You Are The Only Exception

JRPGs suck. Had I said that 12-13 years ago, I’m sure it’d cause much more offence than it will now. As is the case with many a gamer I speak to, I’ve played my fair share of PS1/PS2 era JRPGs, including, of course, the Final Fantasy series. For me, playing Final Fantasy was an exercise in excessive conformity. My best friend at the time loved all things Japanese, and this most certainly extended to Square’s flagship title. So with no real interest in the series other than to keep up socially, I ploughed into several of them headfirst, really wanting to like them. I never could. Random battles became tedious, stat tracking and character evolution was obscure and poorly explained, it just felt like I was watching an animated movie with long boring sections in between.

However, above all my dislike for this genre, one sticks out above all else as a masterpiece. Chrono Trigger is a game that brought the superstars of game production together, described as a “Dream Team” by Square at the time. It is the wonderfully told story of Crono as he travels through time to stop an apocalyptic event from happening. The game contains an array of wonderful characters; a former cowardly knight’s companion who has gained great strength by being turned into a frog, a defence robot who has been reprogrammed for good, a rebel, tomboy princess who wants to explore the land she will one day inherit. The music is timeless, and has been remixed and covered by DJs and orchestras alike. Even the battle system is great, which is usually the bugbear of this genre for me. Instead of random battles, which are a frustrating game design choice, battles take place on the screen as is. You will see enemies blocking your path, and then it’s up to you to destroy them. It feels fluid and more in keeping with modern gaming, an impressive feat for a game made in 1995. Character customisation is simple, but still requires care to make sure you’re getting the best out of each member of your party.

Compared to its peers, Chrono Trigger is a game that overshadows a whole genre. When discussed in general terms, it’s a game that should be experienced by all. It shows that with the right minds something brilliant and new can be accomplished in a very set genre. It’s a great tale, and is a fun and strategic game too. It’s the only exception to my cardinal gaming rule; JRPGs suck.