Among the many topics discussed in Square Enix’s hour-long interview with chrono-cross Director Masato Kato explained how the game featured parallel worlds, compared to the trigger of a stopwatchtime travel. Speaking about his development, he noted that he was “approached to create something new” and decided to do “something different this time around”. He then also went on to explain how the conceptualization stage is one of his favorite parts, even though it can mean more frustration later on trying to bring said concepts to life.
That’s exactly what Kato said about the concept of chrono-cross‘parallel worlds and how they came to contrast with the trigger of a stopwatchtime travel.
He approached me to create something new. Chrono Trigger was based on time travel. So when I thought about doing something different this time, I decided to make a game using parallel worlds.
Basically, I hate repeating something I’ve already done. I like to try something new, something I’ve never tried before.
In that sense, if I was going to play or make a game, I wanted to see what I could build with parallel worlds. I thought about what I wanted to do next. And it was clear to me to go with parallel worlds.
Kato also talked about the parts of game design and development he enjoyed the most during the chat. the trigger of a stopwatchtime travel and chrono-crossThe parallel worlds of . It also caused him to joke about the frustrations that can also result.
The preparation stage before making the game is the most fun. “We could do that!” “I’d like to try that!” Daydreaming and thinking of ideas is the most enjoyable part. You’re not thinking about hard work at this point. You impulsively and continually expand your ideas. Like, “We could do that!” Or, “That would be awesome!”
So having to transfer that to the data makes you cry. “Whose idea was that?” “I wish I had never suggested that!” “Stupid that I am!” Each time I despair of having to achieve it.
There was a large volume of character speech. There are two worlds, so two versions of each NPC, each with a different life. This is what we had to create. I hadn’t realized this during our brainstorming. But I ended up in tears while writing the whole text.
In the same interview, Kato also talked about how the game had 40 playable characters because he added “everything (I) wanted on a whim.
Here is the complete chrono-cross there Radical dreamers interview with director Masato Kato.
Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.