Dark Cloud 2 is the only game I've ever played that made me want to not go to bed, because I felt like I was wasting time I could be spending playing the game. But that's besides the point.

I think Chrono Cross is a great game. The way it ties in with Chrono Trigger isn't blatantly obvious, and it's almost better to treat it as a standalone game until you figure out the connection (and I suppose playing Radical Dreamers - which I haven't done - might help). I find that many of those who dislike it were expecting more of a Chrono Trigger-like game in every aspect, which is not to say that many don't like it just because, well, they don't like it.

It is different, but I find it to be very enjoyable.