Chrono Trigger

"A game from the past timetravels to the future."

It is hard to say anything about this game that has not been said before, or that you may not have heard about this game. It's a classic. Even when I picked it up for the first time a year and a half ago (versus many here who got it on the game's first run) on my Playstation, I knew it right away. I picked it up, hesitantly (it had been sitting on my bookshelf for well over a year) and I could not put it down.

Even without the extra endings, this is one of those games that you could pick up and replay over and over again with only getting rarely bored (the only other game that comes to mind here is Ocarina of Time). It's a wonderful game with a very engrossing storyline. While it is in a "save the world" style, it's quite different from the games of today. Not many feature the time travel style that Chrono Trigger does and does well, if not perfectly. And of course, there are always the hidden endings, as you can fight the final boss far earlier than the true ending of the game, as well as a new one for beating the hidden boss that, an ending that is meant to tie into the game's sequel, Chrono Cross.

Much like a great number of other Square titles, this game features a soundtrack that is really a cut above the rest. (not unlike FFVI, VII and X) Everything fits the mood and does it well. It's one of those things you need to hear for yourself to really believe. It's a little hard to imagine MIDI sounds to still sound amazing after 13 years. Many stuck with me even after I finished the game, to the point even where I went and purchased the soundtrack for myself.

The gameplay is largely unchanged. Those familiar with FFVI, VII, and VIII will easily recognize the Active Time Battle system that can be changed to "wait" mode either at the beginning of the game or by going into the options menu and switching it out. (Speaking of options, I'd like to note my agreement with other video game magazines that have said that it is almost impossible to go into the options menu, change your settings, and be able to come out unsatisfied that you weren't able to change something. The options menu is very intricate) The new DS mode utilizing the touch screen is wonderful and best played with the "Wait" setting. This is only because chances are your reflexes may not be as fast with tapping a screen as they would be pressing a button. So with that in mind, I tend to opt for the alternative, which is the original SNES style. While not as cleaned up as the touch-screen version, it actually gives a much greater feeling of nostalgia than the other version.

The amazing thing about the touch screen with Chrono Trigger is that it really does not feel just "tacked on." In battle it is used to it's fullest, which is a great thing as always. No matter which style you use (and this actually intrigued me the most) your characters' HP and MP statuses are displayed at the top of the screen, so you always know when you need to heal. When in battle, it also displays status ailments. All of the menus outside of battle use the touch screen with hotkeys on the screen making things more quickly accessible. It's far cleaner than ever before. The final thing is that there is a map now, which makes retracing steps far easier (but not making your initial way through, as the amount shown on the map increases only as you explore the area, much like in the DS version of Final Fantasy IV, if you have played it).

The translation and graphics have been fixed up as well. The translation is probably one of the biggest changes in the game. Some people will be offended by certain changes made (see the only one-star review for this item) and even I was surprised when I first noticed the absence of Frog's old accent. Still, I found it a wonderful reworking and, in a way, reimagining of what Chrono Trigger really was supposed to be. The graphics have been adjusted, but only minorly so. Mostly it was done in an effort to fit the game onto such a small screen, but it actually gives all of the sprites a much cleaner and crisper look, something I took notice of almost 5 minutes into picking the game up. Fans that missed the Playstation version will be happy to see the included Anime videos as well (and if not, then there is an option to turn them off even, though I personally cannot understand why you would want to in the first place).

Unfortunately, I have not been able to play through all of the new areas and the new multiplayer arena feature yet, and I will revise this review. However, my viewpoint is that even if you don't like these new features, you still have the original full game that is unchanged at its core if you decide to just skip these. If you do, you still have the original instant classic game.

As a final note, all of the Playstation extras (and a few additional tidbits) are included. They load faster and play better than ever here. If you're an aspiring artist like myself, having the original concept artwork at your very fingertips is always a wonderful bonus. All the anime videos are viewable here and the music and endings are also viewable once you have unlocked them in the actual game.

Final Word: If you didn't get the game the first time it came around, learn from that mistake the same way I did: pick the dang thing up and give it a shot. It's easily worth the price tag (realize it cost more than that in the game's hay day, and definitely a lot more for the original cartridge today). I wouldn't be surprised if the game didn't sell as well as I would like it to (much like Final Fantasy VI didn't sell too well when it was finally released on the Game Boy Advance at the end of the system's run. If you own a DS, pick that one up too. You won't be disappointed) but that said, I really CANNOT stress enough how highly I recommend this title. Maybe, just maybe, other Chrono Trigger fans will see another sequel in what is truly a beloved series.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/11/08

Game Release: Chrono Trigger (US, 11/25/08)