This is, quite possibly, the most timeless JRPG ever made. From its gorgeous 2D backgrounds, expressive spritework, tight pacing, and gameplay mechanics that were ahead of its time in terms of the convenience they offered, this game holds up in just about every regard as a true classic of the genre.
While I'm sure that much of this has been said countless times, as it is true, I can't help but look at it somewhat differently as a longtime fan of the JRPG genre and all that it has to offer. Chrono Trigger to me represents a turning point in the genre's history: when they started becoming more accessible, more thematically complex, and more anime inspired. It's a game still rooted in many conventions of the past yet not mired down by them, while also being one that showed glimpses of what was to come without the pace being dragged down or the story too complicated.
I think it's this particular point where its design philosophy falls that allows the game to be beloved even outside of JRPG circles, because just about every complaint from people who don't normally like turn based RPGs is either absent or remedied to an extent. The cost of this is that the game feels simple to someone like me who LOVES the mechanical and narrative complexity of many recent JRPGs, and while I could complain more about what this game isn't, I find what it is to still be rather impressive even when separated from the gaming landscape of its era. The truth is that there's often charm in simplicity, and when all of the pieces fit together just right like they do here, it's hard not to appreciate it. The story beats flow from one to another without staying in one location for too long, the combat is snappy and offers a sense of progression that encourages switching out your party members regularly, the bosses feel varied and the set pieces for these fights make each one stand out, the characters each have strong standout moments to make up for having relatively little dialogue throughout the story (or none in Crono's case), and the soundtrack does a great job of elevating all of these moments.
With these factors in mind I can't help but think that this game is perfect for people just getting into JRPGs, as it's not too difficult and sets up the expectations for what the genre is all about and capable of. It almost makes me disappointed that I didn't play this earlier, but in a way I feel that my perspective has given me a different kind of appreciation for it, so I will always value what this game was and still is. No matter how many games I think handle certain aspects of their design or storytelling better, there's never going to be another game that captures quite the same near-flawless experience that is Chrono Trigger.
While I'm sure that much of this has been said countless times, as it is true, I can't help but look at it somewhat differently as a longtime fan of the JRPG genre and all that it has to offer. Chrono Trigger to me represents a turning point in the genre's history: when they started becoming more accessible, more thematically complex, and more anime inspired. It's a game still rooted in many conventions of the past yet not mired down by them, while also being one that showed glimpses of what was to come without the pace being dragged down or the story too complicated.
I think it's this particular point where its design philosophy falls that allows the game to be beloved even outside of JRPG circles, because just about every complaint from people who don't normally like turn based RPGs is either absent or remedied to an extent. The cost of this is that the game feels simple to someone like me who LOVES the mechanical and narrative complexity of many recent JRPGs, and while I could complain more about what this game isn't, I find what it is to still be rather impressive even when separated from the gaming landscape of its era. The truth is that there's often charm in simplicity, and when all of the pieces fit together just right like they do here, it's hard not to appreciate it. The story beats flow from one to another without staying in one location for too long, the combat is snappy and offers a sense of progression that encourages switching out your party members regularly, the bosses feel varied and the set pieces for these fights make each one stand out, the characters each have strong standout moments to make up for having relatively little dialogue throughout the story (or none in Crono's case), and the soundtrack does a great job of elevating all of these moments.
With these factors in mind I can't help but think that this game is perfect for people just getting into JRPGs, as it's not too difficult and sets up the expectations for what the genre is all about and capable of. It almost makes me disappointed that I didn't play this earlier, but in a way I feel that my perspective has given me a different kind of appreciation for it, so I will always value what this game was and still is. No matter how many games I think handle certain aspects of their design or storytelling better, there's never going to be another game that captures quite the same near-flawless experience that is Chrono Trigger.