Square Enix

As many people know, Chrono Cross is the long awaited sequel to Chrono Trigger, a game released roughly five years ago for the Super NES that involved some memorable and original gameplay based around time travel. Chrono Trigger was famous for allowing the player a remarkable amount of variation in how he/she chose to play the game.

Playing Chrono Cross can be a bewildering experience, and that's not a slight at the game's graphics, music, gameplay or even its story.

Game Description: While it's officially a sequel to the immensely popular Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross is completely its own role-playing game with over 40 characters, a branching story line, and multiple endings. Like its predecessor, the game is about crossing through time and setting things right. This story focuses on Serge's quest for the Frozen Flame, which will give the beholder the power to bend space and time. Serge wants the power to save himself from dying in a parallel universe but, as you can guess, nefarious forces are also vying for the Frozen Flame to suit their own purposes. Chrono Cross features the stylish character designs and wondrous cut scenes that gamers have come to expect from SquareSoft, but the game also has a number of gameplay innovations. Though the battle engine is essentially turn-based, characters don't have to wait their turn to cast a spell or make an attack; battles are moderated by stamina. Also, the repetitive battles with lesser monsters that make so many RPGs sag can be easily avoided because all monsters can be seen on the screen.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Animated Violence, Mild Language

Game Description: Create the world of Fa’Diel in Legend of Mana. Choose a character, starting weapon, and starting area. Once in the starting area, you will have to complete a quest to earn artifacts, which can be used to create new areas on the map that have unique quests as well. With over 60 different artifacts and quests to discover, there is plenty to do in Legend of Mana.

The watercolor illustration quality of the graphics is simply amazing. In fact, it's so good that it made me think that if more games of this visual quality were continually produced on the PlayStation, the system could be a viable platform for years to come.

I am still shocked that Square would toss aside the excellent multiplayer feature I had come to expect from the Seiken Densetsu series. But as disappointing as that was, it wasn't what kept Legend Of Mana from shining.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Mild Animated Violence, Suggestive Themes

Game Description: See two different perspectives of the same quest with Threads Of Fate. You can play as either Mint or Rue, each with a unique story that will take the characters to different parts of the same world. Further, each adventurer has a different style of fighting and magic: Rue can transform into monsters, while Mint gains power from her ability to mix and cast magic spell. Discover the fabric that is woven with the Threads Of Fate.

Chi pretty much covered all bases in regard to Threads Of Fate. The graphics in the game are remarkable, and the lack of full-motion video was not missed at all as the real-time graphics more than sufficed. I especially liked how the two plotlines were told throughout the game -- although I preferred Rue's more noble quest. No matter which I picked, they were humorous and carefree overall with the right touches of drama when needed. This part of the game was proof that Squaresoft still knows how to tell as story.