July 2015 – Chrono Trigger

Title: Chrono Trigger
Platforms: Super Nintendo, PlayStation, DS
Release Date: August 22nd, 1995
Developer: Square
Publisher: Square
Genre: Japanese RPG

Members Completed: 4
Average Rating: 89/100
Member Progress Rating Review and/or Comments
Apple Incomplete
Rolf Lvl 17
Time: 04:37		 Images
Ayemelek Incomplete
Choas Completed 07/07
Crono Lvl 55
Time: 23:01		 94/100 One of the best RPGs ever made, and maybe the best game on the SNES. This is a game I grew to appreciate more and more the older I got. Because I’d beaten it so recently (November), I decided to play through with the Retro Achievements emulator, and I admit that it did add a bit of entertainment to my run. The music is outstanding and features several memorable tracks, most of which enhanced the game’s already extraordinary atmosphere. The battle system is simple enough to keep the player engaged, though it does get a bit stale after a while. Graphically, I’ve always disliked Akira Toriyama’s art style, but luckily that’s not much of an issue when you’re dealing with sprites.
Despite utilizing the awkward Giant Space Flea From Nowhere trope, the story is great, and they actually managed to make said Space Flea believable as a villain. The characters and dialogue all suffered from Nintendo’s overbearing ’90s censorship crusade, as well as Ted Woolsey’s inability to give different voices to different characters without resorting to Ye Olde Butcherede Englishe or Hulkspeak, but it still manages to work, and each character still somehow maintains their individuality. The sidequests were fun and worthwhile, and I especially appreciate that you’re actually directed toward them rather than running around aimlessly until you happen to stumble across them. I intend to get each of the endings at some point, so this is definitely a game I’ll be revisiting in the near future.
Clear Screen (Extras: 1 2 3 4)
gamma Completed 07/07
Crono Lvl 51
Time: 26:52		 88/100 I used to collect video game soundtracks, and this game’s soundtrack is one of the first I bought, because I’ve heard nothing but good things about anything involving Chrono Trigger for over 10 years. Oddly enough, I’m more familiar with the brilliant work by Nobuo Uematsu and Yasunori Mitsuda than with the actual game. But now that I’ve completed it for the first time, I’m able to say that it didn’t live up to my expectations–88 is a great score, but it probably would have been 95 if I were playing in the past. Nostalgia can easily compensate for the ugly and inefficient menus, the slightly too quick story progression, and the eventually boring battle system. Nevertheless, Chrono Trigger has the elements that a significant JRPG needs. Most of the characters actually seem like individuals, with their dialogue not having any glaring annoyances. The design of the overworld and, very different, time periods is satisfying to look at. I wouldn’t mind having games based on each era so that I could experience and understand their respective worlds in a more in-depth way. Finally, I’ve never seen so much closure in a video game; the side quests, which should absolutely not be optional, and the ending as a whole earn many points. Now I know what I’m listening to when I hear the soundtrack, memories to go along with it. Clear Screen (Extras: 1 2)
Kuro Completed 07/07
Crono Lvl 50
Time: 26:20		 94/100
ladyjuice Incomplete
Mock Incomplete
Roy Incomplete
Yoshi Completed 07/06
Crono Lvl 54
Time: 22:17		 80/100 This is my 2nd time beating this game, and it’s definitely one of the best RPGs ever (although I don’t enjoy this genre the way I used to). I played this about an hour on the DS, but switched back to the SNES because they ruined the amazing translation. The story, characters, & eras are all greatly fleshed out and wonderful to experience. The battle system is easily my favorite in any JRPG and it never got too stale for me. It’s on the easy side, but I play RPGs more for their story and characters anyway. The music is good, albeit very overrated. I’d love to go through and experience every ending to this game as well, and I find that to be a really cool feature. I also went through every sidequest, and I found every one of them very interesting, and they gave great closure to several plots going on with the characters. Would recommend and even if you aren’t a fan of the genre, you should have no problem loving this game. Images. Game Log.
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