Chrono Trigger

Honestly most of the time when I was playing Chrono Cross I took it as something completely separate from Chrono Trigger, and except for when some of the CT-related stuff started popping up, that made me enjoy it. Of course, the fact that I had do that shows that it doesn't exactly work well as far as sequels go.

Oh, and another plus that I thought of is that it's got a replayability factor. For example, I didn't get Glenn last time because I chose to save Kid, so at some point I'm going to play through it again to get him and anyone else that I missed (I'm pretty sure I didn't get Leena, either).

Chrono Trigger (SNES) leads to Chrono Cross

Chrono Trigger (DS) has a happy ending that doesn't lead to Chrono Cross. The other Magus is from Chrono Trigger's (SNES) timeline, and returns there after the fight with the Dream Devourer

It has a happy ending because Dalton tells them everything in the Dimensional Vortex.

edited 26th Sep '12 8:27:55 PM by Enlong

As a musical experience: oh god yes. As an RPG: it's got some interesting mechanics going for it that help it stand out. As a story: not really, the villain's motivations and behavior get kinda murky, and as the game progresses you get hit with a mash-up of a lot of rushed, unexplained events that really would've benefited from a third disc. As a Chrono Trigger sequel: no, it's like a Gaiden Game with a grudge against its progenitor.

It has a bit of the Xenogears problem where the first disc is really good and builds up a huge story, but the second disc fumbles and adds a bunch of new elements and the plot goes completely insane. The big advantage Chrono Cross has is that the gameplay is actually complete for disc 2. I think it's mostly the writing style in Cross that's the problem.

It's also not really until just before the second disc that Chrono Cross starts taking shots at Trigger. I loved the split dimension thing, and even the two alternate futures we see. The future Chrono Trigger makes with Chronopolis and the future that happened before, with the Dead Sea, and the war with the Dragonians and all that is fascinating. But throughout the entire game, humanity is portrayed as a kind of plague on the world, when in some parts, the horrible events are blamed on humanity, when humans don't do anything. the dwarves wiping out the faries anyone?

edited 27th Sep '12 6:21:58 AM by Zendervai

I wouldn't call Chrono Cross better or worse than Chrono Trigger, it's basically an entirely different game.

I will say I didn't enjoy Chrono Cross nearly as much as Chrono Trigger, however.

I think a good way to describe it is that they are both well made, but Chrono Trigger is much more fun.

EDIT: In my own opinion then.

edited 28th Sep '12 4:09:48 AM by Zendervai

I had way more fun playing Cross, though.

Chrono Trigger was a landmark experience of my childhood.

I remember enjoying Chrono Cross at the time, but as the years passed, I struggled to define why. I didn't understand the story at all. Then, through the internet, I realized just how much it porked CT over, and I felt somewhat embarrassed.

I never got to play Chrono Trigger as a child (I was born in mid-1992). No, I first played it when I got the DS version for Christmas of 2008. And yet I still considered it as a shining example of the JRPG genre.

Still, this complete lack of nostalgia may explain why I merely see it as a great game, rather the kinda annoying amount of AWE and REVERENCE that others on TV Tropes seem to give it.

The DS version was my first chance to play it as well, but I'd still give it serious consideration for greatest JRPG of all time. It's in my top 3 at the very least.

Played the virtual console version about, oh, 6 months ago, and it's perfect (besides some translation issues). Great music, great characters, good but not too complex plot, and fantastic gameplay.

edited 30th Sep '12 6:18:34 AM by xployalist

Also Nus are awesome. I wouldn't be too suprised at the fact that they are considered "genetically inferior" to the people living in the Kingdom of Zeal.

Also the cutscenes with the Mammon Machine it is goldish,yet when you fight it,it is silverish.I mean what is up with that? It's design is awesome though.

How much better is Cross' battle system to Trigger's? I thought CT's battle system was kind of annoying honestly.

I like how you drain energy from the Mammon Machine if you hit it with Masamune.

Characters have stamina, physical attacks come in Weak, Medium and Strong flavors that deal progressively more damage but have a lower chance to hit and cost more stamina. No magic points, instead "Elements" are equipped to each character's grid, and you build up a charge as you hit things with physical attacks. A Weak-Strong-Strong combo will deplete your stamina, but once it comes back you'll be able to launch a level 7 element.

Elements are one use only in a given battle, and some stuff like potion analogues are even consumable. Elements are interchangeable among party members - you equip everyone with them from a common pool. Characters only have three proper personalized "Techs" that can't be traded, usually a single-target Level 3, an all-foes Level 5, and a special Level 7 typically earned when you complete someone's personal "quest". Dual and Triple Techs are very, very rare. The more powerful Elements are farmed from monsters or bosses by purchasing a specific "Trap" element and hoping the mob uses that spell at some point.

As elements are used during battle, they'll affect the elemental "field." Or in other words, if three white elements are used in a row, the field effect will be white and those elements will be maximized, while black elements will be weaker. The field effect needs to be a solid color to cast a summon, the most powerful elements and the only way to get mats for Rainbow items.

I'd say "different" more than "better," I really missed CT's personalized Tech lines and all the combos you could dream up.

edited 3rd Oct '12 7:49:28 PM by Tacitus

It's not ATB is it? I despise being attacked in the middle of a menu.

Yeah, that can be annoying, having the enemy sprite occupying the same space as the menu. Unless you're talking about getting attacked while accessing a menu, which is kinda impossible. I enjoy ATB, and wish it was used in KH:Co M.

No, it's very much possible. That's Active, while Wait freezes time when you're in a menu.

No, you don't get attacked while you're choosing an Element. The closest thing to the ATB bar is the characters' Stamina score, so if you did that Weak-Strong-Strong-wait-Level 7 element combo, you'd have to spend a bit of time to get your Stamina back to a positive score. I think you regenerate one stamina "point" each time a party member makes an attack, but it's been a loooong time since I've played the game.

Actually, you can still get attacked even on wait, it's just limited to regular attacks instead of techs/magic. It's annoying as hell.

By menu, I meant a pause menu.

Personally, I liked Chrono Trigger, but it probably wouldn't make my Top 5 JRP Gs list. Historically, it probably did wonders for the genre, but I didn't like it as much as The World Ends With You, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy VII, and Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep.

edited 6th Oct '12 11:41:59 AM by Keyseeker

...

Why don't you just remove FFX so you can add it in?

I meant to post Final Fantasy X only once. The other one was supposed to be Final Fantasy VII. Hold on a sec, I'll change it.

Chrono Trigger's in my top five along with FF 6+7, The World Ends With You, and Xenoblade.