Find the games you're looking for
Cris Tales
Critics Consensus (Skip It)
Cris Tales is an enjoyable turn-based RPG, but it never manages to live up to its potential. Monotonous combat and an insistence on making you run around doing busy work weigh the experience down.
Game Info
Discover a unique combination of branching stories, innovative combat, and classic RPG gameplay in Cris Tales’ exciting and unforgettable exploration of how our actions echo through time. Join the newly awakened Time Mage, Crisbell, and her fantastical companions in a fantasy world facing a grim future. The powerful Time Empress and her forces threaten to bring about a cataclysm tearing apart Crystallis and the other four Kingdoms of the region.
0%
Recommended
0%
Average Score
Total Reviews: 78
RELEASE DATES:
GENRES:
- RPG, Adventure
DEVELOPER(S):
- Dreams Uncorporated
- SYCK
PUBLISHER(S):
- Modus Games
SERIES/FRANCHISE:
- n/a
GAME MODES:
- Single player
GAME ENGINE:
- Unity
Where to Play
WHERE TO PLAY
** VSG may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
RATING & REVIEWS
Ratings & Reviews
78
Critic Reviews
73
Average Critic Score
Where to Play
CRITIC REVIEWS
All reviews are from professional critics. Learn more about the critics VSG aggregates.
High Score
90%
Median Score
74%
Low Score
45%
What did you think of Cris Tales?
Player Reviews0 Votes
0
Nic Reuben (Guardian)
July 26, 2021
4/5 stars
Cris Tales isn’t without some endemic role-playing game frustrations – grinding, uneven difficulty, overly simple puzzles – and it’s not a landmark revitalisation. But it exudes so much authentic passion and character that it’s easy to forgive a few relics from the past.
Jordan Ramée (GameSpot)
July 20, 2021
8/10
Though it doesn’t quite stick the landing, Cris Tales is an enjoyable turn-based RPG adventure with a lovable story about a found family bending time to save the world.
Travis Northup (IGN)
July 23, 2021
7/10
Cris Tales is a clever time-traveling JRPG that’s held back by monotonous combat.
VSG News
Assassin’s Creed Jade Release Likely Delayed to 2025 as Tencent Shifts Focus
PlayStation 5 Pro: Leaked Specs Reveal a Major Upgrade, Release Hinted for Holiday 2024
Xbox Games Hit New Platforms: Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, Sea of Thieves, and Grounded Coming to Other Platforms
Xbox Reaches Beyond Consoles: 4 Games to Rival Platforms, and What It Means
Silent Hill 2 Remake Developer Unhappy With Trailer Released by Konami
Score Ranges
Read the Reviews (78 total)
| Outlet | Author | Score | Date | Quote | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33bits | Fernando Sánchez | 90 / 100 | 07-20-2021 | Cris Tales is a beautifully crafted JRPG who knows how to innovate based on the most classic premises of the genre. Join Crisbell and her friends as they save their kingdom from the Empress of Time as we use the power of crystals to learn from the past, act in the present, and change the future, all simultaneously. We are without a doubt one of the most interesting JRPGs of the year, totally recommended for fans of the genre. | Read review |
| 3DNews | Иван Бышонков | 5.5 / 10 | 08-14-2021 | Cris Tales’s description states that this is a “love letter” to JRPGs. However, with game’s boring combat, uninspiring plot and lack of variety it is hard to recommend Cris Tales for the fans of the genre. | Read review |
| Atomix | Sebastian Quiroz | 90 / 100 | 07-29-2021 | Cris Tales is one of the best independent games from Latin America. Without a doubt, one of the titles of 2021 that you cannot miss. | Read review |
| Bazimag | Sina Golabzade | 8 / 10 | 07-20-2021 | Cris Tales starts so good that It felt like it could be a GOTY contender, the gameplay mechanics are classic but feel new and complex enough without being confusing, the art style is a sight to behold and the characters are really charming but the use of random encounters and unbelievable number of times they hinder you progress, sucks some of the joy out of the game. | Read review |
| But Why Tho? | Charles Hartford | 8.5 / 10 | 07-23-2021 | So while Cris Tales’s story and gameplay may come up a bit light for some, it manages to provide a fun, unique experience that, rather than simply imitate the games that came before it, takes inspiration from them and strives to build something unique. | Read review |
| Cerealkillerz | Julian Bieder | 8.8 / 10 | 07-20-2021 | The graphics are colorful and beautiful, the story mostly motivating and at its core a turn based combat system with some clever time manipulation. Cris Tales got the whole package and every fan of RPGs should check out this amazing indie game. | Read review |
| CGMagazine | Jordan Biordi | 6 / 10 | 07-20-2021 | Cris Tales has a lot of great ideas, and an incredible style, but none of it really coalesces into a game I want to play. | Read review |
| Chalgyr’s Game Room | Richard York | 6.75 / 10 | 08-09-2021 | Overall, Cris Tales is a game that I can’t really recommend outright. For whatever reason it’s decently cheaper on the Switch, but with the amount of technical issues and gameplay mechanics that need refining, it would still be best to wait for a sale, or part of a package deal, before I could advise playing. | Read review |
| Checkpoint Gaming | Nat Patterson | 6 / 10 | 07-25-2021 | Cris Tales isn’t going to blow anyone away, and probably won’t gain a huge following, but I still enjoyed most of my time with the game. There are enough positive points to balance out some of the glaring and more egregious issues present in the game. I particularly loved the art style, voice acting, and implementation of the time travel mechanics across combat, quests, and puzzles. Unfortunately, the constant presence of loading screens and the scripting issues make Cris Tales a flawed experience. | Read review |
| COGconnected | Jaz Sagoo | 72 / 100 | 07-23-2021 | As much as I love the aesthetics of Cris Tales, there are issues with the gameplay that affect the experience. Although fans of retro JRPGs will be able to overlook the constant random battles, lack of auto-save, and the monotonous grind, these aspects will deter gamers who are used to contemporary design elements. The clever use of the time mechanic allows you to be more tactical in your approach to fights; however, this is overshadowed by the sheer volume of encounters and repetitive enemy types. At its core, Cris Tales is a solid JRPG with an interesting twist; however, it sticks to the well-trodden paths of those that came before, creating a disparity between the gameplay and visuals. | Read review |
| Critical Hit | Damian Richards | 6 / 10 | 08-11-2021 | Cris Tales is a beautiful indie RPG that is held back by various issues, keeping it from being one of the greats. Incredible story, filled with exciting characters, areas and interesting time powers, makes it worth the play. However, held back by an uninteresting battle system that becomes stale and too easy, a horrible third act of the game slows it down to a crawl. You’ll find something to love with Cris Tales if you can look over some of its flaws. | Read review |
| Cultured Vultures | Ryan Stevens | 8 / 10 | 07-23-2021 | While Cris Tales has some bumpy aspects in its combat and doesn’t pull any punches, it remains a stellar RPG that pays tribute to great titles of the past while still building forward to make a modern hit in the present. | Read review |
| Daily Mirror | Eugene Sowah | 4 / 5 stars | 07-23-2021 | The battle system is very intuitive and keeps gameplay from becoming too repetitive. The few issues like the constant loading screens and lack of autosave may frustrate players as it’s a very long game. | Read review |
| DarkZero | Lewis Howarth | 5 / 10 | 08-04-2021 | Cris Tales claims to be a “love letter to classic JRGs” and it has all the elements that make up a great JRPG by bringing back things we’ve missed about the older classics but it hasn’t quite executed them as well as I’d hoped. | Read review |
| Destructoid | Chris Moyse | 7 / 10 | 09-05-2021 | While Cris Tales offers a stirring adventure — packed full of wit and character — numerous mechanical shortcomings frequently put the brakes on its excitable spirit. A victim of unfulfilled ambition, Cris Tales doesn’t quite deliver on its clever premise or its chrono-combat. There’s no denying the passion and talent of the developers, however, manifested in stunning visuals and a wonderful cast. Cris Tales will definitely ostracize some players, but those with a little patience may see past its flaws to embrace its heartfelt homage to gaming’s bygone era. | Read review |
| Digitally Downloaded | Matt Sainsbury | 4 / 5 stars | 07-20-2021 | I really hope the other platforms that Cris Tales has been released on have better performance, because those loading times alone take something special, and unfortunately undermine it. This is one of those rare times to me where technical issue really do mess with the experience, disrupting the carefully-structured panic and pulling players away from the breathtaking art. There’s still a lot to love about Cris Tales, and the vision is beautiful and evocative. But we are in 2021 and battles in an JRPG shouldn’t require a loading screen. No matter how beautiful and heartfelt they are. | Read review |
| Easy Allies | Daniel Bloodworth | 3.5 / 5 stars | 08-11-2021 | Cris Tales has an inspiring visual style with inventive mechanics, but it doesn’t fully flesh out its world and ideas. | Read review |
| Echo Boomer | João Canelo | Recommended | 08-03-2021 | A treat for the senses. With its unique art style and characters, Crys Tales breaks the common repetition of its genre by presenting us time bending journey with great ideas that could be better explored in a future sequel. | Read review |
| Everyeye.it | Cristina Bona | 8.7 / 10 | 07-22-2021 | Cris Tales is a delightful adventure, which will not fail to satisfy players looking for a fairytale and well-structured experience. | Read review |
| FingerGuns | Toby Andersen | 7 / 10 | 07-22-2021 | Cris Tales is a stunningly gorgeous indie, with art that’ll make your jaw drop. However many of its time mechanics are relatively skin deep, and it lacks the kind of depth its art inspires. It’s also not the epic it claims to be. It’s a love letter to classic RPGs, if within that same analogy those classics are the full novel. | Read review |
| Game Informer | Brian Shea | 7.8 / 10 | 08-04-2021 | Cris Tales is a solid RPG dragged down by a creative gimmick that never realizes its true potential | Read review |
| Gameblog | Unknown | 8 / 10 | 09-13-2021 | Clearly, Cris Tales is a very humble and charming little game, and if it’s your cam, you should look into its case. Good sensations guaranteed. | Read review |
| Gamefa | مهدی رضایی | 8 / 10 | 07-20-2021 | Play Cris Tales, if you’re looking for a beautiful turn-by-turn role-playing game. The game has a relatively new idea and can be an even perfect title in its own style if it fixes minor problems. | Read review |
| GameMAG | Unknown | 9 / 10 | 07-20-2021 | The overal design choices and visual presentation of Cris Tales are one of its most strongers suits. The game looks like an animated film, and paired with lots of calm and relaxing tunes, you get a very cozy atmosphere that feels nice to get back to every single time. | Read review |
| Gamer Escape | Justin Mercer | 6 / 10 | 07-29-2021 | Cris Tales is the type of game you really want to love. You see the gorgeousness on the screen and hear the lovely score… but then you remember you have to play it. The visual and auditory elements are so stand-out in quality that they cause the more simplistic gameplay and unexciting narrative to feel stunted in comparison. | Read review |
| Gamers Heroes | Johnny Hurricane | 7 / 10 | 07-25-2021 | Cris Tales isn’t going to set your world on fire, but it proves to be good turn-based RPG comfort food. If you don’t mind titles that drag a bit, this one is for you. | Read review |
| GamesBeat | Jason Wilson | Recommended | 07-27-2021 | I’m impressed with Dreams Uncorporated and Syck’s maiden effort. Cris Tales charming RPG, full of color, interesting colors, and life, and I’ve enjoyed my time with it so far. Some of the monster designs are A+ as well, such as the Slimes. They are transparent, with little sea scenes inside them, and they were Donald Duck-like sailor outfits. Their bow ties also look like little mustaches. They’re cute as heck, a great example of the game’s art design. | Read review |
| GameSkinny | Steven Green | 7 / 10 | 08-02-2021 | The incredible world-building found in Cris Tales is often overshadowed by lackluster combat, regardless of the unique time travel mechanics. | Read review |
| GameSpew | Kim Snaith | 8 / 10 | 07-19-2021 | Regardless of its issues, there’s no denying that Cris Tales fulfils the mission its developers set out to achieve, and with gusto: this truly is a gorgeous love letter to classic JRPGs. An epic story combined with a truly beautiful visual style will keep you hooked until the credits roll. With a small update here and there, Cris Tales has all the makings of a modern classic. | Read review |
| GameSpot | Jordan Ramée | 8 / 10 | 07-20-2021 | Though it doesn’t quite stick the landing, Cris Tales is an enjoyable turn-based RPG adventure with a lovable story about a found family bending time to save the world. | Read review |
| Gaming Nexus | Elliot Hilderbrand | 9 / 10 | 07-25-2021 | The developers of Cris Tales set out to make a love letter to the genre. When writing a love letter it’s easy to cloud your judgement at times. You’re after all so head over heels into it. Do you really care what others think? The load times, basic story, and unsatisfying ending are easy to overlook when you’re in love with the genre. Cris Tales is too pretty to pass up if you want a taste of a nostalgic JRPG. | Read review |
| GamingTrend | David Flynn | Recommended | 07-19-2021 | Prepare to die quite a bit, especially early on as you get used to how everything works. The game certainly rewards mastery of its systems, as you’ll need to use every trick up your sleeves to survive some of the bosses here. It’s been a while since I haven’t just breezed through an RPG, so this is very refreshing. It presents just the right amount of challenge to make you consider your every action, actually use items, and equip yourself with gear that tailors to your specific playstyle. This game is firing on all cylinders so far, and I can’t wait to share my full review with you soon after I finish the game. | Read review |
| Generación Xbox | Alejandro Serrador | 8.3 / 10 | 07-23-2021 | In this regard, the work developed by the folks of Dreams Uncorporated,SYCK and Poppy Works focuses part of her personality on a precious appearance that makes her even more palatable in the eyes of other people. In the same way, it dazzles at how well it integrates temporary travel when it comes to fulfilling missions, but there are times when it seems to get stuck in the past, especially when we take up arms. In other words, sometimes, you need more than that to transcend time. | Read review |
| God is a Geek | Lyle Carr | 8.5 / 10 | 07-19-2021 | Cris Tales is an incredible take on the JRPG with impressive time powers, but the loading times and framerate on Switch are disappointing. | Read review |
| Guardian | Nic Reuben | 4 / 5 stars | 07-26-2021 | Foes can be cast into the past or future in a whimsical time-bending throwback that celebrates Colombia | Read review |
| GuiltyBit | Ana Quintana | 7.3 / 10 | 08-20-2021 | Overall, this is a simplistic game that touches on issues that could go a long way, but choose to ignore many of the possibilities that could access in order to offer a more solid plot, without going into too many complications. It is greatly enjoyed if you have it in mind. It is not essential, but it will cheer you up for more than one afternoon. | Read review |
| Hardcore Gamer | Jordan Helm | 3.5 / 5 stars | 08-22-2021 | For a game so favorably-regarded and closely-monitored in its build-up to release, it’s hard to shake off the minor disappointment and frustrations that Cris Tales generates in its final form. | Read review |
| Hey Poor Player | Kenny McKee | 4 / 5 stars | 08-01-2021 | Cris Tales is a lot of fun, and a really solid title overall. It’s great to see that smaller indie studios are able to pick up the slack when it comes to delivering more classically inspired RPGs, and that they even have the creativity to go above and beyond what’s expected of them. While Cris Tales might be lacking a little bit here and there, anything bad is absolutely outshined by all of the good—you’ve got nothing to lose by checking this one out. | Read review |
| Hobby Consolas | Alberto Lloret | 78 / 100 | 07-20-2021 | Cris Tales shines with its astounding aesthetics and the way it manages the time travel elements, specially in combat. But, at the same time, it seems to be stuck on the past, bringing most of the glaring problems of the genre (grinding, areas that feels as corridors, repetitive opcional tasks…). And it’s a shame, because it has potential. | Read review |
| IGN | Travis Northup | 7 / 10 | 07-23-2021 | Cris Tales is a clever time-traveling JRPG that’s held back by monotonous combat. | Read review |
| IGN Italy | Damaso Scibetta | 7.6 / 10 | 07-20-2021 | A nice tribute to the JRPG with a personality all its own and a beautiful story, which however lacks depth and fails to give the right weight to its most peculiar mechanics. | Read review |
| Impulsegamer | Abdul Saad | 3 / 5 stars | 08-03-2021 | All in all, Cris Tales is unfortunately an unnecessarily conflicting game. It’s incredibly refined features such as the visuals and character depth heavily clash with its subpar gameplay. However, if you’re a hard core retro JRPG fan then you may enjoy the game. | Read review |
| Just Push Start | Mark Fajardo | 3 / 5 stars | 07-24-2021 | Add this in with an opening that is brutal, even more mechanics that get thrown away or ignored long term (why have the tent that heals your party cost 10,000 marbles, what Cris Tales uses for currency, when by the time you can afford it, you’d have no use for it?), spending most of your time talking to people in towns that are obvious padding and so much more. It’s a shame Cris Tales simply can’t live up to the charm of its art but there is no consistency on what it wants to be. Even the bosses go from a joke to making me feel like I am woefully under-leveled, back to Neptunia level in the span of 20 minutes and one level. For some the art might be enough, but if you want a good RPG, this isn’t it. | Read review |
| LevelUp | Víctor Rosas | 8 / 10 | 08-03-2021 | Cris Tales take inspiration from many RPG games that shaped players in Latin America. Despite its ups and downs, its a good and attractive is an adventure that will keep you entertained for hours. Thinking of it as an entry level RPG, Cris Tales goes as a solid recommendation; it’s not something to write home about, but it is worth it and, without a doubt, it’s one of the most interesting games created in Latin America. | Read review |
| Luis Alamilla | Luis Alamilla | 8 / 10 | 07-19-2021 | Cris Tales is a beautifully designed and presented JRPG love letter to the classics of the past and in some ways, the modern marvels of the genre in the last few years. Its time-altering mechanics are clever and incorporates well on multiple layers from its story, combat, and world exploration. In true JRPG fashion, it can overstate its need to grind and some layers could still use a bit of polish like the timing of combat and certain visual elements. Yet despite some minor flaws, I found myself thoroughly enjoying the challenge, and especially when playing in handheld mode, it truly felt like JRPG comfort food. | Read review |
| Metro GameCentral | GameCentral | 7 / 10 | 07-20-2021 | A loving tribute to the past and present of Japanese role-players, with some impressively clever time travel powers and gorgeous artwork – although it’s a shame about the random battles. | Read review |
| MonsterVine | Nick Mangiaracina | 2.5 / 5 stars | 07-20-2021 | I would avoid Cris Tales on the Switch until there’s been some patching done or you’ve tested it on another platform. | Read review |
| New Game Network | Dylan Blereau | 73 / 100 | 08-06-2021 | Cris Tales may not be as feature heavy as the JRPG classics it takes inspiration from, but it oozes whimsical charm with a vibrant anime aesthetic and a likeable cast. The gameplay, while serviceable, may get stale towards the end, but Cris Tales is still a title I’d recommend taking a chance on. | Read review |
| Niche Gamer | Brandon Lyttle | 7 / 10 | 08-17-2021 | Fans of classic JRPGs will find a lot to like about Cris Tales, and a high tolerance for random encounters will help. Casual gamers will have an easy time digesting this game, but those random encounters will quickly become a problem for those lacking the tenacity and patience. | Read review |
| Nintendo Life | Mitch Vogel | 8 / 10 | 07-22-2021 | Cris Tales offers up a satisfying take on classic JRPG tropes while sprinkling in some interesting new gameplay ideas and an incredible art style. Though some aspects of combat can be frustrating and the pacing can occasionally feel like it’s wasting your time, we’d still give this one a recommendation to anyone looking for a cool new RPG for their Switch. Cris Tales does just enough to stick out from the pack and assert itself as a title worth adding to your library; JRPG aficionados should definitely give this one a shot. | Read review |
| Nintendo Times | Chris Laramie | 8 / 10 | 08-02-2021 | GREAT | Read review |
| NintendoWorldReport | Jordan Rudek | Recommended | 07-19-2021 | The lack of an autosave function is a curious omission, forcing you to save frequently lest you fall in battle and have to replay a particular segment. Fortunately, you can save anywhere on the overworld map and save spots in towns and dungeons are numerous. I’m excited to see how it all comes together, so please look forward to the full review posting soon, I suppose in a future slice of time. | Read review |
| Noisy Pixel | Azario Lopez | 9 / 10 | 07-19-2021 | Cris Tales is a fantasy adventure akin to a fairy tale in both narrative and setting. It’s an amazing experience accompanied by memorable characters, an addictive battle system, and wonderful discoveries. Every moment of the gameplay pushes the RPG to new heights, which is only hindered by lengthy load times and lack of direction for some missions. However, if you’re looking for a callback to retro RPGs, this is one game you absolutely need to play. | Read review |
| NoobFeed | Sarwar Ron | 70 / 100 | 07-25-2021 | Cris Tales is a game that fans of the genre should check out themselves, as it tries to offer a different approach to the genre. | Read review |
| Paste Magazine | Joseph Stanichar | 4.5 / 10 | 07-30-2021 | The way characters move and express in combat never gets old, even as everything around it quickly does. I can see the massive amount of love and care put into one element of the game, which conveniently is the most visible one for observers. But once I pick up the controller, it becomes clear that level of detail is only surface deep. | Read review |
| PC Gamer | Alistair Jones | 57 / 100 | 07-20-2021 | Cris Tales never manages to build its curious premise into an entertaining tool. | Read review |
| PlayStation LifeStyle | Annette Polis | 7.5 / 10 | 08-04-2021 | Cris Tales‘ number one selling point is its use of time manipulation as both a plot device and battle mechanic. It’s what makes the entire experience. It’s a solid mid-range game, great for teens and adults looking for a fairly breezy thirty-ish hour adventure. However, there are better games out there that you should experience first, especially if you have to be more selective with your cash. | Read review |
| PlayStation Universe | John-Paul Jones | 7 / 10 | 07-21-2021 | An attractive JPRG with a hugely innovative central time manipulation mechanic, it seems as though the developers behind the game fell head over heels in love with that element of Cris Tales design at the expense of crafting a world with memorable characters, motivations, places and events. That said, Cris Tales non-linear story and neat use of time manipulation will still hold a fair amount of allure for genre newbies and stalwarts alike. | Read review |
| PSX Brasil | Rui Celso | 80 / 100 | 07-31-2021 | Cris Tales has a level of repetition that can annoy players a bit, but the story is intense and the amount of twists makes you extremely attached to everything and curious about what comes next. Furthermore, the graphics, as well as the battles and the adventure itself, match perfectly, making the journey of Crisbell and her friends a good option for lovers of the genre. | Read review |
| Push Square | Jenny Jones | 8 / 10 | 07-20-2021 | You’ll steadily gain access to new characters throughout your adventure. Not only are they wonderfully entertaining during the story, but they also have unique abilities in battle that can really mix up how you fight. It keeps the game feeling fresh and interesting throughout the 30 or so hours that it takes to reach its conclusion. | Read review |
| Rice Digital | Isaac Todd | Not Recommended | 07-20-2021 | Ultimately, Cris Tales ended up fixing few of the issues that I had with the game’s demo back in 2019, while also adding a few more thanks to the Switch port. I can’t imagine the currently average story getting much better at the end, and most of the ideas and gameplay mechanics presented at the start end up going nowhere. It’s a shame, as there was a lot of potential there — hopefully some of the more glaring technical issues can be fixed in a post-launch patch, at least. | Read review |
| RPGamer | Paul Shkreli | 3 / 5 stars | 08-22-2021 | Cris Tales falls short of its lofty aims, but the zeal and indelible spirit of the game make it more than the sum of its parts. | Read review |
| Screen Rant | J. Brodie Shirey | 4 / 5 stars | 07-19-2021 | Cris Tales embraces the old model of JRPGs, making it feel like a well-worn experience for seasoned fans of the genre. All of the charm, whimsy, and innocence of Final Fantasy and The Legend Of Zelda ooze throughout the game’s setting and characters, but Crisbell’s time powers provide a fun new spin on the classic turn-based combat. Cris Tales isn’t that difficult either, making it a good choice for beginners looking to get into turn-based RPGs. | Read review |
| SECTOR.sk | Michal Korec | 6.5 / 10 | 01-13-2022 | It means to be tribute to good old PlayStation RPG. But it is just ordinary game. | Read review |
| Slant Magazine | Aaron Riccio | 3 / 5 stars | 07-28-2021 | That charming, throwaway exchange is just one of the many ways in which the game’s strong writing and character development help to mitigate the campaign’s tedious final hours. It feels like the video game equivalent of a shaggy-dog joke, and while its narrative is fascinating enough to compel you to backtrack not once, but twice, through areas and boss fights that you’ve long since mastered, it’s hard not to wish that Cris Tales had used a little time magic on itself and sped things along so we could have gotten to the good stuff sooner. | Read review |
| Softpedia | Cosmin Vasile | 7.5 / 10 | 07-31-2021 | You can feel that the team poured their heart and soul into the game making it a game that will convince everyone willing to try it, even if they usually do not like JRPGs. It has some issues and for some, the visuals might be too colorful or cheerful, but it is an adventure worth playing through. | Read review |
| SpazioGames | Unknown | 7.3 / 10 | 07-20-2021 | Cris Tales is based on an astonishing idea that could have innovated an entire genre. However, after few hours emerge some issues tied to underdeveloped combat mechanics and a scarcely balanced gameplay. | Read review |
| TechRaptor | Andrew Stretch | 6 / 10 | 07-19-2021 | Cris Tales starts strong as a time travel RPG set in a beautiful world, but suffers from a misguided plot and combat woes | Read review |
| The Game Crater | Nina Wilson | 6 / 10 | 07-21-2021 | Cris Tales is a beautiful JRPG with some phenomenal innovations commonly associated with the genre. Unfortunately, it so rigidly sticks to its inspirations that it fails to elevate itself beyond just another bland JRPG. | Read review |
| TheSixthAxis | Reuben Mount | 9 / 10 | 07-20-2021 | Cris Tales is an absolutely incredible homage to classic JRPGs, whilst taking care to modernise their core mechanics for modern audiences. The gorgeous visual style, superb voice acting, clever mechanics and emotive story-telling all combine together here to make an incredible title. Then, with the addition of comprehensive and innovative uses of time in all parts of the game, it becomes a near perfect experience. Cris Tales has arguably surpassed its JRPG inspirations and absolutely deserves your time (pun entirely intended). | Read review |
| Too Much Gaming | Carlos Hernandez | 8 / 10 | 08-06-2021 | I had my issues and frustrations with Cris Tales, but once I dusted myself off from the finale, I emerged with a big smile. It reminded me why I loved JRPGs. Though it featured the usual JRPG tropes, they were executed so well that I feel Cris Tales is an easy recommendation to anyone eager to find an escape, as it was a fun ride despite some hit-and-miss time travel elements. | Read review |
| Twinfinite | Ed McGlone | 3 / 5 stars | 07-28-2021 | If you strip that away from Cris Tales, what you have left is a charming and serviceable RPG that is also packed with quite a few flaws and questionable design choices. Cris Tales is definitely worth a playthrough if you’re looking for something light-hearted and a little bit old-school. Just keep your expectations low when it comes to time-based gameplay. | Read review |
| Use a Potion | Unknown | 9 / 10 | 07-23-2021 | Cris Tales utilises traditional RPG mechanics but applies a wonderful time-manipulating twist across all facets of its design. The narrative, the combat, exploration – everything is based around altering time and it really makes for a brilliantly unique experience. It also just so happens to look beautiful too, which is always a plus. | Read review |
| Video Chums | Mary Billington | 7.4 / 10 | 08-03-2021 | Cris Tales is a colourful RPG with a neat time travel mechanic that’s used throughout the story as well as in battles. Although this sounds promising, it struggles to reach the heights of genre greats and its lack of fine-tuning often made me frustrated or bored. | Read review |
| Washington Post | Alyse Stanley | 60FALSE | 08-16-2021 | While brimming with gorgeous visuals and charm, for a game about time, “Cris Tales” doesn’t seem to value yours. | Read review |
| WayTooManyGames | Heidi Hawes | 7 / 10 | 08-09-2021 | Honestly, despite its flaws, I still enjoyed my time with Cris Tales. There are seeds of a fantastic game in here, but sadly none of them were able to fully blossom. I would really love to see a sequel where they expand upon what they’ve built already, because the idea of defeating your enemies using time magic along with other spells is wonderful. It lends itself to a lot of creative battles if explored in more depth. | Read review |
| Wccftech | Nathan Birch | 7.5 / 10 | 07-23-2021 | Cris Tales is a gorgeous, heartfelt, and often creative adventure that provides an interesting peek at a culture not well-represented in the world of gaming. Sadly, it falls a bit short of its grand potential due to some mechanical and balance issues and a final act that badly overstays its welcome. Cris Tales feels like a game that would have benefitted from some more time in development, but if you’re willing to forgive a few faults, your own time with the game won’t be wasted. | Read review |
| WellPlayed | Arana Judith | 6 / 10 | 08-27-2021 | Cris Tales is an enchanting story wrapped in a gorgeous visual style, but lacks sustained imagination in gameplay. JRPG players will find enjoyment within, but those less patient may be turned off after a few hours. | Read review |
Developed by Dreams Uncorporated. All titles, content, brand names, trademarks, logos, artwork, and associated imagery are trademarks and/or copyright material of their respective owners. © All rights reserved.
