however nothing’s been achieved to deliver it up to the mark.
Now look, we did not count on this remaster to reinvent Chrono Cross for a contemporary viewers, however there’s simply no getting away from the truth that the sport’s a slog now and again. Take the weather system, for instance. It is just like Ultimate Fantasy VII’s materia, in that celebration members could be geared up with magic spells and skills of your selecting — besides the weather menu is severely awkward to navigate, and maintaining observe of geared up components is a little bit of a nightmare.
Chrono Cross loves its convoluted mechanics — a trait that is encapsulated by its divisive fight system. For what it is value, we do not assume fight is anyplace close to as dangerous as some critics have made it out to be over time, but it surely is a system that would lose one or two mechanics and arguably be higher for it. Mainly, you utilize normal assaults to construct up power, which might then be spent on unleashing components. Nice, incredible, that works fantastic. However then your normal assaults have % probabilities to hit, and utilizing them drains your stamina, which is refilled to various levels as turns move.
Due to the way in which through which the mechanics affect one another, battles can develop into tediously drawn out. Lacking a standard assault purely by probability can set you again a flip or two — or three for those who take a success in between, forcing you to heal as an alternative of meting out the entire harm that you have been saving up for. There is an gratifying degree of technique to Chrono Cross, but it surely’s buried deeper than it must be — trapped behind repetitive design that grows drained lengthy earlier than the credit roll.
Thankfully, the remaster does include the power to hurry the entire sport up, which generally is a godsend once you’re having to grind via common fights (though it does nothing to alleviate the body price points). You may as well activate ‘battle enhance’ at any time, which basically makes your celebration invincible. A welcome choice for those who’re solely right here for the nostalgia.
Oh, and The Radical Dreamers Version comes with — would you consider it — Radical Dreamers. It is a text-based title that was by no means launched exterior of Japan, and it kind of ties Chrono Cross and Chrono Set off collectively. It is a considerate additional, and you’ll test it out at any time via the remaster’s essential menu.
Conclusion
Components of Chrono Cross actually have not aged properly, but it surely’s nonetheless a captivating, characterful JRPG that evokes emotions of the style’s golden age on PS1. It is a sport that deserves higher than The Radical Dreamers Version, which, at the very least at launch, is a dreadfully poor remaster. Crippled by body price points, it beggars perception {that a} title from 1999 might run this badly on trendy {hardware}. Except you are determined for the nostalgia, we strongly suggest ready to see whether or not Sq. Enix releases a patch to enhance the bundle on PS4 and PS5 earlier than shopping for.
