I finally got around to playing this game in 2022.
For a game made like 30+ years ago, this game absolutely still holds up. I love how the story is very character driven and with all the optional sidequest narratives, different endings, and many ways to end the game makes the game feel replayable and very “choose your adventure” kinda feel.
I feel like Chrono Trigger is the kind of game where it is impossible to discover everything about the game in one or two (or three) playthroughs as there’s just that much content to explore, it feels very grand and epic and is really cool. I’m definitely surprised this hasn’t gotten the Secret/Trials of Mana remake treatment yet because it absolutely deserves it!
Something I like alot about Chrono Trigger are that the encounters and boss battles in this game are not generic at all. Bosses in this game are strong and not at all really pushovers (at least they felt that way to me) but they have very specific weaknesses to exploit. I think the fun in these battles are trying to solve the riddles of what you have to do Mega Man style and not really brute forcing your way to a win and it makes me really think and get engaged. Of course, there is something really satisfying to be felt when a weakness is discovered and the battle is won, and I love that so much.
Also, the soundtrack is just phenomenal! Before playing this game, I was already a little familiar with the tracks but did not like it as much as Chrono Cross’s but after playing the game and really feeling the context of even something simple like Rhythm of Earth, Wind, and Sea, the character themes, or even the Main Theme, I have such a newfound appreciation to its soundtrack and Nobuo Uematsu and Yasunori Mitsuda (and I absolutely can’t wait to play Xenogears and Chrono Cross)
For a game made like 30+ years ago, this game absolutely still holds up. I love how the story is very character driven and with all the optional sidequest narratives, different endings, and many ways to end the game makes the game feel replayable and very “choose your adventure” kinda feel.
I feel like Chrono Trigger is the kind of game where it is impossible to discover everything about the game in one or two (or three) playthroughs as there’s just that much content to explore, it feels very grand and epic and is really cool. I’m definitely surprised this hasn’t gotten the Secret/Trials of Mana remake treatment yet because it absolutely deserves it!
Something I like alot about Chrono Trigger are that the encounters and boss battles in this game are not generic at all. Bosses in this game are strong and not at all really pushovers (at least they felt that way to me) but they have very specific weaknesses to exploit. I think the fun in these battles are trying to solve the riddles of what you have to do Mega Man style and not really brute forcing your way to a win and it makes me really think and get engaged. Of course, there is something really satisfying to be felt when a weakness is discovered and the battle is won, and I love that so much.
Also, the soundtrack is just phenomenal! Before playing this game, I was already a little familiar with the tracks but did not like it as much as Chrono Cross’s but after playing the game and really feeling the context of even something simple like Rhythm of Earth, Wind, and Sea, the character themes, or even the Main Theme, I have such a newfound appreciation to its soundtrack and Nobuo Uematsu and Yasunori Mitsuda (and I absolutely can’t wait to play Xenogears and Chrono Cross)