10 Essential PS1 RPGs (That Aren't Final Fantasy)
3. Chrono Cross
Despite scoring unanimous high scores and reviews, fans couldn't seem to grasp that despite being a sequel, Chrono Cross couldn't hold a candle to its SNES predecessor.
Shame they're utterly wrong then, isn't it?
Chrono Cross is a fantastic story of time travel, changing your fate and the choices we make, and the concept of parallel worlds. Boasting some beautiful graphics for its time, and an equally brilliant score, it's also one of the first games to offer a 'New Game Plus' for replayability in an RPG.
Eschewing turn-based combat for a more stamina-focused one, CC also featured an elemental magic system that could sway the tide of battle if used correctly. Offering a large supporting cast of playable characters with different affinities allowed for a stronger team building focus, with the replayable feature allowing you to recruit missed characters.
Much like Xenogears (and Chrono Trigger before it), Chrono Cross only saw a release in Japan and North America at the turn of the century. No official reason having been given, it's a shame that Europe was deprived of such an epic story. Chrono Trigger has since been given a UK release on Nintendo DS, so who knows...