Developed by Colombian studios Dreams Uncorporated and Syck and published by Modus Games (Super Animal Royale, Override 2: Super Mecha League), Cris Tales combines the traditional turn-based gameplay of classic JRPGS like Final Fantasy and Persona with time-manipulation powers to create a familiar experience with a few modern twists. It was initially set for release last November, but the developers postponed it to July 20 to allow for more polish.
Cris Tales puts players in the role of Crisbell, an orphan girl in the city of Narim whose peaceful life is turned upside down when she meets a talking frog named Matias and accidentally opens the Crystals of Time, thus unlocking her secret abilities to control the flow of time. Naturally, this sets her and a group of allies on a quest to save her hometown and eventually the world from the evil Empress Of Time. The plot is pretty standard old-school RPG fare, but there’s enough charm in the characters and dialogue to keep things from getting dull.
Eventually, Crisbell’s journey will take her outside of the confines of Narim, as represented by a traditional RPG overworld. There, players can save their game and journey to other cities. Crisbell’s power to see into the future or past leads to narrative choices and branching paths, and is visualized by a cone that hovers above her, with one side of the screen representing the past and the other showing the possible future. By pressing the X button and the corresponding direction, Crisbell can have Matias hop into either the past or the future to help the locals and solve puzzles.
Combat plays out like a traditional 2D JRPG, with players selecting enemies to attack, support party members, or use items by selecting options with the analog stick. By pressing the A button at the right moment, characters can either perform a second strike or block an enemy’s attack to reduce the damage taken. This requires precise timing to pull off, adding an element of challenge to the usual menu-based combat.
Enemies can come from either side of the screen, giving fights a dynamic feel. Crisbell’s powers come into play here as well, allowing her to send her enemies into the future or past to age them as each type has three different stages of evolution. This, combined with status aliments like being burned by fire or soaked with water, can lead to some clever strategies. Players eventually unlock Syncro attacks, in which two characters can join forces to unleash a powerful move after building up enough energy.
After each battle, the characters involved gain experience, which they can use to level up, grow stronger, and unlock new spells and skills in more classic JRPG fashion. Players can also increase their character’s stats by equipping gear that they find on the battlefield or purchase in one of the many shops throughout the world.
Cris Tales' artwork features a vibrant art style, stunning Columbian architecture, and fluid animation, allowing everything to pop off of the screen. The screen-splitting gimmick leads to a striking visual throughout the adventure, and players are treated to a comical gag of Matias aging into either a tadpole or a plump old frog whenever he hops into the past or future. Dialog is fully voiced, even in minor conversations with NPCs, and the game’s music and voice acting are well-done. The orchestral score carries a classic adventure feel, which adds to the game’s retro charm.
Cris Tales embraces the old model of JRPGs, making it feel like a well-worn experience for seasoned fans of the genre. All of the charm, whimsy, and innocence of Final Fantasy and The Legend Of Zelda ooze throughout the game’s setting and characters, but Crisbell’s time powers provide a fun new spin on the classic turn-based combat. Cris Tales isn’t that difficult either, making it a good choice for beginners looking to get into turn-based RPGs.
Cris Tales will be released on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Google Stadia on July 20. Screen Rant was provided a Steam download code for the purpose of this preview.