Cris Tales' marriage of JRPG inspirations and Colombian charm
Cris Tales, the latest from Colombian developers Syck and Dreams Uncorporated, is a love letter to the developers’ home country and the games they grew up adoring. The stylish turn-based RPG draws heavy inspiration from Japanese video game classics such as Chrono Trigger and the Final Fantasy series, and is also a landmark in the developers’ trajectory in the games industry.
The game is set in the fictional Crystallis Kingdom — a fantasy land with vistas heavily inspired by structures and landscapes from Colombia — and hands players control over protagonist Crisbell. The young orphan with a peppy personality and a big heart is chosen by a higher power to save the realm from impending doom, but in order to do so, she discovers time manipulation powers to aid her in her journey.
While the plot relies on elements very familiar to players acquainted with Japanese-style RPGs, Cris Tales doesn't shy away from paying homage to its influences while also injecting new life into the genre. The game catches the eye with its hand-drawn aesthetic, engaging turn-based combat that incorporates time warping, and charming characters, all elements that were emphasized when the concept for the game was being developed.
In a recent interview with Game Developer, Carlos Rocha Silva, CEO of the Bucaramanga, Colombia-based studio, said the team of just under 30 developers and artists took inspiration for the game’s characteristic mechanic of an on-screen triangle dividing the screen between the past, present and future timelines from the Nintendo DS. Nintendo’s portable system is commonly known for having two screens and being the first gaming device that allowed for tactile input.
“I love the idea of the dual screen on the original Nintendo
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