Chronus Arc (Nintendo 3DS) Second Opinion Review

By Izzy Lichi 25.10.2015

Review for Chronus Arc on Nintendo 3DS

Chronus Arc is a turn-based role playing game created by Kemco, starring a fledgling Sorcerer Knight named Loka, who wishes to complete his training in hopes of graduation; however, a "Time-Rewinding" approaches, a ritual that takes place every ten years, and due to unfortunate criminal circumstance, a relic named the "Chronus Fragment" gets stolen, which is required to transgress the ritual. With not a second to waste, Loka sets off on an adventure to find it. Can this young would-be Sorcerer Knight come through for the world? Find out in Cubed3's review.

Chronus Arc's environments are all very colourful, but at the same time, bland and uninventive. A forest filled with wolves and insects? Check. A cave filled with beasts and creepy crawlies? Check. Chronus Arc takes no time to make people aware that it has no intention of being creative with just about any of its features. All the characters, creatures, NPCs, the protagonist and the villain all strike a missing blow on the player's amazement. Fortunately, the soundtrack is very exciting and impressive, particularly in dungeons.

The many dungeons of Chronus Arc all include block pushing, jar placing puzzles. These always appear to be very simple and never push players to their mental limit, but still manage to be a fun feature. Monster encounters are not random during dungeons; instead, a visible monster sprite must be stood next to to initiate combat, which is helpful during the task of trying to solve puzzles, as it is possible to just steer clear of them. In addition, the use of a ring tool can be used to further prevent combat by stunning enemies.

Screenshot for Chronus Arc on Nintendo 3DS

Although nothing impressive or, at least, original is found with Chronus Arc's presentation, the amount of micro-management is surprisingly bountiful. Aside from the typical item and equipment shops, the option to craft, upgrade, and even dismantle items is available at a blacksmith shop. In addition, a facility where quests can be acquiesced can also be found at any town to support exploration and hunt down beasts and creatures. Although, of course, the quests themselves are nothing more than overdone fetch quests, killing specific monsters ten times, or going to kill the gruesome boss foe that's terrorising everyone in the city.

Chronus Arc seems to hold a strong representation on keeping things very bland and unoriginal, and it manages to maintain that reputation with the core feature of any JRPG: turn-based combat. Combat involves the classic setup of using up to three recruited characters, where all actions are selected at once, then the turn commences. The animations are shockingly decent. Loka's sword motions are fluid and fun to look at when it's time to swing his sword, and the spells look very flashy and exciting to cast.

Battles usually don't last too long, but can be both easy and difficult depending on the location. Some optional areas will have an enemy that will completely destroy the player if not prepared, forcing reloads of the game. Luckily, Chronus Arc allows the option to save almost anywhere; saving before attempting the risk of these optional foes comes strongly recommended. A very handy feature during combat is the capability of speeding up the combat animations, where normal or double speed can be flicked between.

Screenshot for Chronus Arc on Nintendo 3DS

Cubed3 Rating

5/10
Rated 5 out of 10

Average

Chronus Arc may not be anywhere near as desirable as some of the other latest RPG releases, but for the price, it still manages to deliver a somewhat enjoyable traditional and recognisable Japanese role-playing experience. The characters are mind-blowingly unoriginal, but manage to remain charming and likable. Combat is easy to understand, and can still prove challenging at times. Battle animations are decent, and most of all, combat flow is fast and can be tailored between normal and double speed. The story is uneventful, and has been seen before many times, with the exception of the very unique use of time travel. Chronus Arc is a good budget choice for adventurers who need a Japanese role-playing game fix. Ultimately, games with "Chrono"-like words in them are best when they are followed by the word "Trigger."

Developer

Hit-Point

Publisher

Kemco

Genre

Turn Based RPG

Players

1

C3 Score

Rated $score out of 10  7/10

Reader Score

Rated $score out of 10  0 (0 Votes)

European release date None   North America release date Out now   Japan release date Out now   Australian release date None   

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