Hack Showcases and RPG Hack Showcases are a series where I show off various game and rpg hacks. I try to stick with hacks that improve gameplay or add quality of life features, completely or partially change the plot and characters, along with additional content, dialogue, graphical and sound improvements. Non-rpgs I try to give a full run to, or at least enough for a solid review. Rpgs I will stick with titles that have enough changes in the beginning to show off, and when I can, show parts later in the games where more differences appear. There may be spoilers in the reviews and videos. Some of these I may stream fully in the future or play on my own. Reviews are open to later revisions due to bug and content updates or me playing them and finding anything new I wish to bring up.

PROPHET’S GUILE: Created by Kaja Laboratories, PG tells the story of Magus and how he becomes the Prophet in the Kingdom of Zeal in 10,000 BC after the incident with Lavos when the heroes came to fight him in 600 AD. The hack is pretty short, but fills in a number of details of how Magus got where he was when you encounter him again at Zeal and the Ocean Palace.

SO HOW IS IT? Playing it so far was pretty fun! Love how it starts with the fight with Magus in 600AD when Lavos shows up and sends your party to prehistoric times, and Magus ends up in 12,000BC and sets up his plan to try to take Lavos down at the source. The game is short and shows Magus winning Queen Zeal’s favor to become the Prophet we see later in the game, and setting up to ambush Chrono’s team the first time they come to Zeal, and later at the Ocean Palace. Plot points are mentioned that hit in the main game are mentioned here too.

There isn’t that much to the graphics or the music, since it’s all from Chrono Trigger itself for older areas from the main game and new ones for this hack. Magus controls like he does when/if you recruit him in the main game, starting at a high level with his Shadow gear and his fire 2/lightning 2/ice 2 spells. The game can be tough at times, and like CT, finding the weakness for enemies is key since you don’t have many consumables to restore hp/mp or shelters to fully heal.

I do recommend this if you want a fun side story to learn how and why Magus got to Zeal ahead of you in the main game.

I GIVE PROPHET’S GUILE 4.5 OUT OF 5 TIME EGGS!

LINKS: https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/362/ – Prophet’s Guile on RHDN

——————————————————————————————————————-

FLAMES OF ETERNITY: This one is a curious hack. It began life as Crimson Echoes, an interquel to Chrono Trigger which would fill in details leading up to Chrono Cross, and settle some plot threads. The Chrono Compendium received a C&C letter from Square Enix shortly before it would be released. Later an unknown group took up the project of Crimson Echoes, finished it and worked out bugs, etc, and released it as Flames of Eternity. Starting out in 1005 AD with Chrono and Marle, the group would reunite with old friends and fight new and returning enemies, setting up various plot points later found in Chrono Cross. I won’t be providing a link to the hack due to its history, so use Google to find it. Link section I will have a link about this from Chronopedia.

SO HOW IS IT? This is really good! I wish this was a real title cause from what i had played so far it hits all the beats of the continuing adventures of Chrono, Glenn, Magus and the others through time and their eras. Flames also starts hitting beats to set up the plot points and events in Chrono Cross fluidly, and not phoned in. Starting out in 1005 AD, Chrono and friends fall through another time gate and end up in the future! Meanwhile Magus encounters Dalton in the recovering 12,000BC era as his search for Schala continues, and we get flashes of what other heroes like Glenn (formerly Frog), Ayla and Robo (in the restored non-Lavos 2300AD timeline) are doing! 

The graphics and most of the music hasn’t changed from CT proper, and it’s really nice to see 5 years later what the different eras look like. You will notice though in the music there’s some subtle changes in tracks, different tone or a different instrument for example. Little changes like this could surprise you and make you appreciate this more.

Apparently this gets hard later, so I can revise this if need be. The game seems pretty straightforward and there’s a number of side quests to explore which fills things out more. Your party will start with their basic spells and techs and can start re-earning all the double and triples they had at the end of CT easily, and there’s all new gear, items, spells and techs to discover! A much needed quality of life change is clicking on gear you can see the increase when equipped and who can equip it, even with accessories. New associates include ones that allow you to invoke triple techs (I guess when you have the pre-requite techs/spells for it?)

I highly recommend trying this out, it really feels more of a sequel to Chrono Trigger than Cross does along with setting up the events of Chrono Cross throughout the adventure. I consider this more of a love letter to fans of Chrono Trigger instead of tossing out the characters we loved in Trigger like Cross did.

I GIVE FLAMES OF ETERNITY 4.5 OUT OF 5 TIME EGGS!

LINKS: https://chrono.fandom.com/wiki/Crimson_Echoes:Game – Crimson Echoes on Chronopedia

GAMEPLAY VIDEO FOR BOTH:

If you enjoy reading any of my content and hearing of my nerdy adventures, feel free to share my posts on social media or leave me a comment. I would be forever grateful if you supported me via my Cash App or buy me a coffee via Ko-Fi. All donations are very welcomed and appreciated. I earn no income from this blog and this will help me continue in providing content and fulfilling my dreams. Thanks!