Chrono Cross is the official sequel to Chrono Trigger, and I often wonder if it should have been. I really enjoyed Chono Cross: the graphics are beautiful, the music is stunning and the cast (even though it numbers in the trillions) is generally fun to hang with. As its own game, Chrono Cross is a Playstation must-have. As a sequel to Chrono Trigger, however, it's kind of off-colour. Following up Chrono Trigger with Chrono Cross is like eating a zuccini right after an ice cream cone. Both taste good, but for entirely different reasons that don't mix well.
There stands an excellent chance that Chrono Trigger DS will hammer some hasty bridges between it and Chrono Cross, and I really wish it wouldn't. The Playstation re-release of Chrono Trigger (avoid avoid avoid) already established links between the two, so I fear it's too late.
You may have noticed that I mouth off a lot about how the quality of game stories can stand to be closer to what you'd find in a book. I don't know if there has ever been an author who took over a beloved universe and promptly killed off its cast in the most half-assed manner possible in order to move in his roster, but if there is, I doubt he made any friends.
The death of Crono and his buds bothered me because there was nothing about Chrono Trigger that indicated the Kingdom of Guardia was at war with Porre. Porre never even gave any indication that it wanted to be more than a three-house town with a fuzzy monster who called himself the Piano Man. Chrono Cross puts the two at war and it was as baffling as watching a little boy play Death Army with Barbies and My Little Ponies.
It's not to say every link between the two is impotent. The trip through the Dead Sea is appropriately spine-tingling, and even though I have big problems with Chrono Cross making burnt offerings of my favourite characters to tell its own story, I can acknowledge that it is a good story.
But when I play Chrono Trigger DS this winter, there will be a great sadness in my bosom. :(
Related Links:
OST: Chrono Cross
The End of Time and the Beginning of Fan Drama
Chrono Trigger Port: Are You Excited or Disappointed?