CrossCode - think Chrono Trigger on meth

I did want to provide an ongoing review of Crosscode, because it's an absolute knockout. I've never played a single game that made me marvel at its creativity over and over the way Crosscode does. Don't let the fact it looks like a 16-bit game fool you, though that part of it is lovely too.

My 6-yr-old son plays with with me most weekends for an hour or so, and we're still absolutely obsessed with this one. The amount of content is huge, the game is gorgeous and well written. There so many different mechanics introduced with the four elements (fire, ice, shock & wave, to mix things up). The puzzles are all so clever and the techniques you learn overlap with the combat and it's all just so much fun and so well made. It's so coherent, so cohesive and complete. We just finished off the tower defense missions, and that was a blast even though i don't normally get into that kind of game.

A completely flawed masterpiece, though the key word there really is masterpiece, make no mistake. It's not quite like anything else i've played, but not just in one way; it's different in so many different ways. Highly recommended.

 

(EDIT: i changed the video as the game's official trailer makes it looks like it's hectic combat 24/7. Sure, combat is pretty hectic, but it's not combat 24/7.)

This is some of the old review below, that got half-eaten by the forum upgrades:

Melee combat is pretty fun, though at the same time pretty disorganised. There are difficulty sliders, but they don't always seem to help. There are hard walls, but you have to grind up against them to make sure. Everything seems to level out a bit, or just level up, in time though. I’ve found myself sticking with it, coming back for more, and there’s definitely a lot of good points about the game. Those can be seen in the video; in that regard the game does what it says on the tin 🙂

The one burr that tickles my craw is the control system, and the fact you cannot rebind your controller except by using something like this - https://github.com/ViGEm/HidHide - hidhide will hide controllers, it seems.

There’s a free demo if you want to give the game a go - http://www.cross-code.com/en/home

Edited November 27, 2021 by buttersoft

Bump - updated the video because the official trailer for the game is absurd.

Hahaha, the forum update ate the first half of the review. Probably not worth restoring it, the video can speak for itself.

@Arcade King - Nope, I think it's newer than the test forum capture. Might have happened when you ported things for real? I can't recall seeing any of these posts intact on the new forum as it is now, and then being corrupted during small add-ons or updates or whatever.

Updated the OP, cos it looks like the old text ain't coming back.

Well, another review of mine that didn't get nearly enough love. I wonder what the common factor is... 😄 I'll update the OP to see if i can't do it more justice.

A completely flawed masterpiece, though the key word there really is masterpiece, make no mistake.

Edited November 22, 2021 by buttersoft

I just miss these things. There is maybe too much organisation going on? Or perhaps latest post not displaying well on my phone.

Hah, no criticism intended to anyone 🙂

More love required 😁

I totally agree with one of the top comments on this vid; Crosscode is the gold standard for puzzles in games, while itself not even being a puzzle game.

 

 

Edited August 28, 2023 by buttersoft