Difficulty:

Easy

Time Spent:

40 to 100 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Mixed reactions"

Story: This is the sequel to the arguably best RPG of all-time, Chrono Trigger (SNES). Chrono Cross takes place 10 years after the events of the former. The character looks remarkably similar to Crono from the first game, so I guess that's who you are. I will say this game does not SUCK YOU IN from the very beginning the way Trigger did. It takes a while to get going, but eventually you get warped in to another dimension where all of the villagers and your friends think you are a stranger and don't recognize you any more. You discover that you have passed away at sea, 10 years ago. The story develops from there.

Gameplay: Just like Trigger, all the enemies and members of your party are visible from even the overworld map! This is a beautiful touch indeed which you will only see in Chrono Cross. Meet new members, build up your skills, obtain and purchase new items, weapons and armor, and chat with town folk. You can also hand pick all the spells that each character will be able to use in battle. The game has a sweet battle system wherein you select your attack - a powerful attack does more damage but has a higher chance of whiffing. The less powerful attack almost always hits, but does less damage. You can pick form level 1, 2, or 3.

Graphics: Gorgeous cut scenes, character development, & environments, right down to the overworld map. Some characters even move in unique ways such as skipping when they run or hovering about. Again these features and details can even be seen when you're traversing between different areas and villages - the detail is amazing.

Audio: This part of the game rivals the original SNES game. There's various scores which are memorable & haunting. The scores match the environments with which they correspond to a T.

Difficulty: I admit I got stuck in a couple places and needed to check out an FAQ. However, the battle is not difficult at all. Honestly, I don't think I even lost to any 'boss' in the entire game. All enemies could be easily defeated. I would have liked more of a challenge at certain points - especially after DESTROYING the final boss 1-and-done.

Pros:

+ exquisite graphics and character design
+ beautiful musical scores
+ innovative battle system which is unique

Cons:

- fragmented story - doesn't tie up all the loose ends
- only 2 different time dimensions for most of the game
- too easy sometimes
- could have tied in the original game much, much better

Overall: For all the cons I listed, Chrono Cross is still a great game. Any time you're trying to create the next "best RPG of all-time", that is too daunting. The beauty and detail of the graphics, and the music alone make up for all the missteps. This game is very inexpensive ($7 or so) - absolutely pick it up for your PS1.