This review contains spoilers
Wow, what an incredible game this is. I honestly can't believe I hadn't played it sooner, but damn am I glad I got around to it— in many ways it really does feel like a time machine, truly transcendent beyond its era, yet also a nostalgia capsule in equal measure. As it's practically a sibling to one of my all time favorite JRPGs, developed at roughly the same time as and sharing a lot of assets with Final Fantasy VI, I always knew I was gonna like this one, but not until playing it did I internalize just how deeply it would resonate with me. Chrono Trigger is a deeply sweet and sincere game, home to some of the most gorgeous art, music, and storytelling of not just its era (for which it was totally revolutionary of course), but the gaming medium as a whole.
For one, the time traveling narrative is brilliant not just for its uniqueness, but also for its simple execution. Instead of bogging you down with the boring intricacies of fictional physics and technology, it is no more than a fun gateway into all manner of wacky, aesthetically distinctive time periods. Going in, I thought these were just going to be the middle ages and the present day (which would have been more than cool enough might I add), but you can also visit an ancient magic civilization, a technologically advanced but desolate future, and even dinosaur times, 65,000,000 BC (though I don't think Jesus is canon in the game's universe lmao). All of this is of course accompanied by one of the greatest scores in gaming, as well as some fantastically fun art direction by the great Akira Toriyama (may he rest in peace). It all adds up to be such a cozy, endearing little adventure, and thankfully, certainly not one devoid of darker themes or stakes.
The only nitpick I have is with the game's combat: While the battle system is admittedly really fucking cool (and I GREATLY appreciate the lack of random encounters and grinding), I don't think it's quite deep enough or its animations concise enough not to wear out its welcome like halfway through the game. Even though there are only so many of them, the battles still do get monotonous after a certain point. With that being said, they FAR from ruin the game, and the fact I can still confidently give it a perfect score in spite of them should really speak to just how strong its strengths are. While personally, I think I still marginally prefer Final Fantasy VI over Chrono Trigger, I'm so happy to be able to place it directly behind it on my list of favorite games. To pass up such a masterpiece would be a colossal mistake.
For one, the time traveling narrative is brilliant not just for its uniqueness, but also for its simple execution. Instead of bogging you down with the boring intricacies of fictional physics and technology, it is no more than a fun gateway into all manner of wacky, aesthetically distinctive time periods. Going in, I thought these were just going to be the middle ages and the present day (which would have been more than cool enough might I add), but you can also visit an ancient magic civilization, a technologically advanced but desolate future, and even dinosaur times, 65,000,000 BC (though I don't think Jesus is canon in the game's universe lmao). All of this is of course accompanied by one of the greatest scores in gaming, as well as some fantastically fun art direction by the great Akira Toriyama (may he rest in peace). It all adds up to be such a cozy, endearing little adventure, and thankfully, certainly not one devoid of darker themes or stakes.
The only nitpick I have is with the game's combat: While the battle system is admittedly really fucking cool (and I GREATLY appreciate the lack of random encounters and grinding), I don't think it's quite deep enough or its animations concise enough not to wear out its welcome like halfway through the game. Even though there are only so many of them, the battles still do get monotonous after a certain point. With that being said, they FAR from ruin the game, and the fact I can still confidently give it a perfect score in spite of them should really speak to just how strong its strengths are. While personally, I think I still marginally prefer Final Fantasy VI over Chrono Trigger, I'm so happy to be able to place it directly behind it on my list of favorite games. To pass up such a masterpiece would be a colossal mistake.