Cris Tales is an RPG developed by Dreams Uncorporated, SYCK, and published by Modus Games that acts, as the developer and publisher put it themselves, as an “indie love letter to classic JRPGs.” Journey as Crisbell, a Time Mage, as she and her companions journey to stop the Time Empress and her plans for a catastrophic time-based tragedy. Cris Tales takes many influences, as it admits, from classic JRPGs but also puts its own spin and flair on the formula, with different strategies, maps and levels based on its time-centric plot and beautiful and unique art style. However, is a fresh coat of paint really enough to justify purchasing Cris Tales? I suppose it’s *time* to find out (see what I did there?)
The Past Meets the Present
The immediate first impressions of Cris Tales made me excited to dive into the game. The art style is one of the most unique I’ve seen in a video game, much less in any media in general. Cris Tales takes the anime art style and, well, simplify isn’t really the right word. The designs of the characters and the world make the time dilations and glimpses at different timelines interesting and striking. The future and the past will look markedly different even with just a glance because of the bright colors (and sudden lack of said bright colors) and distinctive character designs. Each time period has its own specific color palette, and the character designs are not only interesting to look at, but give all of the characters their own silhouette, matching their delightful personalities.
The visual presentation, from the art style to the characters and even down to the way dialogue and cutscenes are made, makes Cris Tales feel unique and different from the multitudes of indie JRPGs. Maybe this was because I just got back from a trip to Disneyland, but Cris Tales made me feel like I was back in Fantasyland, the bright punchy colors mixed with pastels, the font of the text in the dialogue boxes seeming like out of a story book. If there is one thing Cris Tales nails a 10/10 on, it’s the beautiful world the artists have clearly spent a lot of time and love working on.
A Blast from the Past
What will instantly feel familiar to any JRPG fan is the gameplay. Cris Tales’ gameplay is built on a turn-based style, again feeling very reminiscent of the legendary JRPGs of old. Each turn, your characters can choose from a variety of different actions, such as attacking and using MP to cast spells and use skills. Cris Tales presents an interesting twist on standard turn based gameplay with time-based combos attacks that take advantage of its unique world. However, these combos are not as fleshed out as they could be and the lack of a deeper combat loop combined with a small roster of enemy types, means running into enemies towards the end of the game will feel similar to enemies at the beginning, just with bigger numbers and maybe some different team members. When it comes to the gameplay, Cris Tales doesn’t step outside of its comfort zone. The combat will feel familiar but may also leave you feeling like you’ve stepped into the past, just with a few more colors and different looking abilities.
Adventure Time
In most of my reviews, I usually lump all of the possible gameplay of a game into its own section, but the world and exploration side of Cris Tales deserved its own section. The different time dilations, Crisbell’s ability to view the past, present, and the future, make exploring the world feel so different and exciting. Watching characters go from the past, into the present and then watching their futures was so fascinating and made the different puzzles that you can solve and other decisions Crisbell makes along the way feel that much more impactful. It’s that immediate reaction and catharsis of seeing the effects of your actions that make exploration feel rewarding. For those players that love to search every corner of a game for its secrets and quests, Cris Tales presents levels and cities that are just begging to be explored. Take your time and I’m sure you’ll fall in love with the world of Cris Tales.
X-Cris: Tales of Future Past
What I appreciate most about Cris Tales is that it doesn’t try to hide anything from its players. It was always meant to be an homage to the past but an homage that would deliver the modern-day styles and innovations we have come to expect. Cris Tales manages to deliver a beautiful world, interesting characters and unique puzzles and scenarios that are not just visually stunning but are done in a very professional manner; its indie designation belie just how well polished Cris Tales really is. However, a repetitive and a slightly underwhelming combat loop means time not spent exploring or interacting with characters is spent going into a time machine and popping out in the mid-90s.
Cris Tales is a good game though, and its mediocre gameplay acts more like a roadblock, not a wall, to the best parts of it. This is a game that would be enjoyed by all kinds of gamers, whether you’re a classic JRPG fan or just someone looking for a beautiful world and story to sink some hours into. If I were you, I’d *watch* out for this game. There’s no *time* like the present to try out Cris Tales (ok I’ll stop)
8/10
Check Out the Cris Tales Trailer:
To learn more about Cris Tales, visit www.cristalesgame.com.
Nintendo Switch Review
My name is Matt Tran and I have been playing video games since I could remember holding a controller. I've always been a hardcore gamer growing up, from the hectic MW2 and Halo 3 lobbies, my many journeys through several Halo clans and my current exploits with my Destiny 2 clan. I love shooters and RPGs and overanalyzing every component of every game I've played, from weapon stats to ideal perks. When I have time to play other games, I currently play Genshin Impact and Star Wars Squadrons.
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