Chrono Cross met with some serious expectations when it was released in 1999, and while the game itself raises questionable issues and fearsome opinions, fans seem to agree on the overall quality of its soundtrack: excellent. If nothing else, Mitsuda managed to bring Chrono Trigger's much-loved musical style over to its sequel without suffering any losses - while the game sported little reminders that Cross and Trigger were related, so did the soundtrack (see factoids). But it also introduced us to a step forward in Mitsuda's portfolio, as where Chrono Trigger was fairly traditional and Xenogears sported a celtic style, Cross was in essence something completely new. Incredible sampling quality (for the PSX) brought forth rich acoustic guitar tracks, deep, resonating ambient tracks, but also light-hearted and energetic town themes and warm, summery overworld music that really lifted Chrono Trigger as a series to a new level of brightness and musical saturation. Chrono Cross is not merely a good soundtrack; it is a standards-setting soundtrack, and arguably one of the best Mitsuda has produced thusfar.