Souls of Chronos for Windows

Choice-driven role-playing game

Set in the post-apocalyptic town of Astella, Souls of Chronos introduces you to the unlikely pair of Sid and Torii, a gang member and a Chronus, respectively. The Chronus is an unusual race of beings that appeared after the apocalypse and they can manipulate time. 

In this Japanese role-playing game-inspired title, the pair will take on different quests together. The combat tactics in Souls of Chronos are linear and not turn-based. Sid has to hack and slash at the enemies with his melee combat gear while Torii blasts her skills at them. 

Captivating characters and plot

What makes Souls of Chronos more interesting is its choice-driven storyline. In your many interactions with non-playable characters, you can sometimes pick how Sid will respond to their statements. These choices will then contribute to which ending you will get at the end. At the same time, there is a plethora of side quests to do, with consequences like better equipment or more influence on the ending.

Another riveting aspect of the game is how fluidly it touches on themes of poverty, desperation, and betrayal in its dialogues. That, paired with the premise of a post-apocalyptic town being fought over by rival gangs, makes for a compelling universe. However, it is also interesting to note that the game comes with quaint chibi-style animation, which can be quite dissonant considering the main plot points.

Furthermore, you can buy better equipment for Sid so he deals better damage and you can unlock new skills for Torii. Plus, you may even change her costumes based on what type of support you want her to be—that way, you can turn her into a DPS or healing-focused companion if you want to. Although, it is notable that some parts of the game are mistranslated from the original Chinese.

Fun yet a little mistranslated game

In a nutshell, Souls of Chronos offers an engaging, heavily political storyline and an awesome combination of melee and skill-based attacks. The richly developed universe is a plus, too, as well as the multiple endings that promote replayability. However, the chibi graphics may seem inconsistent considering the seriousness of the plot. Plus, some of the text has been poorly translated from the original Chinese, which can throw some players off-kilter.