I beat Chrono Trigger for the first time. It lived up to the hype and then some.

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.