Cris Tales

Promotional screenshot

The game is a turn-based action RPG, along with the ability to time jump, both on the map and in-battle, affecting the gameplay. Each playable character has their own unique abilities.

The most attractive mechanic consists on the manipulation of time. The screen is split into three sections, showing the present in the center, the past on the left, and the future on the right. During the story, Crisbell must complete a series of missions with the help of Matias, where she must use the crystal powers to make time jumps and making some actions at the past or the future.

In battle, Crisbell can summon the crystal powers to send enemies to the past or the future, altering their characteristics, in which the player can use it to take advantage. The battles are carried out using commands to select attacks, skills, or items, in addition to making the precise pressing of buttons during attacks, allowing doing more damage to enemies or receive less damage.

In addition to the main story, the demo includes a Colosseum mode, where the player faces a horde of enemies, in order to test their skills.

Crisbell is an orphan girl who lives in the Narim orphanage. While she picked up a rose for Mother Superior, Matias, a talking frog, snatches it from her, taking her to Narim Cathedral (inspired in the Las Lajas Shrine), in order to unleash her powers. After the events, Matias asks Crisbell to accompany him to visit his friend Willhelm, a time mage, who explains more about her powers.

Later, Crisbell is commended in a series of missions, until she finds the village farm in flames and invaded by the goblins of the Empress of the Ages, whose her aim is to destroy the Crystallis Kingdom. To avoid a disastrous future, Crisbell returns to Willhelm to ask for help, and he tells her about the Sword. Crisbell is determined to use the powers of the Sword, becoming a warrior.

With the Sword in hand, she returns to the farm to battle the goblins. During the battle, Cristopher, a warrior who has been fighting the goblins, joins her. After a couple of battles, they are faced by the Empress of the Ages minions, the Volcano Sisters. Crisbell must use the powers of the cristals to help defeating they. After receiving several attacks, the sisters prefer to retire.

Afterward, Crisbell and her team meet at the Cathedral. The demo concludes there.

The game is being developed by the indie Colombian studio Dreams Uncorporated.[2] It was officially announced at the E3 2019,[3] which was claimed as a «tribute to classic JRPGs like Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Persona, among other franchises». Its launch was scheduled for November 2020,[4] but was postponed to early 2021, in order to bring a better product.[2]

In addition to the influences of the JRPGs, Cris Tales shows influences from Colombian culture and architecture.[1]

During its development within early release gameplays streams, Cris Tales received critical acclaim by specialized media. Hardcore Gamer cited it as "An Unmissable, Gorgeous Manipulation of Time" and nominated it as the Game of Show and Best RPG at E3 2019.[5] DualShockers cites it as "a love letter to JRPGs, but also to Colombian culture and stories, Cardenas included", awarding it Best PC game at that event.[6]

• Official website