Cross Edge

If you were introducing a non-gaming friend to the delights of Xbox and PlayStation, what games would you suggest? We’d wager that, like us, you’d probably try to ease them in with something both engaging and accessible – a classic puzzler like Tetris or maybe the rhythm-action brilliance of Guitar Hero or Rock Band. But at the other end of the scale there are titles you’d likely avoid. As gamers we can appreciate the elements that raise Call Of Duty 4 and Street Fighter IV above the competition, but to the uninitiated, the nuances of these games remain a mystery. But in terms of newbie appeal, Cross Edge is perhaps the polar opposite to Wii Sports, because, despite being a good game, its niche appeal and complexity would be entirely lost on the fledgling gamer.

As a joint venture between Capcom, Nippon Ichi, Namco Bandai, Gust and Idea Factory, Cross Edge is a crossover RPG that draws upon many rich sources. Included are Lyner and Aurica from Ar Tonelico, Lilly and Raze from Mana Khemia 2, and Meu and Zelos from the even more obscure Spectral Souls and Absolute Blazing Infinity – neither of which have ever seen a UK release. Meanwhile, Capcom, whose portfolio is more lacking in RPG output, has graced Cross Edge with characters from its fondly remember DarkStalkers.

These include Demitri and everybody’s favourite succubus, Morrigan. But when you consider Namco X Capcom was laden with characters from Street Fighter, Tekken, Strider and Xenosaga, Cross Edge’s roster can feel a tad B-list. It’s also a shame that more use wasn’t made of the Disgaea licence as only Etna and a Prinny make it from the Netherworld, despite over five characters from Ar Tonelico. However, for those who’d rather play Atelier Iris than Phantom Brave, this is a matter of preference.

Realising that a coherent story featuring demons, alchemists, Reyvateils, and Prinnies was going to be tricky, Compile Heart has deftly played both the ‘alternative dimension’ and ‘amnesia’ cards. The two original leads, York and Miko, wake up in the Cross Edge universe without a clue as to how they got there. They soon meet up with Morrigan and Lyner, who, having also lost their memories, decide to join them in search of answers. It transpires that this reality is being sustained by trapped souls from other worlds, and in order to return to their former lives, the heroes must find and free them. In retaliation, the rulers of Cross Edge pit the heroes against their backlog of nemeses. With such a diverse mix of airheaded anime-chicks and psychotic killers on either side, events often fluctuate dramatically. One minute the antagonists are threatening to kill each other, the next it sees all the ladies bathing together in a hot spring while the perpetually doomed Prinny spies on them.

Although the plot certainly has an air of Nippon Ichi humour to it, it’s in the turn-based combat where Cross Edge shines brightest. During a battle the field is split into two three-by-four grids with the player allowed a maximum of four fighters on their side. Part of the strategy is in careful placement – melee specialists work best close-up, mages can cast spells from the rear, and gunners are most effective in the middle.

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