Chrono Trigger

"I've Played Chrono Trigger Before More Times Than the Other Guy - Is This Worth Buying?"

Chrono Trigger has the track record of being at the top of many video game lists - the best RPGs, the best Square Enix games, the best games of all time, et al. It has a huge following and was deemed one of the more perfect specimens of its genre and its time. Square Enix, in the height of its remake/port hysteria, decided to bring this game to the forefront once again, and it does not disappoint.

Chrono Trigger remains much as it was in the original version. Your party consists of a group of time travelers (including the silent protagonist Crono, his best friend and inventor Lucca and Marle, a girl Crono meets at the fair) who unwillingly get thrown into a dismal future - and decide to do something about it. They team up with creatures and people from various eras (like Frog, the medieval knight, the powerful and polite robot Robo, and the prehistoric chief of her tribe, Ayla) to unite and destroy a common enemy.

The game, for the most part, features a rather linear story that alters slightly depending on the actions you choose and the characters you have in the party. It takes more than a few playthroughs to fully appreciate the minor details put into the game - I've played it more than a dozen times and still find new tricks and tidbits throughout! It's not until the end where you're given a number of extra quests to flesh out various characters and plot points, leaving no question as to why this game's story is so revered.

The battle system is a hyped version of the typical ATB seen in Final Fantasy games. Using three party members, you use abilities and attack enemies you run into on the map. Battles take place seamlessly in dungeons and forests, so there's no awkward transitions to be had. There is no slowdown as seen in previous versions, and the animations run smooth as ever. One of the greatest features in the game is the introduction of the technique system, allowing your characters to team up and perform unique attacks for devastating damage.

The game sports a long list of unique endings (13, to be exact) that are achieved by defeating the final boss in various parts of the game. To help you complete such a task, you are given the New Game+ option - the chance to start a new game with all your previously collected levels, skills and items. This makes for playing through the story multiple times not so tedious and the chance to try and plan things out a bit differently for the eager gamer.

Of course, not all is familiar in terms of content. The DS game is given a brand new localization - much of the script will seem the same, and in many cases the lines exactly are. On the whole, it's a better version that fleshes out the characters and story that the SNES version simply could not.

There are five new dungeons in the game, one in each era (sans The End of Time). The Lost Sanctum consists of two dungeons that are tied together - completing quests in the early dungeon will let you partake in quests in the later version. They function differently but are host to different treasures, enemies and quests. The Dimensional Vortex consists of randomly generated map from earlier dungeons, combined with brand new locations. There are three unique dungeons of these that (avoiding spoilers) bring about a little closure as to the fate of some characters.

The Arena of Ages is a monster battle arena much in the same vein as the battle arena in Chrono Cross - you have access to it as soon as you save your game, and can use it to train monsters of your own. The prize? Powerful items that cannot otherwise be accessed as early in the game - or at all. A definite reward for your patience. There is a multiplayer option as well, should you wish to fight your monsters against your friends'.

The new content is a great addition to a game that is already worth your time. While not completely practical in the end game sense (which is a trend in many games with 'ultimate' equipment), completing these side areas as early as possible will make the rest of the game's challenges a breeze. My only complaint is that the new dungeons can get a bit repetitive at times.

In the end, this game is clearly one of the better ports to come along from Square Enix. If you've played the game to death, get it for the updated translation, new content and conclusive story. If you have never played the game, pick it up for a chance to witness one of gaming's greatest achievements.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/26/08, Updated 01/20/09

Game Release: Chrono Trigger (JP, 11/20/08)