Chrono Cross
Creator(s): Square-Enix | Release: 1999
Chrono Cross is an RPG sequel to Chrono Trigger but features a different art style and combat system.
It was developed by Masato Kato who wrote the story for Chrono Trigger.
Score: Yasunori Mitsuda
“Chrono Cross - Scars of Time”
“The Girl Who Stole the Stars”
“Reminiscing - Unerasable Memory”
“Ephemeral Memory”
“Lost Fragment”
“Radical Dreamers - Unstolen Jewel”
Gameplay
Traditional turn-based combat system
45 party members
Parallel dimension mechanics
The developers created an accent program to generate accents for the dialogue of different characters:
Zoah’s dialogue is in all caps, Harle and Pierre’s dialogue is called Franglais (a blend of English and French), etc.
As a sequel to Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross contains similar game implementations such as New Game+ and multiple endings
Chrono Cross was originally released on the PS1.
I recommend playing the 2022 remaster of Chrono Cross was released on multiple platforms as Chrono Cross: The Radial Dreamers Edition which also includes Radical Dreamers, a side story to Chrono Trigger that was previously only released in Japan on the Satellaview. I recommend playing the PC version.
Complex Dream is a cross-over event between Another Eden and Chrono Cross in the game Another Eden for iOS. It was released on December 9, 2021. Another Eden was developed by Masato Kato and Yasunori Mitsuda and features gameplay elements that pay homage to the Chrono series.
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Chrono Cross features 45 different party members. Every character (except Sprigg) have 3 unique techs with their final tech usually received after completing that character’s side quest.
Chrono Cross features player choices that lead to different paths to progress the story:
By refusing to travel with Kid at Cape Howl when she asks you a total of 3 times. This results in Lenne joining the party in the next scene.
When it’s decided to infiltrate Viper Manor, you select 1 of 3 different paths depending on who you recruit/talk to. This locks the other paths and the character from being recruited:
Guile
Nikki
Pierre
When Kid is poisoned by Lynx, you must choose to either find a way to save Kid by looking for incredibly rare Hydra Humour or say that you don’t know three times:
Razzly, Korcha, Mel
Glenn, Macha, Doc
This makes it necessary to complete multiple playthroughs in order to recruit every character via the Chrono Cross mechanic.
Notable Bosses
Karsh, Zoah, & Marcy (3 Acacia Dragoons)
Water Dragon
Earth Dragon
Green Dragon
Fire Dragon
Black Dragon
Sky Dragon
Miguel
Dragon God
Time Devourer
Dario, the 4th Acacia Dragoon (optional boss)
Criosphinx (optional boss)
Ozzie, Slash, Flea (optional boss)
Lynx/Serge Swap: Lynx swaps bodies with Serge causing you to play as Serge in Lynx’s body for the second half of the game until you are able to change back.
Dario & The Mastermune Side Quest: This side quest to obtain the Mastermune involves fighting Dario who wields the corrupted Masamune and is one of the hardest fights in the game.
Easter Egg(s) & Call-Backs
Delta Force is a triple tech used by Serge, Lenne, and Razzly that was also seen in Chrono Trigger as triple tech with Crono, Marle, and Lucca
X-Strike is a double tech used by Serge and Glenn that was also seen in Chrono Trigger as a double tech with Crono and Frog
Toma XIV is a descendent of Toma the Explorer who was seen in Chrono Trigger
In the Dead Sea, a broken down Johnny can be seen. Johnny was encountered in Chrono Trigger in 2300 A.D..
The Masamune sword returns with the spirits Masa, Mune, and Doreen. When Serge uses Flying Arrow with the Mastermune, an image of Masamune appears
Luminaire is a character tech used by Serge which was also seen in Chrono Trigger as Crono’s final tech
In Balthasar’s library, there’s a secret door that leads to the basement where a broken down Epoch from Chrono Trigger can be found.
Glenn references Frog from Chrono Trigger
Guile is widely believed to be an amnesiac Magus from Chrono Trigger which is hinted at in the additional content added to later ports of Chrono Trigger i.e. DS and later
In the Dead Sea at the Tower of Geddon, you meet Miguel at Nadia’s Bell which was seen in Chrono Trigger.
During the Lucca’s Orphanage quest, a broken down Gato can also be seen in the orphanage which is a reference to Gato in Chrono Trigger.
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Pip features a unique game mechanic where he can evolve into 5 different forms:
1st evolution:
Angel
Devil
2nd evolution:
Holy Beast
Archangel (only if 1st evolution was Angel)
Archdevil (only if 1st evolution was Devil)
To make Pip evolve, you need to expose him to different elements to earn points. This can be done by:
(1 point) Having in him in the party when an element is used
(1 point) Being attacked or affected by an element
(2 points) Using an element
(3 points) Use a support element that also affects Pip
Once you hit the threshold, (120 points for the 1st evolution and 200-300 for the 2nd evolution), evolution happens.
Which path it takes is determined by type of elements used. Note that the threshold takes into account total elements per type, and not combined. For example, it doesn't matter how many heavenly elements you hit, as long as you don't hit evolution threshold, he won't evolve. So amount of heaven/hell may be either 0/99 or 95/99, as soon as you hit about 120 in any side, he'll evolve.
Heavenly elements are: white, green, and blue and lead to the Angel and Archangel forms.
Hellish elements are: black, yellow, and red and leads to the Devil and Archdevil forms
Holy Beast form is in-between. To get it, you need to either expose Angel to hellish elements, or expose Devil to heavenly elements.
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After you defeat Fate and have either the Mastermune or Chrono Cross, you can enter Kid’s memory of when Lynx burned down Lucca’s orphanage.
Having the Mastermune allows your whole party to enter the memory while only having Chrono Cross results in only Serge entering the memory.
You can unlock Kid’s final tech by inputting the code L Triangle R Triangle code into the machine which references a similar side quest with Lucca from Chrono Trigger.
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Glenn’s ultimate weapon features him wielding 2 Einlazers, one from Home World and the other from Another World.
To obtain the second Einlazer, once you get the Mastermune, bring Glenn to the Einlanzer in Another Termina (i.e. Dario’s grave) where Glenn will obtain it.
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Plot Summary
The cross-over event features branching paths similarly to Chrono Cross.
Choose between Harle and Kid which have slightly different sidequests and dialogue events.
New Game+ allows you to choose neither Harle or Kid and unlocks the true ending.
Chapter 1: Dark Tune: Two Visages of the World
Aldo and the others are transported into another version of their world where the Beasts won the war against humans. They encounter Harle and Kid who also were transported to this world.
Aldo and the others learn that Lynx was transported to this world and influenced events causing the Beasts to win the war. Serge is also recruited into the party regardless of route chosen.
Chapter 2: A Broken King and Unknown Stronghold
Aldo and the others travels to the Underground Fortress where the remaining human rebels are hiding out. However they are followed by the Beast army and Lynx who want to use the Frozen Flame to destroy the remaining humans. Lynx successfully uses this world’s Frozen Flame to re-create the Dragon God. Harle refuses to combine with the Dragon God, choosing to live her own life. The Dragon God instead absorbs Altena, the brother of the Beast King, forming the Dragon Goddess. Aldo and the others successfully defeats the Dragon Goddess. Lynx reveals that the energy the Dragon Goddess absorbed was enough to awaken Fate.
Chapter 3: Dreamslip Tower of Time - Prayer of a Dreamer
Aldo and the other pursue Lynx to the Tower of Time (which is inspired by the design of Chronopolis). The party travels to the top of the Tower of Time where they must choose either the path of the bandit (i.e. Kid / Opassa Beach) or the path of the daughter of the moon (i.e. Harle / Viper Manor at Night). Regardless of which path, they encounter the Visus Embryo which Lynx reveals has been taken over by Fate. The party defeats the Visus Embryo however Lynx reveals that Fate has been growing in the Visus Embryo and is now ready to be born. Lynx combines with Fate and battles the party. The party defeat Fate,
Planet Eater
A mysterious object crashes down onto the planet. The group goes to investigate where they encounter an alien who resembles Starky. Starky reveals that this is his manager and that Starky is actually Surveyor #26 who was sent to investigate the planet and determine whether it’s suitable for terraforming. The manager had sent down one of three Terracticons, a machines that duplicates itself and devours planets. The group defeats the Star Manager who retreats. Starky reveals that his homeworld is gone and that his species have been looking for planets that are suitable to be terraformed into a new home planet. Starky decides to ally himself with the humans.
The group battle and defeat the 1st Terracticon however the Manager arrives and teleports himself and Starky back to their mothership. The group battle and defeat the 2nd Terracticon. Starky and the Manager arrive where it’s revealed that Starky’s memories have been erased and continues his job as a Surveyor. The group decide to save Starky and destroy the 3rd Terracticon. The group battle and defeat the 3rd Terracticon. Starky appears and fuses all 3 Terracticons into the Dynactricon and pilots it. The Manager reveals that if the Terracticon can’t terraform the planet then the Dynactricon will destroy the planet and gather resources. The team battle and defeat the Dynactricon causing Starky and the Dynactricon to vanish. The Manager realizes that their species can evolve too after witnessing Surveyor #26’s evolution and decide to stop terraforming Earth. He reveals that every surveyor has a duplicate and has their memories uploaded to the mothership so Starky is alive and rejoins the party.
Call of the Sword
The Manager meets with Glenn to ask about the Einlazer and it’s relationship to the Masamune. The group arrives where the Manager states that the energy from the Masamune is near and that it originates from shards of Lavos, the destroyer of their world. The energy flows into Manager and he becomes Lavoger (i.e. Lavos + Manager). The party defeats the Lavoger who reverts back to the Manager and leaves. Masa, Mune, and Doreen flow into Serge’s weapon to become the Mastermune (or Grand Dream).
Cameos/Easter Eggs
During Harle’s playthrough, the party encounters Starky.
During Kid’s playthrough, the party encounters Glenn.
Kid references Lucca who bears a resemblance to Ashtear, a character from Another Eden.
Features the home/another world mechanic. The dimensional rift that transports the player to the alternate world is the same as in Chrono Cross.
Serge wields the Mastermune. Serge references “where angels lose their way” i.e. dimensional gate i.e. Opassa Beach.
The End of Time makes an appearance in one of the side quests
The Field Effect mechanic from Chrono Cross is implemented during the cross-over event.
Glenn
Mystery of the Five Armors: 5 Soldiers and shields from Viper Manor
Dragoon feeding from Viper Manor
New Game+ feature is unlocked once you’ve completed the cross-over event.
At the End of Time, you can face a Goblin who asks you to run in a circle 3 times and then transforms into the Dragon God or Lynx to test your strength.
Bellflower
Prismatic Weapons