As predicted, Chrono Cross is getting a remaster. Also that it’s PC & Switch. April 7 no less.

The video is pretty quick to watch through. I was hoping for more from this. Sure the FMV were not going to get touched, and the core mechanics either. What appears to be done here is the application of a filtering layer on the main game content, and a HD textbox layout. Something that emulators have been doing for years now. And it would be hard to ignore the fact that SquareEnix has had a horrible time remastering anything without kitchen sink patches.

Features include:

・3D models converted to HD
・Refined character illustrations
・Higher-quality background music
・Switch enemy encounters on or off (which is odd, because this game didn’t have random battles)
・Background filter feature (not sure what this is)
・Battle enhancement features to make combat easier (I guess this will simplify field effects?)
・Auto-battle function (this will be interesting given the 40 characters)
・Switch between imitation pixel font and HD font
・Change screen resolution (this one is worrisome since it was built for 4:3)

Still, for $20 I can think of much worse places to spend money. I won’t pre-order and will probably wait a month or two so it gets patched properly, but it’ll be a nice summer pick up game.