Cris Tales is a marvelous new JRPG that has a lot of new concepts in it, even for JRPG fans. It’s a game that’s unexpected in a lot of ways, yet it also has a lot of the stuff you’d normally see in this genre. However, it’s still a fresh game, and that prevents fresh challenges for anyone. That’s why we’ve put together this Cris Tales beginner’s guide. Here, you’ll find a few tips and tricks that will help you power through and get to the meat of this game. It’s worth sticking with up to the point you’re bored and beyond. Take all of this in, and you’ll never stop having fun with it.
Explore Everywhere
The first thing you need to know is that this game is vast. There’s a lot to be seen here for those who like to explore. You really have to get out there and find the stories though. There are nooks and crannies with items that will come into play later, you just need to find them. There are also people you can visit in these out-of-the-way places that will help you immensely in your enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, it’ll give you an opportunity to make the most of the game’s unique time-bending moments. Always explore, even if that means backtracking quite a way. It’s worth it for the fun you’ll have as you go.
Practise Using Time
The most unique thing about Cris Tales is that time is something you can control. It’s a mechanic for fighting enemies, but it’s also something you can use in the world out of combat. The real key here is to make sure you understand what these mechanics can do for you.
While exploring a location, the screen will be split into three triangles. The left represents the past, the middle the present, and the right-hand one is the future. You can see into all three at once, which gives you the unique power to see items you might need, people you want to talk to, or even the outcome of your actions. All of these are equally important, and you’re actually able to explore them using Matias, the small frog. If you’re ever stuck whilst exploring a location, try sending Mathias to a new time zone to see if there’s something there that can help you out. You never know, you might come across something else useful.
The second way you use time is during combat. Crisbell can send enemies on the left into the past, and enemies on the right into the future. Each one has an advantage. Sending enemies back in time will revert them to a weaker state, while sending the forwards advances them. However, you can plant seeds that will explode and cause various types of damage when pushed forward in time too. Use this to your advantage in every fight. The other thing you can do is weaken enemies in the future through actions in the past. Soak a metal enemy in the past, and they’ll be rusted in the future. This opens them up for more damage, making fights easier.
Watch the Turn Counter
Turns in combat are vitally important. You can see upcoming turns for both allies and enemies. You’re also able to see the effect of any healing seeds you’ve planted. Make sure you’re always looking at the next few turns to both predict what your enemy will be doing, and judge what you need to do. For example, if there’s no healing seed coming up, you need to heal any weak allies. You should also choose whether to attack or not based on the enemy’s turns. If they have a block of two or three coming, make sure you and all parties can survive the attack. This will come naturally as you play, but if you keep an eye out early on, you’ll avoid any issues when it comes to late-game battles.
Every Boss is a Puzzle
The bosses in Cris Tales are all unique puzzles that you need to fight your way through. there’s no such thing as hitting a boss hard enough until it dies in this game, you need to strategize carefully if you want to make it through the battles that you’re presented with. Otherwise, you’ll lose and have to revert to the last save. Considering how long some boss battles take, this can be a massive punishment. Take the time to learn the attack patterns of every boss and notice what the key points are that you need to hit. If there’s a weak spot that’s only visible after a limb is damaged, work on damaging limbs. Alternatively, if you need to use time in some way to hurt a boss, find out how to weaken it to make this possible.
Understand Each Character’s Role
Cris Tales doesn’t define characters by a role. Instead, they all have various abilities, and you need to figure out where they fit and what attacks to use. You might find that a character is more useful as a healer in some fights, while they work better in an offensive position for others. The more you battle, the better you’ll understand where you need to use them and how. Crisbell will always be the main character, and one that focuses on using time to help others. However, she also has healing abilities to help others in battles when her attacks will be far less useful than someone else’s magic.
That should be enough to get you started. This game isn’t like a Final Fantasy entry in many ways. There are no tried and tested rules that will always apply. Instead, the game is very much its own monster. you have to work out what works and what doesn’t in each given moment. Characters will have to change, weapons might work in one way better than another, and time will always be flowing, regardless of the fight. Keep an eye on everything you see, and you should be able to get through the game with a better understanding than you had at the start.