Cross Edge, alternatively spelled XEdge, is a role-playing video game originally for the PlayStation 3. The game was developed by Idea Factory with characters from games by Capcom, Nippon Ichi Software, Bandai Namco, and Gust Corporation. Released on September 25, 2008, in Japan, the title features turn-based battles, a plot that involves rescuing souls, and the ability to dress the female characters of the player's party in a wide variety of outfits. It was later ported to the Xbox 360 in Japan under the title XEdge Dash. Cross Edge features characters from Darkstalkers, Disgaea, Ar Tonelico: Melody of Elemia, Spectral Souls: Resurrection of the Ethereal Empires, Blazing Souls, Atelier Marie and Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy. NIS America published the game in North America, and it was released for that region on May 26, 2009.

Plot

Gameplay

Cross Edge is a traditional Japanese role-playing game complete with a world map, random battles, level grinding, item combining/creation using alchemy, etc. It also features heroes and villains from game franchises published by Gust, Capcom, Nippon Ichi, Namco Bandai and Idea Factory. As players set about freeing the trapped souls supporting the nightmare world that they are stuck in, they engage in turn-based team battles. Players must enlist characters from previous games to join in party-based battles. Success in these battles is based on the ability to string together specific moves into chain attack sequences, which in turn unlock even stronger combinations when successful. Players can also increase their characters' stats and abilities by acquiring additional costumes called "forms" and redressing their characters in them. Female characters' physical appearances can also be changed based on the form they're wearing. The goal of the game is to release souls. Players can find and collect souls by searching around area maps. Exposure to souls can grant players items or unlock events. Along with soul related events, maps will also point players to other helpful locations such as event points, points at which other events may occur, and save points, where players can save the game as well as buy, sell and trade items.

Characters

Original characters

Atelier Marie characters

Mana-Khemia 2 characters

Darkstalkers characters

Disgaea characters

Ar Tonelico characters

Spectral Souls characters

Blazing Souls characters

Music

The opening theme for the game is Blade of Tears by Haruka Shimotsuki.

Reception

Cross Edge received mixed reviews. PlayStation Official Magazine US said that "From dialogue that loads one line at a time to the lack of PS3-level graphics (high-res static art aside), everything seems like a remnant from the early 2000s." IGN stated that "A game that could have been an entertaining compilation of iconic Japanese characters turned out to be a frustrating, awkward mess of menus, gameplay imbalances and annoying dialogue scenes." Sales of the game totalled just 44,246 units in the region by the end of 2008 according to Famitsu.