Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition

Like the best in literature and the arts, by the time Chrono Cross’ credits roll you’re going to be left in a reflective mood. It’s not just that it’s a very good game – though it is – is also that it’s a probing work of art that asks meaningful questions of the players and respects them enough to allow them to come to their own conclusions about it. This is the first time that we’ve had the opportunity to play the game here in Australia, and it’s telling that this 23-year-old game comes across as one of the most forceful steps forward for games as an art form that we’re going to see this year.

Chrono Cross is not just a personal favourite, but also a deeply personal game, and I have many emotional ties to it. Having the opportunity to play it on modern consoles, even in a flawed form, is a tremendous boon. I hope this remaster will satisfy other fans and bring in new fans that might not have had the chance to play it before.

While Chrono Cross doesn’t hit the high notes that its predecessor does, it’s a sensational title given the facelift it deserves. Maybe Chrono Break can be willed into existence yet.

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition has become one of my favorite JRPGs, and I regret not playing it sooner. This is a must-play game for any JRPG fan. From its remarkably well-written narrative that will stay with you for years, to the approachable yet still involved combat mechanics coupled with an endearing presentation, I fell in love with this title far more than I thought I would.

The Radical Dreamers Edition is not the best remaster that Chrono Cross could have received, but nevertheless being able to try one of the most important JRPG titles of all time in a better form and on modern platforms is something that the fans of the genre would definitely enjoy.

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is a very special bundle that brings to life one of the most beloved games from the era of the first PlayStation. The problem here is that this is a title, like many others of the 32-bit generation, did not age very well. It has a lot of quality of life improvements, and though the characters look beautiful it feels old. Of course, reviving Radical Dreamers was the best decision Square Enix ever made.

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is a re-release with more love and respect than I ever hoped would be given to a game that many saw as the ugly brother of one of the best JRPGs in history. This is a remaster that did go that extra mile to pamper those of us who for years have been asking for a way to play Chrono Cross on a modern platform.

The rating takes into account the absolute and undeniable value of Chrono Cross, an excellent role-playing game that everyone should experience. Unfortunately the operation of "rebirth" is not entirely successful due to some questionable choices, but the inclusion of the elusive Radical Dreamers contributes to a package that – especially at this price – must be a part of the cultural baggage of any fan of JRPG worthy of the name.

Some will be disappointed that Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is simply a remaster of one of the best JRPGs of all time rather than a remake, and it’s not the most exhaustive one at that. But still, there’s a great game here, and it’s never looked, sounded or played better. So, while the framerate issues may be irksome, and some aspects of the game aren’t so intuitive by today’s standards, anyone keen on playing – or replaying – a piece of JRPG history would be wise to check Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition out.

One of the best jRPG of the PSX era finally arrives in Europe after 23 years. And it does with a new look, new contents an re-arranged OST. Turn based combat could not please modern players, but with gameplay aids and hacks the frustration could be bypassed and you can access to a marvelous story with lots of nice characters to meet and some strong emotions to feel.

Overall, I am happy to have a modern way to play Chrono Cross and Radical Dreamers. Could Square Enix have polished this up a bit more to fit the standards of a remaster in 2022? Absolutely. Is Chrono Cross still a stellar game regardless? Absolutely. I am eager to play through it again in New Game+ to make different decisions and recruits.

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is a remaster that should have happened years ago, and I’m so glad that the JRPG classic has finally received the respect it deserves in the modern landscape. You seldom see it discussed alongside other genre greats in the mainstream zeitgeist, but perhaps that perception will change now Serge’s iconic adventure is available on a selection of platforms with myriad improvements. Not all of its changes are for the best, but are easy enough to accept when the underlying game is still so masterful.

It's far from a best-case port, but Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition serves up a cult classic JRPG that deserves to be appreciated by everyone that hasn't had the legal means before now. The Radical Dreamers part is a very welcome bit of history given some genuine love from Square Enix, too. If you've already smashed out a Chrono Cross replay in the recent past though, you might be okay to skip this package for now.

Chrono Cross is a weird little JRPG that is arguably hindered by its connection to one of the genre greats. It has a distinctive feel and style, an interesting plot, and the craziest cast of characters you'll ever see in a JRPG. Weak characters and many nagging PS1-era flaws keep it from being a hearty recommendation. If you've passed on Cross because it's not Trigger 2, it's worth a shot, and Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is probably the best way to experience it.

Overall Chrono Cross is presented in a way where there are minimal alterations to experience, where it’s changed and updated just enough to be enjoyed on modern platforms without making changes to what made it so memorable originally.

Even if this Radical Dreamers Edition is just good and not great, Chrono Cross is such an essential JRPG that everyone with even a vague interest in the genre should go and download it as soon as possible. let's hope Chrono Trigger and Tactics Ogre are the next in line for remasters or remakes.

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is a good remaster of a very divisive JRPG, but perhaps it would have been better playing Chrono Trigger again instead of the Radical Dreamers visual novel.

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition brought back a lot of lovely memories and thankfully, Chrono Cross is still a great RPG all of these years later. The fact that you get an officially translated Radical Dreamers is rather peachy, too.

Chrono Cross has been and still remains one of the greatest JRPG titles of all time. As such, remastering it properly would require utmost care and love, making the game shine once more in the modern era of video games. Unfortunately, this remaster is of no such sort as some of the improvements made the game look even worse than the original. But as it still remains what it is at its core, Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers edition is undoubtedly worthy of your time.

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition shines because the magic of the originals is as relevant as it was more than 20 years ago. The games themselves are second to none, but the remaster sticks to the basics and offers a simple updated version of the classics.

If Chrono Cross The Radical Dreamers Edition allows a new audience to discover a cult PS1 game in good conditions, the latter could have been better. On the one hand, this remaster benefits from updated graphics, an improved soundtrack but also new accessibility options and exclusive content that makes it interesting both for neophytes and for those who know already the title. But on the other hand, between the lack of a tutorial, perfectible menu ergonomics, but above all a still unstable framerate, this update could have offered a better rendering. It remains to be seen whether patches will correct some of its problems in the future to make the experience even more pleasant.

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition brings a beloved classic to the PlayStation 4, complete with its old pros and cons. Some of the limitations of the first game get washed away with the enhancements and features that come with this release, but they also create a couple of their own. Like a true classic, this edition is not without its issues, but classics have a way of outlasting their criticisms through the eyes of those who experience them.

For all the flaws I’ve dragged out, I still love this game. The powerful music, the ethereal visuals, and the fascinating plot all deserve special attention. And yes, there’s a lot of weird, dense mechanics to wade through. But this just requires some patience and planning. To that end, Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition isn’t for everybody. But if you’re looking for a unique 32-bit RPG that will stick with you for years to come? You’ll want to check out Chrono Cross.

Here we enter a particularly difficult case to judge: is it worth playing Chrono Cross these days? Absolutely. Is this faulty port worth buying at its launch price? It depends. It's a shame the remaster turned out this way, but Chrono Cross is still a gem even after all these years.

An ambitious but often confusing game, further held back by an unsatisfying remaster serving neither old fans nor new adoptees adequately. [Issue#14, p.86]

Chrono Cross is a strange, wonderful game that was not afraid to take big risks. The port doesn’t exactly cover it in glory but considering the game has been languishing in purgatory for so long it’s nice that it sees the light of day at all. There is little here for people who aren’t already fans of the genre to recommend. But for JRPG fans this is a fascinating time capsule, especially for PAL gamers who didn’t get to experience it first time round.

I’m not sure what I thought I was going to get with Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition. I thought I would be swept away in the story and taken on an adventure I wouldn’t forget. What I got was a game that feels like it is trapped in 1995. Some of that is good, solid combat, old-school CG cutscenes, excellent music. If you are new to Chrono Cross this edition is the one you want. It is beyond welcoming to new players. But there was too much holding the game back for me to make it a great game. A cast list so massive I felt bothered by it, and a story that is a bit bonkers was too much for me. Chrono Cross had to crawl so modern JRPGs could run, but it doesn’t fit in with JRPGs of today.

If you've never played Chrono Cross, you should, and there's little reason not to take advantage of the upgrades available in The Radical Dreamers Edition. If you already have access to the original edition, whether it's worth the double-dip comes down to how determined you are to play Radical Dreamers; I'd wager it isn't worth the price of admission. But regardless, however you do it, you should play Chrono Cross. It's just a shame this remaster isn't all it could have been.

It hasn’t aged particularly well, and there are serious technical issues with the remaster, but the sequel to Chrono Trigger is still one of the original PlayStation’s best Japanese role-players.

Playing Chrono Cross was both better and worse than I expected, and I’m glad to have a better understanding of what all the fuss has been about after all these years. I wouldn’t place it in the rare tier of games I’d recommend to positively anyone, but if you’re someone with a deep affinity for this genre, it’s a risk-taking riff on a classic that’s still got surprises to spare.

Considering that the Chrono franchise has a larger fanbase than the Mana and SaGa series do combined (at least in the West), I would have thought this would be the crowning jewel of Square’s efforts to bring its PS1 classics to modern platforms. Instead, it’s a very meh attempt that doesn’t even feel like a cash-in because of all the money it leaves on the table.

I had a lot of fun playing Chrono Cross again; the unique spin on turn-based combat, colourful locales, and dimension-hopping narrative was a joy to re-experience all these years later. However, through a critical eye, Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition leaves a lot to be desired. Glaring issues with performance, improvements, and graphical inconsistencies take away from the truly great source material. This lack of care and attention to detail flies in the face of some of Square Enix’s other remaster works, and is a disappointing black-eye on what could have been a truly great remaster package of a still phenomenal classic JRPG.

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition feels like an acceptable collection for a new generation, but it also serves as a reminder about the importance of being able to preserve video games as they originally were. Hold onto those CDs if you have them.

Despite being a masterpiece of split universes and the often futile attempts to fight fate, we're living in the timeline where the original source code for Chrono Cross was lost to the scars of time and the remaster that exists in this age wasn't given the focus that one of the greatest JRPGs of all time deserves.

A legendary Japanese RPG like Chrono Cross deserves much better treatment than this devastatingly bad remaster.