PlayStation

Chrono Trigger

The biggest complaint people have about Chrono Trigger is that playing through it and getting all the secrets can be easily done in about 18-20 hours. Well, I say look at the replay value: with multiple endings, Chrono Trigger's replay value is the highest the RPG genre has. The control throughout the game was dead-on, with no problems navigating and the smooth fluid movement only made it easier, with the eight-directional movement. The game isn't overly difficult; only a few bosses required serious leveling up and strategy, but that really doesn't detract from the gameplay that much unless you're looking for a huge challenge. It's more of a fun task to find the secret side stories to each character and complete the quests.

I played Chrono Trigger on the Playstation when it was re-released in Final Fantasy Chronicles with Final Fantasy IV. The animated cut scenes in the Playstation version are nice, but they really don’t add anything to the experience. They’re just there. Honestly, I would want the Super NES version more, since it lacks the loading time of the re-release, but it’s still the same game either way. It’s still Chrono Trigger, still the standard by which I judge every other RPG I play, and still, in my own humble opinion, on the top of the hill.

Chrono Trigger is still, at its heart, an extremely linear RPG, despite being able to take on the boss at any time. Having your hand held from area to another grows tiresome, much as it does in most RPGs, but things are remedied late in the game with a plethora of nonlinear side quests. These missions help flesh out the characters, such as the heroic frog and four-eyed inventor. Even after all these years and a flawed sequel, Chrono Trigger is still a gem, due to these fun side quests and interesting time travel. There are a few welcome additions to this port to the PSone, but the load times are frustrating, and they shouldn’t even exist considering the meager graphics. If possible, stick with SNES version if you need a fix of old-school RPG. Otherwise, proceed with caution when dealing with this otherwise first-rate game.