Square Enix says they are not working on a new Chrono

[Himu]

In a recent interview with Jeux France, Square Enix representative Hiromichi Tanaka confirmed that Square Enix is not developing a sequel to Chrono Cross.

Here is a babelfished translation of the news report:

Square Enix invited today the press specialized to an event around Final Fantasy III on Nintendo DS organized in a luxurious hotel located in the smart districts of Paris. We thus could meet Hiromichi Tanaka, which works at Square since its creation in the Eighties, originator of the first episodes of Final Fantasy, Seiken Densetsu, and other Stopwatch Cross-country race, it agreed to answer our questions, in company of other journalists, in a video interview which you can view as of now in integrality. Hiromichi Tanaka speaks of course about its play Final Fantasy III which it developed on Famicom and more recently on Nintendo DS, while evoking more technical aspects such as the three-dimensional chart engines, the Japanese person in charge also delivers his opinion to us on the hot topicality of Enix Public garden. After the many rumours, Hiromichi Tanaka declares that none following the play Chrono Cross-country race is under development at Square Enix, quite simply because such a project would be rather difficult to set up today, since all the members which took part in the development of the original play work on other projects and are thus not available. The Japanese editor in addition confirmed us that the date of European exit of Final Fantasy III will be officially announced in the days which come. Lastly, here first images of the French version of Final Fantasy III on Nintendo DS.

http://www.jeux-france.com/news18999_interview-video-final-fantasy-iii.html

My thoughts on this are pretty mixed. First off, who wanted a sequel to Chrono Cross? Secondly, I'm quite happy they've confirmed they're not working on a new Chrono because if their recent games can tell us anything, they'd find some way to fuck it up. Still, I wouldn't really mind play a new Chrono game, that's..you know, good. It doesn't have to be a sequel to Trigger at all, as long as it's good - something I didn't particularly think Cross was at all.

I wonder if the rumors that Square Enix sold the Chrono label off to Mistwalker are true.

[MrAngryFace]

Chross sucked, how bout a TRIGGER sequel lol

[Himu]

Exactly. Who the fuck wanted a Cross sequel?

I love how Cross fans think we Trigger fans hate that game because of nostalgia. That's always a laugh riot.

[MrAngryFace]

I hated cross, wtf was it even about. The music was good but god damnit it all.

[Himu]

Um I think it was about some guy who wanted to um...with a thing called a chrono cross to um...do that thing to serge. Nonsensical, overly convoluted piece of shit.

[MrAngryFace]

with mexican wrasslin!

[Himu]

And a talking pink dog.

[MrAngryFace]

and a school teacher wtf

[Himu]

there was a school teacher? 

[MrAngryFace]

I dunno she looked like one, maybe a witch, I THINK im remembering the right game, or I am remembering Project Justice,

[Himu]

from wikipedia comes a plot summary:

The story of Chrono Cross begins with Serge, who must collect komodo dragon scales on the beach for his friend. The setting is El Nido, a tropical archipelago inhabited by ancient natives, mainland colonists, and beings called Demi-humans who are often prejudiced against.[9] While meeting his friend, Serge slips into an alternate dimension in which he drowned on the beach ten years prior. While searching for truth behind his supposed death, Serge meets the famous thief Kid, a teenage girl intent on finding the mysterious Frozen Flame. Serge joins her search, and they recruit help and infiltrate Viper Manor, rumored to host the artifact. Viper Manor is home to the Acacia Dragoons—the combative, affluent, and revered protectors of the island. While in the manor's library, a mysterious old man known as the prophet of time reveals that ten years before the present, the universe split into two dimensions—one in which Serge lived (Home world), and one in which he perished (Another world).[10] The shadowy antagonist Lynx foils the break-in, poisoning Kid and causing the would-be thieves to flee.

Kid eventually recuperates, and Serge prepares to sojourn to Fort Dragonia, an ancient ruin left by Dragonians—a mysterious race gone extinct a hundred years before. There, the Acacia Dragoons intend to make a stand against an invading continental army of Porre. While preparing, Serge gains the ability to travel between the dimensions and secure further assistance and items—including the Water Dragon's breath, capable of freezing lava. He attempts to voyage by boat to the fort's shores, but is interrupted by the pirate Fargo. Initially imprisoned, Serge is freed when the ship comes under attack from ghosts. After earning Fargo's respect, Serge enters the fort and ascends to its highest floor. Through the use of a Dragonian artifact called the Dragon Tear, Lynx switches bodies with Serge. Unknowing of the switch, Kid confides in Lynx; he stabs her as the real Serge helplessly watches. Lynx boasts of his victory and banishes Serge to a strange realm called the Temporal Vortex. He takes Kid under his wing, brainwashing her to believe the real Serge is her enemy.
Entrance to the Dead Sea
Entrance to the Dead Sea

Serge escapes with help from Harle. Discovering that his new body prevents him from traveling across the dimensions, he is marooned in Home world. He sets out to regain his former body and learn more of the universal split ten years earlier. He speaks with his mother and recruits new members to his cause. Hearing that a Demi-human sage confined on a cruise ship may be able to help him, he journeys to the S.S. Zelbess. He gains the sage's favor, and is given an artifact that allows access to the Dead Sea, a mysterious body of water. While attempting to enter, he discovers the evil sword Masamune and must counter it with the holy sword Einlanzer. Once inside the Dead Sea, he finds a wasteland frozen in time, dotted with futuristic ruins.[11] At the center, he locates a man named Miguel and presumably Home world's Frozen Flame. Charged with guarding the Dead Sea by an entity named FATE,[12] Miguel unsuccessfully battles Serge. To prevent Serge from obtaining the Frozen Flame, FATE destroys the Dead Sea. Still in Lynx's body, Serge is rescued by a Dragon, one of six mythical entities who inhabit El Nido.

Able to return to Another world, Serge finds the Acacia Dragoons in dire straits from Porre's invasion and rescues General Viper's daughter. After collecting six relics from the Dragons, he locates that dimension's Dragon Tear and travels to Fort Dragonia to initiate a ceremony to recreate his body. He succeeds after staving off Lynx at the base of the fortress. With the Dragon relics in tow, he enters the Sea of Eden, Another world's physical equivalent of the Dead Sea. He finds a temporal research facility called Chronopolis—inside are Lynx, Kid, and the Frozen Flame. Confronted by Serge, Lynx bonds with the entity FATE—the main computer of the facility—to defeat the boy in battle. He is unsuccessful, and with FATE's capitulation, the defense systems of Chronopolis fall. After uniting in air, the six Dragons fly over the facility and scoop up the Frozen Flame. Kid falls into a coma, and Harle bids the party goodbye to fly with the Dragons. The new villains soar to Terra Tower, a massive structure raised from the sea floor.

Serge regroups his party and tends to Kid, who remains comatose. Continuing his adventure, he obtains and cleanses the Masamune. He then uses the Dragon relics and shards of the Dragon Tears to create the mythic Element Chrono Cross. The spiritual power of the Masamune later allows him to lift Kid from her coma and prepare to assault Terra Tower. He outfits his boat with an anti-gravity device and travels to battle the Dragons. At Terra Tower, the prophet of time—revealed to be Belthasar from Chrono Trigger—visits him and imparts the boy's history. This information is later expatiated by accompanied apparitions. Serge learns that the time research facility Chronopolis created El Nido thousands of years ago after a catastrophic experimental failure drew it to the past.[13] The introduction of a temporally foreign object in history caused the planet to pull in a counterbalance from a different dimension.[14] This was Dinopolis, a city of Dragonians—parallel universe descendants Chrono Trigger's Reptites. The institutions warred and Chronopolis subjugated the Dragonians. Humans captured their chief creation—the Dragon God, an entity capable of controlling nature.

Chronopolis divided this entity into six pieces and created an Elements system, which individuals could use for combat or trade. FATE terraformed an archipelago, erased the memories of most Chronopolis's staff, and sent them to inhabit and populate its new paradise.[15] Chronopolis remained obscured from view by clouds and surrounded by poisonous reef. Thousands of years later, a panther demon attacked a three-year old Serge. His father took him to find assistance at Marbule, but Serge's boat blew off course due to a raging magnetic storm caused by Schala. Schala—the princess of the Kingdom of Zeal—had long ago accidentally fallen to a place known as the Darkness Beyond Time and began merging with Lavos, the chief villain of Chrono Trigger.[16][17] Schala's storm nullified Chronopolis's defenses and allowed Serge to contact the Frozen Flame. Approaching it healed Serge but corrupted his father.[18] By touching the Flame, Serge was designated its Arbiter by a circuit in Chronopolis, simultaneously preventing FATE from using the artifact by extension. The Dragons were aware of this situation, creating a seventh Dragon under the storm's cover. This Dragon was Harle, who manipulated Lynx by serving as his accomplice.[19]
Serge and the Chrono Trigger team at Opassa Beach before the final battle
Serge and the Chrono Trigger team at Opassa Beach before the final battle

After Serge returned home, FATE manipulated his father to try and kill the boy, which would release the lock on the Frozen Flame. His father drowned Serge and became Lynx. However, ten years after the event, the thief Kid—presumably on Belthasar's orders—went back in time to save Serge and split the dimensions. FATE, locked out of the Frozen Flame again, knew that Serge would one day cross to Another world and prepared to apprehend him.[20] Lynx switched bodies with Serge to dupe the biological check of Chronopolis on the Frozen Flame. When Serge defeated FATE, the freed Dragons snatched the Frozen Flame and raised Terra Tower. Belthasar then reveals that these events were part of a plan he had orchestrated named Project Kid–and that its final purpose would soon be revealed. Serge continues to the top of Terra Tower and defeats the Dragon God.

Continuing to the beach where the split in dimensions had occurred, Serge finds three apparitions resembling the original team from Chrono Trigger. More of the game's history is revealed, such as the revelation that Belthasar planned the entire plot to empower Serge and free Schala from melding with Lavos.[21] The resulting fused being—called the Time Devourer—would consume and destroy spacetime. Lucca explains that Kid is Schala's clone, sent to the modern age to take part in Project Kid.[22] Crono entreats Serge to use the Chrono Cross to free Schala.[23] Serge uses a Time Egg—given to him by Belthasar—to enter the Darkness Beyond Time and vanquish the Time Devourer. He separates Schala from Lavos and restores the dimensions to one. Thankful, Schala muses on evolution and the struggle of life and returns Serge to his home, noting that he will forget the entire adventure. She then seemingly records the experience in her diary, set upon a desk on which a wedding photo of Kid and Serge appears. She then embarks on a mysterious search for Serge as cut scenes depict her walking through a modern city. The ambiguous ending leaves the events of the characters' lives following the game up to interpretation.[24]

It's like a goddamn fan fic. 

[MrAngryFace]

I could never figure out what was going on with the story or the gameplay

[Himu]

the gameplay is even more messy.

wtf elements

worst micromanage system EVER

[MrAngryFace]

some people 'got' the combat system, but it just seemed busy for the sake of being busy

[ananus]

i liked cc's battle system more than ct's. all characters playing the same sucked but i hardly used most of the party in ct anyway

[Himu]

I can't stand CC's battle system. The lack of combinations, which is something that made CT's battle system, was horrible. Not to mention the terrible element system. Ugh. And summoning was worthless. I think I summoned once the entire game. The battle system has some nice ideas, and some of the boss battles are hard as fuck - which is nice - but, most of them weren't realized and it seemed like there was way too much useless stuff (like summoning).

The only thing I liked about CC's battle system was that I could run away from all battles, including boss battles, in case I wanna beef up my strategy, and the attack % thing.

[Diablos]

CT and CC = awesome, END OF ARGUMENT. I am very disappointed that Square would rather keep pumping out SHIT like Kingdom Hearts and leave Chrono out in the cold.

-1 Square-Enix

I'm becoming increasingly unimpressed with this company (specifically the Square side, but DQ on a handheld sucks too) with every new article pertaining to them and their work.

I'm glad Ken K got some joint venture thing with Bandai Namco in the works. You know PS3 is getting an exclusive Tales game.

[Himu]

I told you diablos. S-E sucks. They've become irrelevant and totally on a completely different plane regarding their fanbase -- or rather, old fanbase -- and people can mince my words all they want.

[Diablos]

Himuro: Well, the Square side I'd definitely agree with you on. Dragon Quest VIII and Valkyrie Profile 2, on the other hand, are excellent games thanks to Enix and tri-Ace (who basically just used S-E as a publisher). I'm bummed that the future of DQ is on a handheld for now (I know this thinking upsets some people, but THAT'S HOW I FEEL), however, at least the non-Square part of the company has been putting out good games.

Anyway, if we want to just talk about Square devs, I'm giving them one more chance with FF13. If it sucks, I'm probably not going to buy their games anymore.

"See you on the PS2," they said in the CC developer's room. Maybe for FFXI, but what about Chrono you lying bastards 

[Himu]

But the thing is, the best games released by them aren't even developed by Square Enix. Wasn't DQVIII developed by Level 5? Or did they just do the graphics?

Either way, SE has become a  good publisher, rather than the stand out developer Squaresoft used to be. They've basically become like Enix - good publisher, but the Square influence has all but diminished.

[Himu]

Anyway, if we want to just talk about Square devs, I'm giving them one more chance with FF13. If it sucks, I'm probably not going to buy their games anymore.

I'm not going to bother with their games anymore period after the whole FFVII comp. situation and FFXII - something I waited for YEARS on and was still disappointed - unless it's something WOW worthy. I have no reason to believe that FFXIII will be of my interest, especially after all this bs with FFVII AC having influence over FFXIII and the stupid shit like Shiva bikes. And FFXII ds can suck it.

I like how the FFXII ds ads are all, this game has new character details! And I'm like, wtf? Why wasn't that in the original FFXII to begin with?

It just feels as if they left out details on purpose so they split the games up and have the calfs buy more milk.

[Diablos]

Well the FFVII stuff was pretty disappointing. Advent Children sucked. All of the spinoffs sucked. If you're going to revive FF, do a remake of the original or do nothing. I used to be on the bandwagon that screamed for a sequel or prequel... but Advent Children pretty much confirms how much that sucks.

Although, I will say FFVII Crisis Core may be the most promising thing to come out of this. We'll see how well it does, and most importantly what people have to say about it.

And FFXII RW has new character info because they didn't want to be bothered to figure that out while they were working on the PS2 game, lol. FFXII has like no story, no relation with the characters. If ntards want 2D gambit automation draining their battery life they can fucking have it.

[Himu]

That FFXII game has gambits? 

[Diablos]

Yes, IIRC, it has the gambit system.

[Beezy]

They won't make a new Chrono game, they CAN'T make a good Mana game, they release like 3 FF related games every year.......what else?

[Mondain]

Level 5 only did Dragon Quest VIII's graphics engine

and I greatly enjoyed Chrono Cross, seems that most fans are simply terribly offended that it's not Chrono Trigger in 3D... doesn't mean that it can't be a great RPG on its own merits

[MrAngryFace]

But it ISNT a great RPG on its own merits. Its a good soundtrack at best. lol

[Vizzys]

Himuro, Chrono Cross has team combos, you are incorrect.

Anyway the combat system was decent, sucks that you can only use elements once and summons force you to have a full color in that corner circle (forgot its name). I liked the game but no its nothing OMG awesome, Its worth a play at least.

[Prost]

But it ISNT a great RPG on its own merits. Its a good soundtrack at best. lol

LOL HAHA OH MY GOD

GENIUS!