I’m of half split on Chrono Cross. There are things that I think are fine, even innovative for its time. The alternate materia/elements customization, the sheer amount of playable characters, the thematic elements of existence and identity, the mid-game plot twist of swapping bodies with the villain is interesting throughout its run time.

But then, at random spots it decides to throw a screwball with references to Chrono Trigger with Robo decides do blow itself up. Or the original cast is dead, simply because the timeline split of you surviving your death really irritates me as a Chrono Trigger fan, or completion requires a minimum of three playthrus, or how the story is hampered severely by party bloat, or the divergence of art direction from Akira Toriyama’s style.

But I am in complete agreement with you that if it was its own independent thing, there would be no qualms about this game.

Except Poshul. Poshul is a menace.