*I know there was another sequel, but it was obscure and basically unheard of.
The most anticipated Squaresoft game of the year is finally upon us, and I for one don't give a shit. While I was a big fan of Chrono Trigger, the sequel* looks like more of a sacrilege to the original than a sequel. I haven't heard anything about Chrono Cross maintaining the trademark double and triple attacks, it seems to me they have taken them out of CC. It's also said to utilize a similar junction function to that of Final Fantasy 8, the scourge of the Final Fantasy series. Ugh. If that wasn't bad enough, the two biggest names to take part in the Chrono Trigger project, Akira Toriyama, character designer, and Yuji Horii, music producer, are absent from CC, and it shows. Have you even seen the characters from Chrono Cross!? They look like sketches from Disney animators tripping out on a pound of acid. You'll be able to see some of the characters later in the preview, but lets take a look at some of the details(for those that care).
The main hero's name is Serge, who, like most main characters in a Squaresoft game, suffers from a severe case of Square-initis (he's a whiny bastard who has hallucinations and can't remember shit while he tries to "find himself" ). Serge meets up with a ton of characters on his quest (over 40 playable characters, you're overdoing it there Squaresoft), who all look like they have some physical disorder. There's the walking candle that looks like the candlestick from Beauty and the Beast, there the blatant Aunt Jemima look-alike Mamacha (I'm not making this up folks), and there's the freaky looking fairy with bat ears and oversized hands. If that last sentenced sounds stupid to you, that's because the characters look stupid, really stupid. Not just bizarre in a good way but Square really overdid it by trying to have diverse characters.
The out-of-battle graphics look good, like traditional Chrono Trigger graphics souped up for the PSX. The battle's are all done in pure 3D, and look much like Legend of Legaia. Gamefan describes the battles as "similar to Xenogears". I myself have never played Xenogears but I've heard nothing but good things about the battles, which might be some of the only saving grace for Chrono Cross, though I would have much preferred a system like Chrono Triggers, which has the best RPG battle system ever in my opinion.
I managed to listen to a few of Chrono Cross' music tracks. I was left unimpressed, it was nothing compared to even the worst Chrono Trigger tracks. Who knows though, I only listened to a few of the songs, CC could surprise me when it comes out, or it might have all different music for the American version, like Chrono Trigger did (none of the Japanese CT tracks I've heard have impressed me either to tell you the truth).
So in conclusion, CC may not be very good compared to the classic Chrono Trigger, and it may follow the same cliches so many Square games are damned to, but it could be enjoyable yet. I just don't see what all the hub-bub is about and why so many are getting all excited over this game.