GamerBraves
  • News
    • All
    • 3DS
    • All
    • Android
    • Animation
    • Anime
    • AR
    • Art
    • Awards
    • Beta Test
    • Collaboration
    • Comic Book
    • Comics
    • Concert
    • Console
    • Cosplay
    • Demo
    • DLC
    • Early Access
    • esports
    • Event
    • Exclusive
    • Fashion
    • Feature
    • First Impressions
    • Gadgets
    • Games
    • Gaming Laptop
    • Giveaway
    • Guides
    • Industry
    • Interview
    • iOS
    • Laptops
    • Linux
    • Mac
    • Manga
    • Merchandise
    • MHWilds
    • Mobile Games
    • Mobile Phone
    • Monitor
    • Movie
    • Music
    • News
    • Newsletter
    • Nintedo Switch 2 (Platform)
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch (Platform)
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • NSFW
    • Opinion
    • PC
    • pin to top
    • PL2025
    • PlayStation VR
    • Podcast
    • Preview
    • PS3 (Platform)
    • PS4
    • PS4 (Platform)
    • PS5
    • PS5 (Platform)
    • PSVita
    • Reviews
    • Rumour
    • Streaming Series
    • Tablet
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Tech
    • Television
    • Tournament
    • Toys
    • Unboxing
    • VR
    • VTuber
    • Xbox One
    • Xbox One (Platform)
    • Xbox Series X
    • Xbox Series X|S (Platform)
    Fate Trigger Closed Beta Test Goes Live Today

    Fate Trigger Closed Beta Test Goes Live Today

    HoYo FEST 2025 Malaysia Overview – Activities, Merch, Stamps and More!

    HoYo FEST 2025 Malaysia Overview – Activities, Merch, Stamps and More!

    When Anime Horse Girls are Racing Legends – The Real Stories Behind Umamusume: Pretty Derby

    When Anime Horse Girls are Racing Legends – The Real Stories Behind Umamusume: Pretty Derby

    Civilization Season 2

    Civilization: Eras & Allies Season 2 Now Available Across Asia

    Pokemon TCG UT

    UNIQLO Malaysia Reveals Pokémon TCG UT Collection This August

    Sony and Bandai Namco Team Up in Major Partnership Deal

    Sony and Bandai Namco Team Up in Major Partnership Deal

    Ironwing Valiant Record of Astera

    Ironwing Valiant: Record of Astera Brings Valkyria Chronicles Vibes to Mecha Action JRPG Fans

    Gorilla VS 100 Men

    Gorilla vs 100 Men, The Meme Is Now a Playable Steam Game

    Korean Webtoon-Based Action Game The Player Who Can’t Level Up Coming to Consoles and PC in 2026

    Korean Webtoon-Based Action Game The Player Who Can’t Level Up Coming to Consoles and PC in 2026

  • Reviews
    • All
    • 3DS
    • All
    • Android
    • Animation
    • Anime
    • AR
    • Art
    • Awards
    • Beta Test
    • Collaboration
    • Comic Book
    • Comics
    • Concert
    • Console
    • Cosplay
    • Demo
    • DLC
    • Early Access
    • esports
    • Event
    • Exclusive
    • Fashion
    • Feature
    • First Impressions
    • Gadgets
    • Games
    • Gaming Laptop
    • Giveaway
    • Guides
    • Industry
    • Interview
    • iOS
    • Laptops
    • Linux
    • Mac
    • Manga
    • Merchandise
    • MHWilds
    • Mobile Games
    • Mobile Phone
    • Monitor
    • Movie
    • Music
    • News
    • Newsletter
    • Nintedo Switch 2 (Platform)
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch (Platform)
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • NSFW
    • Opinion
    • PC
    • pin to top
    • PL2025
    • PlayStation VR
    • Podcast
    • Preview
    • PS3 (Platform)
    • PS4
    • PS4 (Platform)
    • PS5
    • PS5 (Platform)
    • PSVita
    • Reviews
    • Rumour
    • Streaming Series
    • Tablet
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Tech
    • Television
    • Tournament
    • Toys
    • Unboxing
    • VR
    • VTuber
    • Xbox One
    • Xbox One (Platform)
    • Xbox Series X
    • Xbox Series X|S (Platform)
    Fate Trigger Closed Beta Test Goes Live Today

    Fate Trigger Closed Beta Test Goes Live Today

    HoYo FEST 2025 Malaysia Overview – Activities, Merch, Stamps and More!

    HoYo FEST 2025 Malaysia Overview – Activities, Merch, Stamps and More!

    When Anime Horse Girls are Racing Legends – The Real Stories Behind Umamusume: Pretty Derby

    When Anime Horse Girls are Racing Legends – The Real Stories Behind Umamusume: Pretty Derby

    Civilization Season 2

    Civilization: Eras & Allies Season 2 Now Available Across Asia

    Pokemon TCG UT

    UNIQLO Malaysia Reveals Pokémon TCG UT Collection This August

    Sony and Bandai Namco Team Up in Major Partnership Deal

    Sony and Bandai Namco Team Up in Major Partnership Deal

    Ironwing Valiant Record of Astera

    Ironwing Valiant: Record of Astera Brings Valkyria Chronicles Vibes to Mecha Action JRPG Fans

    Gorilla VS 100 Men

    Gorilla vs 100 Men, The Meme Is Now a Playable Steam Game

    Korean Webtoon-Based Action Game The Player Who Can’t Level Up Coming to Consoles and PC in 2026

    Korean Webtoon-Based Action Game The Player Who Can’t Level Up Coming to Consoles and PC in 2026

  • Interviews
    Junzo Hosoi Discusses the Journey of Atelier Resleriana from Mobile to Console

    Junzo Hosoi Discusses the Journey of Atelier Resleriana from Mobile to Console

    [EXCLUSIVE] Creative Masterminds from Gearbox Software Reveal What Makes Borderlands 4 Worth the Wait

    [EXCLUSIVE] Creative Masterminds from Gearbox Software Reveal What Makes Borderlands 4 Worth the Wait

    Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa Open Up About Death Stranding 2: Connection, Creativity, and Walking Through Loneliness

    Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa Open Up About Death Stranding 2: Connection, Creativity, and Walking Through Loneliness

    RAIDOU Remastered Interview – Director Yamai Kazuyuki on Reviving a Classic Detective RPG for Modern Audiences

    RAIDOU Remastered Interview – Director Yamai Kazuyuki on Reviving a Classic Detective RPG for Modern Audiences

    Pac-Man Goes Dark – Producer Seigo Aizawa Reveals the Making of Shadow Labyrinth

    Pac-Man Goes Dark – Producer Seigo Aizawa Reveals the Making of Shadow Labyrinth

    Honor of Kings Producer Reveals Game-Changing Hero Flowborn and Major Updates

    Honor of Kings Producer Reveals Game-Changing Hero Flowborn and Major Updates

    [ASIA EXCLUSIVE] Bringing Back a Classic: Inside the Making of FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles

    [ASIA EXCLUSIVE] Bringing Back a Classic: Inside the Making of FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles

    Onimusha: Way of the Sword Developers Reveal Details About the Long-Awaited Comeback

    Onimusha: Way of the Sword Developers Reveal Details About the Long-Awaited Comeback

    Diving Deep into the Digital World – Producer Ryosuke Hara Discusses the Direction of Digimon Story Time Stranger

    Diving Deep into the Digital World – Producer Ryosuke Hara Discusses the Direction of Digimon Story Time Stranger

    Trending Tags

    • Sister Sites
      • Wanuxi
      • Gamer Santai
      • GamerWK
      • Gamer555
    No Result
    View All Result
    • News
      • All
      • 3DS
      • All
      • Android
      • Animation
      • Anime
      • AR
      • Art
      • Awards
      • Beta Test
      • Collaboration
      • Comic Book
      • Comics
      • Concert
      • Console
      • Cosplay
      • Demo
      • DLC
      • Early Access
      • esports
      • Event
      • Exclusive
      • Fashion
      • Feature
      • First Impressions
      • Gadgets
      • Games
      • Gaming Laptop
      • Giveaway
      • Guides
      • Industry
      • Interview
      • iOS
      • Laptops
      • Linux
      • Mac
      • Manga
      • Merchandise
      • MHWilds
      • Mobile Games
      • Mobile Phone
      • Monitor
      • Movie
      • Music
      • News
      • Newsletter
      • Nintedo Switch 2 (Platform)
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch (Platform)
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • NSFW
      • Opinion
      • PC
      • pin to top
      • PL2025
      • PlayStation VR
      • Podcast
      • Preview
      • PS3 (Platform)
      • PS4
      • PS4 (Platform)
      • PS5
      • PS5 (Platform)
      • PSVita
      • Reviews
      • Rumour
      • Streaming Series
      • Tablet
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Tech
      • Television
      • Tournament
      • Toys
      • Unboxing
      • VR
      • VTuber
      • Xbox One
      • Xbox One (Platform)
      • Xbox Series X
      • Xbox Series X|S (Platform)
      Fate Trigger Closed Beta Test Goes Live Today

      Fate Trigger Closed Beta Test Goes Live Today

      HoYo FEST 2025 Malaysia Overview – Activities, Merch, Stamps and More!

      HoYo FEST 2025 Malaysia Overview – Activities, Merch, Stamps and More!

      When Anime Horse Girls are Racing Legends – The Real Stories Behind Umamusume: Pretty Derby

      When Anime Horse Girls are Racing Legends – The Real Stories Behind Umamusume: Pretty Derby

      Civilization Season 2

      Civilization: Eras & Allies Season 2 Now Available Across Asia

      Pokemon TCG UT

      UNIQLO Malaysia Reveals Pokémon TCG UT Collection This August

      Sony and Bandai Namco Team Up in Major Partnership Deal

      Sony and Bandai Namco Team Up in Major Partnership Deal

      Ironwing Valiant Record of Astera

      Ironwing Valiant: Record of Astera Brings Valkyria Chronicles Vibes to Mecha Action JRPG Fans

      Gorilla VS 100 Men

      Gorilla vs 100 Men, The Meme Is Now a Playable Steam Game

      Korean Webtoon-Based Action Game The Player Who Can’t Level Up Coming to Consoles and PC in 2026

      Korean Webtoon-Based Action Game The Player Who Can’t Level Up Coming to Consoles and PC in 2026

    • Reviews
      • All
      • 3DS
      • All
      • Android
      • Animation
      • Anime
      • AR
      • Art
      • Awards
      • Beta Test
      • Collaboration
      • Comic Book
      • Comics
      • Concert
      • Console
      • Cosplay
      • Demo
      • DLC
      • Early Access
      • esports
      • Event
      • Exclusive
      • Fashion
      • Feature
      • First Impressions
      • Gadgets
      • Games
      • Gaming Laptop
      • Giveaway
      • Guides
      • Industry
      • Interview
      • iOS
      • Laptops
      • Linux
      • Mac
      • Manga
      • Merchandise
      • MHWilds
      • Mobile Games
      • Mobile Phone
      • Monitor
      • Movie
      • Music
      • News
      • Newsletter
      • Nintedo Switch 2 (Platform)
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch (Platform)
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • NSFW
      • Opinion
      • PC
      • pin to top
      • PL2025
      • PlayStation VR
      • Podcast
      • Preview
      • PS3 (Platform)
      • PS4
      • PS4 (Platform)
      • PS5
      • PS5 (Platform)
      • PSVita
      • Reviews
      • Rumour
      • Streaming Series
      • Tablet
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Tech
      • Television
      • Tournament
      • Toys
      • Unboxing
      • VR
      • VTuber
      • Xbox One
      • Xbox One (Platform)
      • Xbox Series X
      • Xbox Series X|S (Platform)
      Fate Trigger Closed Beta Test Goes Live Today

      Fate Trigger Closed Beta Test Goes Live Today

      HoYo FEST 2025 Malaysia Overview – Activities, Merch, Stamps and More!

      HoYo FEST 2025 Malaysia Overview – Activities, Merch, Stamps and More!

      When Anime Horse Girls are Racing Legends – The Real Stories Behind Umamusume: Pretty Derby

      When Anime Horse Girls are Racing Legends – The Real Stories Behind Umamusume: Pretty Derby

      Civilization Season 2

      Civilization: Eras & Allies Season 2 Now Available Across Asia

      Pokemon TCG UT

      UNIQLO Malaysia Reveals Pokémon TCG UT Collection This August

      Sony and Bandai Namco Team Up in Major Partnership Deal

      Sony and Bandai Namco Team Up in Major Partnership Deal

      Ironwing Valiant Record of Astera

      Ironwing Valiant: Record of Astera Brings Valkyria Chronicles Vibes to Mecha Action JRPG Fans

      Gorilla VS 100 Men

      Gorilla vs 100 Men, The Meme Is Now a Playable Steam Game

      Korean Webtoon-Based Action Game The Player Who Can’t Level Up Coming to Consoles and PC in 2026

      Korean Webtoon-Based Action Game The Player Who Can’t Level Up Coming to Consoles and PC in 2026

    • Interviews
      Junzo Hosoi Discusses the Journey of Atelier Resleriana from Mobile to Console

      Junzo Hosoi Discusses the Journey of Atelier Resleriana from Mobile to Console

      [EXCLUSIVE] Creative Masterminds from Gearbox Software Reveal What Makes Borderlands 4 Worth the Wait

      [EXCLUSIVE] Creative Masterminds from Gearbox Software Reveal What Makes Borderlands 4 Worth the Wait

      Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa Open Up About Death Stranding 2: Connection, Creativity, and Walking Through Loneliness

      Hideo Kojima and Yoji Shinkawa Open Up About Death Stranding 2: Connection, Creativity, and Walking Through Loneliness

      RAIDOU Remastered Interview – Director Yamai Kazuyuki on Reviving a Classic Detective RPG for Modern Audiences

      RAIDOU Remastered Interview – Director Yamai Kazuyuki on Reviving a Classic Detective RPG for Modern Audiences

      Pac-Man Goes Dark – Producer Seigo Aizawa Reveals the Making of Shadow Labyrinth

      Pac-Man Goes Dark – Producer Seigo Aizawa Reveals the Making of Shadow Labyrinth

      Honor of Kings Producer Reveals Game-Changing Hero Flowborn and Major Updates

      Honor of Kings Producer Reveals Game-Changing Hero Flowborn and Major Updates

      [ASIA EXCLUSIVE] Bringing Back a Classic: Inside the Making of FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles

      [ASIA EXCLUSIVE] Bringing Back a Classic: Inside the Making of FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles

      Onimusha: Way of the Sword Developers Reveal Details About the Long-Awaited Comeback

      Onimusha: Way of the Sword Developers Reveal Details About the Long-Awaited Comeback

      Diving Deep into the Digital World – Producer Ryosuke Hara Discusses the Direction of Digimon Story Time Stranger

      Diving Deep into the Digital World – Producer Ryosuke Hara Discusses the Direction of Digimon Story Time Stranger

      Trending Tags

      • Sister Sites
        • Wanuxi
        • Gamer Santai
        • GamerWK
        • Gamer555
      No Result
      View All Result
      GamerBraves
      No Result
      View All Result

      Cris Tales Review – Time travelling back to the good ol’ days

      Ben by Ben
      4 years ago
      in All
      Reading Time: 4 mins read
      0 0
      Cris Tales Review
      Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on TelegramShare on WhatsappShare on Reddit

      Indie games are everywhere nowadays, but Cris Tales is one of the few JRPGs that stood out recently, making it a prime target for a review!

      Made by Columbian developers SYCK and Dreams Incorporated, the game is published by Modus Games and is available on Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Stadia and PC via Steam. This review of Cris Tales is based on my experience playing it on a PS5.

      Related Posts

      Battlefield 6 Reveal Trailer Unleashes All-Out Warfare — Steam Page Now Live

      [GUIDE] Ragnarok Crush Codes & How to Redeem Them

      Without further delay, let us dive into this Cris Tales review.

      Cris Tales Review


      Follow us on Twitter
      Follow @GamerBraves
      and Tweet us
      Tweet to @GamerBraves

      Time for time travel

      In Cris Tales, players play as a young and optimistic girl named Crisbell who has to save the world of Crystallis from the Time Empress. As you can already guess, time travel plays a huge part in the plot. However, unlike many pieces of fiction which use time travel as a plot device, Cris Tales story never gets too convoluted.

      In fact, the writing of the game feels like something out of a fairy tale. It is simple and charming, which works well for the game’s overall presentation. The characters are bright and oozing with personality. Rarely is there ever a dull moment in the game. That goes for even the supporting cast.

      Most of the story is presented in visual novel-style dialogues alongside the occasional animated cutscene. Each line of dialogue is fully voiced which is rather impressive. There is no option for Japanese audio, but the English voice acting is absolutely stellar.

      Cris Tales Review

      Timeless art style

      By far, this is the most pleasant part of Cris Tales that makes doing this review so worth it. It is not just the pretty visuals of the game, it is how everything flows together, from the UI to the animation. The closest comparison in terms of this visual quality is Cuphead, despite it having a different cartoon art style.

      The game’s art direction plays heavily with geometric shapes and really blends well with the theme of time travel. It feels as though everything fits perfectly in terms of the composition of its environments and backgrounds. The end result is an aesthetic that encourages you to explore and appreciate the beautiful and bountiful world.

      This also extends to the game’s animation. Even the simple idle animation of Crisbell standing still can express so much about the character’s personality. Even more impressive are the animated cutscenes, some of which look jaw-droppingly fluid. Overall, the art direction for the game is absolutely stellar.

      Turn-based combat with a twist

      Combat in Cris Tales follows traditional turn-based JRPG battles, where you can command your party to attack, use skills, items or flee. Timing is a big factor when performing just about any action. For example, you can perform an extra attack if you input the attack button again just before it connects to the enemy.

      The game also uses time travel as a mechanic in combat. For example, one of the enemies in the game has a powerful metal shield that makes it impossible to damage the enemy. To overcome this, I needed to use water magic and send it to the future where that same shield will be weaker due to rusting from my water magic. This is a really cool and unique feature. Sadly, this mechanic is very underutilized. Most of the game can just be brute-forced without thought.

      Despite these interesting features, combat overall feels very slow and tedious. This is made worse by the game’s progression as it is quite unbalanced. The grind gets gradually worse and there is too much unnecessary backtracking towards the end of the game.

      Outside of combat, time travel is a lot more relevant and interesting to experience. Changing the past or future is a requirement for a lot of the side quests. Depending on how you choose to affect the past or future, you may be left with crucial choices that can change the outcome of a particular event.

      Cris Tales Review

      Quality of Life

      Aside from battles and progression, they are several quality of life issues which really gnawed the back of my mind during this review. First is the lack of an auto-save feature. I can understand that auto-saving was not a feature in early JRPGs, but it is 2021 and not having auto-save is a major pain.

      There is also a problem with the random encounters. There is no distinct transition or any sort of clear visual cue besides an awkward white loading screen. It happens a bit too suddenly and feels quite out of place.

      Another complaint I have is towards Matias the Frog, a helpful character who follows Crisbell around and is vital for performing Time Hops outside of battle. Time Hops are important for completing the main quest and side quests, but Matias travels far too slowly. Crisbell runs a lot faster than Matias and the end result is a lot of unnecessary waiting for Matias to catch up to the player.

      Closing Thoughts

      Cris Tales is an extremely beautiful, charming and unique game. It really stands out from its JRPG peers but is hampered by problems such as slow combat, awkward progression and quality of life issues. If these problems did not exist, I would boldly claim that it can stand toe to toe to recent JRPG greats like Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler. Despite that, the game is still an enjoyable experience as a whole, just not as great as I hoped it would be.

      Pros Cons
      Phenomenal art direction Combat is stale and does not make good use of time travel
      Charming characters Balancing and progression is not done well
      Creative side quests Lack of quality of life features
      Great music

      Score:
      7 / 10


      Join Us!

      We are recruiting! If you want to break into the gaming media industry, don't miss out on the golden opportunity. Find out more: Malaysia. Overseas.

      Featured Video

      Tags: Cris TalesModus Games
      ShareTweetShareSendShare
      Previous Post

      BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Demo Live on Switch

      Next Post

      Razer Pay to end services end of September

      Ben

      Ben

      One of the last surviving breed of MacBook gamers, I have learnt to appreciate running games on the lowest graphics setting possible. Prone to crashing, both in-game and on the road. A fan of indie games, because I can't afford anything that is more expensive than a lunch. Follow me on Twitter or email me if you prefer.

      Related Posts

      Battlefield 6 Reveal Trailer Unleashes All-Out Warfare — Steam Page Now Live
      News

      Battlefield 6 Reveal Trailer Unleashes All-Out Warfare — Steam Page Now Live

      July 25, 2025
      [GUIDE] Ragnarok Crush Codes & How to Redeem Them
      Guides

      [GUIDE] Ragnarok Crush Codes & How to Redeem Them

      July 25, 2025
      Gekishin Squadra
      News

      Unlock Mini Goku! Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra Pre-Registration Now Open

      July 25, 2025
      Next Post
      Razer Pay

      Razer Pay to end services end of September

      Commmunity

      Join GamerBraves Discord

      Follow us on Facebook

      Follow our Youtube Channel

      Subscribe to our Newsletter

      Featured Articles

      HoYo FEST 2025 Malaysia Overview – Activities, Merch, Stamps and More!
      Feature

      HoYo FEST 2025 Malaysia Overview – Activities, Merch, Stamps and More!

      July 24, 2025
      When Anime Horse Girls are Racing Legends – The Real Stories Behind Umamusume: Pretty Derby
      Feature

      When Anime Horse Girls are Racing Legends – The Real Stories Behind Umamusume: Pretty Derby

      July 24, 2025
      Persona 5: The Phantom X Global – How Different Can One Game Be?
      Feature

      Persona 5: The Phantom X Global – How Different Can One Game Be?

      July 24, 2025
      The Support Card Everyone Wants in Umamusume: Pretty Derby – Why Is Kitasan Black So Special
      Feature

      The Support Card Everyone Wants in Umamusume: Pretty Derby – Why Is Kitasan Black So Special

      July 22, 2025
      When Your Laptop Becomes Your Worst Enemy: How the MSI Vector 16 HX AI Changes the Game
      Feature

      When Your Laptop Becomes Your Worst Enemy: How the MSI Vector 16 HX AI Changes the Game

      July 18, 2025
      Unboxing the PowerA Kirby Headset for Nintendo Switch — A Must-Have for Fans
      Unboxing

      Unboxing the PowerA Kirby Headset for Nintendo Switch — A Must-Have for Fans

      July 16, 2025
      • About GamerBraves
      • Contact Us
      • Privacy Policy

      © 2016 - 2025 Digital Braves Media Group Sdn Bhd

      Welcome Back!

      Login to your account below

      Forgotten Password?

      Retrieve your password

      Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

      Log In

       

      No Result
      View All Result
      • News
      • Reviews
      • Interviews
      • Sister Sites
        • Wanuxi
        • Gamer Santai
        • GamerWK
        • Gamer555

      © 2016 - 2025 Digital Braves Media Group Sdn Bhd