Sorry for the late reply. I think I watched a video with these. I think playing with sergey hax would overall detract from doing a second play through but the extra dialogues/expressions are spectacular.
I'm currently playing through iconoclasts which was recommended as having some similarities to crosscode and I see them. Been having a good time so far with it.
That said, it's very difficult to compare with Lea
The cheaty gameplay isn't that bad, as long as it's not the first playthrough. It's definitely way too easy to give you a sense of accomplishment against all odds, but it also allows you to skip all the grind and the sidequests that you should've already done (as those, AFAIK, have no Lea-dependent dialogue).
I didn't know Iconoclasts was usually compared to CrossCode!
I can't really see any similarities. It's a great game, definitely on the level of CC if a bit less git gud in nature, but the only similarity I can think of is both games using pixel art.
I suppose not needing to grind for better gear would be nice. I think I want my next play through to be a repeat of the first and the grinding was part of the 💫 experience 💫
But I can't relive that experience so maybe sergey hax is the way to go.
As to iconoclasts, Nothing gameplay wise is similar but the characters/dialogue seem reminiscent of what crosscode brings to the table, which to me was a big part of my enjoyment.