Cris Tales is a gorgeous love letter to classic JRPGs

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Cris Tales is "a love letter to classic JRPGs" revealed today at the PC Gaming Show that follows the journey of Crisbell and her friends as they quest through the past, the present, and the future to end the rule of a cruel Empress and prevent a cataclysm that threatens to engulf their world.

The turn-based combat in Cris Tales will feature a unique "time magic" mechanic that enables Crisbell to see and alter the timelines of her enemies in battle: Learn from the past, act in the present, and rewrite the future, as the trailer says. The story will unfold across five distinct regions and ultimately lead into a branching ending that will be profoundly impacted by the choices and actions of Crisbell and her allies.

The art style is gorgeous, and while the time-warping mechanic is difficult to envision even with the help of the trailer (for me, at least), you can get a taste of it in action courtesy of the demo that's available on Steam from today until June 24. There's also a website with more at cristalesgame.com. Cris Tales is expected to be out sometime next year.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.