* * * * * Chrono Trigger - Week 5 * * * * *

(Plain English: Scroll down to the bottom of the "OP" if you're lagging behind for previous weeks)


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prologue:
i Okami Club
ii Fire Emblem Club

Epic Center:
01 Ogre Battle
24 Secret of Mana
39 Phantasy Star IV (cont'd)
67 Earthbound (cont'd)
99 Breath of Fire II (cont'd)
110 Paper Mario (cont'd)
123 Golden Sun (cont'd)
136 Chrono Trigger

(ALL VINTAGE EC GAMES ARE CONTINUED IN THEIR OFFICIAL DISCUSSION THREADS!)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Hello, true believers! Welcome to Negative World's newest RPG-centric Club Hub, springing off the heels of the Fire Emblem Club. Way back when, Nintendo Power introduced a monthly walkthrough / in depth Role Play Game section (right around the beefiest SNES RPG era), but since they aren't around anymore to use it, Negative World will bring it out of the ashes, dust it off, and roll with it (two things of note: #1, this is not in reaction to Nintendo Force Magazine at all -- I know that because I thought of it in the shower this morning, so THERE; and #2, I just looked up "Epic Center RPG" on Yahoo, and there is apparently another RPG-based site that has that, ugh. I guess we're looking at a "Ghostbusters" / "Real Ghostbusters" thing now... Whatever..).

For anyone who grew playing SNES RPGs, and were a fan of them, they surely resonated to the point where they still hold office as some of your favorite games of your entire videogame life, systems, generations, and decades later. The NW Epic Center (run primarily by myself, with the aid of some special friends occasionally) will help to expose some of those games that didn't quite get the recognition they deserved, and also to relive some of the greatest games EVER as we play through them again -- together -- and open up a whole new dialogue on these lost treasures.


Next up..



Chrono Trigger is held by many (myself included) as The Greatest RPG of All Time, pun not intended. It is a benchmark title in the genre, and even after 20 years the game is discussed daily and held in high regard, even in the face of juiced-up, HD "masterpieces." Is simpler sometimes better? Sure, but we're not talking "Dragon Warrior" simple here; we're talking 16-bit perfection at its finest. I'm personally a bit worried about pursuing this game once more; it's been a long time since my last jog through it, and I'm afraid I might have the rosiest pair of glasses that any shot of nostalgia could ever produce. We find out later this month, for better or for worse. (C'mon, it's gonna be fine -- we're talking Chrono Trigger here!! THE BEST, JERRY, THE BEST!!)

Sunday, August 30th marks the start of Week 1 (if you prefer to start your own quest AFTER Sunday, like Monday, or Tuesday, or Wednesday, thats fine!). Golden Sun ran 6 Weeks. GameDadGrant will be our DUNGEON MASTER for this one, and we figure the playthrough to run about the same length. Less than two months. I'm told the total quest should last you between 20 and 30 hours.


See ya soon!!


CHRONO TRIGGER

Dungeon Master: GameDadGrant

You Did It! Chrono Trigger Complete:
VofEscaflowne
Scrawnton
Mop it up
Ludist210


Week 4 Complete:
GameDadGrant
mrbiggsly
DapperDave

Week 3 Complete:
Mr_Mustache (and Mrs_Mustache!)

Week 2 Complete:
Smerd
Dark weres
warerare
sirmastersephiroth

Week 1 Complete:
Anand

Triggermen:
HammerLord
Koovaps

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5

--------------------------------

URL to share (right click and copy)

@Mr_Mustache
I've been looking for an excuse to get through Ogre Battle 64, so if you schedule it for December/January we ought to be able to get enough people together to get some decent discussion happening about it.

I'd do Ogre Battle 64. It's the only N64 game on my backlog...

HA! SEPTEMBER! Good Lord...


YES, Ogre Battle 64 is MINT.

HAHA, you think we should campaign for 7 months? ..Sure, why the hell not!

(I was actually hoping to get Xenoblade in here somehow. Hey, that takes 7 months to play!!..)

Is Ogre Battle 64 on the VC?

@deathly_hallows

I do believe it is. What a swell game. (Is there still a discrepency between the Wii U and Wii VC's? That I don't know.. It's definitely on the Wii one.)

@Mr_Mustache
I don't think it's on the Wii U VC, but no harm in using Wii mode on occasion, I have my gold Goldeneye classic controller!

@deathly_hallows

It's a long game. Are you up to the challenge? When people dip out, it saddens me to the core. Look and see how Ogre Battle ended up there. Like, 17% completion, and two of the "winners" came from my house!

@Mr_Mustache
Well it's one of those games that I've always wanted to play, I might be up for it just depends on timing, when is going to start?

@deathly_hallows

December. Dark Weres' idea.


But like I said, we can play something else in the mean time.. Maybe I should just finish Dragon Warrior III on my own.

Well that gives me plenty of time to decide!

Maybe by then they'll put in on the Wii U VC!

Amanda's playing through Chrono Trigger right now if anyone wants to run through it. Shes enjoying it a lot so far.

@Mr_Mustache
I'm actually much of the way through my first Xenoblade file but I certainly wouldn't mind discussing while everyone else catches up, or alternatively starting over

@Dark Weres

I haven't turned mine on since the month it came out. Isn't that absurd? I have NO IDEA why. I'm very ashamed.

@PogueSquadron

Good for her! Who is her favorite?

@Mr_Mustache@Mr_Mustache
I keep getting about 80 hours in, then taking a big break due to something big coming out (e.g. Bayonetta 2), then when I boot it up again, I've forgotten half the battle mechanics and what kind of arrangement of skills I have on Shulk. I'm thinking an Epic Centre could probably keep me on track to finishing it.

She's not enthralled with it. She likes the gameplay but isn't seeing the amazing story that everyone claims the game has. She doesn't really think there's anything in the way of character development outside of a couple characters. Even Chrono's death wasn't all that meaningful to her because he's such a blank slate/she'll of a character.

I can see get where she's coming from. We play games with super intricate and intriguing stories all the time with wacky characters and absurd goings on. Looking at it now, Chrono Trigger's story probably doesn't hold up the best. None of the characters really get much time to shine. They're all kind of one-note.

I have a feeling she might lol FFVI a lot more, which does give all the characters more motivation and backstory and all that. CT has an exciting but plot IMO but there's not much in the game to get you invested in th characters.

I try to ask if she's intrigued but she's said that just because they don't explain something, that isn't enough. I can understand that. They don't really foreshadow any of the twists and turns In the game all that well. For maybe 80% of the game, it kind of just feels like you're bouncing around time asking "what exactly am I doing and why am I doing this?"

I think she'll like FFVI more which places more emphasis on little side stories and character relationships. In CT, no one really changes all that much. They just say slightly different things depending on who's in your party at the time. Thankfully they all do each get one little moment towards the end of the game. Not sure that's enough of a "story" for her though. She was expecting way way more from a game that is so revered for its story.

Edit: sorry for all the typos. I'm on my phone.

@PogueSquadron

I cant speak to Chrono Trigger, but with a lot of games people confuse ''having a great ____ for its time'' with ''having a great ____.'' It's hard to look at a revolutionary game that you experienced in its time with a level-headed perspective because of the impact it left on you in its time. Thats why a lot of people say, for example, Ocarina of Time is better than Majora's Mask or Wind Waker. I think if Majora's Mask or Wind Waker had come out before Ocarina of Time it wouldnt be as beloved ws it is.

I dont mean to pick on Ocarina of Time fans, though; I love that game. It can just be hard to seperate a revolutionary game's initial impact on you from how you feel the game stands on its own merits today, regardless of context or what it excelled at for the standards of its time.

What about Lufia 2....oh wait...

Seriously though, I'd be up for Chrono Trigger. I haven't played it before so that would be cool.

@Mr_Mustache
I still plan to go back and play more Ogre Battle at some point. Maybe for Backlaugust this year if I have time.

@Dark Weres

I saw someone (Deerock?) on Miiverse posting about it. I REALLY need to just sit down and make myself do it. It has all kinds of things I LOVE in games like that, it seems so weird that it turned me away (or I was turned away) from it. I WILL get back in there soon.

(EDIT- I JUST fired it up for the first time since APRIL 22nd, 2012. WHAT THE F. I have no idea whats going on, Battle confuses the devil out of me, though I did manage to make some progress in the Refugee Camp with some sidequests. What in the planet... I have no idea how to proceed from here. Like...I don't want to start over, but I'm so HELLA-LOST. I know what I'm supposed to be doing now, storyline-wise, but the mechanics are all off. Ideas?)

@Pokefreak911

Chrono Trigger shouldn't take THAT long. Maybe we can get something brewing around summertime. Chrono Trigger speaks "July" to me. Kinda like stupid SKIES OF ARCADIA, WHY ARE WE STILL WAITING FOR AN HD REMASTER.

@PogueSquadron
@Hero_Of_Hyrule

..and THIS is why I don't want to play it again!

I've had my Ogre Battle 64 cartridge for many years and have never really touched it, so maybe I'll join in for that one. For something to do in the meantime, here are a few of the RPGs on my backlogue:

Final Fantasy IV Advance
Final Fantasy IV DS
Final Fantasy V Advance
Final Fantasy VI Advance
Phantasy Star II
Phantasy Star III

I'd also be down for replaying Chrono Trigger, as it has been many years since my last run through, and who knows how long since I've started a regular new game and not a new game plus.

@Hero_Of_Hyrule I don't think I'd like Majora's Mask or Wind Waker more than OoT if I played them first, because those games are sloppy and have issues. Now, if I played Twilight Princess or Skyward Sword first, then those might top OoT on my list of faves.

I always have that itch for Final Fantasy III. Poguester, would you (and Amanda) want to play when she's done with CT? Maybe we can all roll then. If we wanted (the other folks) to do CT after that, I think we could with plenty of time. How long are they? FFIII takes me like 55 hours?