Like my title says, I had alot of fun playing this game. If you really enjoyed Chrono Trigger and are expecting a sequel, you may be dissapointed with Chrono Cross. I have a really hard time envisioning this as a sequel-it just seems so far removed from the original Chrono Trigger (the original cast of Chrono Trigger's appearance is rather cameo). However, if you don't think of this game as a sequel, then you may enjoy it just as much as I did. Well, here's a more in-depth look at this game:

Graphics (9/10): Obviously, this is a Playstation 1 game, it's going to have PS1 graphics. I thought the graphics were very nice looking. There really wasn't anywhere in the game that made me exclaim "those lazy graphical designers! How dare they!". Although not as good as other PS1 games in terms of graphics (especially later games, for obvious reasons), most everything was pleasing to the eye and I have no complaints.

Music (9/10): Music was pretty good. Songs fit the emotional content of scenes pretty well, and many are pleasant enough to listen to outside of the game ("Time's Scar" comes to mind). The music may not be that memorable, but it's still pretty nice to listen to.

Characters (7/10): They really go for quantity over quality here. There are at least 30 characters available. Obviously, this high character volume means that no one particularly gets well-developed (except Serge of course). Normally this would bother me, but the characters were all so unique and colorful in appearance and attitude that I didn't mind as much. I sort of fell into the collector's mindset, in that I had alot of fun just trying to get people to join the party. Gotta catch 'em all!

Story (7/10): The story is very enjoyable until the last 1/8 of the game. Then it just sort of degenerates into an incomprehensible convoluted mess. I felt like the last part of the plot had been sucked into some kind of demensional void and distorted beyond reason. However, as I said earlier, the story is very enjoyable and understandable before that point; definitely enough to make the game worthy of playing.

Battle System (8/10): Nothing really wrong with the battle system. It is basically turn-based. Each character has a certain number of slots (which increase as you get stronger) that magic (called Elements) is assigned to. The system is fairly easy to get used to. My only complaint here is that switching elements from one character to another can be rather tedious.

Gameplay (9/10): This is my catch-all category. Some people (like me) will enjoy the ability to travel between dimensions to the two worlds (although it can be confusing at times). Others will find this constant back-and-forth travel to be rather annoying. I have no complaints with other gameplay elements like the controls or menus. Overall, everything's pretty good.

Overall (8/10): NOTE this score is not an average, it's my subjective overall score. Despite the lack of any real character depth, and the somewhat convoluted story towards the end, I really enjoyed this game. Considering it's current price (it's rather cheap, at least for now), I recommend picking it up.

After playing Chrono Trigger, I wanted a sequel, so I bought this game. Overall, I am satisfied with the gameplay. Those who expect this to be another Chrono Trigger will not get what they expect. The story intersects that of Chrono Trigger, but everything else makes it a unique game.

The gameplay is interesting and a refreshing change from Chrono Trigger. Unlike most RPGs, you can choose which spells to equip and use in battle. As your characters get stronger, you can buy and equip stronger spells and techniques. Instead of using up HP or MP to use techniques and cast spells, you use "power levels" which you gain from using basic attacks. So you don't run out of MP as you do in other games since you can always gain it back and it resets after every battle. Because of this, you can heal your characters using "power levels" during and after every battle, which makes the game seem too easy. You can also run away from boss fights (!), but you have to fight them to advance the storyline.

The back of the game cover boasts of "a multitude of playable characters." Being a seemingly good idea, this innovative element is the biggest negative as well as the biggest positive aspect of the game's story. Because of the huge number of characters, there isn't much character development outside of the three main characters (Serge, Kid, and Lynx), though one could argue that there isn't much character development of the main character at all since he never speaks. The large number of characters serves the game's goal of lengthening the game's potential playtime since there are numerous side quests. Each character has his/her own story and personality, but the characters' personalities are not as developed as the main characters'.

Overall, I enjoyed this game very much and would recommend this game to anyone who enjoyed Chrono Trigger and other similar games. The soundtrack is just as good as Chrono Trigger's if not better and the gameplay is an improvement despite its flaws. However, if you are expecting an excellent story that rivals that of Chrono Trigger, you will be disappointed. Also, one last thing to note: BUYER BEWARE: Some people who purchased the game from Amazon, including myself, received defective copies of the game (the game freezes near the end of the first disc). Other reviewers also mention this.

I have played almost every rpg ever made for almost all systems, thats how long I've been a gamer and Chrono Trigger will always be in my top five, not for the story but just for sure fun-factor and inventiveness. In hindsight, I don't actually believe Chrono Trigger is nearly good as I once did when I was a kid, but it still blows this game out of the water.

I didn't hate this game either, don't get me wrong, but its just not there. The graphics for the time were amazing I suppose and the battle system is different(often to the point of annoyance), but different isn't always good. They tried to create a plotline as lofty and intricate as something like Xenogears. You go to so many places and meet WAAAAAAY too many party members to the point where they all seem to lose their respective "face." You only really need the first two main party members and then pick one more from the other gazillion to form your party. Honestly, I thought the choice to add so many potential members was quite stupid. Also, I feel the storyline is too confusing. Havign beat this game a few years ago I remember almost nothing of what actually happened except for the fact I had already forgotten about most of it before I was even doen with the game, which usually doesn't mark a very enthralling affair in my eyes.

Many people love this game, and I suppose if you try to play it as a game set apart from the Chrono "franchise," as it were, it is a fair stand-alone outing. The Chrono tag is merely a means to an end, however, it is there to sell the game. This game has nothing to do with the original except in name and the use of timetravel. I would not recommend this game as a good rpg to start off on if you've never played one before. If you want the best of the best rpg's then go pick up Persona 3, FF7/FFX/FFXII, Xenogears, Star Ocean, or Suikoden 2/3/5, to name a few. This one can easily be bypassed.

***Graphics***

Beautifully designed backdrops, interesting character designs, dazzling spell effects, gorgeous FMV sequences--it's all here. From the time you watch the introduction FMV, you will be mesmerize and would want to become immersed in the world rich with atmosphere, color, and life.

The characters and worlds are in 3D. They animate with such fluidity. Every character has his/her/its own intricate design, features, and styles that they can call his/her/its own. The worlds' design has its own charm and beauty. The details are rich and each and every area has its own kind of atmosphere. The lighting and special effects for the spells and tech skills as well as locale effects are eye-catching as well. The atmosphere for one world has its own modification for the other world that make it unique as well; though, it is in fact the same locale.

***Sound***

Beautiful tracks that start at the introduction cutscene. They only get better as the game progresses. Each song creates a certain atmosphere and perfectly suits its respective locale. From grim to dire; from depressing to mystery. There is a track that represents a series of moods that can trigger the player to feel them as well.

The sound effects are implemented very well. The consistency of the ground affects the sound of footsteps. In marshlands or through water, a splashing or sloshing noise is present. The weapons sound effects correspond to the weapon itself and the density and and material it consists of (a blade sounds like a blade, a club sounds like a club, a punch sounds like a punch...and so forth). To hear the elements is an aural experience as well.

***Gameplay***

The gameplay is fairly simple and the learning curve is probably 30 mins-1 hour. Its standard RPG fare in terms of exploration. There are no random encounters on the field map or in the game. While exploring a location, you can opt to avoid fights with the enemies on the screen if you can avoid them. One unique feature about this particular RPG is that once you encounter a boss, you have the option to run. That does not mean you win by default or anything, just gives you the opportunity to fix up or upgrade your party under the circumstance you having trouble; thus, allowing you to return to fight him/her/it when you are ready.

The battle system is a little different from most RPGs as well. Your character can equip elements with added or decreased stats. As your player physically attacks his/her/its' opponent (and the hits connect), your player is granted the ability to use elements. Each character has his/her/its unique tech skill that corresponds to their innate color. Unlike a lot of other RPGs, your character is set to be a particular element (ex: Serge's innate color is white). With a total of 6 elements, every element is weak against its "opposite" color (ex: Black is weak against white AND vice versa). As your character grows, you are able to equip more elements. Some characters learn a new tech skill corresponding to their innate color.

There are combination tech skills (as there were in Chrono Trigger). Some are obtained by having certain characters in battle together while others have to be obtained via side quests.


***Reasons for a Second Go-Around***

-There is a new game+ feature (just as there was in Chrono Trigger). The new game+ feature holds many extras for your second playthrough.

-There is more than one ending.

-There are 30+ characters which allows you to tinker with the various characters in the game.

Pros:
+Great Graphics and Music
+Great Story
+Great Replay Value
+30 plus characters
+As many characters as there are, you actually learn a little about ALL of them

Cons:
-As you may have figured, the time travel feature was eliminated here
-The Main protagonists from Chrono Trigger do not play a part in the sequel

This game brings a nice change compared to most single player RPG games, the battle system and leveling system are very unique and keep things interesting. The storyline is great also!

I would recommend this game to anyone who enjoys Final Fantasy or Chrono Trigger.

If you were blown away by Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross will take you to the next level and blow you away again. Be prepared to dedicate many hours to this wonderful game.

Awesome game, if you like RPGs. It has very little to do with it's predecessor, Chrono Trigger, but it's a great game on it's own.

The graphics are excellent, and even hold up to todays standards. The cutscenes are incredible. And the music is so good you'll want to download a number of the songs. The story is interesting enough to keep you going through the fantasy world. Character developement is minimal because it's spread out among dozens and dozens of characters, and therefore focuses on just a few of them. Exploring the world is a lot of fun, there are various colorful & detailed locations with new foes to vanquish, items to find and new characters to recruit to your side.

The shortcoming is that the game is focused on combat, which gets very monotonous. The combat system does introduce a new style that is creative with flashy effects (and takes some getting used to), you just go through it so often over the course of the game, it becomes a nuisance. Thankfully you can avoid the encounters most of the time if you're not in the mood for it. Also, some might find it annoying that the main character does not speak at all - he has no lines of dialog. Another potential hang up for people could be that to advance the plot, you have to figure out puzzles sometimes. These range from barely challenging to "pull your hair out and scream". At least there are walkthroughs available online in case you get stumped as to where to go and what to do.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this game, there are some very memorable scenes and distinctive characters, especially the antagonist (fancy word for 'bad guy'). The cutscenes are a joy to behold and the music is beautiful and bold. It's just that whacking enemies with your weapon and casting the same old spells umpteen thousand times gets tiring. Small complaint about an excellent game though, Squaresoft (now SquareEnix) lives up to it's reputation.

Chrono Cross is a great game, with beautiful visuals and an awesome story. It also have a Very good replay value, because when you beat the game you can start it over with all your items and current status. plus, there are many more secrets unlocked when you beat the game. such as a bonus dungeon and extra bosses.

My lil Cuz love this game thanks!!! another classic catch the heart of the new generation like it did me.

Thanks Again!!!

This is one of the best rpgs for PS1. Its in many respects similar to the FF series. You control a group of up to 3 characters at a time (out of a total pool of about 50 - if you can make them join you) to save the world from total destruction. Without giving away any piece of the story line this can be considered to be the sequil to Chrono Trigger from SNES. Chrono Cross utilizes the Active Time Battle system like most rpgs. There are also summons, however, unlike in most FF games they are not limited to certain characters. The graffics are half way decent for PS1 standards which means they are bad with todays standards. The FMVs are still watchable though

bottom line, if you still have a PS1 or feel like playing some 'retro rpg' games pick this one up and you wont be disappointed

Definitely an awesome game. RPG fans will love it. Chrono Trigger fans will love it. And people who love super awesome story lines? Oh they are in for a treat!! It may be seven years old, but Chrono Cross still sets the bar for role playing games everywhere.

This is not your average RPG. This is a great sequel to Chrono Trigger, which this game is based off of. The puzzles are much more difficult, there are way more people to get to join your party, a very unique battle system that will keep you entertained, and there's also new game +. The only con that I would say to the game is that there are so many great characters to play, and you can only have three party members at a time, one of whom is fixed. So you only get to choose 2 out of about 40 or something. That's a hard choice to make.

This game is a must for any game collector...Buy IT.
The game starts off a little slow, however it builds...and the game is huge! The worlds are free roaming and very complete. some of the graphics are on par with 2003 graphics...nice full fight scenes. For its time it must have been one of the best! By todays standards it very playable and worth the time invested. This game was for the PS1. I tried it on one of my PSOne consoles and the load times were a little much...but playing it on the PS2 helps with this a great deal.
I have not gotten to the second disk yet...so I do not know if I will suffer the fate some of the people, where the second disk of the amazon collectors version does not work...in either case I hear that they will replace it at no cost...so I'll deal with it if it comes to that.
Will update this post if it does...

This game is ridiculously beautiful and lush with detail.

What an art piece! I am in love!

If only all games were as full of such vibrant characters and atmosphere. *Sigh*

-The music is stunning
-Kid is hilarious ^^
-Fantastic witty dialogue
-Full of Color and life
-Great replay value!

Recommended to any gamer, any age or type! :D

when i first bought it i got it confused with legend of dragoon because i did not now the name of the game at that time and after i bought it i started to like the game and im still playing the game after beaten it so many times

This is quite possibly one of the greatest games I have ever played. After 7 years of having this game I still have not found the courage to sell it. One of the most entertaining features of the game is the graphics. Visually for a game made so many years ago on the 1st gen Playstation console it is absolutely stunning. I can't even begin to express how amazing the cut scenes are. They could even be compared to the FMVs of today's systems, well maybe the 2nd gens.

One of the downfalls this game had was the very tricky plot. After a while it completely lost me but it didn't take long to get me right back on track.

The many characters to choose from in this game was bashed by critics but I actually thought it was an amazing part of the game. It gave you a chance to play the game dozens of times and always have a new story to follow. I've beaten the game many times and there is always something new to discover. You can get a new perspective of the game form over 15 different and unique characters.

I have to say the best part of the game has to be the music. Wow how amazing the sound is in this game, spectacular to say the least. Yasunori Mitsuda the great compser never ceases to amaze and astonish us all with his talent. This game has over I believe 70 different sounds and each is a great listen. The opeing theme song "Scars of Time" will compeletly suck you in. I think I've listend to it well over 1000 times.... in the last week.. Pathtic I know but trust me this song and the entire games music is compelling.

With a perfect 10 rating from gamespot you know you are getting your moneys worth. Buy this game and you will NOT regert it.

I love this game and think it is one of the greatest games of all time. That is why I recently purchased it from Amazon (or Hitgaming, but through Amazon). The game is great, but there is just one problem: the game freezes! At this one cutscene the game freezes and you cannot play it anymore. So, I called the customer support people at Square Enix and he said (God's honest truth) that there is a problem with the Chrono Cross games that Amazon sells. Also, for some reason the game freezes on a Playstation One and Two, but not a Playstation Three. Anyways, I mailed the game to Square Enix and they are gonna replace it with a working copy. So in conclusion, be warned! Do not buy this game from Amazon or you will have to pay for shipping and handling both to and from for a replacement.

I hate the character Kid, I do not understand how she was made the heroine, maybe because she walks around half-naked, didn't see any good in her. Her attitude stinks.

The story is too much Final Fantasy, it could be much better. Not very original, but the time changing works quite well.

There are a lot of characters, 108 (Suikoden anyone?), but they are just TOO MANY to be used in a good way. You can only bring two characters (because you can't get the hero out of the party), trying to discover all these characters abilities would required you to start the game over several times. Some characters you get so late so you never really get any use of them.

Overall OK game.

easily one of the best games for ps1 you will ever find, a must have for the real gamer's out there, enjoy

Next to final fantasy 7, this has to be one of the top rpg's ever made. Great story, beautiful graphics, and a cast of characters you'll never forget.

Chrono Cross starts off much like its predecessor, with the protagonist Serge living a carefree life in his home village. However, adventure comes his way, and Serge is whisked off into a tale of adventure. The game takes a while to pick up, but when it does, you will be engrossed in it. The music is brilliantly coordinated with the story of the game, and the presentation assures this as a worthy sequel to Chrono Trigger.

There is one problem...
The game freezes!
The disc freezes during a cutscene towards the end of disc 1. Apparently, it's a widespread problem with Greatest Hits copies of Chrono Cross. This doesn't come up until well past 30 hours in the game, so it is hard to test for it. Keep this in mind when buying Chrono Cross.

this game really IS an OK game... but only OK. Square could have put a little more effort into this one, but they didn't. and it ended up being not so great. it pales in comparison to its predecessor, despite the more advanced technology used to make it. the soundtrack, however, is top-notch. grab a copy of it if you can.

This is an amazing RPG. I first played Chrono Trigger (on an emulator) when I was 19, and it absolutely hooked me. After hearing the closing credits theme from Chrono Cross, I knew I had to buy it.

The game is wonderful, it really is. Graphics are great, sound is just this side of perfect (a few of the songs get a little repetative, but they're still awesome), and replay value is very high.

The main problem: It's slow. Every battle initiates a load screen, which takes a long time. There are a great many cut scenes and conversation scenes (which cannot be skipped) and you will definitely find yourself looking away and just tapping A..or X, Square... whatever it is on those controllers.

Story line is pretty fantastic, though, and that helps make up for having to watch so much of it. The battle system is pretty good (personally, prefer Chrono Trigger's) and you are given a nice while to get used to your different battle choices as the game progresses--including informative battles against two reoccuring mini-bosses.

Okay, some quick ratings: (out of five)
Graphics: 4.5 / 5 (great, but sometimes very hard to tell if something is a wall, decoration, or a bridge)
Sound: 5 / 5 (just amazing)
Gameplay: 4.5 / 5 (really good, but sometimes just tapping A for ten minutes)
Story: 5 /5 (flawless)
Replayability: 5 / 5 (really optimalized by the fact that you can have completely different experiences, with different parties [46 playable characters])
Overall: 4 /5 (the load screens.. if only it weren't for the load screens...)

For a PS 1 game the graphics are outstanding and there's a pretty good challenge to the game.

Chrono Cross is a must play ps1 RPG with a great storyline and gameplay. The only bad thing I could say about this game is that it's relatively short for a standard RPG, but it is still worth the experience even if it was but a short one.

Amazon sells The Greatest Hits version of Chrono Cross. The picture on this site is fake. I was misleaded by the picture and bought "The Greatest Hits" version instead. Amazon said they will "correct the problem with the picture showed." Don't buy directly from Amazon.
All copies that Amazon sells are The Greatest Hits version. This version freezes near the end of Disc 1. I warn all of you not to buy from Amazon. They've acknowledged that many people returned their copies because of this.
This review was written on June 6, 2007.

good game and entretaining. had been looking for it for a log time.

This is by far the best RPG I have ever played. Even though the graphics are outdated, the story, music and just about everything about it is awsome. This game was populare about the same time as Final Fantasy IV. All of my friend were like " quit playing that piece of crap and play a real RPG" But I never stopped hating it. YOu can recruit a ton of carachters to fight for you. The battle system is old ( because it is an old game) but it is still an awsome game. Sadly someone stole my copy of the game and i haven't been able to get another one since. If you are into old games get this, it is well worth it.

Received the exact product I ordered in a timely matter. Will order from vendor again. Great job.

this was pretty much the first roleplaying game i had when i started playing chrono cross not knowing the history before the game until later on. the game itself was difficult to understand at first but gradually became much easier as it was being figured out. overall it was alot of fun to play and still keep the game in my collection.

To truely understand this game you must have played Chrono trigger, although some of the original character don't make an appearance until close to the end of the game the over all plot extended what Chrono trigger left off with. The 40+ characters each had their own ideas and some of them are actually funny to beat the game with. Yes when you beat the game there are still 12 other endings to see and the time warp feature you get rocks speeding up time and battles. The coolest character in the game is Serge the silent protaginist as he seems like Crono and Frog (Glenn) combined with his weapons and power once you max him out. The true ending rocked even though you just see your team members faces as they talk to you along with..., ain't gonna ruin it for ya. Honestly i'd buy this game. It has two different time lines converged, the time line if Lavos never fell and azala destroyed the humans, and the timeline after Lavos's defeat by our favorite 7 characters. This game is a 10

I bought this game for my cousins, and since it arrive they haven't stop playing the game. They love it!!

I severely think this game is under rated. Its the sequel to Chrono Trigger but has almost a completely new engine. Personally, I think this game is great and deserves better ratings.

Right now it's the only sequel to the original Chrono Trigger, and an indirect sequel at that, but it's a great game, with a good storyline, cool characters, and a really interesting battle/strategy system. Its only fault that I can find is that it does not take advantage of one of the neatest parts of Chrono Trigger, the double and triple techniques. They exist, but not for every two characters, and there are only a few triple techs in the entire game. Still, the addition of the old SquareSoft standby, Espers/Summons, makes up for the lack of doubles and triples somewhat. One thing that most RPG fans will love is that much like Chrono Trigger, this game does continue the tradition of the New Game+, and even adds in a new Continue+ feature. Oh...and did I mention that there are forty (40) total characters in the game..?

this game had two huge flaws to be great. One was that the battle system just plain sucked. It really wasent enjoyible. Two, the story was way to confusing. If it wasnt for these 2 things it would have been a great game.