14 DAY TRIAL // 
As already stated in previous reviews, this year the indie scene is looking much more promising and creative than the AAA market. Another game that reinforces this statement is Cris Tales, that although may remind you visually of Japanese RPGs, was actually developed by a small team in Colombia. Coffee and anime… read on to find out if this brew is indeed heavenly.
If you are a hardcore fan of indie games you surely noticed this hidden gem in 2019 when it debuted during E3. The game developed by Dreams Uncorporated has built quite a following since the incoming updates presenting it as a masterpiece in the making. On the other hand, the countless delays of the launch denoted some issues under the hood. Giving away the conclusion from the very start, I can say that the adventures of Crisbell are one of the most endearing games I had the chance to play in a long while.
Cris Tales invites you on an adventure that could fit in perfectly in the most carefully curated bedtime storybooks. The hero you will control is Crisbell, an orphan whose life is turned upside down when she meets Mathias, a frog with a top hat. Through a series of running around, which serves as an extended tutorial our hero discovers her true heritage and her ability to simultaneously see the past, present, and the future. As you would expect from any good story, once your faith has been revealed, things start to move much faster and you find yourself in the position of being the only one who can save the world.
Split into several chapters, the adventure will take you through countless kingdoms and will task you to change for the better not just your own life, but everyone else’s as well. This translates into you visiting five different towns and sorting out the problems of the locals, while also trying to prevent the world from ending. Each location will come with its own set of heroes, that can join you and help out with their unique skills. When you are not in the safe haven of towns, you will have to explore the game world, full of dangerous surprises.
If you are familiar with JRPGs you will feel at home in Cris Tales right from the start. The combat system is an almost classical turn-based one, where you are awarded with XP and loot after you defeat the baddies. The developers tried to find a balance between questing and fighting, but they did not quite nail it down: the ability of Crisbell to see and influence time made the combat the most preeminent part of the game. By being able to yank enemies through timelines she can greatly influence the odds of success making them possibly either forget their skills or make them so old that they will fall just by blowing on them.
When you figure out how to combine this with the special abilities of other characters, you are in for a treat. The power of elements combined with the unforgiveness of time can rust any armor, burn away any protection or poison even the strongest will. These combinations will be invaluable when facing bosses who are much more powerful than our heroes. Even after growing the level of the party and getting stronger and more powerful items, the ability to manipulate time will be crucial.
Especially that it is part of the questing part of the game as well, the developers implementing a novel idea that splits the screen in three allowing Crisbell to simultaneously see the past, present, and future. Although she can only see them, Mathias can freely hop among them and assist you by solving different tasks. There is a serious amount of side quests and challenges that will challenge you to put your brain to good use. But you have to keep in mind that every action causes a reaction, and based on what quests you accept and refuse you can twist the story of the game. There are many possible endings and which one you will discover is solely based on your choices.
The visual style of the game makes Cris Tales a truly modern fairy tale. The attention to detail is phenomenal, the 2D and 3D elements are combined seamlessly, the hand-drawn characters and backgrounds are mesmerizing. During the roughly 18 hours playthrough I did not encounter a scene that was not put together with utter care. The sound design is part of this excellency as well with heartfelt tunes and exceptionally good voice acting. The control scheme works flawlessly with the controller, but the technical part is not completely flawless.
Beyond some minor bugs, the greatest flaw of Cris Tales is the design of the action mechanic during combat. In theory, if you push a button at the right time, you can do more damage to your opponents. Unfortunately, the clue system as to when you are supposed to push the button is clueless, so it is up to luck to find the right timing. Also, while adventuring around, the camera angles can be really finicky, thus making the interaction with NPCs or treasure chests a nightmare.
The Good
- Original time manipulation idea
- Charming visual style
- High replay value
The Bad
- Unbalanced combat difficulty
- Half-baked action system
- Limited save possibilities
Conclusion
You can feel that the team poured their heart and soul into the game making it a game that will convince everyone willing to try it, even if they usually do not like JRPGs. It has some issues and for some, the visuals might be too colorful or cheerful, but it is an adventure worth playing through.
