10 Video Games That Don't Get The Love They Deserve
5. Chrono Cross
The debate as to whether Chrono Cross is sequel or spin-off has raged on since its release back in 2000. This writer believes it is, but the WIkipedia entry keeps getting changed around.
Regardless, Chrono Cross often gets shunned for one simple, easily quantifiable and equally childish reason: it's not Chrono Trigger. Well, it's not Chrono Trigger 2.
Yet look at it realistically, how could you make a sequel? If you had Crono and co. go through another time-spanning adventure, it would be derivative of the first. No, it needed fresh blood, and this is where Cross came in.
Building on an established mechanic from Trigger, Cross incorporated elements into its own time-and-mind-bending story. Still following the same narrative angles involving causality, consequence and other-worldly entities, it took that formula and thrust it into turn-of-the-century JRPG annals.
Despite receiving critical acclaim, many "purists" still argue about it on forums today (don't get drawn in, honestly). Whilst it's all too easy to let someone's bias put you off, sometimes it's easier just to seek something out on an impartial basis.
Sequel or spin-off, consider Cross a companion piece to Trigger instead, and prepare to get lost in another epic time/space adventure.