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“Crosscode” is a 2D top-down RPG action adventure game where you play an avatar from the nearby gaming area, called Crosscode. After an attack on the ship you start off on, you are placed in an MMO world with many other players, with the ultimate aim of trying to find out what’s going on.

“Crosscode” is a 2D action RPG that has taken a lot of inspiration for the classic old-school JRPG’s from the 90s (think “Chrono Trigger”, “Secret of Mana” or “Phantasy Star”).

On the visuals and graphics front, “Crosscode” is featuring 16-bit style graphics (which do take a bit of getting used to), your character (and others) move in the style of the old 2D games, although smoothly. Characters are nicely detailed too, especially during the visual novel type sequences, where your character’s array of emotions are fully on display.

Crosscode’s 16-bit SNES-style graphics are nice once you get used to them.

As for in-game movement, offensive and defensive controls are done using either keyboard and mouse or a joypad. Keyboard controls are responsive, although firing at a distance can be problematic as the display won’t scroll until you fire, which can get annoying.

I have to admit that I find the dialogues to be rather funny in “Crosscode” (there’s a lot of humor to be found in the game’s dialogues).

Firing, as standard is wildly inaccurate – but only when aiming at enemies, for some reason. For more accuracy, you are forced to wait until your weapon has charged. The main problem with this is that it causes problems when dealing with puzzles on moving platforms as your firing pointer will move along with your character.

crosscode the puzzle aspects of the game

There’s a whole lot of stuff that you can do in “Crosscode”. Well, at least once you get past the introductory section.

A large portion of the game requires puzzle solving, which mostly works okay. However, a fair few can only be solved by shooting at objects at a given angle – which gets really annoying pretty quickly. In addition, some are overly convoluted.

Later on, you come across moving platforms, which adds another layer of difficulty – or annoyance depending on your point of view. For example, one other annoyance is that you have to be so accurate to activate the end of level button.

Crosscode’s characters adds a bit of life to things in the game, especially the characters that wander around a little bit here and there.

Later on, simple RPG elements are added, and you start to earn experience points, which let you level up. You also start picking up bits of equipment to upgrade your character. At then, after the first multi-stage boss fight, the full RPG experience kicks in!

And that includes everything from upgrade systems; markets and armories for buying things; side-quests and the main quest and finally a landmark and a fast transportation system. All of which should get any self-respecting RPG fan drooling.

This is what the character upgrade screen looks like in “Crosscode”.

The tutorial level is certainly needed, but you need to reserve a fair bit of time for that – it takes around 25 minutes to complete. The main problem with the 2D format it isn’t always easy to work what level an object is on or whether it’s possible to climb something or not.

The number-one thing that annoyed the living hell out of me in “Crosscode” is the fact that it takes forever to get to the main game (you know, the actual gameplay?). I’m not even joking, because the tutorial is over 20 minutes long…

You can talk to characters if they have a ”talk” graphic above them. They only say a few sentences, and aren’t really that helpful, but what they do say is usually amusing. Anyways, I think you get the idea. So, all in all, I have to say that “Crosscode” might be worth picking up if you’re really into retro-inspired 2D Action/RPG’s with puzzle elements.

“Crosscode” isn’t by any means a perfect 2D Action RPG experience. For example, the game’s bugs, irritating puzzles (some puzzles are way too over complicated) and boring music (for most part) sure ruined the game a whole lot for me. Furthermore, Crosscode’s firing system is too convoluted.

So even though the game is far from flawless (check out my list of cons further down the page), “Crosscode” is still a pretty decent 2D Action/RPG. In other words, it would be a wise idea to wait until the price drops for “Crosscode”, and until Radical Fish Games rolls out some fixes and patches for the game before you buy “Crosscode”.

Pros:
+ Graphics are nice once you get used to them
+ Dialogue is funny
+ Characters wander around adds a bit of life to things
+ Lots to do (once you get past the introductory section)

Cons:
– Rather pricey
– Some of the puzzles are more irritating than fun with some being overly complicated
– The music is a bit boring
– Firing system is too convoluted
– Getting to the main game takes a long time. The initial tutorial was over 20 minutes
– Bugs

Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound and music: 3/5
Controls: 3/5
Replay value: 3/5
Story: 4/5

tgg grade 3 out of 5

Verdict: 3/5
I don’t doubt for a second that RPG fans will be happy with “Crosscode”. Especially if the said fans also just happen to like puzzles. However, for everyone else though, it will be a gamble at the price. I mean, sure. Crosscode’s story is interesting, and the graphics and visuals look really good for most part, but it takes a lot of time to really get going.

Title: Crosscode
Developer: Radical Fish Games
Format: PC Download
Genre: RPG/Adventure
Resolution: Desktop default
Release date: 2018-09-20
Difficulty: Various
Spent time: +3 hours
Average grade internationally: N/A Gamerankings.com
PEGI age rating: +12
Price: 16.76 Euro via Steam
Download URL : Crosscode via Steam