Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is scheduled for an April 7 release for the PS4, Xbox One, and Switch. It’s a remaster of the classic from 1999 and features various improvements such as refined character illustrations, a rearranged soundtrack, and an auto-battle function among others.

Fans of the original have high hopes for this one, so it might be a bit disappointing to see some of the reviews that have popped up ahead of its release. While some have high scores, a lot of outfits have also scored it very low, citing performance issues and a bare-minimum remaster job that didn’t really do justice to the game.

At the end of it all, these are reviews of different individuals and the final verdict still lands on the player if they want to purchase the game or not. There are some things that may guide you towards making that decision, so read on!

Related – Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition Physical Edition release confirmed for Asia

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition Review Roundup

Here’s what some critics are saying about the game:

Siliconera – 10/10 (Switch)

Chrono Cross has always been an essential JRPG, and this The Radical Dreamers Edition remaster makes it feel even more important. The story, the design direction, the way it handles its parallel worlds and characters, its battle system, and its precursor game that shows how it grew? They’re all extraordinary. Like Chrono Trigger before it, it is historically important and an example of exemplary game design.

RPGSite – 7/10 (Switch)

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is a wonderful remaster marred by an unoptimized Switch port. While you could argue that they could have gone further in places, like maybe offering players the ability to further customize which parts of the experience they wanted to be presented with old or new graphics, it feels nice that one of my favorite PS1 era JRPGs got so much love. I adore both of the games in this collection from the bottom of my heart, and I’m glad they’re more accessible than ever. I hope the Switch version can be an easier recommendation in the future, especially since the only way to own it physically seems to be on that platform.

Nintendo Life – 6/10 (Switch)

It’s a shame that, with the release of Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition, we likely won’t see a comprehensive remaster or even a full remake of this underrated gem for a long while, leaving us with a somewhat underwhelming version on Switch that isn’t much beyond a port. Regardless, the portability of the Nintendo’s console and the inclusion of Radical Dreamers still makes this the best and most convenient way for fans and newcomers alike to play the 22-year-old classic and its pseudo-prequel. It’s a good game and having easy access to it is a boon — just don’t go in with more than modest expectations when it comes to the remaster effort.

The Gamer – 8/10 (PS4)

Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is a remaster that should have happened years ago, and I’m so glad that the JRPG classic has finally received the respect it deserves in the modern landscape. You seldom see it discussed alongside other genre greats in the mainstream zeitgeist, but perhaps that perception will change now Serge’s iconic adventure is available on a selection of platforms with myriad improvements. Not all of its changes are for the best, but are easy enough to accept when the underlying game is still so masterful.

Push Square – 4/10 (PS4)

Parts of Chrono Cross really haven’t aged well, but it’s still a charming, characterful JRPG that evokes feelings of the genre’s golden age on PS1. It’s a game that deserves better than The Radical Dreamers Edition, which, at least at launch, is a dreadfully poor remaster. Crippled by frame rate issues, it beggars belief that a title from 1999 could run this badly on modern hardware. Unless you’re desperate for the nostalgia, we strongly recommend waiting to see whether Square Enix releases a patch to improve the package on PS4 and PS5 before buying.

What do you think of the reviews for Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition?