CrossCode

**Release** | **Linux, macOS, Windows**September 20, 2018**PS4, Switch, Xbox One** July 9, 2020

***CrossCode*** is an action role-playing video game developed by Radical Fish Games.

An initial demo was released on various websites in 2012. In 2015, Radical Fish Games ran a successful Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for the game's completion. *CrossCode* was fully released on September 20th, 2018 for Windows, macOS, and Linux computers. The console version of the game for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch consoles was released on July 9, 2020.

## Purchase and availability

*CrossCode* is available for PC through a number of gaming platforms, which include Steam, GOG.com, and Discord, as well as on the PlayStation Store, Nintendo Store, and Microsoft Store for the respective consoles.

An in-browser demo is available on the official CrossCode website.

## Gameplay

*Crosscode* is an Action RPG modelled after games such as Alundra, Secret of Mana, and 2D *Legend of Zelda* titles, as well as MMORPGs. The player controls Lea as she explores the fictional MMORPG CrossWorlds. Its core gameplay can primarily be broken down into combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving.

The combat takes place in real-time, with enemies roaming the locations as opposed to random encounters. Lea has four primary options (Melee, Balls, Guarding, and Dashing) as well as the ability to use items, and activate Combat Arts using Special Points. As the game continues, Lea will gain access to four Elements (Fire, Ice, Shock, and Wave). These each have their own Arts, all which are unlocked in the Circuit menu. Lea has four main stats: HP, Attack, Defense, and Focus. These can be enhanced primarily through obtaining equipment, as well as levelling up and Circuit upgrades. A wide variety of Bosses are found within Dungeons, as well as in the Overworld, typically as part of a Quest.

*CrossCode* has an interconnected world, consisting of towns, dungeons, and areas connecting them together. Landmarks are spread throughout the world for quick transportation between locations outside of combat. Also scattered across the world are chests containing items and equipment, typically in high-up or otherwise hard-to-reach locations. Scouting out locations where you can ascend to higher levels is highly important, as is judging where you can make jumps, using Balls to see whether a location is too high for you to reach.

Dungeons are the primary location where puzzles are found, although later areas incorporate puzzles into the overworld. Most dungeons focus on a particular element and how it interacts with various Puzzle Elements. Most puzzles are a test of both planning and execution, and almost all will require you to use every puzzle element provided in the solution.

*Crosscode* features an Assist Mode, where damage taken, enemy attack frequency, and the speed of puzzle elements can be changed to a value between 100% and 0% of its intended level, to allow the diffiuclty to be tweaked to the player's needs.

## Development

Development work on CrossCode began in 2011 under the working title **Project Spherical**. The first public version of the game, a short techdemo, was released in December 2012. Work on the game continued for the next few years, with the developers working part-time, until a more substantial demo was released in December 2014.

In February 2015, Radical Fish Games launched a crowdfunding campaign for the game on Indiegogo. The campaign raised €90 026, surpassing its target of €80 000. Shortly after the campaign ended, the game entered early access on Steam. Between these sources of funding, the developers were able to switch to working full-time on the game.

The Early Access version of the game was regularly updated with new content over the next few years. By the final Early Access update, in December 2017, the game was largely complete up until Autumn's Fall, with Gaia's Garden and Sapphire Ridge partially completed.

In 2018, CrossCode went through closed beta testing leading up to the full release on September 20, 2018.

Work on the game continued for several years after release. Along with numerous smaller content patches, there were two major updates which added the Arena and New Game Plus respectively.

Due to the game being made in HTML5, it was initially thought to not be possible to port it to consoles. However, a solution to this was eventually found, and CrossCode was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5 and XBox One on July 9, 2020.

On February 26, 2021, a major DLC was released, A New Home, which continues the story after the end of the game and adds around 10 hours of additional content.

Development of CrossCode officially ended in September 2021.

## External links

* Official CrossCode website
* Radical Fish Games website and blog