We’re practically not even aware of the huge investment that’s happening in the world of mobile games, what with all the iconic figures being transferred from consoles to the mobile medium. We saw it happen recently with the new SEGA game for Android and now it’s happened again with Another Eden, and the participation of emblematic figures from Square Enix on its development team. Who would have guessed that the true successor to the Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross saga would show up on this platform in the form of a Free to Play?
Masato Kato has worked as a writer and supervisor on some of the most relevant titles from the saga like Final Fantasy, Mana, and the above mentioned Chronos. And here he’s taken on the role of project supervisor, not to mention the participation of other important names like the composer Yasunori Mitsuda. A lot has happened since the game from Wright Flyer Studios was officially released in Japan in mid-2017, but the fact is that we can finally enjoy it in the west with texts and voices translated into English. Although it’s still not available in certain geographic areas, it can be downloaded and installed without any sort of geographic restrictions through its APK file.
What’s surprising about Another Eden -beyond its gorgeous graphics- is its format. Given the overwhelming spread of MMOs with just slightly less than questionable business models, it’s surprising that a game that so strictly maintains the traditional console JRPG structure is being distributed as Free to Play. In other words, yyou’ll find one-player adventures where the story and character development is the basis of the whole experience. What you have here is an epic journey through time that, as you can imagine, is inevitably reminiscent of the sacred Chrono Trigger.
However, as the game advances you don’t see banners anywhere, or recon missions like you see in MMORPGs. The model is revealed when you discover that there are 30 characters that can join your ranks, and to unlock them it’s necessary to exchange a series of stones that serve as currency in the game. What’s interesting is that they’re not just walking skins — each one has its own personal development during the game. We could almost be talking about an unlockable DLC than a model, per se.
The fact of the matter is that Another Eden has soul. Yes, we’re talking about yet another adventure where your hero sees his hometown being attacked and ends up putting together a group of heroes with existential dilemmas, to save the world. But that’s exactly what makes us return time and time again to the experiences that have always had us hooked from the beginning. Call it nostalgia if you want, but it’s undeniable.
