Game Review - originally written by Gideon Zhi (founder of Aeon Genesis Translation Group)
Radical Dreamers is a visual novel set in the Chrono Trigger universe. It is a pseudo-sequel to Chrono Trigger itself, and is commonly referred to as the game that inspired Chrono Cross. This is true to a very great extent, but if you're expecting CC on the SNES or anything even vaguely similar to CC, then you're going to be sorely disappointed.
RD plays very much like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel. Text is displayed for a while, and eventually you will be prompted to make a choice based on the text. You navigate the mansion that way, you fight battles that way, and in fact, you do -everything- that way. So if reading isn't your thing, then you're not going to get much enjoyment out of the game. If you like to read, however, you're in for a treat.
At the core of any novel - whether it's pushed as a paperback or hardcover book, a PDF file on some website, or a game like this one - is its story and its writing. Demi's team has gone through great pains to ensure that the writing is second to none; in fact, you could probably pass this off as a major literary work. I can't imagine how many pages it would be if it were printed in book form.
The story is a good one as well, one that Cross fans will be familiar with. It follows Serge, Kid, and Magil through Viper Manor in their quest for the Frozen Flame. They go through a number of interesting rooms, encounter a number of fearsome beasts, and meet a number of interesting people. There's the development of a relationship between Serge and Kid, there's the mysterious past that Kid wants to get revenge for, there's the ever-driving hunt for gold, gold, and more gold. On the whole, it's quite a good read.
Combat, as I mentioned, is text based like the rest of the game. Serge does have “health” and you can “die”, and the results of your actions won't always go the same way each time. Each time you get hurt by anything, the game lowers Serge's health a little, and eventually the text accompanying his state of being will alter as well to give you an idea of how badly injured he is. The whole system is nothing really groundbreaking, but it can work against you if you have incredibly bad luck. The game isn't very long though, so hopefully, health won't be an issue.
Graphically and aurally, the game ranges from decent to good. There are a few truly beautifully done areas in the game (most notably the study) but while most of the graphics aren't really anything groundbreaking, they certainly suffice and get the point across. The sound and music fare about the same. Many of the tunes in Radical Dreamers were remixed for use in Cross, so some of them may be familiar while others probably won't. Again, my favorite theme has to be the one that plays in the study.
All in all, if you like reading and you're a Chrono fan, give Radical Dreamers a whirl. It'll fill up an afternoon, anyway, and even if you've managed to get all three endings to the main scenario, there are still six or seven other sub-scenarios that you can read through once you've gone through the main for the first time. I haven't played any of them, though, so I can't say much about them, but I thoroughly enjoyed the main chapter.
Radical Dreamers is a visual novel set in the Chrono Trigger universe. It is a pseudo-sequel to Chrono Trigger itself, and is commonly referred to as the game that inspired Chrono Cross. This is true to a very great extent, but if you're expecting CC on the SNES or anything even vaguely similar to CC, then you're going to be sorely disappointed.
RD plays very much like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel. Text is displayed for a while, and eventually you will be prompted to make a choice based on the text. You navigate the mansion that way, you fight battles that way, and in fact, you do -everything- that way. So if reading isn't your thing, then you're not going to get much enjoyment out of the game. If you like to read, however, you're in for a treat.
At the core of any novel - whether it's pushed as a paperback or hardcover book, a PDF file on some website, or a game like this one - is its story and its writing. Demi's team has gone through great pains to ensure that the writing is second to none; in fact, you could probably pass this off as a major literary work. I can't imagine how many pages it would be if it were printed in book form.
The story is a good one as well, one that Cross fans will be familiar with. It follows Serge, Kid, and Magil through Viper Manor in their quest for the Frozen Flame. They go through a number of interesting rooms, encounter a number of fearsome beasts, and meet a number of interesting people. There's the development of a relationship between Serge and Kid, there's the mysterious past that Kid wants to get revenge for, there's the ever-driving hunt for gold, gold, and more gold. On the whole, it's quite a good read.
Combat, as I mentioned, is text based like the rest of the game. Serge does have “health” and you can “die”, and the results of your actions won't always go the same way each time. Each time you get hurt by anything, the game lowers Serge's health a little, and eventually the text accompanying his state of being will alter as well to give you an idea of how badly injured he is. The whole system is nothing really groundbreaking, but it can work against you if you have incredibly bad luck. The game isn't very long though, so hopefully, health won't be an issue.
Graphically and aurally, the game ranges from decent to good. There are a few truly beautifully done areas in the game (most notably the study) but while most of the graphics aren't really anything groundbreaking, they certainly suffice and get the point across. The sound and music fare about the same. Many of the tunes in Radical Dreamers were remixed for use in Cross, so some of them may be familiar while others probably won't. Again, my favorite theme has to be the one that plays in the study.
All in all, if you like reading and you're a Chrono fan, give Radical Dreamers a whirl. It'll fill up an afternoon, anyway, and even if you've managed to get all three endings to the main scenario, there are still six or seven other sub-scenarios that you can read through once you've gone through the main for the first time. I haven't played any of them, though, so I can't say much about them, but I thoroughly enjoyed the main chapter.
Worth a read IMO. Very interesting to see how many concepts remained the same before they were implemented into Chrono Cross. Not a must play, but if you liked Chrono Cross, it wouldn’t hurt to kill an afternoon with. Don’t expect that Chrono Cross’s story to make any more sense, though.
"If you wish to steal the jewel from Lynx...If you truly wish to triumph...You will have to let go of a treasure of your own, Kid.
For as long as you cling onto it, the hands of your clock will never move. They'll stay exactly where they came to rest, all those years ago."
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"I remembered everythin'. I remembered another me. A me from a long, long time ago..."
Slowly, kid averted her gaze, looking up at the night sky.
"I have to go."
The stars reflected in her eyes, and suddenly she looked like nothing more than an ordinary young girl, with a sad, distant expression on her face.
"Kid..."
"Don't worry, Serge. I'm okay...We'll meet again."
Kid smiled.
“We'll meet again...somewhere, someday...
Some...time... Promise..."
"I didn't manage to nick the Frozen Flame in the end...
And I lost the Time Egg too--the only thing I had left of Lucca's...
But...it's okay. Everything's gonna be okay.
There's something inside me that shines brighter’n any stupid jewel.
The most important thing in the world."
She opened her eyes again and fixed them on me.
”No one can take it from me...not for as long as I live..."
There was nothing else in the world I wanted but this. I doubted I'd ever want anything again. I only wanted this moment. All the clocks in the world could have stopped right then and there for all I cared.
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And so ends another tale.
Perhaps, one day, I'll see Kid, Magil, and Riddell again...
One day.
Somewhere...At another time...In another world...
Perhaps none of us will even realize it.
But that's a story for another day.
For now, I must put down my pen...
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If you have played Chrono Cross, the above quotes will probably elicit a reaction of absolute despair and melancholy from you, yet also leave you with a taste of something hopeful and sweet, knowing where the story goes next. I really adored this little VN, and wish I had experienced it sooner.
For as long as you cling onto it, the hands of your clock will never move. They'll stay exactly where they came to rest, all those years ago."
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"I remembered everythin'. I remembered another me. A me from a long, long time ago..."
Slowly, kid averted her gaze, looking up at the night sky.
"I have to go."
The stars reflected in her eyes, and suddenly she looked like nothing more than an ordinary young girl, with a sad, distant expression on her face.
"Kid..."
"Don't worry, Serge. I'm okay...We'll meet again."
Kid smiled.
“We'll meet again...somewhere, someday...
Some...time... Promise..."
"I didn't manage to nick the Frozen Flame in the end...
And I lost the Time Egg too--the only thing I had left of Lucca's...
But...it's okay. Everything's gonna be okay.
There's something inside me that shines brighter’n any stupid jewel.
The most important thing in the world."
She opened her eyes again and fixed them on me.
”No one can take it from me...not for as long as I live..."
There was nothing else in the world I wanted but this. I doubted I'd ever want anything again. I only wanted this moment. All the clocks in the world could have stopped right then and there for all I cared.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And so ends another tale.
Perhaps, one day, I'll see Kid, Magil, and Riddell again...
One day.
Somewhere...At another time...In another world...
Perhaps none of us will even realize it.
But that's a story for another day.
For now, I must put down my pen...
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If you have played Chrono Cross, the above quotes will probably elicit a reaction of absolute despair and melancholy from you, yet also leave you with a taste of something hopeful and sweet, knowing where the story goes next. I really adored this little VN, and wish I had experienced it sooner.
El prota se hace pajas 24/7 con la primera piedra en forma de teta que ve.
Serge and Kid have a cute relationship. It's interesting seeing the heroine being more experienced than the hero, for once. Being a SNES VN gives it a very unique atmosphere and the music is great. The random encounters are annoying as hell, though.