Coming into this, I anticipated enjoying the visual representation, given what I'd seen of the gameplay and trailer. However, I was truly surprised by the game's incredible sound design. The sound is incredibly immersive, with impeccable voice acting adding to it, making the experience interesting in both its visuals and sound. Although I found the soundtrack a bit annoying, the art style is undeniably gorgeous and likely a major selling point for the game. Nonetheless, I still found myself struggling to identify things at times.

In terms of gameplay, it's genuinely fun if you're into detective stuff, tho it can become a bit tiring and extremely overwhelming at times. The game unfolds in a non-chronological order as you piece together the fate of each crew member aboard the ship, attempting to connect the dots to uncover their name, how they died and by whom. It often relies on logic, such as examining their social circles, clothing, accents/languages, and surroundings. But at times I found that many of my deductions were based on process of elimination or pure luck rather than strict logic because clues can easily go over your head (surgeon stuff). The need to move back and forth on the ship to view the crew's death scenes can be a bit tiresome.

Chrono Trigger's portrayal of fundamental human values, growth, bonds, and heroism in the journey through time contrasts with the unsettling concept of time travel, revealing how minimal changes can profoundly impact events. It puts you in a place where you understand all the faults of the past and how they accumulate to serve a result, whether good or not, offering a cheerful and inoffensive experience that combats pessimism with hope and will.

As it may seem Chrono Trigger stood the test of time as it’s still being hailed as one of the best JRPGs to ever release. Definitely a profound unforgettable journey filled with moments that will stick with me for a good period of time.

However, I still have my issues with it, both in terms of gameplay and narrative. I wasn’t a huge fan of the combat, despite its visual appeal with clean animations and enjoyable combo mechanics; it suffers from a shortage of abilities. Additionally, the interruption of the timer during enemy attacks can lead to frustrating moments of inactivity that made me lose my mind. While you can fast-forward, it might cost you your turn if you're not careful with it, and since this game heavily focuses on team combos, you might lose the entire battle if you skip a turn by mistake.

Regarding characters, I wasn’t fully attached to them. They never seem to have those moments between them. I’m not saying those moments do not exist, but they were definitely lacking. Compared to FF6 where it really felt like you are journeying with a party. The limitation of only three characters per time period hinders opportunities for meaningful party interactions. It's a good thing that they are viable via side quests, which I recommend doing because it adds a lot to their characterization and the story.

As for the story, it didn’t grab me at all at the start of the game, but it became more interesting as we moved forward. However, at some point, near the end, I got bored again. The pacing was amazing, considering it’s a 20-hour JRPG after all.

Rating is between 3 – 3.5. Will see if it grows on me or not.

“The untested truths spun by different interests continue to churn and accumulate.

in the sandbox of political correctness and value systems. Everyone withdraws into their own small, gated community, afraid of a larger forum.

They stay inside their little ponds,

leaking whatever "truth" suits them into the growing cesspool of society at large. The different cardinal truths neither clash nor mesh.

No one is invalidated, but nobody is right. Not even natural selection can take place here. The world is being engulfed in "truth."

And this is the way the world ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper.”
- GW

MGS2 is as meta as it gets. From the opening moments of the game, players are put in a world where multiple characters find themselves manipulated as mere "pawns" by a long stretch of puppeteers. Until the very last line post-credits, where the revelation strikes that there exists no definitive master orchestrating the movements of these puppet-like characters. Instead, the higher order is engulfed in a realm of metaphysical complexity. The ending message of MGS2 heavily resonates with today’s societal structure and norms where our attachments are kept in a non-physical form controlled by a selection of the elite filtering the passed content while striving to establish certain moralities on the masses in what they consider universal objectivity.
Those elites are also victims of their own-made algorithms which asks a question, where does this never-ending cycle ultimately find its conclusion?

Saw some reviews where “Raiden” is mentioned negatively and labeled as a bad/wimpy protagonist. Couldn’t disagree more. Raiden by the end becomes a symbol of the people influenced by the internet. Consumers whose energy is drained day by day by being present in this convoluted disgusting mess. To a point where the distinction between reality and fake is blurred as it stresses you out mentally. Raiden’s journey is nothing but twisted and fake, set-up by the “Patriots” to create “S3” which initially was “Solid Snake Simulation” but then revealed to be “Selection for Societal Sanity”. Forcing Raiden into a context that’s manipulated by the “Patriot”. The game's final cutscene portrays Raiden awakening to this constructed reality as he resembles the identity of the "Sons of Liberty". Released in 2001, Kojima's message resonates with future generations that share abstract parallels with Raiden.


Some shots at the final cutscene reminded me of Chantal Ackerman’s “News from Home”.