I appreciate the ton of feedback I’m getting, both positive and negative. I’m learning what I can from you guys and again thank you. One thing I’d like to make clear though is that I’m judging Chrono Cross from a story point of view and its purpose as a sequel. Trust me, I have all the same complaints you guys have when it comes to the game mechanics. I didn’t address these issues because such things are not new; crappy game design is done all the time. I only wanted to focus on what I believe Chrono Cross does incredibly well and that we should not turn a blind eye to its unique accomplishment.

“And im sorry to disagree with you. I felt Chrono Cross was a great game but not the sequel that Chrono Trigger deserved.” – Tragic Hero

You are absolutely correct sir; I share the same sentiments as you. Chrono Cross, in terms of game design, is a shallow shadow of its masterful predecessor. It did not do a game known for absolute quality justice. The massive party was an admirable venture into something new, but it made the game incredibly impersonal since stock dialogue was simply swapped around and the lack of a tech system was also a huge disappointment. The story was also not something I expected, nor desired. I too wanted more adventures with our lovable cast of time travelers, but in spite of all this I still declare Chrono Cross as the best sequel (and when I mean sequel I mean as a sequel to anything) since it achieves something no other sequel, in any medium, has ever done for me.

“I'd say ‘sequel’ in the sense that it's somewhat loosely linked to Trigger, but I'd like to say ‘spin-off’ is a bit more appropriate.” - Video_Cognito

That all depends on a person’s definition of a sequel and the idea of treating Chrono Cross as a spin-off versus a sequel has merit. One could argue that Chrono Cross is far too remote from its predecessor to be appropriately called a sequel. If we look at the game as a spin-off instead, all of a sudden it doesn’t carry the same disappointment a sequel would have. I applaud your observation in this.

“People give Cross a lot of hate because it wasn't the sequel they WANTED it to be. But that's the beauty of it all -- it doesn't have to be.” - DrkAdonis

This is something I’ve been trying hard to get across for sometime. I’m not quoting you because this is a point that agrees with me, but because it is important to look at the strength of ideas we may not like initially. Believe me, Chrono Cross disappointed me, it was a sour childhood memory, but upon revisiting the game I can see what the objectives were and though it wasn’t what I wanted, I can certainly respect the attempt and its accomplishments.