this post was submitted on 21 Jul 2023
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I've recently been on an old school RPG kick and picked up Chrono Trigger which is a phenomenal game. Any other suggestions on similar games?

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[–] PrinceHabib72@feddit.nl 63 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Chrono Trigger is so far ahead of its time, it's insane. Enemies visible on the field map, battles taking place directly on the field map, character positioning mattering immensely, multi-character attacks, incredible music that holds up today, a compelling story with something like 15 total endings (granted, it's not like they're ENTIRELY different from one another, there are a few major branches with a few variations each)... Most of these things would all but vanish from games for twenty-plus years. I remember when Final Fantasy 12 came out, it was lauded for having the enemies shown on the map and battles taking place on the map as well.

[–] thingsiplay@kbin.social 31 points 2 years ago

@PrinceHabib72 Chrono Trigger also had New Game+, which basically created the term for RPGs. I played another JRPG long before Chrono Trigger, where enemies was visible on the playfield in dungeons: the infamous Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (fantastic soundtrack BTW).

[–] Protoknuckles@lemmy.world 23 points 2 years ago (4 children)

One of the best RPGs ever made. I'd jump to either the Breath of Fire series, Wild Arms, or Suikoden. All are solid, though none quite as brilliant.

[–] AzPsycho@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I wish Wild Arms had an official mobile port. Such a great series with no modern IP usage to take advantage of its cult status.

[–] Sylver@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Best you can do for now is buy it on PlayStation store

[–] Juvyn00b@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Anbernic RG35XX or similar.... Should run flawlessly

[–] Xylinna@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I played Wild Arms back in the day and I don't remember too much about them although I did enjoy them all. Might be worth picking up again. Also, isn't Suikoden getting a remake soon?

[–] Protoknuckles@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Yes it is! The first 2 games. It's kind of an odd situation where the 2nd game is kind of a remake-ish retelling of the first game, sort of like Final Fantasy or Zelda, where it is different characters but same themes. I just thought of 2 more I could recommend! Grandia and Live a Live. Both fit nicely in Chrono Trigger's orbit, though none are quite as good. Live a Live just got a low up and re-release recently too.

[–] hombre_fundido@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Director of Chrono Trigger, Takashi Tokita, directed Live a Live the year prior. Definitely a throughline there.

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[–] Teodomo@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

+1 for jumping to Suikoden II. If you love it you can check III and I

EDIT: I tried the BoF and Wild Arms sagas years ago too. The one that stood the most to me was BoF4

[–] Barndog53@lemm.ee 6 points 2 years ago

Gonna have to +1 Wild Arms and Breath of Fire 3

Wild Arms was so good

[–] SJ0@lemmy.fbxl.net 19 points 2 years ago (4 children)

Nothing is exactly like Chrono Trigger, it's in a league of its own as one of the best games of all time.

Final Fantasy 6 was released around the same time on SNES, and many people debate whether Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy 6 are better, because they're both great. 4, 5, and 6 are all really good. The Lufia series is also great.

From the same era but with much different gameplay is Terranigma, and there's also the Legend of Mana series.

More modern examples of games that want to invoke Chrono Trigger are Septerra Core and Anachronox. Both are PC games, but they're old enough that any reasonably modern PC can likely play them at full speed.

[–] AzPsycho@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

FF6 is such a great game. I saved up and bought both of these games as a kid, lots of late nights irrigating fields and killing rattlesnakes to get those titles. Both titles were great in their own way and I can't imagine my childhood without them. Another great game was Secret of Evermore.

[–] BinarySystem@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

There is a game coming out next month called Sea of Stars by the devs who made The Messenger. No idea how it will stack up against the greats but it's looking really good from what I've seen. It even has Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Trigger composer) contributing some track.s.

[–] MakingWork@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 years ago

Terranigma, Chrono Trigger, and Secret of Mana 2 are my favourite games.

I find the game play in Terranigma reminded me a bit of Zelda. I loved it.

[–] CaptainAniki@lemmy.flight-crew.org 3 points 2 years ago (2 children)

I think Xenogears [same team] is absolutely in the same league and IMO a whole different bracket of excellence.

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[–] lackthought@lemmy.sdf.org 12 points 2 years ago (4 children)

one of the best games of all time

and THE best soundtrack of all time!

https://youtu.be/koPZCRg9YiI

And for those who don't know, Yasunori Mitsuda worked himself so relentlessly on the soundtrack that he ended up developing stomach ulcers that required hospitalization. You know the soundtrack is good if the composer would rather be shitting blood than let his work be less than perfect.

[–] yaru@slrpnk.net 4 points 2 years ago

highly recommend chrono symphonic as an interpretation of the incredible original.

My favorite was always Frog's theme, alternating between the triumphant knightly and the devastatingly tragic (which perfectly fit the character). Ah, what a perfect game with a soundtrack to match!

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[–] southbayrideshare@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I was walking around the Iowa State Fair for an hour last summer before I realized I was whistling the theme to the Millennial Fair.

https://piped.video/watch?v=atFJWwdr6x4

[–] CaptainAniki@lemmy.flight-crew.org 9 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Now you gotta play Xenogears and really be ready for some mental shit.

[–] Xylinna@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I played Xenosaga forever ago, are they related at all? I have heard really good things about Xenogears so I will put it on my to play list.

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[–] DefiantTostada@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago

For more modern CT-likes I would recommend Chained Echoes and the soon-to-be-released Sea of Stars. Chained Echoes was fantastic.

[–] Phyzaks@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I would really recommend Chrono Cross for the PS1. It's set in the same world as Chrono Trigger but isn't a direct sequel. It has some really great elements to it. I played it when I was a kid and I still revisit it every few years.

[–] thingsiplay@kbin.social 7 points 2 years ago

@Phyzaks For anyone not aware, there is a re-release of Chrono Cross last year! It's available on Steam and consoles: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1133760/CHRONO_CROSS_THE_RADICAL_DREAMERS_EDITION/ (even Steam Deck verified) The graphics and art is upscaled, partly with AI, and the results got mixed receptions. And "Radical Dreamers" is included as well, according to the Steam page. Just wanted to point this out, in case emulation is complicated for some.

[–] curious_illusions@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Check out the "Tales Of" series. I feel those games don't get the attention they deserve

[–] Xylinna@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (6 children)

I have actually played a few of the more recent ones, Zestiria, Berseria, and Arise although I haven't finished the last one. I also picked up Trails in the Sky series from the last Steam sale and they are quite good.

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[–] lhx@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago

One of the best games ever made.

[–] cupcakezealot@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 2 years ago

Chrono Trigger, Earthbound/Mother 2, and Seiken Densetsu 3 were the trifecta of awesome.

[–] littlecolt@lemm.ee 7 points 2 years ago

You're goddamn right, it is.

[–] Suavevillain@lemmy.world 7 points 2 years ago

I don't know why I never played it for so long. I played it on DS man it was amazing.

[–] AzPsycho@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Try Secret of Evermore. The combat is very different but the game allows for two players! One controls the main character and the other can control his pet dog. It's one of the rare action RPGs of the time.

[–] FromNLWithLove@feddit.de 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Would Secret of Mana also qualify - even has three players (lots of multi-tap powered memories).

[–] AzPsycho@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Agreed. SoM was also a classic. I just enjoyed the aesthetic of Evermore and it had a cool dog companion.

[–] asunaspersonalasst@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

Game soundtrack is bop!

Play Terranigma.

[–] kratoz29@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

Chrono Trigger is that awesome game that I never played back in the day... Until now, I started it like a month ago (the DS version) and I'm liking it so far.

[–] willya@lemmyf.uk 5 points 2 years ago

Replayed this game so many times as a kid.

[–] kingthrillgore@kbin.social 5 points 2 years ago

You know the game left an impact when the grand-daddy of another great franchise, Fallout, desperately wants there to be another Chrono game.

[–] avatar@lemm.ee 4 points 2 years ago (5 children)

When does Chrono Trigger really start to get good? I've tried to play it a few times but it never fully holds me.

[–] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 12 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

The best shit happens after you've been to every time period at least once and end up at The End of Time. That's when you get magic, and things really get good in the amount of choice you have.

My favorite parts are the Prehistoric Era when you actually fight Azala and her Black Dino, and the entirety of the Land of Zeal/Ice Age part where we see the Mammon Machine come online.

[–] zanyllama52 8 points 2 years ago

For me? As soon as I power on the SNES. For most folks I know? After you complete the intro (festival).

[–] krdo@lmmy.net 6 points 2 years ago

I remember being hooked the moment Marle disappears for the first time. That was 20 years ago. I'm not sure the game would have the same impact on me today.

[–] Gerbler@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 years ago

For me it's a few points. When you discover the day of Lavos, when you take the fight to Magus' keep, when you first visit Zeal, and when you get the wings of time are all some of my favourite moments.

[–] regular_human@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago
[–] thingsiplay@kbin.social 4 points 2 years ago
[–] GardensTale@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

I should really play this someday.

But for recommendations: have you played Golden Sun perhaps?

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