For as many games as I've played, I have a few glaring holes in my game history. I've only played two Megaman games, I didn't play Metal Gear Solid until I was 18, and one of the biggest gaps for me is how little I've played Chrono Trigger.
After I experienced Final Fantasy 7 when I was seven, the series quickly became my absolute favorite. The games of Squaresoft and eventually Square Enix at large also made their way to me, and I found a love of JRPGs. It's strange then that Chrono Trigger conspicuously went under my radar, especially considering that it's sequel Chrono Cross was a game that I played when it released. Either way though, I didn't end up playing Trigger until its release on the Nintendo DS in 2008.
At this point, I didn't find myself drawn in by the experience. I was in a mindset that it had to be like Final Fantasy for me to enjoy it, and Chrono Trigger was just different enough to put me off of it a bit. Another compounding factor in this was Chrono himself as the silent protagonist. I thought I wanted more "character", and this was before I realized how strong of characterization a silent protagonist can actually have.
Long story short I never finished the game, even though I played over 50% of it. This isn't to say I hated Chrono Trigger or anything, it just didn't keep me involved. After last weeks episode of Playing with Perspective where we talked about Chrono Trigger, I found myself inspired to pick the game up again to try and complete it. This time around I'm finding myself enjoying it much more, for a multitude of reasons. As I've matured, I've come to appreciate games much more instead of being in that mindset where they have to be one way or another.
One part of Chrono Trigger has really stood out to me so far though. A part I had completely forgotten about somehow, but one that is a fascinating commentary on player choice and consequence. Chrono Trigger opens with you attending the Millennial Fair, happening to run into a young girl named Marle. You're able to spend time at the fair and do some odd activities like racing, fighting a giant robot, collecting points, and finding random items. As the story progresses Chrono finds himself on trial for kidnapping Marle who turns out to be the princess.
Here Chrono is put on the spot and forced to defend himself as citizens from the fair get called in to testify against Chronos "character."This includes people testifying on things Chrono has done, that can be different depending on what you did during the Millennial Fair. In my play through, I found a sandwich sitting on a shop that of course I ate. I also talked to a little girl who was looking for her cat, but was too busy playing games and getting on with the story to bother with it. It's still an amazing turn when the game throws these things back in your face. It completely destroys the status quo that we've come to expect with typically JRPGs.
This is when something amazing happens with the game, because it belays your expectations here you come to think more seriously about choices and your actions in the rest of the game. Here is when Chrono as a silent protagonist really becomes you. As a player you see your choices directly effecting a character in the game, and now suddenly it feels like your more of a part of this world.
Chrono Trigger made an absolutely brilliant decision when it put this reactive scene in. Although the outcome of the trial is the same no matter what, by putting this design choice in the game, it gets the player that much more involved in its story and events. Anytime a game can do this in an effective way, you really see the pay off. We should use this instance in Chrono Trigger as an example of reactive design. This is something that a lot of Telltale games do well too.
I'm hoping that I can make the push to finally finish Chrono Trigger this time, and I feel confident that I can. I find myself much more involved with the story and characters this time. The trial scene was one of those instances that just lept out at me, as a wonderful design choice. Chrono Trigger is certainly a wonderful gem that I wish I hadn't missed.
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