Cross Edge (PS3) Review - PAGE 1

A dream come true for many RPG fans, Cross Edge is another welcome addition to the PlayStation 3’s limited repertoire of J-RPGs. Fans of the genre were particularly excited to learn that the game would be a collaboration between six major companies: Capcom, Compile, Gust, Idea Factory, Namco Bandai, and Nippon Ichi Software. 

Cross Edge has much to live up to in terms of keeping crabby RPG fans entertained, especially with the recent drought of RPG’s on the PS3. The game starts with protagonists York and Miko being in the right place at the wrong time.  Whisked away to another world and with a touch of amnesia,the pair are soon attacked by monsters.  Whilst fighting them off, both are soon rescued by Morrigan, a character you may recognise from Capcom’s Darkstalkers series, who then predictably joins the group.   

As if three weren't enough, you’re soon joined by May (an NPC) who seems to have some answers to the confusion; in order to return home, the characters must release the souls linking their own worlds to the one they now stand in. Sounds simple enough, right? Except that an entity known as the "Empyreal One" and his Twelve Knights are standing in the way. Within half an hour of playing, you’ll find yourself with more characters to choose from, more than you’ll know what to do with. With 30 playable characters, character development for each individual might have been difficult to pull off; the developers managed to sneak some in, but character exploration remains shallow for the most part.

The battle system truly shines in Cross Edge, offering players a more strategy-based combat experience.  Characters in your selected team can be placed anywhere within a three-by-four box-area, and each skill they use has a specific range of attack.  The enemies themselves abide by the same rule, meaning character placement is key in battle. Not surprisingly, the game sometimes forces the player to use a certain character for specific battles. This may feel bothersome at first, especially if you haven't used an auto-selected character before, but it's an opportunity to try out various character combinations you may otherwise overlook. These combinations can be integral against certain enemies, so it helps to familiarize yourself with the game's available skills, as daunting as that may seem. 

Weapon / Item synthesis adds another layer of complexity to the game's rich mechanics. While the synthesis process can greatly augment your fighting capabilities, there's a level of risk in each item creation. Marie, the character who performs the synthesis process, can fail or create something different altogether, which can either be better than the original item that you were attempting to synthesise or worse.  Unlike traditional RPG’s there are no ‘shops’ for you to buy weapons and armour from, so your supplies will come from Weapon / Item Synthesis using items dropped by enemies and bosses. Some of the best items in the game are created through this process.

If you’re not content with seeing your favourite characters in their traditional attire, you can unlock costumes which not only change the physical appearance of your character (females only), but also boost the power of the character. These are unlocked as you go through the game, and with over 150 costumes available, you’ll have plenty to choose from.