Released in 1995 and created by a dream team consisting of Hironobu Sakaguchi (creator of Final Fantasy), Yuji Horii (creator of Dragon Quest), and Akira Toriyama (R.I.P; creator of Dragon Ball), Chrono Trigger is often considered one of the greatest games of all time, and one, if not the, greatest JRPG of all time. I finally learned why that is, and I was an emotional wreck by the end, crying and clapping.
The narrative:
Chrono Trigger’s narrative structure is based on time travel, where the player and their allies will travel to various historical epochs, ranging from the prehistoric to a dystopian future. The main character, Crono, and his allies must travel to multiple points in time to thwart an apocalyptic entity. During these trips to these periods, Crono will encounter many different allies. Aided by its themes of sacrifice, friendship, and existential redemption, Chrono Trigger’s narrative transcends the boundaries of interactive storytelling. Furthermore, Chrono Trigger gives the player a massive amount of agency with multiple endings, and nearly every choice has a consequence; some minor, some major. Various endings create a non-linear narrative experience, enhancing replay value. While most games nowadays offer different endings and try to give the player some agency in one way or another, Chrono Trigger pioneered in that regard. A significant deviation (and one that I loved) was the removal of random encounters, something that was incredibly atypical for games of the JRPG genre during that time. The game gives the player more autonomy in navigating the world by showing the enemy on screen in the environment. Chrono Trigger also offers a NG+ mode, allowing players to experience different possibilities, such as different endings, and even the option to avoid obtaining certain party members.
What I loved most about the game was all the themes it presented throughout my 32-hour run. The game explores themes such as free will, fate, choice, life, death and rebirth, the complex relationship humanity has with technology, the power of friendship and how it can help overcome challenges, reconciliation and forgiveness, environmentalism, despair, and hope.
The visuals and the music:
The distinctive visuals, created by the wonderful Akira Toriyama, contribute to the game’s everlasting appeal. Each historical epoch is meticulously crafted and breathtaking, from the landscapes of 1000 AD to the dystopian, desolate, barren wastelands of 2300 AD (my favourite era in the game). Complementing the incredible visuals is the fantastic soundtrack, primarily orchestrated by Yasunori Mitsuda and Nobuo Uematsu. Music can serve as a narrative device that amplifies emotional resonance and augments thematic depths. Chrono Trigger excelled in this regard; there’s a reason its soundtrack is often regarded as one of the greatest in video game history. The soundtrack features iconic songs such as “Frog’s Theme,” “Corridors of Time,” and “To Far Away Times.”
What would a game be without its characters?
Chrono Trigger offers a host of amazing characters, each with incredible emotional depth and complexity. Frog, for example, embodies redemption through his internal and external struggles, while Robo’s narrative explores the philosophy of identity, humanity, and free will. Lucca, the lovely little genius, embodies gender defiance; she is a powerful female character. She is not a princess or a healer; she is a strong, brilliant, capable fighter dressed in practical rather than feminine attire. Lucca embodies the pursuit of knowledge and the spirit of human ingenuity. My favourite character, Marle, is one kick ass woman. While she struggles with her identity and role as a princess, she is strong-willed and optimistic; her real name, Nadia, can be translated to hope in various languages. Even when it is not always popular, she will challenge authority and always do what she believes is right. Marle embodies love, hope, and emotional resilience.
Chrono Trigger is one of the greatest JRPGS I have ever played.
27 Comments
Did you get all 13 endings?
They made em different back in the days
Why does this review smell of chatGPT
Meep meep.
Did you eat an old mans lunch right off the table?
Soundtrack immediately started playing when I saw this picture.
Remains king after 30 years. Nothing comes close to the level of polish and love this got from its development team. I’d rather they never remake it as it will be hard to do justice to it, just keep re-releasing it so newer generations enjoy it
Now you gotta play it again. And again. And again. Get all those endings.
It’s such a great game.
This is one time I’ll agree you should believe the hype
I liked Cross much more. I could never get into Trigger.
I’m glad you got the experience this game finally. I played it back on the SNES and it changed my perspective on what a videogame could be at the time. I always wanted to revisit it when they rereleased it with new cut scenes and what not but just can never bring myself back for some reason. I love the “idea” of playing it again but not sure I have the free time I once did. I say that but then I did finish playing Chrono Cross: Radical Dreamers all the way through about a year ago. I also enjoyed that original title on the PS1. My god how time flies…
Wait … i’m looking through your profile and you reposted this like 3 times or am I just getting triple vision?
Yeah, my partner with basically no RPG experience played through Chrono Trigger for the first time this year and Loved it. ;P It’s really a phenomenal experience that transcends the years.
Sweet, it’s Bulma, Launch, Goku, Bulma again, and Frog. I should probably play this again. I played an emulation version when i was like 12, but can’t remember anything about it except going to a carnival, going to a sewer and then the emulator stopped working.
Greatest video game of all time + Greatest video game OST of all time
Legendary!
Now try Sea of Stars
Absolutely one of the best games, and holds up even today. Up there with earthbound
Let’s say you have to sell it to me in a few words.
Which ones would you use?
I’ve been tempted by this game for so long, but I still don’t dare, despite everything I already know about it and all the positive feedback. I’m counting on you to be the catalyst.
It was fine. The only thing I didn’t like is the silent protagonist.
It’s time for some fun at the Millennial Fair!
meh. I played it for the first time a decade after release or so. I don’t really get why it’s considered such a classic. It’s fine. I got stuck on some boss at some point. Was like they wanted me spec’d a certain way and I wasn’t. Or maybe I was expected to grind more? Or use specific potions? IDK. I gave up after the 3rd or 4th try.
BTW, thanks for all the downvotes I’m likely to get. I’m well aware that threads like this are mostly just a circle jerk. I figure a different viewpoint might be appreciated, even if it gets downvoted to hell.
I highly recommend checking out Chained Echoes next, if you’re still hungry for more quality JRPG greatness. It makes an impressive boast in it’s opening, but I think it really lives up to it.
Now you get to play the real game+
It’s remarkably cinematic for a game from that console generation.
You’d be hard pressed to name something that tops it.
Ayla….those pixels were a lot more real when I was a kid….
By today’s standards it’s too simple, almost a “babby’s first rpg.” Even something like Final Fantasy V, which came out 3 years earlier, has more meat on its bones.