Chrono Cross is the second game in Square's highly successful Chrono Series. The development team of this series is the same people who also developed the best-selling game Xenogears. Chrono Cross is a Japanese styled console RPG, developed for Sony's PlayStation. It is compatible to the dual shock analogue controller and requires a single block of memory for saving the game.

Chrono Cross features some of the best graphics in modern games. In fact, the graphics are so good that it is very difficult to imagine that they are actually generated by the old PlayStation. While high quality CG FMVs are also featured in this game, they are not what is most impressive. In Chrono Cross, the most impressive graphics are the ones that are featured in the game itself.

While the graphics in this game is arguably more beautiful than the ones featured in, say, Final Fantasy VIII, the loading time is nearly non-existence. In any case, the loading time is so much better than most RPGs we see recently. Such beautiful graphics, combined with a fast loading time, I can only say that the graphics engine in Chrono Cross is of the highest quality.

Characters and battle backgrounds are drawn in fully renderable polygons. (Unlike Chrono Trigger, battles are fought in a separate screen in Chrono Cross.) While the PlayStation has usually been associated with blocky polygonal graphics, the ones featured in Chrono Cross are surprisingly smooth. In fact, it is so good that even the facial features of the characters are smooth and properly animated. All 3D graphics in Chrono Cross are drawn in much detail with properly modelled lighting and complete with good animations.

Music is excellently composed in this game. Like Final Fantasy VIII, the number of tracks in this game is huge. The tunes are different everywhere. And I can only say that the music is as ''colourful'' as the graphics - and the tunes are so carefully composed that each will blend into its colourful background. Other sound effects are also nicely implemented. Sound of footsteps, background sounds of a forest, sound of magic spells, etc are all well presented.

Unlike Chrono Trigger, your characters do not have levels. After battle, you characters will occasionally get a boost in their individual statistics. (This includes the number of Element Slots.) In other words, characters will advance individually. You will normally get much increase in characters' attributes after boss fights. With the exception of Serge, all the other characters will have to depend heavily on weapon, armours and accessories.

In conclusion, the game is excellent in most aspects. It does have some flaws, but nothing major to reduce the fun.