So every fall, for whatever reason, I have some random urge to play Chrono Trigger, despite never playing the game before. Maybe it's because I watched ProJared's review during that time years ago. Also, my older brother emulated that game during his teenage years and I remember it being fall at the time. But I decided to play it for the first time and I have some thoughts that I NEVER see anyone talk about.

For one, it's possible to move around when NPCs are talking (outside of cutscenes). I find it jarring and confusing and even then, you still have to press A to advance the dialogue.

The other point I want to bring up is that I find the whole trial part when you are accused of kidnapping the princess absolute bullshit. First off, why should anyone be accused of theft when eating a chicken on a table IN A FESTIVAL? People leave free food on tables during those events. Second, it makes perfect sense to pick up a drop item after someone falls BEFORE checking to see if they're okay, just so the item isn't picked up by someone who could steal it. The whole trial thing is another one of those tests where you are supposed to defy all gamer instincts. It reminds me of that part of CaveStory where you have to ignore Professor Booster after he falls down a pit. At least the prison escape isn't some bullshit stealth mission.

Other than that, I think the game is pretty good so far. As much as I dismiss people's claims that the 16-bit era being a golden age as just nostalgia, maybe they aren't wrong after all.

But Phantasy Star IV is still the best 16-bit RPG. I'm sorry.

@xianc78 the trial is total bullshit lol, but i mean you get screwed no matter what, i think it's meant to be something funny.

i actually don't like the gameplay of chrono trigger all that much, but the music, story, and character design are all extremely good.

@beardalaxy ProJared's review implied that it was possible to avoid the guilty verdict. I'd actually tried to play innocent at the fair but failed.

>i actually don't like the gameplay of chrono trigger all that much, but the music, story, and character design are all extremely good.

Like I said a while ago, RPGs are made by those who have great story ideas, but zero gameplay ideas, and while Chrono Trigger does try to mix up the battle system by having enemies move around during battle and borrowing the timed battle system from Final Fantasy, I think it fails. It's difficult to mix real-time and turn-base combat. It just comes off as real-time combat for enemies, but turn-based combat for you.

I think the setting is alright so far. I love combining science fiction and fantasy tropes, but I'm not particularly a fan of time-travel (I think it opens up for major plot holes and paradoxes). Thought the world feels much smaller compared to other games. There are like 3 buildings per town and they are accessed directly on the overworld, but I guess you can excuse it as there are multiple overworlds.

The music is really good though. Even before playing the game, I always loved the Epoch theme and the Zeal Kingdom Theme. The Epoch theme in particular is a prime example of why fast vehicular travel should actually be associated with relaxing music, unless it's during a race or a similar suspenseful scene. It should be like taking a relaxing drive down a country-side road at sunset or riding a plane or a high-speed train. The Zeal theme fits perfectly with an enlighten yet hidden civilization.