Chrono trigger post ig

This is mainly something I wrote before that I'm putting here :

Is hard to describe why I love this game, you know. Is not a flawless game tbh. Combat isn't super amazing at the start. Chrono being a silent antagonist is pretty unnecessary tbh, I haven't really enjoyed that trope much in games I play, with the exception of how it was done in undertale. And some smaller stuff here and there. 

But, despite that... those problems are completely overshadowed by what I love about the game. I know I said, that the combat at the start wasn't super amazing, but even at the start there are tons of thingw I like, and the fighting gets pretty fun later on. Enemies being part of the overworld instead of random encounters, really sells the immersion more, there's no breaks in the pacing, you will know when to prepare for battle, and often it leads to better ways to choose to dealing with them for rewards, or play more carefully

Active battle time adds quite a bit as well,  I don't consider Chrono trigger a hard game or anything, but it helps to keep you in your toes by controling how and when to do things better, which really shines latter on with enemies with more mechanics, such as attacking other foes close nearby, or causing more damage if another one is on the screen. It's specially great at boss fights, stuff like the magus fight where sometimes fucking up the timing of a certain elemental attack can make things harder. Again, is on the easier side, most of this is not super complicated ofc, but is a fun easy instead of boring easy.

And is not only a fun game to play, the story is pretty nice as well, and how it's tied to gameplay is super cool lol. The story doesn't break the game pacing, moments usually aren't given tons of dialogue to explain stuff, which keeps the flow well, while still having the nesserary information to get invested. 

And while you wouldn't get a chance for most endings in first playtrough, since a lot will be way easier in new game +, since they depend on when you decide to confront the final boss story wise, stuff like the trial is ofc pretty cool in how it subverts common rpg tropes in a natural way, by giving consequences to actions you usually take for granted in them, even if end result ia the same lol. And generally, deatils about a specific ending changing, and getting to see how character arcs are completed baaed on how, and if you do side quests is pretty cool, it shows how some smaller missions that aren't mandatory for the main goal can affect the characters and world in positive ways. Journey and not nesserarily destination, and all that

I can talk more about how charming the designs by toriyama are (frogging), how great the music is, but ig I will end by talking a bit about characters as a whole. Not necessarily separately because then I will be here all night. I love them tbh. They all bring something quite unique to the table, while also having a nice balance. 

More goofy characters have their serious moments, and vice versa with more serious characters, and is done in a pretty natural way. Ayla for example, is a pretty fun person who loves doing parties and acts pretty goofy a lot of the time. But she also respects strength in their enemies, and understands the importance of the fight against the lizards, both things are born of the fact she lives in a prehistoric era, where there isn't too much concern for some more modern formalities, but that also is a very survival of the strongest orientated time.

Basically, I think character traits here feel particularly natural because they are usually build of similar foundations, another example being some of Frog's more comedic moments being based on him acting like a formal knight (such as him trying to not say much in his goodbyes at the end, only for getting flustered by marl kissing him on the cheek), which is ofc tied to how he acts honorably to honor his friend who he feels guilty for. 

I know this might sound a bit basic to some of you, and in certain ways it might be lol, but I also think is a cool way to flesh out your characters, as I often see people believe characters should have things unrelated to the main foundation to feel more genuine or multi dimensional, which can be good, but can also feel like padding at times, while in here the pacing is concise, while also having a natural fleshed out character

Which also helps character interactions, they feel pretty natural and close, while character's main story focus remaining focused, stuff like Robo and Lucca's relationship is ofc very cute, but well thought out as well. One of my favorite moments being when Robo consoles Luca at the end of the forest quest. Luca being in a pretty emotional state, as she deals with one of the events that heavily defined her life, her wanting to avoid incidents like what could had happen to her mother by working on science to help others, while Robo who found his own character because of the compasion of people like Lucca is the one to give her the support she gave him before

Even characters like Mailer who can often stand out less than others, she gives her own dynamic to the group in a more down to earth character, who still feels natural to the group, who specially works as one of the first ones to meet in your introduction, as the game builds up to more grand events. I don't really hate Chrono even. I don't particularly like him besides a game standpoint, since he can be pretty powerful, but I also don't hate him or anything

But it is one thing to have a solid foundation, but another thing is what you do with it. At this point, how I described Chrono trigger will rank as a good game for me, but perhaps not a favorite. But.. I love what it does with its foundation. Stuff like frog learning to deal with his guilt of losing cyrus, someone who always was there to support him, by doing his best to be strong and just, making him proud of the kingdom being in good hands

The aforementioned Lucca and Robo's goodbye, as she tears up to her friend possibly not exiting in the future, as he consoles her, assuring her that the new future will have a place for him, and thanking Lucca for teaching him compassionate emotions to begin with

Marle having miscommunication with her father, even if influenced by outside sources, still shows how important trying to understand the people you care about is, even if it might seem hard or unreasonable at first. This and much more is… all stuff that heavily resonates with me personally. Specially the last one, while character's having similar aspects personality wise to mine is not something I particularly care for in stories, the stuff they deal with feeling like something I can emphasize with really helps my experience and how the thing impacts me, even if ofc isn't a absolute requirement

Again... I am aware a lot of what I'm saying is pretty damn basic most likely, specially for the story. Chrono Trigger is a pretty emotionally important game for me. I haven't even come back to playing it after I completed the good end because I felt so satisfied. And in general I know I am not very good at analyzing shit lol. A lot of my thoughts and emotions are based on how much I like the characters' charm, what they go through and how, and I know I didn't explain all this that well. Just wanted to ramble a bit about my favorite game I suppose