Chrono Cross

 PlayStation
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 488 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 420 out of 488
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 488
  3. Negative: 36 out of 488
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  1. r3giment
    Dec 8, 2020
    9
    What a wonderful game. I revisited this in 2020 and it's just as wonderful now as it was almost 20 years ago. Unfortunately the 3D graphics have not aged as well as I thought they would have (the pre-rendered backgrounds are still beautiful).

    The music is incredible, the characters are fantastic, and the story is wonderful. The combat and level up system is very unique and I prefer it    What a wonderful game. I revisited this in 2020 and it's just as wonderful now as it was almost 20 years ago. Unfortunately the 3D graphics have not aged as well as I thought they would have (the pre-rendered backgrounds are still beautiful).

    The music is incredible, the characters are fantastic, and the story is wonderful. The combat and level up system is very unique and I prefer it over the random battles of many other JRPGs from that era.

    And to top it off, it is a great sequel to Chrono Trigger. Although in the beginning it may seem like it has little connection with. But progression proves otherwise.    … Expand
  2. NoLameGames
    Dec 1, 2021
    9
    Great story filled with interesting concepts and views. Phenomenal soundtrack, fun combat system, and a vivid and colorful world(s) to explore. I highly recommend this title for those who like more experimental and thought provoking games.
  3. RobinO.
    Sep 20, 2002
    8
    Terribly overrated, although very well made. If you have played an RPG game before you will not be surprised in this game by its story, but its by far one of the nicest looking games for PSX. Gameplay sucks, and the difficulty level for the dungeons is way up there. But there are nice puzzles and side-games to keep you going til the end :)
  4. Zodiacprince
    May 18, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Having played through the first disc, I can tell you, Chrono Cross is a timeless classic for fans of Chrono Trigger, especially near the end, where the pieces start to fit together and you see the little ghost versions of Crono, Lucca, and Marle! However, don't go in expecting it to be CT, it plays way differently, and it's character list is way more elaborately constructed (And way more difficult to complete). If you've played Final Fantasy 4, you may remember how they switched you from Dark to Light... Well, that's the case for disc 1, about halfway in you get transformed from Light to Dark, forcing you to lose all your cool Light magic such as Luminair, and you get stuck with the body and magic of Lynx, the game's antagonist, and right when you get used to it, you get to choose whether or not to revert back to Serge.

    I've noticed a lot of people have compared this game to FFVII, I will not, as the game's combat system disqualifies it from being comparable. Alternatively, I *will* compare it to Xenogears, as they both feel the same, forgive me if the comparison is a bit...."iffy" as I haven't played Xenogears in about a year.

    Comparison commence: 1. Combat:Both games rely on an "Active Combo" system, in which the player tacks on another attack until the Action Points(AP) are gone. With Xenogears the "Magic" is preforming the correct combo to execute a finishing move. With Chrono Cross you use a Tech attack, and may then use another action. The AP is distributed fairly the same throughout both games. After the battle you get a victory animation in Xenogears, but in Chrono Cross the party just stands there in their battle poses.
    2. Intro: Both games begin with a cutscene foreshadowing an event that the player goes through, Xenogears' in anime, Chrono Cross' in the in game graphics. Xenogears starts out strong, hitting home early on, revealing enough to keep the player enthralled an not confused. Chrono Cross starts out with a dreamlike sequence wherein the player sees a the camera zoom into a tower and then serge and two other party members in an elevator. the player then goes through the second half of the dungeon until they meet the boss. After waking up in both games you get your first glance at the starting village. After walking around a bit in Xenogears the starting event occurs, after which you are kicked out of the village forever. In Chrono Cross, you walk around a bit doing something that doesn't do anything for the player, but moves the story along a bit. after which, you get dropped into a parallel universe wherein Serge died when he was younger, and everyone in your home village is a complete dick to you.
    3. Likeness to CT: While the storyline in Chrono Cross is closer, wins in the gameplay department ( with the exception of combat). If you're looking for a game that feels like CT, you're going to end up buying both of them, for the simple fact that they're like two halves of the same whole, with the exception of combat.

    All-in-all, this game is a must have for RPG lovers, fans of CT, and gamers in general! Well, that about wraps up my review, so if you got this far: thank you for reading this giant wall of text! I hope you found this helpful!    … Expand
  5. SSJGodku
    Jul 18, 2023
    8
    It's been years since I originally played this on PS1. It was actually the first game I ever played on the console as well. I remember being addicted to the game and playing it daily after school. The story and characters aren't the most well thought out but I still had a fun time playing it. The Hi Ho Tank was my hardest battle and it actually took me a year to get past it
  6. pmasterfunk
    Jan 8, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I just replayed Chrono Cross from start to finish for the first time in about 15 years. It has always had a special place in my heart, but how does it hold up after 20 years? Is it still great, or am I just looking through rose-tinted glasses?

    Visually, it hasn't aged very well. Even when upscaled on an emulator, the PSX z-buffer pop-in is still distracting, and the grainy backgrounds look pretty rough on HD screens. The art direction is still impressive to this day however.

    The game has some amazing music, but the main battle theme gets old pretty quickly. I think the instrumentation picked for it is a poor choice, it ends up sounding like weird intense clown music. All the other tracks are quite good and appropriate, so it's a bit strange that the most commonly heard song is the one that sounds most out of place.

    Gameplay-wise, it truly is unique, there isn't another game with this battle system, and I think it's refreshing and fun to play. However, the pace of battles is quite slow, and makes battles become mundane.. Special attacks - "elements" in game - still look pretty good, but they are often very slow and can't be skipped. NG+ actually has a turbo button... kinda telling.

    The game's difficulty is a poorly balanced. The vast majority of a game is a breeze, but a few bosses prove to be massive difficulty spikes. The MC, Serge, basically blows through enemies and most bosses in a breeze by himself.

    Now for the story. It starts off really interesting, but near the end of the game everything feels rushed and quickly thrown together. I wonder if the writers wrote themselves into a corner, and then some producer was like "Hey, this is a Chrono Trigger sequel, so make sure to reference the characters, and Lavos, too", and everyone in the writer's room kinda went "uh oh". I'm not sure I can properly critique the story without spoilers, so I'll mark the section where it gets really spoilery.

    The story starts off as the tale of young Serge, an unassuming teenager who accidentally ends up in a parallel world where he has been dead for 10 years. He tries to find a way back home, and ends up tangled in a strange web of confusing character arcs and plot holes involving a clone, dragons, a super computer, and a familiar alien.

    ***SPOILER ALERT***
    So for the first 3/4 of the game, the story line mostly involves chasing after Lynx, the main antagonist, who is competing with the secondary character, Kid, in looking for "the Frozen Flame". The first time I played the game, I confused the Frozen Flame with the Dragon Tear, because it's never really well explained what the Dragon Tear is or does, and it actually looks like a flame that is frozen. Its use in the plot is to have Serge and Lynx switch bodies. So Lynx becomes "Dark Serge", and Serge becomes Lynx.

    Then begins the last stretch, in the city of Chronopolis. After all sorts of hijinks, Lynx (OG Serge) finally faces Dark Serge in battle, and we learn that he (OG Lynx, Dark Serge) is the physical embodiment of a super computer called FATE. He's also Serge's dad, mutated. FATE is from the future, and to ensure its own future, it basically mind controls everyone in El Nido for thousands of years. And it turns out FATE has actually sealed off the Frozen Flame (wasn't Lynx searching for it?) because in the future, a dimensional portal brought reptites - from the future - into the human world, and a war broke out between humans and reptites. So these reptites had weird organic advanced technology to control the planet - explainied by Belthasar from CT - and that this weird organic robot thing was the "Dragon God". However, to more easily control the "Dragon God", it was split into 7 parts, 6 representing each of the elements used in battle, and the seventh being the second moon (what?). The 7th one took human form, Harle, and secretly tried to unseal the Frozen Flame by hanging out with Lynx, knowing Lynx was FATE. So by beating Lynx, and I mean OG Lynx, aka Dark Serge, FATE craps out, and the Frozen Flame is unsealed. The 7 dragon gods merge into the one Dragon God, which is then defeated, turns a tower into a big tree, and then you gotta fight Lavos, who has merged with Schala. Who cloned herself to create Kid.
    ***END SPOILERS***

    Ok, so I hope you're confused now. And all this information comes in massive exposition dumps in the last 2 hours of the game. None of it is foreshadowed, and nothing learned beforehand is explained through this. Once I got to Chronopolis and started seeing references to Chrono Trigger, everything kinda went south. FATE was never an antagonist until I faced it. The Dragons weren't antagonists until I beat FATE. The Final Boss wasn't an antagonist until after I beat the dragons. Whatever themes were approached during the game become irrelevant in the face of the death of the planet.

    All in all, I still enjoyed most of my time with the game, but the end prevents it from being an all-time great.    … Expand
  7. Leviata_Reis
    Aug 3, 2021
    8
    Chrono Cross e divertido , tem os desafios na medida tambem , e uma otima musica . Na minha opinião 3 4 ou 5 personagens e o suficiente pra jogar rpg , e aqui tem mais de 30 personagens pra jogar , sendo chato e desnecessario . Tambem não gostei do sistema de evolução por contagem de inimigos . Obrigado Japão por ter colocado meu fucinho no Serge , eu gosto sim dessas paradas nos jogos .Chrono Cross e divertido , tem os desafios na medida tambem , e uma otima musica . Na minha opinião 3 4 ou 5 personagens e o suficiente pra jogar rpg , e aqui tem mais de 30 personagens pra jogar , sendo chato e desnecessario . Tambem não gostei do sistema de evolução por contagem de inimigos . Obrigado Japão por ter colocado meu fucinho no Serge , eu gosto sim dessas paradas nos jogos . Chrono Cross (8/10) .… Expand
  8. Culex
    Apr 14, 2022
    8
    It's a game I very much like but I still give it an 8 (more like 8.4). The music is a 10, as well as the art. The story not so. The first half is very good, but later it gets boring and confusing. I think the mistake was focusing on the NUMBER of characters, an innovation at the time, but on huge detriment to the QUALITY. I can reconstruct the story of many games but not of this one afterIt's a game I very much like but I still give it an 8 (more like 8.4). The music is a 10, as well as the art. The story not so. The first half is very good, but later it gets boring and confusing. I think the mistake was focusing on the NUMBER of characters, an innovation at the time, but on huge detriment to the QUALITY. I can reconstruct the story of many games but not of this one after the first disc, let alone remember the sidequests, even after playing many times. Why? Because the characters help you to remember the story, and if the characters are not well developed then there is no connection, no bonding, the enjoyment is not going to achieve good enough levels to remember it later. Huge contrast with Chrono Trigger or games like FF9. Another flaw is that the villain or villains of this game are not well developed either. Then why I like this game? I really don't know, maybe the music, the art, the nostalgia and momentum given by Chrono Trigger. The story also had great potential and there are some philosophically interesting moments. The first disc and the beginning of the second save it.… Expand
  9. zaozabot30
    Jan 18, 2023
    8
    Graphics and style are amazing for PS1, sometimes even looking like PS2 title. Atmosphere created by beautiful world and music is breathtaking. Unique battle system mixed with interesting bosses makes this game one of the best jrpgs out there. Too bad there's no bestiary to review all amazing creatures you have fought through the game.
  10. MichaelM.
    Oct 12, 2008
    7
    Some things that drew me to this game were the similar features of xenogears. I first played final fantasy vII which I enjoyed and then I played xenogears which I enjoyed even more.. then I thought chrono cross would be another good game to play but this game kinda pissed me off. In final fantasy VII and xenogears you know where to go and their are characters you can fall in love with.. Some things that drew me to this game were the similar features of xenogears. I first played final fantasy vII which I enjoyed and then I played xenogears which I enjoyed even more.. then I thought chrono cross would be another good game to play but this game kinda pissed me off. In final fantasy VII and xenogears you know where to go and their are characters you can fall in love with.. As it turns out this game you have to choose which characters you want to play and end up with different scenarios. I got lost in the story couple times while I did get lost in the story of xenogears that thing was like watching pulp fiction it really twists with your mind.. i loved it.. but damn chrono cross just pisses me off for soe raeson.. i got lost like millions of times in that game i didnt know where to go.. i hate looking up walkthoughs but for this game i had to which pisses me off. and also after i read some stuff their were like 45 characters you can choose and play from.. i can't fraekin fall in love with 45 freakin players.. give me 5 or 6 but not freakin 45 damn players.. i give squaresofts final fantasy VII and xenogears a 9 and a 10 respectively but chrono cross i think it really deserves a 7 rating imho.… Expand
  11. DanH.
    Jan 8, 2002
    7
    It's a pretty good game but has some flaws. There's only 2 worlds, the game has an incoherent storyline, and 90% of the playable characters don't have any role in the game. Overall, worth the $20 investment.
  12. Regal4point1
    Jul 31, 2012
    7
    A game with a genius battle system and soundtrack that is held back by its unevenly executed story (ie: info dumps). The game's world and art is beautiful, but the emotional attachment to the story is put singularly on one character that they put on hiatus for the entire second act. It honestly lacks drive but has enough verve for its own audience.
  13. AugustusCB
    Jan 29, 2014
    7
    Never mind the fact that this game is meant to be a sequel to Chrono Trigger. It's still a rather disappointing experience. Even if you were to try to count Cross as its own game, its blatant, though rare, references to Trigger make it hard to do so; it's incredibly distracting. Its story falls flat due to two things: its needlessly complicated plot and lack of focus on characters. TheNever mind the fact that this game is meant to be a sequel to Chrono Trigger. It's still a rather disappointing experience. Even if you were to try to count Cross as its own game, its blatant, though rare, references to Trigger make it hard to do so; it's incredibly distracting. Its story falls flat due to two things: its needlessly complicated plot and lack of focus on characters. The producers of Cross must have underestimated just how attached players had become to the characters of Trigger; the characters felt real and players felt they could relate to them. This is what kept its simple plot alive. Cross, however, trades this off for a plot that starts out interesting but ends up falling over itself and stuffed down the player's throat.

    The gameplay is somewhat engaging, though not very balanced between player and AI. The stamina and percentage mechanics are neat concepts, but the battles usually feel easy. Combine this with a magic-grid system for 45 different characters and you have something that is, like the story, needlessly complicated and tedious.

    The game does deserve to be praised for its presentation: this is probably the best looking PS1 game. Add to that a stunning and fitting soundtrack and the game suddenly becomes something worth playing at least once. Overall, Chrono Cross attempts to stand proud with it's older brother, as well as with other JRPGs, but utterly fails.    … Expand
  14. W.Gardner
    Apr 12, 2006
    6
    Gotta agree with Shintrix. Hands-down has the best graphics of any game for the PS1, but the lackluster storyline lets it down. Really, they could at least TRY to provide some character motivation for going from one place to the next, instead of just randomly announcing "We have to go to the next city now!" (Kidd does this when we first meet her, for no identifiable reason) And when Gotta agree with Shintrix. Hands-down has the best graphics of any game for the PS1, but the lackluster storyline lets it down. Really, they could at least TRY to provide some character motivation for going from one place to the next, instead of just randomly announcing "We have to go to the next city now!" (Kidd does this when we first meet her, for no identifiable reason) And when making choices in the game, you're rewarded for making the "bad" ones, and get all the annoying, useless characters when you try to do the "good" thing. This and the fact that a tiny minority of the characters actually have double or triple techs (one of the features that made Chrono Trigger's character system so engaging) make Chrono Cross an undeserving sequel. Gone is the sense of fun that made CT so great to play, replaced with the Final Fantasy-esque gloom and doom, dungeons you don't want to explore, and heroes whose lives you don't ultimately care about. Deserves a 6 for its graphics and admittedly interesting battle system, but no more.… Expand
  15. squarefenix00
    Aug 18, 2023
    6
    No me parece ni mucho menos el "juegazo" del que hablan en todas partes... Pero si te gustan los RPG los disfrutarás seguro. He leído muchas comparaciones entre The Legend of Dragoon y él, pero a mi parecer TLOD está bastante por encima.
  16. VidM.
    Dec 8, 2004
    5
    This is one of the most overrated games of all time. While I think Chrono Cross' predecessor, Chrono Trigger, was also overrated, CT was an enjoyable game. Chrono Cross, frankly, bores me. Sure, it's a colorful game, sporting some of the best visuals of its time when it was released. But there's just no heart to the game. Even if I don't love CT as much as some, I This is one of the most overrated games of all time. While I think Chrono Cross' predecessor, Chrono Trigger, was also overrated, CT was an enjoyable game. Chrono Cross, frankly, bores me. Sure, it's a colorful game, sporting some of the best visuals of its time when it was released. But there's just no heart to the game. Even if I don't love CT as much as some, I can't deny its heart. CC just doesn't compare with its predecessor. CC's characters are stale and one-dimensional. The plot is just plain stupid. The world is shallow and incohesive. I keep trying to play this game, but only ever get a few hours in. The furthest I ever got was about 25-30 hours in. It was then that I realized the game just kept getting worse, and there were other distractions far more worth my time.… Expand
  17. Lev
    Aug 27, 2008
    5
    I really like Chrono Trigger, but CC is just isn't all that great. The gameplay is slooow, graphics are medicore at best. The music is nice though. The way too many characters thing was also a bad idea, and the story not only ruins CT's story but is also over-complicated. It has many good ideas but they should have been put together better.
  18. DokolaA.
    Nov 7, 2007
    5
    Well I played Chrono trigger and thought it was way up there with the Final fantasy games of Snes. This being the case when I heard about Chrono cross I just had to give it a try. The random Chrono trigger references does not make this a sequel and although this would have increased sales by effectivly ripping off the chrono trigger name. It ultimately disappoints (it is just too Well I played Chrono trigger and thought it was way up there with the Final fantasy games of Snes. This being the case when I heard about Chrono cross I just had to give it a try. The random Chrono trigger references does not make this a sequel and although this would have increased sales by effectivly ripping off the chrono trigger name. It ultimately disappoints (it is just too different). I would rather a few well crafted characters instead of 40 mass produced characters shallow as the stereo types that they are, "kid" made me cringe with every "Australian" catch frase (She must have been drived from Crockidile Dundee). The Graphics are best of ps1 but that does not at all make up for the dreadful storyline structure (all lost and unmotovated like a headless chook). The story is the most important part of any RPG whever it has fantastic graphics or not.… Expand
  19. Bryan
    Dec 11, 2006
    5
    As a stand-alone game, it is all right. As a "sequel" to Chrono Trigger, it's terrible. They pull connections between the two games out of nowhere, setting up events that could never realistically happen in the CT universe (Porre overthrowing Guardia? Please!). The vast majority of characters are boring, some even unlikable. However, the graphics are beautiful. And while I As a stand-alone game, it is all right. As a "sequel" to Chrono Trigger, it's terrible. They pull connections between the two games out of nowhere, setting up events that could never realistically happen in the CT universe (Porre overthrowing Guardia? Please!). The vast majority of characters are boring, some even unlikable. However, the graphics are beautiful. And while I didn't like the soundtrack as much as CT's, it is still very good. Difficulty is pretty high, but the battle system is uninspired. In places, this whole game felt like a Final Fantasy VII wannabe. And I got the "bad ending" after beating CC, which was extremely unfulfilling. Overall, it is presented entirely differently than the original (you can tell there was a different creative team), but the game is enjoyable at times and moderately tough. But nowhere close to its predecessor.… Expand
  20. TargCollective
    Jun 15, 2007
    4
    Where to start? The opening FMV is so engrossing that you will for certain sure watch it at least 10 times; possibly before you even play the game. Ditch your preconceptions. This game uses a level system like nothing you have ever seen. Your strength in combat is determined by the amount of 'stars' you have; you earn stars by playing through plot battles. You cannot powerlevel Where to start? The opening FMV is so engrossing that you will for certain sure watch it at least 10 times; possibly before you even play the game. Ditch your preconceptions. This game uses a level system like nothing you have ever seen. Your strength in combat is determined by the amount of 'stars' you have; you earn stars by playing through plot battles. You cannot powerlevel in this game, nor do you need to, as the experience you gain as you play is all you will need. You still need to fight! Fights reward you with various items, which you can give to a smith who will forge new weapons, armours and accessories for a fee. After you beat a boss battle you can obtain some stat boosts from fighting too. The magic system is also unique, as it relies on Elements. There are several different colours of Element, and these Elements can be of various power levels. There is no 'native' power level for an Element - so long as you have the ability to assign an Element to a power level, you can use any Element at that power level. As in Chrono Trigger, characters can learn 'techs', which can also be double and triple techs. The art and music is sublime. While that all seems disorganised and disparate, think a moment on what the greatest threat to RPGs is. In Final Fantasy 8, it is possible to beat seven shades out of T-Rexaur before you leave Balamb. It is possible to upgrade to second-tier magic before doing so! In Chrono Cross, the restrictive level system makes it more fun and challenging. Your opponents will always be a challenge. The only way of defeating them is through the use of strategy, intelligence and superior armanent. Therefore this game is a must; the sweet, superior perfection of game balance, the clear realism of the graphics and the enthralling plot combine to produce a strong contender for 'perfect game'. Designers take note: a progression-based level system makes sense!… Expand
  21. TitaniumDragon
    Nov 8, 2009
    4
    This game sucks. Why? 1) The gameplay just isn't that engaging. Its okay, but nothing to write home about. 2) The storyline sucks. Why? Lack of characterization. There are too many characters, and none of them end up with any real characterization in the game. 3) The levelling system sucks. It was a good idea, and then it was executed incredibly poorly, making the game even MORE This game sucks. Why? 1) The gameplay just isn't that engaging. Its okay, but nothing to write home about. 2) The storyline sucks. Why? Lack of characterization. There are too many characters, and none of them end up with any real characterization in the game. 3) The levelling system sucks. It was a good idea, and then it was executed incredibly poorly, making the game even MORE tedious than most RPGs. Overall, thumbs down. This game is massively overrated. Don't buy it, its high ratings are due to people liking Chrono Trigger and not wanting to give its sequel, which sucked (and isn't even really a sequel) a bad score.… Expand
  22. shootingstars99
    Aug 30, 2019
    4
    This game is not the classic people make it out to be. It tries a bunch of new things that none work very well. You can only have three characters, only about 6 matter to the story, and there are 44 of them in total. RPGs are supposed have great character development, this has one of the worst character developments in any RPG, that and the level system with the stars is lame andThis game is not the classic people make it out to be. It tries a bunch of new things that none work very well. You can only have three characters, only about 6 matter to the story, and there are 44 of them in total. RPGs are supposed have great character development, this has one of the worst character developments in any RPG, that and the level system with the stars is lame and uninspired. The story is not easy to follow and jumps all over the place. I'll take quality characters even if it is a small core cast over a character cast that's this big and shallow any day. Pass on this, it wasn't great in 2000, and still is nothing to write home about.… Expand
  23. meop
    Jun 27, 2020
    4
    This game wanted so bad to be Chrono Trigger... it fails, badly. This game is ok... you won't try to claw your eyes out while playing it... but it fails horribly as a sequel to one of the best RPGs in all of gaming.
  24. DannyA
    Jul 19, 2008
    3
    This game has got great music and graphics. But it has a crappy gameplay, useless level up system and the story is just terrible. It tarnishes Trigger's legacy in very horrible ways.
  25. MattJ
    Jun 13, 2009
    3
    I found this game to be trite, unimaginative, and just flat out boring. The game features uninspired locales, an unevenly paced plot, and enough middle school, masturbatory, philosophical wallowing to fill the diaries of every depressed high schooler on the planet. If you're REALLY into JRPGs you'll probably like this game, but if you have any standards at all then avoid it like I found this game to be trite, unimaginative, and just flat out boring. The game features uninspired locales, an unevenly paced plot, and enough middle school, masturbatory, philosophical wallowing to fill the diaries of every depressed high schooler on the planet. If you're REALLY into JRPGs you'll probably like this game, but if you have any standards at all then avoid it like the plague.… Expand
  26. DoctorZack
    Feb 10, 2020
    3
    Inconsistent, Convoluted Story
    Uninteresting Unendearing Cast of Characters
    Genuinely dismisses the legacy of the game it claims to be a sequel of

    At least the OST is good
  27. diegomalthus
    Nov 27, 2017
    2
    There was so much hype when the game was announced, but when i finished the game that I realize that was a total loss of time...
    Chrono Cross was not able to follow the magnitude of its predecessor. The story is weak, the characters are shallow that some should not even exist (44 characters and a battle system with just 3?! C' mon!!!)
    The graphic and the Music are fantastic (let's be    There was so much hype when the game was announced, but when i finished the game that I realize that was a total loss of time...
    Chrono Cross was not able to follow the magnitude of its predecessor. The story is weak, the characters are shallow that some should not even exist (44 characters and a battle system with just 3?! C' mon!!!)
    The graphic and the Music are fantastic (let's be fair)but still not enough to save the game.    … Expand
  28. Trey82
    Feb 17, 2020
    2
    You'll notice that a lot of good reviews are from nigh-20 years ago.
    For the time the graphics were good. The gameplay was interesting. The music is very good.
    But thats about all. There are only 3 characters, and no real story to speak of. Its like an Adventure time game: "Go to the next place because I DONT KNOW" mixed with a suikoden-level of characters to pick up, that do not fit    You'll notice that a lot of good reviews are from nigh-20 years ago.
    For the time the graphics were good. The gameplay was interesting. The music is very good.
    But thats about all. There are only 3 characters, and no real story to speak of.
    Its like an Adventure time game: "Go to the next place because I DONT KNOW" mixed with a suikoden-level of characters to pick up, that do not fit with the story, or worse... if they are stronger than the main 3, you'll spend time using those and not hearing the little bit of chatter from the 3.

    The ending of chrono trigger is bashed into mass-effect levels of depressing:
    "We know they did something, long ago, but they're all dead, and they didnt get to do anything they set out to do." and there isnt a time travel aspect to send you back and fix any of that. There is some timeshifting, but it isnt memorable, considering the lack of story.
    The world is a mess to explore, the enemies are.. creative.
    The leveing system is creative.
    There just isnt much to praise about the game, when it presents a strong narrative that isnt strong. It took itself very seriously, and when it starts to loosen up, at times, thats when the game works.

    Good art direction and soundtrack dont make up for everything else.
    This is like a summer movie ~ you need to see it, but you shouldnt buy it.    … Expand
  29. RobA
    Jun 18, 2008
    1
    It's been a while since I played it but I felt I must speak out to settle the burning black void in my soul. This game has scarred me. I hadn't even heard of it until a few years after its release. I loved Chrono Trigger. I saw this game and its glowing reviews and gave it a shot. Good lord. This had nothing of the original's charm. Nothing! Gone was the enjoyable combat It's been a while since I played it but I felt I must speak out to settle the burning black void in my soul. This game has scarred me. I hadn't even heard of it until a few years after its release. I loved Chrono Trigger. I saw this game and its glowing reviews and gave it a shot. Good lord. This had nothing of the original's charm. Nothing! Gone was the enjoyable combat system and plentiful double and triple techs; replaced by some archaic system that was neither fun nor innovative. Gone was the colorful cast of compelling characters, replaced by 40 shallow people that to this day I recall none, while the Chrono Trigger characters are clear as day in my mind. Gone was any semblance of a compelling story. I only remember bits and pieces and the fact that it was convoluted and lame. There were bits and pieces of references to Chrono Trigger; more akin to inspirations than actual relevance. The game's saving grace was the music. While I remember it being very good I didn't find it memorable. For this I shall award the game one whole point. Yes, I am probably being unfair and that it's a respectable game on it's own right; I shall not grant more than one point. Not when they will call it a sequel to one of my favorite games while retaining none of the charm of the original. Never. I remember beating the last boss, ejecting the cd, giving it not to a friend, but his friend; someone nobody particularly liked. I told him it was his to keep and that I never wanted to see it again.… Expand
  30. gmr4life
    Sep 8, 2013
    1
    Okay... I'm possibly the biggest Chrono Trigger fan... and let me tell you... Chrono Cross... is NOT a sequel to Chrono Trigger by any means... sure there are a few references... but that' all I seen after playing the game for approx. 5 hours.

    So not only does it not have anything to do with the original, but the gameplay itself is nothing like the original either. And the music for the    Okay... I'm possibly the biggest Chrono Trigger fan... and let me tell you... Chrono Cross... is NOT a sequel to Chrono Trigger by any means... sure there are a few references... but that' all I seen after playing the game for approx. 5 hours.

    So not only does it not have anything to do with the original, but the gameplay itself is nothing like the original either. And the music for the basic battle sequences... has to be some of the most annoying music ever. Sure... they did do a few remixes from the original score... and they had a nostalgic feeling to them... but yeah. This was a very poor game in comparison to the original, and I seriously cannot believe the high scores this game received. Just goes to show that you can't always trust reviews...

    Final thoughts... I suppose graphics were decent enough, and a few of the remixed songs were ok. But other than that, this game is, and was, complete garbage. I'm only giving it a 1 for the world map which is about the only good thing about the game, and some of the remixed music.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best PS1 Game of 2000
2
#2 Most Discussed PS1 Game of 2000
2
#2 Most Shared PS1 Game of 2000

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. GMR Magazine
    100
    It wasn't quite the "Chrono Trigger" sequel most people expected, but it's a magnificent game by its own right. [Feb 2003, p.97]
  2. CheckOut
    90
    A beautifully crafted and fresh take on stale RPG gameplay, delivering an experience that rivals "Final Fantasy."
  3. CNET Gamecenter
    90
    From the incredible story line to the combat system to the great visuals to the overall feel of the game, players will get the sense of how much of an impact a game like this can have.
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