On some level I kinda miss having that gap between in-game graphics and these less common, higher fidelity illustrations or CGI. It's kind of like... a dessert, or a really really good topping. As much as I like 3D and the dynamic camera work, it's also nice to have room for interpretation, y'know?

I remember trying the DS ver. years ago & it didn't click back then. If I've learned anything, it's the games I initially bounce off of that end up leaving a stronger impression in the future. I'm glad I took the time to try again with SNES ver.👍

Tetsuya Nomura worked on Chrono Trigger
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Some enemies have counter mechanics, 2-step weaknesses and even team attacks of their own. One boss would start casting a spell and I had to Rush That Shit Down like it's a DPS check. It's all serviceable gameplay, a solid appetizer for further iterations on ATB.

Chrono Trigger's ATB encourages swift action, but makes it harder to weigh options with a menu if you go *too* fast; You can't menu with the second character if they were not already actionable by the time the first character went in. It's a neat little balancing act of time & health management.

I think, what I might've been afraid of all those years ago was ATB going too fast and not being comfortable with the prospect of taking damage, and not having enough time to menu the right solution. That might sound immature, considering I played fighting games already, but execution is different.

I set CT's ATB to active mode with max speed. And as you might expect, the game started going much faster. Combat takes less time and I feel much more engaged in moment-to-moment play, and anticipating next action. Kind of like an action game, really!

It wouldn't be me without introspective game analysis, so one thing that's been sticking with me lately is an increased appetite for ATB games. I used to treat ATB all wrong, setting it on Wait mode & treating it like a turn based game. But that doesn't really highlight its strengths.

The main party is a good cast, and I like that the game is even willing to interrogate its Silent Protagonist. Thinking on it, I feel the latter half of the game becomes much more interesting for that reason, side quests and all.

Chrono Trigger is like lightning in a bottle. Active Time Battle, team attacks, boss fights that demand target prioritization, compact but strong characterization, interesting localization & a functioning time travel narrative underpinning the whole experience. It's snappy, beautiful and memorable.

Illustrations like these speak volumes in a game with mostly reserved 2D pixel art. This is on PS2, the console that took a HUGE leap in 3D graphics at the time. 3D was the New Hot Stuff.

And then there was Gust. Well placed, striking imagery with good compositions & coloring. Doing what they can.