Radical Dreamers FAQ

What is this game, anyway?

Radical Dreamers is a text-based adventure game taking place after Chrono Trigger. It was originally released for the Satellaview on June 1, 1996. It aims to tie up a loose end from Chrono Trigger, and features two recurring characters from that game. The story follows the thieves Serge, Kid, and Magil as they sneak into a large and foreboding mansion to find the Frozen Flame. For a full record of what happened, see Chronology.

Is there a ROM for Radical Dreamers?

I don't know how they did it, but somehow someone must've found a Satellaview cartridge with Radical Dreamers on it, and they produced a ROM. Since the Satellaview cartrigde ran in a SF/SNES, it could be emulated the same way as well. The ROM used to be pretty rare to find, but with all the new interest generated, it's quite easy to find.

This game is in Japanese, though! How do I play it?

Radical Dreamers wasn't translated in English until April 2003, when Neo Demiforce completed his work on the game. You can find his patches and upgrades at Patches (Radical Dreamers).

How does Radical Dreamers relate to CT and CC?

Radical Dreamers is supposed to have been a sequel based off of a sub-plot of Chrono Trigger. Chrono Cross isn't a sequel to Radical Dreamers, but rather it is a newer, longer, somewhat different version of it that borrows the main scenario for the first part of the game. The main characters in Radical Dreamers are Serge, Kid, and Lynx, and the initial objective is to steal the Frozen Flame from Snakebone (ie Viper) Manor. Sound familiar, CC fans?

What is the gameplay like?

This is a text based RPG. It's hard to describe, but the player actually makes choices one by one to decide where and what the characters will do. It's kind of like the old "choose your own adventure books". Even the battles are based off of choices, and have no HP or MP or any of that. The characters literally state whether or not they're hurt or in good health, and you continue based on that.

What about the music?

Radical Dreamers features more ambient and delicately arranged pieces than Trigger, and is a forerunner to Cross's style. Some of the themes between the games are excactly alike (a list can be found at Music (Chrono Cross), with the only difference being the instrument programming. The music was composed by Yasunori Mitsuda, the same person who did the music of Chrono Trigger, Xenogears and Chrono Cross. If you like game music, there isn't a published CD of the soundtrack, since there are only 16 short tracks and this game was never popular. You can find the .spcs at Music (Radical Dreamers).

I heard this game sucks!

Radical Dreamers requires more patience than the usual run of the mill RPG, and also requires an open mind. As a text adventure, it is more of an art piece than a run and gun video game. Just enjoy it -- the atmosphere, the feel, the intricacies of the plot, the music -- all are arranged for a particular experience. Let it ride!

From: Games