Chrono Trigger (DS) Review

A timeless classic.

 Chrono Trigger is among developer Square Enix's most important games in their massive catalogue of RPG hits. Released for the SNES in 1995, it's often regarded as one of the best games of all-time due to its story, gameplay, and presentation. It was spearhead by many Japanese video game talents including Final Fantasy creator Hinorbou Sakaguchi, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Hori, and Dragon Ball artist Akira Toriyama to name a few. A time-travelling tale where a group of adventurers must save the world from doom, it was a big hit, receiving a PS1 version alongside a sequel, Chrono Cross in 1999. The game even got a DS (which is the version I'm playing) and mobile releases years later. I've been planning on playing the game for a long time after reading about the loads of praise it got. So after finally getting around to finally playing, is it worth all the hype?

 The game follows our silent protagonist Crono, who alongside runaway princess Marle and his inventor friend Lucca in the year 1000 AD, must end up travelling through time to stop an alien parasite Lavos from destroying the planet in the year 1999 AD. Their sudden journey takes them through Prehistory, the Middle Ages, the Future, and "The End of Time" in order to trace Lavos' origins. Along the way, they'll meet various characters from each era like Frog, the knight with a sense of justice; Robo, an abandoned fighting robot; and Ayla, the upbeat tribal warrior. There's even a secret extra character whom you can choose to join your party halfway through the game too.

Save the world with an
unlikely band of heroes.

 The writing and world-building was also great as you get to experience Earth evolving though the ages based on your actions as you uncover many twists regarding Lavos. Aside from Crono being the silent hero, each of the main cast had their own distinct personality and were memorable in their own right. They even get their own emotional story arcs via side-quests, which fleshes them out even more. Robo, Lucca, and Frog ended up being my personal favorites. 

 An old-school RPG, Chrono Trigger has you controlling the party as they travel through different time periods, battle enemies and befriending allies in the quest to save the world. The game features the "Active Time Battle" system of the Final Fantasy games where you wait till your action meter is full to attack. Battles aren't your standard turn-based ones as they occur in real-time, meaning you'll have to quickly form out your strategy since enemies can attack the same time as you, as well as changing their positions in battles. Thankfully, there aren't any random encounters so you can freely choose between battling enemies or avoiding them.

The gameplay was solid and
 exploring the world was fun. 

 In addition to regular attacks, each character has their own "Tech" skills. The likes include either physical or magical attacks as well as healing spells. Also, the more you battle with a character, the more powerful techs they unlock. Certain characters can combine their tech attacks to create more powerful ones, encouraging you to try different party formations. These come in handy when you're fighting the hordes of bosses you'll face, with some being a real pain to beat. Over the course of the game, the world layout changes as travel between eras, making choices in certain story moments that unlock new environments and dungeons to check out. Shops are scattered throughout eras where you cam different weapons, equipment, and accessories for the party, as well as healing items. It goes without saying to always stock up on supplies, especially later in late-game. 

The DS features were great additions, 
especially the use of dual-screens.

 DS additions to Chrono Trigger include the use of the two screens to organize the UI, with battles taking the top screen and commands in the bottom, a revised map system and new text font to boot. Two new dungeons are unlocked after beating the game as well as new endings, which makes room for replay-value. The game took nearly 27 hours to beat, that included levelling up, completing all side-quests, and casually exploring the world. That said, the replay-value is pretty high since there are various dialogue choices to make and over 13 endings to experience and the DS additions to warrant another play-through.

 For a 16-bit game, Chrono Trigger held up way better than I expected. The detailed backgrounds, expressive character sprites, and visual effects were sharp and looked great on the DS' screens. Akira Toriyama's signature art-style always impresses and it's no different here. The anime cut-scenes of the PS1 version were eye-catching and nailed the feel of the game, though it's a shame the they were few. As for the soundtrack, it's one of the best ever made. Tracks like the opening theme, battle theme, "Guardia Forest", "Guardia Castle" theme, Frog's theme, Epoch's theme, the final battle theme, and "Outskirts of Time" were some of the best to come out of the SNES and are still bangers to this day. 

Chrono Trigger is a stunner,
 both visually and sound-wise.

 Chrono Trigger exceeded my expectations and I really loved the overall experience. The story coupled with the awesome characters was great, the gameplay was fun and packed with content, and the presentation continues to impress decades later. Chrono Trigger was well-worth the hype and for me, is one of my all-time faves. RPG enthusiasts will no doubt enjoy the adventure and even newcomers can find something to like as well. Prices for the DS version are expensive nowadays though amidst its flaws, the recent PC release stands as the most accessible version of the game.