Another Eden x Chrono Cross Crossover Impressions

Who among you are fans of Japanese RPGs and… er… cats? Many, right? That’s exactly what I thought, since Japan has brought us so many great role-playing games… and still does, but there are names that will immediately come up during a conversation about the topic at hand, such as Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross. Another Eden’s story was created by Masato Kato, also writer for said games, and is a Japanese single-player role-playing game as well. The full name is Another Eden: The Cat Beyond Time and Space, because it involves many cats and adventures through time. So, isn’t it wonderful that Another Eden has a brand-new Chrono Cross crossover available right now? You’ve been watching part of the amazing trailer for this event, featuring some renowned faces that are embarking in this new adventure.

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Before I delve into the Another Eden Chrono Cross crossover, let me highlight the qualities of Another Eden. This RPG goes for tried-and-tested game mechanics dressed in modern robes, namely the stunning 2D artwork that permeates the regions and the anime characters. It’s cute and colorful throughout, and uses this neat side-scrolling visual trick to help us navigate the various planes of each region. The soundtrack is brilliant as well, and this crossover features exclusive music overseen by Yasunori Mitsuda, which I’m pretty sure will bring back strong vibes of Chrono Cross.

This isn’t the first Another Eden crossover, or Symphony as they are called, being free just as the previously released Persona 5 Royal and Tales of crossovers. Chrono Cross was developed by Square and released in North America in 2000, being the follow up to Chrono Trigger, the widely acclaimed video game, considered by many as one of the all-time greats.

The Another Eden Chrono Cross crossover provides several hours of story content and the new characters aren’t locked behind a paywall or summoned via gacha; you can recruit them just by progressing. However, the designers put you in a pickle not far from the beginning of the Complex Dream crossover, as you must pick between two iconic Chrono Cross characters – will you side with Kid or Harle? Not the easiest choice, but since I find Kid more appealing, that’s who I went for. No regrets, since this little thief has a sense of humor to go with her usual bragging and frustrated lockpicking attempts. Soon after you’re going to meet the swashbuckling pirate a.k.a. sword master Serge, who will thankfully offer to join your party without any tough choices from your end.

Players who enter the Complex Dream crossover will experience an adventure in parallel worlds, meeting other well-known faces such as Lynx, Starky, and Glenn. They’re definitely a handful, Lynx in particular isn’t going to make your life easy for sure, but fans of the Chrono series already know how it goes. It’s also worth noting that there are multiple endings and a new game plus option for those who want to explore this new story in extra detail, and you definitely should – it takes a few re-runs to see all the quests, since your character choice affects the path that you take. Picking Harle or Kid is going to take you down a certain road and your only option to discover everything is to start again when you complete the Symphony.

And now a quick look on Another Eden’s combat. The turn-based battle system is simple and yet provides enough depth for anyone to come up with strategies adapted to each enemy type. You can use your party of four characters and a couple of back-up fighters if you see the need for their skills, and while it is semi-automatic, you do have control over each one’s attack type. Unlocking new abilities, gear, and equipping new skills is essential to make your party capable of facing every foe that comes their way.

You can select the difficulty in Complex Dream and change it when you enter a battle that you may find unsurmountable with your current skills. Since you’re going to face some strong foes, choosing the Beginner level is nothing to be ashamed of, and you’ll notice exactly that when you face Lynx. I can tell you that he’s on a league of his own.

Combat is just one part of the puzzle in Complex Dream. The other part is the story, and there’s a lot to enjoy here for fans of JRPGs. The exchanges between the characters are numerous and engaging, strongly showcasing the identity of each one and making the party feel lively and full of distinct personalities, but all striving for a common goal. Kid and Serge are the latest examples of this, with the former being feisty and resourceful, while the latter is more down to earth and very trustworthy.

This Another Eden Chrono Cross crossover isn’t just timely, it’s a great homage to one of the best Japanese RPGs ever made. With the demand for this genre skyrocketing – did it ever go away? –, it’s a nice little throwback that once again proves how great storytelling in videogames will never age.

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