StarTopic Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition |ST| A Jinx From A Lynx

[xghost777]

I started my replay of Chrono Cross today. I took Digital Foundry’s advice and I’m playing on Switch in handheld mode to avoid as much framerate drops as possible and I’m happy enough with the performance. It feels like I remember and on the smaller screen the mismatch of graphics doesn’t feel distracting outside of the battle menus being intense. Given how it works, I wish Classic mode really was identical to the original experience outside of the soundtrack being relatively higher quality. I definitely noticed right away they just give you the fast forward, slow mo item from when you originally beat the game as a perk for this remaster which I think is a funny and clever way to offer turbo mode (less work for them lol).

Anyway, I’m most interested just replaying the game and yeah I’m having a lot of fun so far. I’m close to three hours in and I stopped today right before I picked my guide to the manor, which I’m undecided about. One of things walking into this playthrough that I wanted to do was recruit Leena which I’ve never done before. I looked it up and I was surprised exactly how you have to go out of your way to get her (I never would have done it on my own for what you have to do). My current party is Serge, Poshul (Home), and Leena (Another). I also have Mojo and just got Kid now. Curious to see who I will get and miss by the end of this playthrough. Despite my love of the game and that I’ve started various playthroughs and had gotten far in a few of them, I’ve only actually ever rolled credits once I believe.

Some fun stuff so far, I liked meeting the explorer Toma XIV and I liked that both Heckrans and Drongos exist in this game after playing Radical Dreamers especially. While I’ve barely started it, the alternate world stuff is cool alongside some interesting views/ideas/themes shared already. The plot also moves a bit quicker than I remembered which is exciting. Again very early, but even early combat has me excited and I’m looking forward to it opening up as you get more spell slots to manage.

 

[SammyJ9]

I started my replay of Chrono Cross today. I took Digital Foundry’s advice and I’m playing on Switch in handheld mode to avoid as much framerate drops as possible and I’m happy enough with the performance. It feels like I remember and on the smaller screen the mismatch of graphics doesn’t feel distracting outside of the battle menus being intense. Given how it works, I wish Classic mode really was identical to the original experience outside of the soundtrack being relatively higher quality. I definitely noticed right away they just give you the fast forward, slow mo item from when you originally beat the game as a perk for this remaster which I think is a funny and clever way to offer turbo mode (less work for them lol).

Anyway, I’m most interested just replaying the game and yeah I’m having a lot of fun so far. I’m close to three hours in and I stopped today right before I picked my guide to the manor, which I’m undecided about. One of things walking into this playthrough that I wanted to do was recruit Leena which I’ve never done before. I looked it up and I was surprised exactly how you have to go out of your way to get her (I never would have done it on my own for what you have to do). My current party is Serge, Poshul (Home), and Leena (Another). I also have Mojo and just got Kid now. Curious to see who I will get and miss by the end of this playthrough. Despite my love of the game and that I’ve started various playthroughs and had gotten far in a few of them, I’ve only actually ever rolled credits once I believe.

Some fun stuff so far, I liked meeting the explorer Toma XIV and I liked that both Heckrans and Drongos exist in this game after playing Radical Dreamers especially. While I’ve barely started it, the alternate world stuff is cool alongside some interesting views/ideas/themes shared already. The plot also moves a bit quicker than I remembered which is exciting. Again very early, but even early combat has me excited and I’m looking forward to it opening up as you get more spell slots to manage.

The interesting thing about the plot, to me, is that so much of it is very vague near the beginning. There's the initial shock of the other dimension/Serge is dead twist, which is a really good initial hook! But after that it's just like... okay, we need to go to Viper Manor to see why they were looking for Serge. And that's about it, you're left wide open otherwise. Then after you go there, it's just "okay, who is Lynx? We didn't get answers about anything so now we need to go to Fort Dragonia". And... that's about it again, lol. I forgot just how much of the plot it backloaded, but then again this game is kind of infamous for that I suppose.

 

[ngpdrew]

Is there anything better than recruiting a new character knowing that you will never ever use them in a million years? I'll happily take Mojo, but I certainly won't use him!

 

[chocolate_supra]

Is there anything better than recruiting a new character knowing that you will never ever use them in a million years? I'll happily take Mojo, but I certainly won't use him!

Chrono Cross, the OG gacha isekai
I know the game doesn't work the same way gacha does but it applies to the quote, okay? )

 

[SammyJ9]

Is there anything better than recruiting a new character knowing that you will never ever use them in a million years? I'll happily take Mojo, but I certainly won't use him!

I've already had this happen a lot, yeah. On the one hand it's nice to have so many options and interesting different characters that you can use, but on the other hand... a lot of them are REALLY bad, lol.

 

[ngpdrew]

I've already had this happen a lot, yeah. On the one hand it's nice to have so many options and interesting different characters that you can use, but on the other hand... a lot of them are REALLY bad, lol.

I view it like Pokémon.

I’m just glad Poshul showed up to work, but he can just hang out with the other rejects while the real characters take care of business.

 

[SammyJ9]

I view it like Pokémon.

I’m just glad Poshul showed up to work, but he can just hang out with the other rejects while the real characters take care of business.

Yeah, Pokemon is a good comparison. Or for other PS1/PS2 RPGs, something like Suikoden or Radiata Stories: You get an absolute TON of characters you can use in battle, but there are limited ones that are really good.

Still, some of them are good for a laugh or to play around with.

 

[big lantern ghost]

Back with some more screens! I'll tag 'em since they are past the game's opening hours, just in case.

Spoiler: Up until SS Zelbess / first 15 hours

Been having a blast making my way through the game for the first time in probably 15 years! Hard to put down.

 

[HockeyBird]

The party members in this game kinda feel like gacha characters. They get a few bits of dialogue dialogue to introduce them and then they never speak again lol

Definitely would have preferred a slimmer but more detailed cast but their approach here is still interesting. Definitely a case of ambition outweighing what was possible.

 

[xghost777]

I’ve been playing kind of slowly, but I’ve been having a lot of fun revisiting Chrono Cross. There’s a lot great moments in this game as characters are regularly confronting loss or have tons of doubt. I’m still in the other world, but I’m paying close attention to spot more of the differences between the home world and the other world. I’m trying to do things differently this go around to get characters I never had before. I picked Guile this time for breaking into the Viper mansion (I think I climbed the cliffs once, but abandoned that playthrough afterwards) and I chose to abandon Kid which I’ve 100% never done before so I have Glenn for the first time and Macha (if you don’t put her in the party right away she swims home lol). I saved right after that, but I’ve heard Glenn has great stats so I’m excited to see what he can do now that I have to live with my terrible person choice lol. My consolation I’m telling myself, if I ever do New Game+ the 100% file will have me saving Kid for sure lol. Also it’s not like Serge knows he lives in a JRPG and things will work out if he went for it lol.

@SammyJ9 I meant to respond sooner, yeah you are right the larger plot doesn’t come into focus right away. Event/adventure-wise I was pretty surprised how quick Serge gets thrust into the other world and how quickly you storm Viper Manor. I thought there was a few more events between the start and breaking in. After Viper Mansion though I definitely agree adventure-wise it calms down too especially if you abandon Kid.

 

[Phendrift]

The battle system is serviceable so far, though I must admit I’d probably like battling way more if the music wasn’t grating as hell. That’s also part of it.

Everything else is awesome though, game has such a cool vibe. I’m past where I got before so that’s exciting

 

[Renmazuo]

They added a short scene if you clear both chrono cross and radical dreamers and sit through the credits in the main menu.

Spoiler

In it Magil/Guile? reminisces about his past.

 

[xghost777]

They added a short scene if you clear both chrono cross and radical dreamers and sit through the credits in the main menu.

Spoiler

In it Magil/Guile? reminisces about his past.

Looking forward to seeing that myself now when I get there, thanks for sharing!

I think it was the producer’s message that said to watch the credits and check out the list of names involved in the remaster. I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but I wonder now if they really are suggesting we might get a new Chrono game after all this time…

 

[SammyJ9]

I’ve been playing kind of slowly, but I’ve been having a lot of fun revisiting Chrono Cross. There’s a lot great moments in this game as characters are regularly confronting loss or have tons of doubt. I’m still in the other world, but I’m paying close attention to spot more of the differences between the home world and the other world. I’m trying to do things differently this go around to get characters I never had before. I picked Guile this time for breaking into the Viper mansion (I think I climbed the cliffs once, but abandoned that playthrough afterwards) and I chose to abandon Kid which I’ve 100% never done before so I have Glenn for the first time and Macha (if you don’t put her in the party right away she swims home lol). I saved right after that, but I’ve heard Glenn has great stats so I’m excited to see what he can do now that I have to live with my terrible person choice lol. My consolation I’m telling myself, if I ever do New Game+ the 100% file will have me saving Kid for sure lol. Also it’s not like Serge knows he lives in a JRPG and things will work out if he went for it lol.

@SammyJ9 I meant to respond sooner, yeah you are right the larger plot doesn’t come into focus right away. Event/adventure-wise I was pretty surprised how quick Serge gets thrust into the other world and how quickly you storm Viper Manor. I thought there was a few more events between the start and breaking in. After Viper Mansion though I definitely agree adventure-wise it calms down too especially if you abandon Kid.

Yeah abandoning Kid is something I never would have done in a million years unless I had a guide that told me why I should do it. This playthrough has been interesting for me, since I also got Leena for the first time and kept Kid out of my party, and that does some weird things to the plot. Kid feels more like an afterthought who just keeps barging in: she rescues you in the Viper Manor jail but then runs off on her own, she gets poisoned but it feels like in this version of the game I barely know her at all anyway, so deciding not to try to save her actually felt a bit more in character.

Contrast that to how I usually played the game before, where Kid joins you immediately, she never left my party, and feels like the most important character in the game other than Serge. Interesting how that changes things so much!

And yeah I guess I should expand on what I meant by plot: There's lots of plot as in 'things happening', yes, but you don't get much of ANY backstory and actual explanation for things and what's really going on behind the scenes for a LONG time. Which is what leads to the almost-hilarious amount of plot twists that all occur in the span of 15 minutes late in the game. Honestly though, I kind of love that, it's just interesting to think about how it's paced.

 

[Renmazuo]

And yeah I guess I should expand on what I meant by plot: There's lots of plot as in 'things happening', yes, but you don't get much of ANY backstory and actual explanation for things and what's really going on behind the scenes for a LONG time. Which is what leads to the almost-hilarious amount of plot twists that all occur in the span of 15 minutes late in the game. Honestly though, I kind of love that, it's just interesting to think about how it's paced.

It's something it inherited from its cousin Xenogears

 

[xghost777]

Now that I’m on the other side of it, kind of wild how much abandoning Kid messes up the story.

Spoiler

You don’t get the amulet until later so you barely experience hopping between worlds before Fort Dragonia. Then you just have no reason to ever go into the hydra marsh (unless you loot it for items like I did) so the big sequence when the dwarves attack the fairies just kind of rings hollow as you just stumble in there, get blamed for stuff you weren’t witness to, save the day, then get blamed again. The one cool bit is Kid gets saved, but you only learn why that’s interesting towards the end of the game.

Beyond that, I did enjoy seeing the campfire scene on this playthrough because

Spoiler: Remaster Spoiler

Radical Dreamers gives Kid’s backstory. I’m kicking around making a thread about this kind of topic about game series you wish you could have played in order. Lynx burning the down the orphanage wouldn’t have been a spoiler for people who played Radical Dreamers. Chrono Cross will probably always be my favorite PS1 game, but I wonder how I and others would have felt if we knew about Lynx killing the Chrono Trigger cast walking in.

I’m excited I should be catching up to the prologue tomorrow. Also, one last minor thing, I totally forgot you can find the Epoch and a Nu in Viper Manor in the library. Wild.

 

[xghost777]

I played a ton of Chrono Cross these past two days. I’m well beyond Fort Dragonia and I’m almost about to go after the dragons. For the first part of the game, Poshul and Glenn were my main party. I’m currently using Norris and Janice. I liked to use Zappa for this stretch in the past, but Janice had way better stats so I swapped him out. I don’t believe I ever got Janice before since you have to beat her three times in the Grand Slam. This is a really cool minigame as you have to capture monsters in the world with pokeballs Sprigg. If this game ever got a more ambitious remake, I think it’d be cool to flesh this minigame out. Maybe let you access it earlier and have more opponents to fight both easier and harder.

Incidentally, I started playing on the TV today since I was having trouble marathoning the game in handheld mode. Performance is notably worse, but eh you get used to it and anytime I flip on turbo mode I care less. Putting aside it was a post game unlock, was Chrono Cross the first console RPG with a turbo mode? I can’t think of anything else.

I do have three plot things I want to mention as I wrap up this post. First, I think it’s neat when you are more throughly exploring the Home World again you aren’t really home as Lynx. Second, when you get to the Zelbess, I have to mention when I orginally played Chrono Cross all the way through I thought it was broken when you always lose your boat to Fargo. I kept retrying over and over lol. Third, the Dead Sea is such an awesome area to explore. Love the frozen in time waves, the computer you can learn about Lavos, seeing the enertron in 3D, and the whole concept of why it is there. I’m sure it gets brough up again later, but I don’t think I was paying enough attention 15 years ago about what was going on with the ghosts of Crono, Lucca, and Marle exactly. I’m eager to keep moving the plot forward to get to the stuff that was formerly in Disc 2. Was my favorite part of the game back in the day and the part that always stuck with me.

 

[HockeyBird]

It doesn't help that the villain looks like a Khajiit from the Elder Scrolls games.

 

[xghost777]

I made awesome progress today! Destroyed all six dragons and even beat Dario (barely). Excited to head into what was once Disc 2 tomorrow!

 

[shoptroll]

Now that I’m on the other side of it, kind of wild how much abandoning Kid messes up the story.

Until I saw this comment it never clicked for me how much Chrono Cross kinda leans hard into the VN origins of Radical Dreamers with the branching paths

 

[xghost777]

Until I saw this comment it never clicked for me how much Chrono Cross kinda leans hard into the VN origins of Radical Dreamers with the branching paths

Yeah there’s so much Radical Dreamers ideas baked into this game it’s wild.

A lot of this game feels like a natural evolution of Chrono Trigger with choices coming back to get you (like in CT’s trial), the freedom of choice (like in CT’s escape the jail), the way decisions ripple across time/dimensions for story and puzzles, and what some of the multiple endings of Chrono Trigger accomplished with saying if the story cut here here’s how the rest would play out. A lot of people say Cross doesn’t feel like a Chrono Trigger sequel, but revisiting it I’m just seeing how they really thought about taking ideas Trigger introduced and taking them farther. (Which of course extends to cool plot stuff too!)

I think the same is true for the Radical Dreamers connections. They had this really cool idea about thieves breaking into a mansion and seeing how they’d explore it lead to different adventures. Here they flipped it by making getting in the adventure. The relationship possibilities with Kid does feel like a visual novel structure, though I remember it gets subverted in Disc 2 with FATE. I don’t remember all of the details, so I’m excited to get there shortly.

…

While I’m here, I did write the thread I wanted to inspired by playing Radical Dreamers for the first time. Think people missed it over the holiday weekend since the board is way more active again today. I did talk about the cool plot stuff Radical Dreamers establishes for Chrono Cross behind a spoiler tag.

What Are Some Series You Wish You Had Or Wish You Could Have Played In Release Order?

What are some series you wish you had played or could have played in release order? I started thinking about this again as I’m enjoying the Chrono Cross remaster. As part of the remaster, we finally got an official version of the Radical Dreamers visual novel in the West. This was my first time...

famiboards.com

 

[xghost777]

They got rid of the disc transition in Chrono Cross. The game just keeps going which is cool and a little sad.

 

[xghost777]

I finished Chrono Cross! I believe this is the first time I did it with the good ending too since I don’t remember seeing the true credits before. It was always my favorite PS1 game, but I love it even more than I did before. The awesome, flexible combat system remains interesting throughout, the music is incredible, and I loved the wild story. I remembered a lot of the details, but definitely a few big ones I forgot (there’s a lot going on to be fair and it’s been like 15+ years since I last beat it). I hope the HD credits are pointing to a new Chrono game, because I want to play it, but I’m mainly just very happy we got Radical Dreamers. I’ve mentioned it prior, but it truly was a missing piece of the greater puzzle and I loved how it came up at various spots here and ties in with the ending. My final party was Serge, Norris, and Janice, but virtually only Serge and Norris mattered. I never ended up crafting Rainbow equipment (I’m not sure how you get star materials), but through accessories and making sure to get as many mini level ups as possible between stars, those two began obliterating everything. Bosses even started going down in less than three turns of regular attacks between them which was absurd. Good times though lol. I’ll throw some final story thoughts behind a spoiler tag, but yes Chrono Cross is a masterpiece.

Spoiler: Full CC and RD Spoilers

While I really appreciated the human drama more this playthrough, especially since I was thorough getting level 7 techs to wrap up all the character stories, Chronopolis is still my favorite part of the game. What an awesome concept. Basically in the new future Balthasar winds up in as a result of Trigger, he makes Chronopolis. A later revelation that this next part was secretly planned is absurd, but I love the idea of a time experiment going wrong and sending a super computer back in time that then tries to preserve its own existence by making sure nobody encounters it. I always loved the fact that save points are evil in the game even though it begs the question, why the Another timeline, the true one(!!), doesn’t possess your party (I guess they are still somewhat broken from Serge becoming the admin?). Also it’s super messed up learning Lynx was Serge’s Dad possessed by Fate not to mention what happened to Miguel.

I was definitely paying more attention this time so I knew exactly why Dinopolis was there and what was going with the dragons (organic computer is wild). That both final bosses are named the Time Devourer is weird, but I guess it kidnaps Schala from Lavos when you beat it the first time? Still fuzzy on that one.

I totally forgot you do time travel yourself in this game to go to Lucca’s orphanage (and the final boss) which is just her house. I also forgot, Chrono, Lucca, and Marle are actually there on the beach at the end even though I’m not sure why they are younger here because they definitely should be older as they raised Kid. I wonder if this is something they’d explain more in a future Chrono game as Lucca did say in her letter to Kid she had a plan.

I really dug in general that this game explores the darker consequences of time travel. That by averting the apocalypse you may have created new problems either by the old timelines “seeking revenge” or just the fallout of new timelines charting their own course through time. I do love that the game ends on a super hopeful note, but with the new credits in mind for Magus/Magil, I’m really excited to see what the next adventure could be now and what characters will return. There’s endless possibilities.

 

[big lantern ghost]

Real Life, the most dangerous game of all, has put me way off my initial fast pace on this one. Still having a good time though! Working my way through the Dragon Gods right now. Anxious to get back to Serge to get all my party members back for reasons I'll eventually reveal in a GIF.

Even though it's a pretty spare remaster, it's nice to have Chrono Cross back and available on modern platforms. This is especially important if, like me, you don't have a PC and do all of your Computer Stuff on a three year old Intel Macbook Air, and thus emulating stuff is pretty well out of the question.

I think I'm appreciating the mood of the whole thing even more this time around, and in ways I couldn't have appreciated when I was a kid.

 

[big lantern ghost]

Not the Mystery GIF just yet, but I made a few other quick GIFs to share. I've taken so many freaking videos and screenshots of this game lol, it's been fun sifting through it honestly!

PRO TIP: Just before attacking a target, switch to the "Dynamic" camera for a good look at an enemy, like in the first GIF!

 

[HockeyBird]

Story is finally starting to pick up. My main issue with the story up to this point is that you seem to be going to places but the game doesn't give you a good explanation as to why. It kinda feels like the story summary and locations were mapped out but didn't have time and/or budget to put enough dialogue to tie it all together. To avoid open spoilers for a 20 year old game, there's a part of the story that involves an evil sword let's say. It felt like this was supposed to be a larger part of a character's backstory built up over time but it kinda just starts and then ends in a matter of 30 minutes. It's stuff like that that makes me wanting more. But at least the overall narrative is starting to come into light now.

 

[xghost777]

Story is finally starting to pick up. My main issue with the story up to this point is that you seem to be going to places but the game doesn't give you a good explanation as to why. It kinda feels like the story summary and locations were mapped out but didn't have time and/or budget to put enough dialogue to tie it all together. To avoid open spoilers for a 20 year old game, there's a part of the story that involves an evil sword let's say. It felt like this was supposed to be a larger part of a character's backstory built up over time but it kinda just starts and then ends in a matter of 30 minutes. It's stuff like that that makes me wanting more. But at least the overall narrative is starting to come into light now.

Spoiler: Full Sword Spoilers Vague

There’s more going on with the Mastermune. Part of it is just up ahead (though not obvious), the rest is off the beaten path. One of the coolest moments in the game imo since it is tied with some of my favorite characters. There’s two smaller things with it up ahead too and I only saw them this time since I had Glenn in my party.

I agree the story is somewhat annoyingly out of focus up to the sword btw. Beyond that was the turning point I felt and I was really impressed how the game comes together revisiting it. (I was still enjoying the adventure before then to be clear) That said a lot of closure for better or worse on the character level I found was getting the level 7 techs for characters which isn’t always clear how to do so.

 

[HockeyBird]

Still making my way through this. I'm no longer a big kitty cat so I think I'm nearing the end. Thank god I'm using an online guide. I would have no clue where to go. Some hints are obtuse but also because there are so many characters, it's hard to parse out who is important and often bits of a dialogue seem inconsequential when it's not. Like I would never know to return to a specific lady because I simply didn't remember her importance to the plot.

 

[SammyJ9]

Still making my way through this. I'm no longer a big kitty cat so I think I'm nearing the end. Thank god I'm using an online guide. I would have no clue where to go. Some hints are obtuse but also because there are so many characters, it's hard to parse out who is important and often bits of a dialogue seem inconsequential when it's not. Like I would never know to return to a specific lady because I simply didn't remember her importance to the plot.

This was probably my biggest point of surprise when I replayed the game this time around. Very few people (and hell even the game itself) give you very many hints about where to go next at any given time. It feels a bit lacking in direction and forward momentum - but then, is that just me thinking that due to how games have evolved since? Or was is still an issue with the game back originally, too?

 

[HockeyBird]

This was probably my biggest point of surprise when I replayed the game this time around. Very few people (and hell even the game itself) give you very many hints about where to go next at any given time. It feels a bit lacking in direction and forward momentum - but then, is that just me thinking that due to how games have evolved since? Or was is still an issue with the game back originally, too?

Definitely older games could be way more obtuse but I feel by the 90s, the industry sorta had streamlined things. I think the problem with Chrono Cross is that there aren't an focal characters you know you should be remembering and returning to. Everyone just comes and goes. Their faces and dialogue don't stick out to you so after returning to them several hours later, you have completely forgotten who they were and what you talked about.

 

[chocolate_supra]

This is probably kinda weird but I've spent my whole life only knowing Mitsuda through his music, not even knowing what he looks like, as obviously he's not the type of artist who gets face time in the media like more traditional musicians would. But now he's putting himself out there through Procyon promo stuff and his live concerts, and now I'm seeing this person I've "known" all my life for the first time.
It's so strange to watch him and hear him speak, after all this time.

also obviously what dreamer's circus did for chrono cross was really neat