Short and Sweet

This is by far one of the best RPGs every created. Given the technology at the time (this is a SuperNES game remember), the character graphics are superb. The overworld features incredibly tiny and really ugly graphics, which are the exception to the rule, but on any other map, the characters are well drawn, round, and wonderfully cartoonish. They have plenty of facial expressions, and a variety of poses.

The music here is what makes the game for me. This stuff is so good, that I actually stop playing just to listen to it. It is clear, precises, well-composed, and a joy to hear. Most people probably don't think too much about video game music, but for me, that's the second more important thing, next to plot. And this game, like most Squaresoft material, did not disapoint. All music matches the situations well, and creates great atmopshere.

The plot is one of the best ever. It involves a group of adventures caught up in a race to save time. There are several "worlds", which are each actually the same one, but at different time periods. You can visit places such as 65,000,000BC, 600 AD, 1000AD, and 2500AD. There are six standard charactrs, and one optional character. I dare not speak of the plot, because I don't want to ruin anything for anyone.

The battle system is unique to RPGs (or at the time it was). You can see the enemies walking on the overworld, and if you want to fight them, you walk into them, and the fight begins, but not in a seperate screen. You set up battle poses right were you are.

This battle system is great on the SuperNES, but if you buy the Playstation version, you will be disappointed. It takes quite a signigicant loading time. The screen will freeze with you and the enemy not moving, and no music will play. Then the battle starts. The same happens at the battle's conclusion. THIS IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING!

A special magic system allows for some neat min/maxing. each character has their own unique spell lists, and spells are called Techs. Techs can be combined. For example, if Crono knows Cyclone, and Lucca knows Fire, if each are ready to attack, they can attack together in the Dual Tech called Fire Spin. Every character has three Dual Techs will every other one, and they all combine the techs in special ways. Additionally there are Triple Techs, in which all three of your party members attack at once combining their Techs.

Another cool feature is distance. Enemies move during battle, and some Techs won't work unless they are close enough to you for you to reach. Some other Techs attacks all enemies in a row, or those clumped together, so you have to wait for them to line up or move closer if you want to hit more than one.

The only real downfall to this game is that it only lasts about 20 hours. Compare that with other great SNES games, such as FF6 (FF3 in North America) which lasts about 70 hours. Each character has their own special subplot in Chrono Trigger that is completely optional, but adds to the fun and depth of the game, as well as the length. In all, there might be about another five or six hours of game play.

But, the game does make up for this short playtime, by providing special Option called New Game +. If you beat the game once through the Black Omen, when you restart, you will have the option to begin the game using the data from you old file. So instead of you main character beginning at level 1, he begins at level 50 (or where ever you were when you beat the game). Plus you keep all your old spell and items, and every time you get a chacter, they come to you as they were in the old file.

The game features 11 seperate endings, each based on small things that you do in the game. For example, if you did not recruit the optional character, the ending will be different, or if you remembered to feed Crono's cat, there is another ending. There are also plenty of puzzles in the game, though many of them not too hard, to keep you trying time after time.

All in all, this is a lot of fun.