Originally released for US audiences in 2000, Chrono Cross had the unenviable task of being positioned as a follow-up to one of the greatest JRPGs of all time, Chrono Trigger. Despite facing some criticism for what some perceived to be a lack of connections to its predecessor, Chrono Cross is still highly regarded as one of the best JRPGs of the PS1 era. This is huge considering the quality of JRPGs that were released for the PS1, with the likes of Final Fantasy 7, Xenogears, and Vagrant Story all making their debuts on Sony's little gray box.

RELATED: Beginner Tips For Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition

Instead of time travel, Chrono Cross features a complex narrative that focuses on multiverses and inter-dimensional travel. Thankfully, more than twenty years on, Chrono Cross has aged well and gets another chance to be experienced by a younger audience and the European market that missed out on this classic PS1 JRPG the first time around.

6 The Story

Chrono-Cross Kid asking to team up with Serge

Many JRPGs have outdated mechanics by today's standards, but the great stories often remain as good today as they were upon release. The multidimensional narrative of Chrono Cross was way ahead of its time and its handling of such complex storytelling can't be understated.

It does this without ever tripping itself up or confusing the player with too many plot threads. There's an excellent sense of intrigue and world-building setting up an amazing story with an epic and satisfying conclusion that doesn't fully reveal itself in the last few hours. Moreover, the remaster features the Radical Dreamers text adventure which does a great job of bridging the gap between Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross. It features returning characters and adds some much-needed personality to Serge as the lead.

5 The Huge Cast Of Characters

chrono cross dual wield glenn

Chrono Cross has great character development that surrounds the silent protagonist as an avatar for the player and his relationship with Kid. The relationship and backstories are what keep the player gripped from beginning to end. Another feature that Chrono Cross has in common with its predecessor is that it manages to capture that fish out of water feeling, adding some additional development to a silent protagonist in the process.

RELATED: Chrono Cross: Dragon Feeding Rewards (And How to Win)

Further to this, Chrono Cross features a huge cast of playable characters to find and interact with. In Suikoden-like fashion, there are over forty characters to find and recruit. They can't all be found in one playthrough and not all of them receive the same kind of development as the leads, but the cast of quirky characters has something for everyone. The game is designed to be played multiple times, which adds even more longevity and replayability to what is already a massive JRPG.

4 New Game Plus And The Multiple Endings

Chrono Cross Riddel Karsh Lynx Radius Dario Forbidden Island Home World

In addition to the multiple characters, Chrono Cross also features different 11 endings for players to discover. This is another feature that was ahead of its time, thanks to JRPGs being notoriously linear experiences. Even today, there aren't many JRPGs that offer a player multiple reasons to return to a game after completing it.

Chrono Cross features a new game plus mechanic that will allow players to fight the final boss at various points throughout the game's narrative. Defeating the boss at certain points of the story will unlock different endings with varying outcomes. However, there is only one true ending to find that's canon.

3 The Combat System

Chrono Cross Serge battle

A major aspect of what made Chrono Cross so great was its combat system. This still rings true 22 years later with the Radical Dreamers edition. It features a slightly more complex system than its predecessor Chrono Trigger but it retains the fast-paced streamlined transition between exploration and combat.

RELATED: The Best Combat Systems In Final Fantasy Games, Ranked

Most JRPGs at the time would interrupt the flow of exploration by switching to a visually different combat arena. Chrono Cross' fights require a sense of strategy and quick thinking. The battles can be challenging but it's extremely satisfying to win a tough fight.

2 The Visuals

Chrono Cross town exploration

When Chrono Cross was first released it surpassed what many gamers thought was possible on the PS1. It's not going to match up to the likes of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, but its art design is still impressive. The cutscenes are still beautiful despite some resolution issues with 4K TVs. However, it is the bright and vibrant use of color in the pre-rendered backgrounds when exploring towns in a fantasy setting that really stands the test of time.

The Radical Dreamers edition has been accused of using a minimalistic approach to remastering, but the visuals are so good in the original that very little needed to be done. The animations look great in combat and on the field and so it's easy to see why the game was considered the pinnacle of what was possible on the PS1.

1 The Music

Chrono Cross Serge attacking during a cut scene

One of the greatest aspects of Chrono Cross was its music and there's a reason why Yasunori Mitsuda's work is still played at orchestral concerts today. The music tells as much of a story as the narrative with a theme that fits each town and scenario. In many ways, the music tells a story of its own, and Mitsuda's work has continued to evolve with more recent epics like the Xenoblade franchise.

The score is reminiscent of Chrono Trigger, with many tracks having a familiar feel and sound. It's another clever way to make the game feel more connected to its predecessor and so fans of Chrono Trigger should feel right at home with its successor. Thanks to the great music, exploring the overworld in Chrono Cross feels and plays like a grand adventure that's always a pleasure to jump into.

Chrono Cross Radical Dreamers Edition is available now for the PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One

MORE: Chrono Cross: How to Dual Wield Einlanzer with Glenn