Title: Chrono Trigger
Genre: Console RPG
Date Released: 09/27/95
Date Reviewed: 18/04/05
Publisher: Squaresoft
Developer: Squaresoft
Yes, I know I'm about 10 years late on this review but I'll try to explain why I finally
decided to review this Squaresoft classic below. When this game first came out, I felt pretty indifferent
towards it; at the time, I had not even heard the term Final Fantasy, and the thought of a turn based sounded
kinda - well - boring (was into zelda at that time)! Never the less, I borrowed a copy from a friend to test
out, and my first impressions weren't that good; it had great graphics, good sound, but was very hard (I don't
think I ever got past the first eon). So I gave the game back, and didn't think about it much (disregarding
the fact that almost everyone else was singing praises for it). However, a couple years back (around 2000), I
finally got tired of the only two games we had for our SNES (for ~8 years, only had The Legend of Zelda & Super
Mario World, I'm an ace at those, but more on that later) so I went onto ebay and picked up a few classics.
The first batch included Final Fantasy 3 (herein FF3) and DBZ:LotSS. I'd actually finished the DBZ game earlier (in full
Japanese mind you!), so I started playing FF3.
Long story short, playing FF3 was a great experience, a tad on the easy side (with the Espers and all), but
definitely worthy of any gamer's time. So a few weeks ago, I finally decided to pick up a copy of the
revered title 'Chrono Trigger'. Having read reviews of it in the past, I had high expectations for this title.
Now, having just finished this game, I can clearly say that it did not disappoint in any way shape or form. I
now believe that this is truly the best RPG for the Super Nintendo in existance. The story's blend of drama,
suspense, comedy and action is unlike any other, and works well in captivating the player's mind and focus. The
gameplay is fun, unique, and mildly challenging for average gamers like myself. And overall, the experience
is grand and unforgettable.
Story:
When I was younger, I played games a lot more than I do now, but looking back, there are very few games which had stories that I can truly remember. Probably only Zelda, and FF3, and neither of these can compare to the story in Chrono Trigger. What starts out as a harmless and even light-hearted encounter quickly becomes a race against time; a quest to save the world from destiny and destruction. Along the way, you encounter a number of heroes and villains, each of whom are unique and deep. Traveling from the Prehistoric age right till then end of time. I truly believe that the best part of the story is the fact that all actions in history have profound and significant consequences. The game plays along this line, and never fails in making players feel at home in any Eon. The coolest bit, comes when the player finally puts all the pieces together, and realizes the incredible reasoning behind their actions in time. I certainly look forward to playing Chrono Cross to see how things pan out.
Gameplay:
For a turn based RPG in the time of 16 bit consoles, I think that Chrono Trigger plays very well. The battle mechanics are quite straight-forward, and the addition of Double/Triple Techs are interesting (even though I didn't use them much). The most interesting idea is undoubtedly time travel using the Epoch. The different worlds, from 65M BC, to 1000 AD, right till 2300 AD are well crafted to be similar enough to give a feeling of time travel but different enough to make things interesting. I didn't actually play towards the whole magic/ elemental aspect of the characters since their normal techs seemed to be sufficient for most of the time. Another great feature was the lack of random encounters, this allows you to choose your fights strategically, and prevents the game from getting annoying (ala FF3).
Atmosphere:
Very stylish, very cartoony, very entertaining, and very captivating. The game reeks of polish, and while it is linear (in a sense), the little things, such as being able to open and close window blinds, or playing games at the fair, or gambling in races, etc. all help keep the user entertained and believing in the characters, and the story. The fact that everything ties together in the end speaks to the incredible story-telling via the various events that happen throughout the game.
Characters:
Crono, Marle, Lucca, Ayla, Robo, Frog, and Magus. There, while that may be a spoiler in itself, These characters are interesting and fun to play, each with (somewhat) distinct abilities, and each significant in the history of the game. They have deep backgrounds, and act believably when interacting with the other characters. Overall, each member is useful in one way or another and the group is diverse enough to provide varying skills and abilities.
Controls:
SNES Controls, buttons are well mapped, only used the pause button once (not sure what else to say!).
Graphics:
Bright and cheerful at times, yet dark and dreary when something's amiss. The point is that the graphics in the game fits in extremely well with the environment of the story, and is nothing short of delightful considering that it came out on a 33mhz console. The animations are smooth and varied, and it still looks good today when compared with other 2D RPGs. It is clear from the Squaresoft 3 (Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, FF3) that they are the masters of Mode7 graphics.
Audio:
Squaresoft is known for having grand opera-like soundtracks for it's RPGs, and Chrono Trigger is no exception. The melodies are sometimes so fitting that you don't realize that they are playing in the background until it changes. In times of action and conflict, the music follows. Best melody goes to the short/slow Chrono Trigger theme playing in the ending (and other parts of the game) ... truly moving!
Final thoughts:
And so, here we are. After playing this game for ~26 hours (over ~4 weeks), I can clearly say with confidence that this is a truly fantastic game. I was lucky enough to end the game on a good note; lvl 53, 300 000 cash, saved Crono, and almost the best weapons, and New Game +. I had a blast playing this game, and would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone who has yet to play this classic.
Score: 92%
Screens: (Yes, i know they are a little small, but that's the resolution of the SNES!)
