Back on the original PlayStation, Square had a huge library of JRPGs and other games for players to sink their teeth into. Many fans are familiar with titles likeFinal Fantasygiven how prevalent that series has become, but lesser-known gems were present as well. Amid other notable titles likeBrave Fencer MusashiandParasite Evewas the time-bendingChrono Chross. The successor toChrono Triggergarnered mixed reactions when it launched, but has since carved out a cult following. That’s why one rumor about aChrono Crossremaster has already picked up steam.
A recentleak from Nvidia revealed a lot of informationabout potential games coming in the future. It’s important to take the information with a grain of salt, but some of the tidbits of information have given fans a lot to ruminate over. Hints at aChrono Crossremaster were surprising, as the property hasn’t received nearly as much attention from now-Square Enix asFinal FantasyorDragon Quest. However, the game from the original Square Soft (before its monumental merger with Enix) has some solid legs to stand on and is more than deserving of a remaster or full remake.
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Why Chrono Cross Deserves a Remaster
Chrono Crossis a spiritual follow-up to the critically acclaimedChrono Trigger, but with some major changes. The art style eschewed Akira Toriyama’s aesthetic that definedChrono TriggerandDragon Quest(before the Square Enix merger), instead taking on a fantasy style that was more in-line withFinal Fantasyof the time.Chrono Cross’s main character Sergeeven wields a double-bladed polearm like the ones Zidane can create inFF9. This was a big shift fromChrono Trigger, and the two are only connected at the very ending ofCross.
DespiteChrono Cross' convoluted endingand its tenuous ties to the original, it has a lot of interesting elements. The game took some pieces ofChrono Trigger’s combat like team attacks and mixed it with a system that expanded on the elemental mechanics fromFinal Fantasy. Attacks and spells have associated colors, and how they’re mixed together could make the difference in surviving a boss battle.Chrono Cross’gameplay wasn’t the only place where it blended its influences in an engaging way.
The narrative ofChrono Crosswas just as interesting as its gameplay. It blended together the time-hopping mechanicspresent inChrono Triggerwith some now-infamous twists with character motives and themes about the loss of agency. The game drew some backlash fromfans of the originalChrono Trigger, but it still cemented itself as a worthy entry on its own. The inclusion of characters directly referencing the previous game, like withChrono Cross' Glen versusChrono Trigger’s Frog, also helped ground the sequel to its predecessor.
Chrono Crosshas been available digitallyfor a while. That being said, a full remaster could be huge. Seeing the conflict between Serge and Lynx in better graphics is something many fans would probably shell out to experience. This also wouldn’t be against the mold for modern-day Square Enix, as many of its classic games have been uprezzed and thePixel Remastersare looking to do the same for the oldestFinal Fantasytitles. While the merits of a full remake could also be argued, a remaster seems right in line with Square Enix’s model, and could be something worthwhile to many fans of the originalChrono Cross.
AChrono Crossremaster is rumored to be in development.
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