Aw man, someone posted a really awesome comment, I wrote a wall of text talking about how artists can evolve their own styles by copying artists who came before them, and when I went to post it the comment disappeared, and so has my draft. T_T Ah well, snagging yourself a "Hype Responsibly" tee from shop.superderekrpgs.com might cheer me up after this disaster. And get yourself a belated gift while you're at it! 😜
Congrats man. I hope you got to experience it spoiler free. I unfortunately got spoiled on something because a lot of people think a game being old means its ok to spoil the story. I still loved the game but people need to remember there are always folks discovering these classics for the first time.
I did the same thing in January 2024. As someone who doesn't have nostalgia for it, it holds up really well and I have a lot of respect for the game. I love how "not grindy" it is despite the time it was released - very respectful of your time. What stood out the most to me was how well written the characters are. I feel like modern character-focused RPGs such as Mass Effect would not exist without the groundwork laid by Chrono Trigger. Can't wait to eventually replay it and go for a different ending.
@@PenguinProvincial-c2v thank you, yes I was able to experience it spoiler free, I've read and seen spoilers of other games, sometimes by choice and sometimes not, but Chrono Trigger was the one I was able to avoid
Here's my proposed opening. There's a party of adventurer's breaking into the dark wizard's fortress, and it opens with an epic battle where the player has decked out characters with many advanced abilities in a fight that is very possible to lose, but with a little trial and error (where the game is basically giving you the ability to experiment with end game mechanics early) the player the player wins. The dark wizard is cast into a void only to awaken in a new place, and he's the main character. A game where: - If I know what I'm doing and am on new game + I can finish it in a couple hours. - If I grind it's an RPG, if I don't it's a puzzle game. - Long conversations are kept to a minimum, as characterization is shown via action as much as text. - My choices and actions have consequences in the game world that I can see, and are lasting (and thanks to new game + can be permanent and exclusive without feeling like the player is being locked out). gah, I could add more, but that's enough theory crafting / thought experimenting.
I love the idea of the tutorial boss being the actual protagonist! To really make it come full circle though, the hero party from the beginning would need to be the true Big Bad. If I had my way with this idea, your party would end up being made up of standard evil minions but with actual characterization. Like you'd befriend a cowardly dragon and a noble skeleton man and some kind of dude that's made of some kind of slime. The love interest would be a hotheaded Gorgon.
+1 I loved it. I was surprised when I realized it wasn't universally loved. Apparently Chained Echoes is a love it or hate it for all different reasons. Some people didn't like the ending, combat system, or story in general. I actually don't understand it. I thought the pacing was awesome, the combat system had depth, and the story was great while leaving threads open for a sequel, which I would buy immediately.
A good spiritual successor should share the core gameplay elements that made the original unique, especially the parts most loved by fans of the original game, and probably the reason a development team is inspired to make a spiritual successor. I haven't played Chrono Trigger since the 1990s so my memory of the game is vague, but time travel would be a necessary element of the core storyline and gameplay experience. I think art style, tone, and perhaps thematic elements should also be carried through but modernized. Musical style shouldn't be copied, but should feel like a cousin to the original soundtrack. It should stand on its own, but maybe have some callbacks or nods to the original. The game should also not be a clone of the original but should have its own creative spin and take advantage of more powerful gaming hardware and development tools available. I've been playing Path of Exile 2 a lot in early access, and I think that is a very good example of a spiritual successor to Diablo 2. I think PoE1 was supposed to be as well, but I never played it.
I appreciate the spoiler warnings, Derek. There are always new JRPG fans getting into the genre. So we should give them a chance to discover these classics for the first time.
To be fair, those new JRPG fans who haven't played Chrono Trigger yet _probably_ shouldn't be watching videos _about_ Chrono Trigger if they care about spoilers... But I'm still working on trying to be mindful about my assumptions. :)
I think everyone takes different things from Chrono Trigger. What made it pop for me, was the pacing. It gave you the good parts in an almost constant stream from beginning to end, with very little slog. It never felt like it was gatekeeping rewards from you, and always made it feel like you earned the good stuff. That’s a difficult balance to walk, but they did it.
SUCH A GREAT VIDEO!! Thank you!! Sorry, it took me a while to watch the whole thing and make an actual comment for the WHOLE thing... orz Chrono Trigger came out in 1995, so THIS year is its 30th Anniversary (JP: March 11, NA: August 22)!! Insane, isn't it!? The same is true for Terranigma! We can't forget!
@31:10 I entirely agree with this. I really think if we're ever going to get a spiritual successor to this game, it has to be by as many of the original creators as possible, as many of the "DREAM TEAM" members that are still able and willing... That would be AMAZING!!!
I just remembered a run I did of Chrono Cross where I denied Kid at every turn and she actually never joins your party if you did that. I thought that was interesting, so I'm passing this on while I listen to the part about the choice of Glenn. Also, I once did a list of how many characters are actually necessary for CC's party members, and I cut it from 44 to 19 (then added Orlha in because I really like her character).
I wish Vanillaware would make a new action rpg similar to OdinSphere that game was great and the pooka race are so cute and in the next successor to princess crown thats an odin sphere successor we need a cute bunny or animal similar to pookas especially playable ones We need a odin sphere reimagining where pooka velvet is playable since her pooka form is so cute
If it does get a "remake" I sincerely hope that it is simply an HD-2D update that otherwise leaves well enough alone. When I played the new content introduced in the DS port, well... it hit _worse,_ and not by just a little.
I answered my things to the something classic survey. But I think when someone makes a spiritual successor they usually have a specific aspect they want to focus on. Sometimes get lost in the reeds of trying to be the game that inspired them. Like I could see someone being inspired by the time travel, in the way you can alter the world by actions in the past, but not necessarily find time travel as their mode of achieving that. Because if you break it down formally it's a logical way to change things in one instance and have it effect the other. A Link to the Past did that with the dark world. I could see someone being inspired by the feeling of teamwork in the combat, but the game you're making is not combat focused. Duel and triple techs are no use in a conversation, but team work happens in conversation all the time. I guess that really asks us to define our terms though. Like is it a spiritual successor just to be inspired? A bunch of assembled inspirations from a single property? Or is it a fan sequel with the numbers filed off?
Yeah, I tried my hand at definitions in that other video I mentioned at the top of this video, and ultimately I think that some of these terms are really fuzzy. The most exclusive version of the word I think refers mainly to returning staff members continuing their work. But I really feel like there should be a name for indies attempting to take up the mantle. Seems like the language we use to describe these things hasn't really "settled" just yet.
Aahh the Chrono Trigger spiritual succesors, sometimes I get excited for them and sometimes I get so tired too. I get it, people want to make an homage to this masterpiece but is hard. That's what perfection is. From Cosmic Star Heroine, to Sea of Stars, Chained Echoes, and so on...
I think this can be applied to every game being inspired by their predecessors, not just Chrono Trigger "successors". I'm working on a game inspired by the Tales series, so those Chrono Trigger criterias might not apply to my situation. But, they made me think about what is the essence of the series I take inspiration from, and what is the way the games present themselves (the red-herrings). I'm not far in development, but in my vision of my game, I fell into some of the red-herrings you mentioned, like music and art. Just replace the names (Inomata for Toriyama and Sakuraba for Mitsuda)
You're absolutely right! This can really apply, even more broadly, to art in general I think! I hope that you can find my armchair musings on the topic helpful in some small way as you continue to figure out how to bring _your_ vision into reality. Best of luck to you on this project! 💪
Hi Derek! I really enjoyed this video. Must say it would most likely get a legendary status if you woulve add fragments of chrono trigger and cross why you were talking about it! Anyways loved it. I have a few things I would love to add out of personal preference and 1 thing i disagree with: To add What for me also makes a perfect sequal (or rpg for that matter): Keep the relaxing/calming vibe so Not to much action. In other wordt. KEEP IT A VIDEOGAME instead of trying to make a movie. Also bright cartoons pastel colors instead of black, grey brown etc. Also side quests. You did mention it but if you see what dq3 did with adding the monster wrangler mechanic where you have to look for monsters and the mini medals or a townbuilding possibilty like bof2 etc is just really awesome. It would also be great to revisit places from chrono in the sequel! Like going back to the fancy fair but make it less underwhelming. And what i don't agree with and actually hate is action combat, to much action/flashy laserbeams, hectic, aerial combos/hack and slash, weird camera turns, button bashing etc combat. Games like visions of mana, final fantasy after 9, dragon 11 quest, breath of fire after 4 etc etc all destroyed entire franchises for me. And what I DID love were: dq3, eyuden chronicles, sea of stars. Just to give you an impression of what I mean. Sorry for the long story. It's just my opinion. 43year old retro gamer btw
So I have been playing a mobile game for years that I believe is the closest thing to a spiritual successor to Chrono Trigger. Another Eden: The cat beyond Time and Space. I love this game. Misato Kato is the main writer and director and Yasinori Mitsuda is the primary composer. By far the closest thing I have found that gives me the same feeling as I had playing Chrono Trigger. Sure since it is a mobile title, it has its Gacha mechanics. It also has a great story and the time travel aspect is superb. If you can get past the Gacha, I would tell everyone to try this game for at least it's story and gameplay.
As a lifelong fan of chrono cross, and I'm even one of those crazy people that prefers chrono cross to chrono trigger I can understand the purpose of the video. Personally even though I'm guilty of using the word spiritual successor it's personally a word that I don't even like but I feel like in the world of video games it's pretty much unavoidable because no matter how you decide to make a game more often than not people are going to make the comparisons if it borrows elements from other well established jrpgs or even well established fictional storylines. You often see people make the comment that there are no original ideas anymore, and I've often perplexed why we always have to make that distinction. When it comes to fiction of any sort we shouldn't have to stress ourselves about coming up with something original nor should we have to stress about making something that borrows story elements or even gameplay elements from other games. I believe in accepting a game for what it is and what it wants to bring to the table, if it's eerily similar to something else - who cares. I certainly don't. I just want to play a good game and if it ends up being a carbon copy of something else is it going to ruin the gameplay experience for me - probably not. For as much as I absolutely adore chrono cross - I feel the game could of been much more successful if the audience was a little more open minded to what was being presented to them. For me, I thought chrono cross was a great way of maturing the story for people that grew up playing chrono trigger, but at the time chrono cross was released - people from what I remember in 1999 we're incredibly judgemental and had a hard time accepting what was being presented to them and it even got to a point where they felt that chrono cross wasn't even a true sequel to chrono trigger. People literally wanted an exact copy of what was being presented in the original chrono trigger just under the playstation 1 graphic template. However, I appreciate what was done in chrono cross and I think the fact that it is so different from chrono trigger while building upon the lore is a true testament of the storytelling of this world. At the end of the day, make the game you want to make - don't worry about fans making comparisons or even if it has the potential to be a spiritual successor to something else. Make something your passionate about and if video game players hate you for it, then let them hate you for it. Stay true to you and what you want to put out there.
Exactly this. Some people say that there are no original ideas anymore -- and those people have been right for about the last 5,000 years. True originality is both something that is utterly impossible due to everything having been done before, no single thought has never been thought before, yet at the same time it's utterly unavoidable. Because just becomes _someone_ has done something before, when _you_ do it for the first time, you bring something inherently unique to it. That's art! It's all iterative. :)
Speaking strictly for myself, the key elements that make Chrono Trigger my hands down favorite JRPG (even three decades after my first time) are: 1. There are few enough characters that you can genuinely care about each and want to see each one's arc through to the end 2. The combat system superbly blends intuitiveness with complexity and variety 3. At no point do you get stuck grinding for money or levels to progress While the time travel was great, I don't think it was really as important to the overall experience as these other elements of game design, which could complement any well-crafted story with or without time travel. It's sad that Chrono Cross ran so hard in the opposite direction. I remember it having gorgeous art and music, but it definitely didn't stick around in my memory or my heart like its predecessor. I'm glad to see the indiesphere taking up the mantle in such a big way these days, though I don't have anywhere near the free time I used to.
Excellent video. I was the programmer on Arcadian Atlas (a game you've covered!) and this hit me right in the feels. Audience expectations are rough, especially with marketing/advertising factored in (which may distort from what the final game truly is). I'm a big fan, both as a player and as a developer, of releasing playable demos as early as humanly possible. Not only can they be a great source of feedback, more importantly they can disperse a few misconceptions about what the game truly is. It's not a perfect solution, though, especially for a genre like RPGs that have long-tailed progression arcs -- but at least it's a step in the right direction. Thank you for sharing your advice & thoughts with other developers!
I _loved_ my time with Arcadian Atlas! Managing expectations is always such a difficult thing to do, but it _really_ makes an incredible difference. It's too bad people can't accept games for what they are, instead of for what they _aren't._ You know? Thank you for watching! :)
One of the creators of Chrono Trigger has made a game called Another Eden: A Cat Through Time and Space. It has a lot of homages to Chrono Trigger and other rpgs, as well as co-lab campaigns with other games like Octopath Traveler, Chrono Cross, and Persona. Its one of my favorite games, check it out.
I love chrono trigger and i chose to spare magus and have him join my team he is so cool. CHRONO TRIGGER is my favorite snes game and my favorite snes rpg
For a true spiritual successor, we need a full soundtrack composed by Yasunori Mitsuda with old school 16 bit MIDI sounds. Edit: Definitely should’ve watched the whole video before posting😂
I think one important thing that the spiritual successors often miss out is something that's not necessarily unique to Chrono Trigger. And that's just how concise the game's design is. Dungeons are short and punchy. The game flows really well. And it just packs more plot and game progress into just a few hours than a lot of other JRPGs do in 100s of hours. Something like Chained Echoes, for example, felt a bit bloated with all the different combat systems and treasure hunts and other padding.
I think that, sadly, some of this has to do with the perception of "longer games = better value," because some people still view their money as the sole cost of a game, and view their time as limitless, (like grade school aged kids over summer break,) rather than viewing the time invested in a game as an _added_ cost. I tried conveying this in my "Why smaller RPGs are better" video, (albeit a bit clumsily.) Perhaps I should take another crack at the subject at some point, now that I have thought about it a bit more. :)
Just wrapped up Wind and Truth, oh god, how am I going to wait for the next entry??? ...Well I still have the second half of the Wheel of Time, and other books in the Cosmere to dive into I suppose. :)
At the time, I think CT was just so incredible because of something I think it really borrowed from Dragon Quest, which is subverting your expectations. DQ always looked super traditional, but then would have moments where you feel like the game really pulled one over on you. The plot of the game was pretty unpredictable at the time and had really brisk pacing. And the other thing is just like, it almost “broke the shackles” of Final Fantasy- letting you run and move in 8 directions, fight enemies on the field- it felt like Secret of Mana, FF, and DQ had a baby. It was a straight up evolution of what was going on at the time. It trimmed all the fat of all of those games and just made a super tight and user friendly experience.
I prefer Chrono Trigger over Chrono Cross and personally they should have just made a Chrono Trigger sequel that feels more like a sequel and should have brought back time travel and such
Good points & discussion - Multiple endings are tough to get right. They often result in walkthrough-itis, and can also interrupt pacing pretty significantly. As to Xenogears - flawed masterpiece, but not perfect.
Maybe so! But if that's the case, you essentially cement your immortality until you return the item, because if you died you can't very well go return items. 🤯
I think the problem with the word successor is that it's saying we're replacing that game so yeah people will get very defensive of something so beloved if they feel it's status is threatened on that pedestal.
Awesome fireplace! You did a great job. Did you plan on doing a video about the construction. From your other video you talked about maybe doing one. I hope you do one. I'm enjoying your longer from content! Have a good one!
Thanks dude! Yeah! I plan on making a video talking about the process, a time lapse, some narration an such, I want to prioritize the Lufia II review right now though, since it's been _way_ too long since my last episode of The Game Collection. But once that's done, you bet!
That's great! I always talk with my gf about doing a project like that together so I would be cool to see the process. I'm sure I could find another channel that does those things but I rather see your video about it. Also looking forward to the Lufia 2 video as well. I hope you have a great week! Thanks for all the cool videos! @@SuperDerek
I have a question. What differentiate a "spiritual successor" to a clone/copycat? IF someone make and use Chrono trigger as inspire and give their twist on it is it a spiritual successor or a copycat? Because i see game like Genshin Impact is called Breath of the wild clone, Palworld is Pokemon clone with gun, etc, but when you play it, the game is different and just "used" or have similar element from other game, like most game do. Like if someone used time travel shenanigan or other thing you said.
In large part, I think the difference is vibes and perception, and whether or not you feel like talking about a game from the perspective of respect or denigration. Tomato, _tomato._ Ultimately, I think copycats and ripoffs and spiritual successors are kith and kin, but perhaps one of the more defining aspects in my mind, is acknowledgement of the fact that you're paying homage, rather than trying to pass off ideas as strictly your own when they obviously are not. That said, most artists don't credit every influence in their artwork, because it's impossible to keep track of everything that influences you. But I think in the indie space with smaller teams, it's a little easier to keep track of your specific muses. :)
Omg I just discovered this channel about RPGs AND his name is Derek and spelled like mine! (I’m sure you know the struggle of having people spell your name) lol awesome I am subscribing!
Welcome aboard, fellow Derek! The struggle _is_ real! Could be worse though, my musically inclined RPG-loving buddy @ErekLadd must _really_ be on that struggle bus! 😅
"Spelling it wrong" is kind of an inside joke for us Dereks -- because people spell it a multitude of ways, including, but not limited to... Derek, Derrick, Derick, Derik, Dereck, Derreck, Derrik, and occasionally even Deric. Some of these I think are short for the various spellings of "Frederick" but the common "Derek" is actually derived from "Theodoric" -- which honestly is pretty dang badass, IMO. 😁
@@SuperDerek Derrick? Like the oil pump scaffolding? Those ones know they can just pay a couple hundred dollars to not be named after a pollution machine, right?
Yeah, you have to get pretty deep into Cross, and pay a lot of attention to certain background scenes to really _see_ the connections though. It's easy to miss if you don't know where to look your first time or two through the game. :)
@SuperDerek ya but there is the direct Chrono, luca and marle thing that happens later that even if everything prior that point could just be considered references for people who played Chrono trigger that kinda shoves it in the face it is a sequel. the robo being the main thing for the fate machine same but ya that one you have to really pay attention to get that's what happened
Man, I actually had to deep-dive the Chrono Compendium website before I actually understood some of that wild stuff at the end of CC, and it's connections to CT. I think at a certain point, I just stopped looking for the connections and accepted it for what it was. I definitely recognized when some of the original cast showed up as... uh, ghosts? But otherwise, a lot of it just felt incomprehensible at the tail end of Cross, until a few deep-dive readings and discussions and play-throughs later. And even now, it's kinda hazy to me. 🙃 But yes, it's definitely a sequel, in that, its entire premise occurs in the aftermath of time-traveling shenanigans. :)
I don't think people got mad when they announced Sea of Stars - we were mostly drooling over it. I think people got annoyed that it wasn't revolutionary. It's not about eye candy, it's about gameplay. The challenge is you have to one up the GAMEPLAY of CT.
Yeah, people absolutely loved the look of the first few trailers. That's not necessarily when people start hating projects though. This is when people can hype their expectations to unreasonable levels that _guarantee_ that people will be underwhelmed, _no matter what_ you do. A game could practically walk on water, and someone will be like "bro, you can't even swim?" 😅
I just finished up a play through this weekend.(10th time) I don't think this needs a spiritual successor. The story, music and Easter eggs are hard to do.
You're probably right, nothing _needs_ a spiritual successor, I think though that for some artists, the desire to emulate a style of art, or to pay homage or tribute to a piece of art, is just too alluring. And with that perspective, I can understand the appeal. :)
@@SuperDerek I am Setsuna was that like a spiritual successor for CT? I haven't played it so I can't comment on if it was or wasn't. Great video. Great idea to to talk about it. I just feel like it would be hard to do. CT had the RPG dream team working on it.
It came out back before I started doing "first impressions" videos, so I ended up missing it entirely. So, while I also never played Setsuna, I've heard mixed opinions on it. Some like it, others felt the vibe was depressing and sleepy. Maybe I should take a look some day?
I personally am not even a fan of the idea of a spiritual successor or even mentioning you were inspired by other games. Not because it's a bad idea to copy great things and build on them, but you will immediately be compared to those games. But if you just make your own game to the best of your ability and have nods to other games in your games but not really mention them. Then the player will be less likely to compare them, but also do the old "I see what you did there". Now its different if you made the original game and are making a sequel/spiritual successor. But even that can have negative side effects, like imagine if Chrono Cross did not have Chrono in the name at all. Would people of been much more forgiving of it and excited to see some connections to chrono trigger in the story. I think so!
@@SuperDerek yep haha, I typed this halfway through the video and then heard you say basically the same thing! Should always learn not to be a premature typer lol.
@@SuperDerek My brain has been rotted by the internet, not enough surf ninja playing in the corner to keep my ego in check for videos longer than 15 mins!!!
lol, I think that I know you mean "Subway Surfer" or whatever, but in my mind, Rob Schneider is still going on about how "Money Can't Buy Knives" from my childhood favorite movie, "Surf Ninjas" 🤣
I honestly just wish people would try to create something more unique. I love Chrono Trigger and if I want to relive it, then I'll just replay it. It's better than the "spiritual successor" would be. I will probably skip a remake of it if that comes out unless it gets amazing reviews from everyone whose opinion I trust. I just think you had a dream team who created it and you're not going to create what they made again. I also love the SNES graphics too. So I don't need "updated" graphics. I like indie games. I just don't like them when they want to copy another game too much. I liked Ara Fell. Not an amazing game, but it was fun and not trying to copy another game.
I agree. And honestly, I feel like the discourse around this game on, well let's just call it "various JRPG forums around the Internet" feel pretty disconnected from reality. Feels like a lot of places exist as an echo chamber that amplifies only the angriest or most disappointed of voices.
Hard disagree about multiple endings. You can't really say branching paths are required, but multiple endings are not. Branching paths that don't result in multiple endings fall very flat. I think you're point about silly ways to get endings is spot on. it's way too common in JRPGs. However, there's nothing quite like branching paths where specifically your story choices and the effort you put into exploring the world and characters leading to drastically different endings, no BS required. I don't like the conceit where one ending is "good", and one is "bad", based on quality. That's also overused in JRPGs. I vastly prefer them to just be different, and reflect your choices. Some can be darker, some lighter, but you feel like you earned them because you made the choices. They can all be good quality wise, if not in tone.
It's a Mode1 Retro II. I can't recommend it for _most_ people, because it's a Japanese import that doesn't support all US bands, so sometimes it's a WiFi-only phone for me. It runs a full version of Android 13 though, has a fingerprint reader for biometric unlocking, password managers and such, and even supports NFC payments, and is compatible with my smart watch and ear buds. I mostly rock it these days to help keep me off social media, since it's got such a tiny screen. :)
Fyi: for me, the angle oft the shot for this video feels narrow and uncomfortable, not cosy at all, which does not pay tribute to the nice fireplace in the background.
The feedback is appreciated! Didn't want to show off _too_ much of the fireplace I built because it's still kind of a work-in-progress. Seems like a lot of people dig it so far, but there's still a lot of room for playing around with this new set piece, and learning how best to put it to use to embrace those cozy vibes. Art is iterative, and this is one of my _first_ iterations. :)
I'd agree that it's definitely one of the more successful attempts I've tried, but this really isn't a "Highlander" situation -- there _can_ be more than one. :)
Well, it's a prop, it looks good on camera, and is only semi-functional, not a permanent structure though. For the ~100 hours it took to put together plus materials, I wonder if people would be willing to pay for something like that. 🤔 Then again, I suppose prop-making and set-design I think is/was an actual career path before everything went digital and green-screen.
I think the "it's a spiritual successor to Chrono Trigger" is over used. Sea of Stars did it as a marketing stunt and the game is totally not like Chrono Trigger, not a single bit. The battle system for example was just Mario RPG. There are also many others whith names I already forgot. Just make something new and stay away from the member berries. Chrono Trigger was also not a spiritual successor to anything else.
For me, Chrono Trigger’s approach to time travel is the perfect amount of sci-fi to be entertaining to the masses, just like Back to the Future was for film. Chrono Cross was a great game, but a kinda lousy sequel.
Aw man, someone posted a really awesome comment, I wrote a wall of text talking about how artists can evolve their own styles by copying artists who came before them, and when I went to post it the comment disappeared, and so has my draft. T_T
Ah well, snagging yourself a "Hype Responsibly" tee from shop.superderekrpgs.com might cheer me up after this disaster. And get yourself a belated gift while you're at it! 😜
Use a notepad for lengthy comments from now on. Same thing has happened to me, including on Wikipedia.
Really digging the laid back vibe, listening to a discussion about my favorite game of all time. That fireplace is sick!
\m/-_-\m/
Thanks Gabe! It's about 95% done, hoping I can finish up the last 5% once this blizzard passes. It's been one _heck_ of a project this winter!
I finally got around to playing Chrono Trigger in 2024 for the first time
Congrats! I'd be really interested in hearing your thoughts on how well you think it held up to the hype!
Bah dum tsssss
Congrats man. I hope you got to experience it spoiler free. I unfortunately got spoiled on something because a lot of people think a game being old means its ok to spoil the story. I still loved the game but people need to remember there are always folks discovering these classics for the first time.
I did the same thing in January 2024. As someone who doesn't have nostalgia for it, it holds up really well and I have a lot of respect for the game. I love how "not grindy" it is despite the time it was released - very respectful of your time. What stood out the most to me was how well written the characters are. I feel like modern character-focused RPGs such as Mass Effect would not exist without the groundwork laid by Chrono Trigger. Can't wait to eventually replay it and go for a different ending.
@@PenguinProvincial-c2v thank you, yes I was able to experience it spoiler free, I've read and seen spoilers of other games, sometimes by choice and sometimes not, but Chrono Trigger was the one I was able to avoid
Here's my proposed opening. There's a party of adventurer's breaking into the dark wizard's fortress, and it opens with an epic battle where the player has decked out characters with many advanced abilities in a fight that is very possible to lose, but with a little trial and error (where the game is basically giving you the ability to experiment with end game mechanics early) the player the player wins. The dark wizard is cast into a void only to awaken in a new place, and he's the main character.
A game where:
- If I know what I'm doing and am on new game + I can finish it in a couple hours.
- If I grind it's an RPG, if I don't it's a puzzle game.
- Long conversations are kept to a minimum, as characterization is shown via action as much as text.
- My choices and actions have consequences in the game world that I can see, and are lasting (and thanks to new game + can be permanent and exclusive without feeling like the player is being locked out).
gah, I could add more, but that's enough theory crafting / thought experimenting.
I love the idea of the tutorial boss being the actual protagonist! To really make it come full circle though, the hero party from the beginning would need to be the true Big Bad.
If I had my way with this idea, your party would end up being made up of standard evil minions but with actual characterization. Like you'd befriend a cowardly dragon and a noble skeleton man and some kind of dude that's made of some kind of slime. The love interest would be a hotheaded Gorgon.
So Magus
Chained Echoes is my Chrono Trigger spiritual successor, a love letter.
Yes!!!
+1 I loved it. I was surprised when I realized it wasn't universally loved. Apparently Chained Echoes is a love it or hate it for all different reasons. Some people didn't like the ending, combat system, or story in general. I actually don't understand it. I thought the pacing was awesome, the combat system had depth, and the story was great while leaving threads open for a sequel, which I would buy immediately.
... But Combat in CT was fun though. in CE its... not.
Sea of Stars is a much much better successor imo. Chain Echoes...tried, but just fall short a tiny bit.
@@viniciusnascimento1993 really liked chained echoes. I tried to line sea of stars but the characters and writing were too young for me.
A good spiritual successor should share the core gameplay elements that made the original unique, especially the parts most loved by fans of the original game, and probably the reason a development team is inspired to make a spiritual successor. I haven't played Chrono Trigger since the 1990s so my memory of the game is vague, but time travel would be a necessary element of the core storyline and gameplay experience.
I think art style, tone, and perhaps thematic elements should also be carried through but modernized. Musical style shouldn't be copied, but should feel like a cousin to the original soundtrack. It should stand on its own, but maybe have some callbacks or nods to the original.
The game should also not be a clone of the original but should have its own creative spin and take advantage of more powerful gaming hardware and development tools available.
I've been playing Path of Exile 2 a lot in early access, and I think that is a very good example of a spiritual successor to Diablo 2. I think PoE1 was supposed to be as well, but I never played it.
I appreciate the spoiler warnings, Derek. There are always new JRPG fans getting into the genre. So we should give them a chance to discover these classics for the first time.
To be fair, those new JRPG fans who haven't played Chrono Trigger yet _probably_ shouldn't be watching videos _about_ Chrono Trigger if they care about spoilers... But I'm still working on trying to be mindful about my assumptions. :)
I think everyone takes different things from Chrono Trigger. What made it pop for me, was the pacing. It gave you the good parts in an almost constant stream from beginning to end, with very little slog. It never felt like it was gatekeeping rewards from you, and always made it feel like you earned the good stuff.
That’s a difficult balance to walk, but they did it.
My friend sent me this survey the other day. My answers were almost identical to yours. Great video.
Wow, that's pretty rad! I almost never expect people to have a list _close_ to mine, so that's really rad! Thanks for watching! :)
SUCH A GREAT VIDEO!! Thank you!! Sorry, it took me a while to watch the whole thing and make an actual comment for the WHOLE thing... orz
Chrono Trigger came out in 1995, so THIS year is its 30th Anniversary (JP: March 11, NA: August 22)!! Insane, isn't it!? The same is true for Terranigma! We can't forget!
Oh my god, I may never recover from this... Thank you for the correction, I'll just be over here in the corner succumbing to dementia. 😭
@31:10 I entirely agree with this. I really think if we're ever going to get a spiritual successor to this game, it has to be by as many of the original creators as possible, as many of the "DREAM TEAM" members that are still able and willing... That would be AMAZING!!!
I'm 30 again! Hallelujah! I love the time travel paradox! Seriously though, love the show man.
March 11 is Chrono Trigger's 30th, that's crazy! I feel so old. 😢
Me too dude, I defaulted to calling Chrono Trigger 20 years old because in my mind, I'm still under 30. 😭
I just remembered a run I did of Chrono Cross where I denied Kid at every turn and she actually never joins your party if you did that. I thought that was interesting, so I'm passing this on while I listen to the part about the choice of Glenn.
Also, I once did a list of how many characters are actually necessary for CC's party members, and I cut it from 44 to 19 (then added Orlha in because I really like her character).
Whenever I hear the term spiritual successor, I think of Odin Sphere being a spiritual successor to Princess Crown.
I wish Vanillaware would make a new action rpg similar to OdinSphere that game was great and the pooka race are so cute and in the next successor to princess crown thats an odin sphere successor we need a cute bunny or animal similar to pookas especially playable ones
We need a odin sphere reimagining where pooka velvet is playable since her pooka form is so cute
I appreciate bringing a game back to earth. I imagine that Chrono Trigger will get a remake at some point and I don't want to be let down
If it does get a "remake" I sincerely hope that it is simply an HD-2D update that otherwise leaves well enough alone. When I played the new content introduced in the DS port, well... it hit _worse,_ and not by just a little.
Massive thumbs up for the good vibes and interesting discussion. 👍
Thank you prof! :)
I answered my things to the something classic survey. But I think when someone makes a spiritual successor they usually have a specific aspect they want to focus on. Sometimes get lost in the reeds of trying to be the game that inspired them. Like I could see someone being inspired by the time travel, in the way you can alter the world by actions in the past, but not necessarily find time travel as their mode of achieving that. Because if you break it down formally it's a logical way to change things in one instance and have it effect the other. A Link to the Past did that with the dark world. I could see someone being inspired by the feeling of teamwork in the combat, but the game you're making is not combat focused. Duel and triple techs are no use in a conversation, but team work happens in conversation all the time.
I guess that really asks us to define our terms though. Like is it a spiritual successor just to be inspired? A bunch of assembled inspirations from a single property? Or is it a fan sequel with the numbers filed off?
Yeah, I tried my hand at definitions in that other video I mentioned at the top of this video, and ultimately I think that some of these terms are really fuzzy. The most exclusive version of the word I think refers mainly to returning staff members continuing their work. But I really feel like there should be a name for indies attempting to take up the mantle. Seems like the language we use to describe these things hasn't really "settled" just yet.
Aahh the Chrono Trigger spiritual succesors, sometimes I get excited for them and sometimes I get so tired too. I get it, people want to make an homage to this masterpiece but is hard. That's what perfection is. From Cosmic Star Heroine, to Sea of Stars, Chained Echoes, and so on...
I think this can be applied to every game being inspired by their predecessors, not just Chrono Trigger "successors".
I'm working on a game inspired by the Tales series, so those Chrono Trigger criterias might not apply to my situation. But, they made me think about what is the essence of the series I take inspiration from, and what is the way the games present themselves (the red-herrings). I'm not far in development, but in my vision of my game, I fell into some of the red-herrings you mentioned, like music and art. Just replace the names (Inomata for Toriyama and Sakuraba for Mitsuda)
You're absolutely right! This can really apply, even more broadly, to art in general I think! I hope that you can find my armchair musings on the topic helpful in some small way as you continue to figure out how to bring _your_ vision into reality. Best of luck to you on this project! 💪
Hi Derek! I really enjoyed this video. Must say it would most likely get a legendary status if you woulve add fragments of chrono trigger and cross why you were talking about it! Anyways loved it.
I have a few things I would love to add out of personal preference and 1 thing i disagree with:
To add What for me also makes a perfect sequal (or rpg for that matter):
Keep the relaxing/calming vibe so Not to much action. In other wordt. KEEP IT A VIDEOGAME instead of trying to make a movie. Also bright cartoons pastel colors instead of black, grey brown etc. Also side quests. You did mention it but if you see what dq3 did with adding the monster wrangler mechanic where you have to look for monsters and the mini medals or a townbuilding possibilty like bof2 etc is just really awesome. It would also be great to revisit places from chrono in the sequel! Like going back to the fancy fair but make it less underwhelming.
And what i don't agree with and actually hate is action combat, to much action/flashy laserbeams, hectic, aerial combos/hack and slash, weird camera turns, button bashing etc combat.
Games like visions of mana, final fantasy after 9, dragon 11 quest, breath of fire after 4 etc etc all destroyed entire franchises for me. And what I DID love were: dq3, eyuden chronicles, sea of stars. Just to give you an impression of what I mean.
Sorry for the long story. It's just my opinion. 43year old retro gamer btw
Happy new year, Derek!
you too Shinobi! :D
So I have been playing a mobile game for years that I believe is the closest thing to a spiritual successor to Chrono Trigger. Another Eden: The cat beyond Time and Space. I love this game. Misato Kato is the main writer and director and Yasinori Mitsuda is the primary composer. By far the closest thing I have found that gives me the same feeling as I had playing Chrono Trigger. Sure since it is a mobile title, it has its Gacha mechanics. It also has a great story and the time travel aspect is superb. If you can get past the Gacha, I would tell everyone to try this game for at least it's story and gameplay.
I heard about this back when Chrono Cross had a cross-over! I should probably try to get over it and give it a go some day...
As a lifelong fan of chrono cross, and I'm even one of those crazy people that prefers chrono cross to chrono trigger I can understand the purpose of the video.
Personally even though I'm guilty of using the word spiritual successor it's personally a word that I don't even like but I feel like in the world of video games it's pretty much unavoidable because no matter how you decide to make a game more often than not people are going to make the comparisons if it borrows elements from other well established jrpgs or even well established fictional storylines. You often see people make the comment that there are no original ideas anymore, and I've often perplexed why we always have to make that distinction. When it comes to fiction of any sort we shouldn't have to stress ourselves about coming up with something original nor should we have to stress about making something that borrows story elements or even gameplay elements from other games.
I believe in accepting a game for what it is and what it wants to bring to the table, if it's eerily similar to something else - who cares. I certainly don't. I just want to play a good game and if it ends up being a carbon copy of something else is it going to ruin the gameplay experience for me - probably not. For as much as I absolutely adore chrono cross - I feel the game could of been much more successful if the audience was a little more open minded to what was being presented to them. For me, I thought chrono cross was a great way of maturing the story for people that grew up playing chrono trigger, but at the time chrono cross was released - people from what I remember in 1999 we're incredibly judgemental and had a hard time accepting what was being presented to them and it even got to a point where they felt that chrono cross wasn't even a true sequel to chrono trigger. People literally wanted an exact copy of what was being presented in the original chrono trigger just under the playstation 1 graphic template. However, I appreciate what was done in chrono cross and I think the fact that it is so different from chrono trigger while building upon the lore is a true testament of the storytelling of this world.
At the end of the day, make the game you want to make - don't worry about fans making comparisons or even if it has the potential to be a spiritual successor to something else. Make something your passionate about and if video game players hate you for it, then let them hate you for it. Stay true to you and what you want to put out there.
Exactly this. Some people say that there are no original ideas anymore -- and those people have been right for about the last 5,000 years. True originality is both something that is utterly impossible due to everything having been done before, no single thought has never been thought before, yet at the same time it's utterly unavoidable. Because just becomes _someone_ has done something before, when _you_ do it for the first time, you bring something inherently unique to it. That's art! It's all iterative. :)
Another killer video! Really enjoying this discussion ✌️🎃
Speaking strictly for myself, the key elements that make Chrono Trigger my hands down favorite JRPG (even three decades after my first time) are:
1. There are few enough characters that you can genuinely care about each and want to see each one's arc through to the end
2. The combat system superbly blends intuitiveness with complexity and variety
3. At no point do you get stuck grinding for money or levels to progress
While the time travel was great, I don't think it was really as important to the overall experience as these other elements of game design, which could complement any well-crafted story with or without time travel. It's sad that Chrono Cross ran so hard in the opposite direction. I remember it having gorgeous art and music, but it definitely didn't stick around in my memory or my heart like its predecessor. I'm glad to see the indiesphere taking up the mantle in such a big way these days, though I don't have anywhere near the free time I used to.
Excellent video. I was the programmer on Arcadian Atlas (a game you've covered!) and this hit me right in the feels. Audience expectations are rough, especially with marketing/advertising factored in (which may distort from what the final game truly is). I'm a big fan, both as a player and as a developer, of releasing playable demos as early as humanly possible. Not only can they be a great source of feedback, more importantly they can disperse a few misconceptions about what the game truly is. It's not a perfect solution, though, especially for a genre like RPGs that have long-tailed progression arcs -- but at least it's a step in the right direction.
Thank you for sharing your advice & thoughts with other developers!
I _loved_ my time with Arcadian Atlas! Managing expectations is always such a difficult thing to do, but it _really_ makes an incredible difference. It's too bad people can't accept games for what they are, instead of for what they _aren't._ You know? Thank you for watching! :)
@@SuperDerek Thanks Derek. I still have the fire in me, so I'm planning on doing one more TRPG (at least). Keeping your advice to heart -- thank you!
Good luck! I'll be keeping an eye out for updates on your next project! 😁
One of the creators of Chrono Trigger has made a game called Another Eden: A Cat Through Time and Space. It has a lot of homages to Chrono Trigger and other rpgs, as well as co-lab campaigns with other games like Octopath Traveler, Chrono Cross, and Persona. Its one of my favorite games, check it out.
Simple point is that there is a difference between being inspired by and replicating something.
I love chrono trigger and i chose to spare magus and have him join my team he is so cool. CHRONO TRIGGER is my favorite snes game and my favorite snes rpg
For a true spiritual successor, we need a full soundtrack composed by Yasunori Mitsuda with old school 16 bit MIDI sounds. Edit: Definitely should’ve watched the whole video before posting😂
That'd be super nice to have, especially if he tag-teamed it with Nobuo Uematsu again. Hmm... One can dream. :)
I think one important thing that the spiritual successors often miss out is something that's not necessarily unique to Chrono Trigger. And that's just how concise the game's design is.
Dungeons are short and punchy. The game flows really well. And it just packs more plot and game progress into just a few hours than a lot of other JRPGs do in 100s of hours.
Something like Chained Echoes, for example, felt a bit bloated with all the different combat systems and treasure hunts and other padding.
I think that, sadly, some of this has to do with the perception of "longer games = better value," because some people still view their money as the sole cost of a game, and view their time as limitless, (like grade school aged kids over summer break,) rather than viewing the time invested in a game as an _added_ cost. I tried conveying this in my "Why smaller RPGs are better" video, (albeit a bit clumsily.) Perhaps I should take another crack at the subject at some point, now that I have thought about it a bit more. :)
1) I love that you are a fan of Stormlight Archive.
2) you're just slamming truth down over here.
Just wrapped up Wind and Truth, oh god, how am I going to wait for the next entry???
...Well I still have the second half of the Wheel of Time, and other books in the Cosmere to dive into I suppose. :)
At the time, I think CT was just so incredible because of something I think it really borrowed from Dragon Quest, which is subverting your expectations. DQ always looked super traditional, but then would have moments where you feel like the game really pulled one over on you. The plot of the game was pretty unpredictable at the time and had really brisk pacing. And the other thing is just like, it almost “broke the shackles” of Final Fantasy- letting you run and move in 8 directions, fight enemies on the field- it felt like Secret of Mana, FF, and DQ had a baby. It was a straight up evolution of what was going on at the time. It trimmed all the fat of all of those games and just made a super tight and user friendly experience.
I prefer Chrono Trigger over Chrono Cross and personally they should have just made a Chrono Trigger sequel that feels more like a sequel and should have brought back time travel and such
Great fireside chat.
Another Eden is a completely perfect spiritual successor the CHRONO trigger.
Good points & discussion - Multiple endings are tough to get right. They often result in walkthrough-itis, and can also interrupt pacing pretty significantly. As to Xenogears - flawed masterpiece, but not perfect.
I always assumed the double item thing was fixed by going back and putting it back in the chest at some point :)
Maybe so! But if that's the case, you essentially cement your immortality until you return the item, because if you died you can't very well go return items. 🤯
@@SuperDerek Yep you cement the idea that you have won or at least someone is able to go back in time and put it back :) lol
I think the problem with the word successor is that it's saying we're replacing that game so yeah people will get very defensive of something so beloved if they feel it's status is threatened on that pedestal.
Yeah, maybe that's the hang-up? Like they think there can be only one? That might be...
Awesome fireplace! You did a great job. Did you plan on doing a video about the construction. From your other video you talked about maybe doing one. I hope you do one. I'm enjoying your longer from content! Have a good one!
Thanks dude! Yeah! I plan on making a video talking about the process, a time lapse, some narration an such, I want to prioritize the Lufia II review right now though, since it's been _way_ too long since my last episode of The Game Collection. But once that's done, you bet!
That's great! I always talk with my gf about doing a project like that together so I would be cool to see the process. I'm sure I could find another channel that does those things but I rather see your video about it. Also looking forward to the Lufia 2 video as well. I hope you have a great week! Thanks for all the cool videos! @@SuperDerek
I have a question. What differentiate a "spiritual successor" to a clone/copycat? IF someone make and use Chrono trigger as inspire and give their twist on it is it a spiritual successor or a copycat? Because i see game like Genshin Impact is called Breath of the wild clone, Palworld is Pokemon clone with gun, etc, but when you play it, the game is different and just "used" or have similar element from other game, like most game do. Like if someone used time travel shenanigan or other thing you said.
In large part, I think the difference is vibes and perception, and whether or not you feel like talking about a game from the perspective of respect or denigration. Tomato, _tomato._ Ultimately, I think copycats and ripoffs and spiritual successors are kith and kin, but perhaps one of the more defining aspects in my mind, is acknowledgement of the fact that you're paying homage, rather than trying to pass off ideas as strictly your own when they obviously are not. That said, most artists don't credit every influence in their artwork, because it's impossible to keep track of everything that influences you. But I think in the indie space with smaller teams, it's a little easier to keep track of your specific muses. :)
I got eight of the endings when I was a kid. Got burnt out. Haven't beaten it since.
Omg I just discovered this channel about RPGs AND his name is Derek and spelled like mine! (I’m sure you know the struggle of having people spell your name) lol awesome I am subscribing!
Also, don’t forget his other channel Hitpoint. I’m glad you are here.
Welcome aboard, fellow Derek! The struggle _is_ real! Could be worse though, my musically inclined RPG-loving buddy @ErekLadd must _really_ be on that struggle bus! 😅
How do people spell Derek wrong?
"Spelling it wrong" is kind of an inside joke for us Dereks -- because people spell it a multitude of ways, including, but not limited to... Derek, Derrick, Derick, Derik, Dereck, Derreck, Derrik, and occasionally even Deric. Some of these I think are short for the various spellings of "Frederick" but the common "Derek" is actually derived from "Theodoric" -- which honestly is pretty dang badass, IMO. 😁
@@SuperDerek Derrick? Like the oil pump scaffolding? Those ones know they can just pay a couple hundred dollars to not be named after a pollution machine, right?
It's almost 30 years lol
Is it _that_ obvious I'm still stuck in 2015? 😭
I do love chrono cross a lot i just hate that they act like its a spiritual successor and not a sequel when it clearly is a sequel.
Yeah, you have to get pretty deep into Cross, and pay a lot of attention to certain background scenes to really _see_ the connections though. It's easy to miss if you don't know where to look your first time or two through the game. :)
@SuperDerek ya but there is the direct Chrono, luca and marle thing that happens later that even if everything prior that point could just be considered references for people who played Chrono trigger that kinda shoves it in the face it is a sequel. the robo being the main thing for the fate machine same but ya that one you have to really pay attention to get that's what happened
Man, I actually had to deep-dive the Chrono Compendium website before I actually understood some of that wild stuff at the end of CC, and it's connections to CT. I think at a certain point, I just stopped looking for the connections and accepted it for what it was. I definitely recognized when some of the original cast showed up as... uh, ghosts? But otherwise, a lot of it just felt incomprehensible at the tail end of Cross, until a few deep-dive readings and discussions and play-throughs later. And even now, it's kinda hazy to me. 🙃
But yes, it's definitely a sequel, in that, its entire premise occurs in the aftermath of time-traveling shenanigans. :)
I don't think people got mad when they announced Sea of Stars - we were mostly drooling over it. I think people got annoyed that it wasn't revolutionary. It's not about eye candy, it's about gameplay. The challenge is you have to one up the GAMEPLAY of CT.
Yeah, people absolutely loved the look of the first few trailers. That's not necessarily when people start hating projects though. This is when people can hype their expectations to unreasonable levels that _guarantee_ that people will be underwhelmed, _no matter what_ you do. A game could practically walk on water, and someone will be like "bro, you can't even swim?" 😅
1995 was 30 years ago dawgsy lol
media.tenor.com/Q6EcKo31G98AAAAM/getting-old.gif
I just finished up a play through this weekend.(10th time)
I don't think this needs a spiritual successor. The story, music and Easter eggs are hard to do.
You're probably right, nothing _needs_ a spiritual successor, I think though that for some artists, the desire to emulate a style of art, or to pay homage or tribute to a piece of art, is just too alluring. And with that perspective, I can understand the appeal. :)
@@SuperDerek I am Setsuna was that like a spiritual successor for CT? I haven't played it so I can't comment on if it was or wasn't.
Great video. Great idea to to talk about it. I just feel like it would be hard to do. CT had the RPG dream team working on it.
It came out back before I started doing "first impressions" videos, so I ended up missing it entirely. So, while I also never played Setsuna, I've heard mixed opinions on it. Some like it, others felt the vibe was depressing and sleepy. Maybe I should take a look some day?
Xenogears was perfect until the sh*tshow that was disk 2!
I personally am not even a fan of the idea of a spiritual successor or even mentioning you were inspired by other games. Not because it's a bad idea to copy great things and build on them, but you will immediately be compared to those games. But if you just make your own game to the best of your ability and have nods to other games in your games but not really mention them. Then the player will be less likely to compare them, but also do the old "I see what you did there".
Now its different if you made the original game and are making a sequel/spiritual successor. But even that can have negative side effects, like imagine if Chrono Cross did not have Chrono in the name at all. Would people of been much more forgiving of it and excited to see some connections to chrono trigger in the story. I think so!
Excellent points here. Like I said in the video, announcing your intention will practically guarantee you get judged _extra_ harshly.
@@SuperDerek yep haha, I typed this halfway through the video and then heard you say basically the same thing! Should always learn not to be a premature typer lol.
lol, I just need to stop assuming people who comment have watched the whole thing, really! 😜
@@SuperDerek My brain has been rotted by the internet, not enough surf ninja playing in the corner to keep my ego in check for videos longer than 15 mins!!!
lol, I think that I know you mean "Subway Surfer" or whatever, but in my mind, Rob Schneider is still going on about how "Money Can't Buy Knives" from my childhood favorite movie, "Surf Ninjas" 🤣
I honestly just wish people would try to create something more unique. I love Chrono Trigger and if I want to relive it, then I'll just replay it. It's better than the "spiritual successor" would be. I will probably skip a remake of it if that comes out unless it gets amazing reviews from everyone whose opinion I trust. I just think you had a dream team who created it and you're not going to create what they made again. I also love the SNES graphics too. So I don't need "updated" graphics. I like indie games. I just don't like them when they want to copy another game too much. I liked Ara Fell. Not an amazing game, but it was fun and not trying to copy another game.
I felt like sea of stars kinda nailed this idea… but many do not agree
I agree. And honestly, I feel like the discourse around this game on, well let's just call it "various JRPG forums around the Internet" feel pretty disconnected from reality. Feels like a lot of places exist as an echo chamber that amplifies only the angriest or most disappointed of voices.
7:00 - bruh. It’s 2025. Anything before 2000 is over 25 years old. lol
Take it easy on me man, I'm not used to being this old yet! 😭
Hard disagree about multiple endings. You can't really say branching paths are required, but multiple endings are not. Branching paths that don't result in multiple endings fall very flat. I think you're point about silly ways to get endings is spot on. it's way too common in JRPGs. However, there's nothing quite like branching paths where specifically your story choices and the effort you put into exploring the world and characters leading to drastically different endings, no BS required. I don't like the conceit where one ending is "good", and one is "bad", based on quality. That's also overused in JRPGs. I vastly prefer them to just be different, and reflect your choices. Some can be darker, some lighter, but you feel like you earned them because you made the choices. They can all be good quality wise, if not in tone.
🙂↔️😊
what phone is that??
It's a Mode1 Retro II. I can't recommend it for _most_ people, because it's a Japanese import that doesn't support all US bands, so sometimes it's a WiFi-only phone for me. It runs a full version of Android 13 though, has a fingerprint reader for biometric unlocking, password managers and such, and even supports NFC payments, and is compatible with my smart watch and ear buds. I mostly rock it these days to help keep me off social media, since it's got such a tiny screen. :)
Fyi: for me, the angle oft the shot for this video feels narrow and uncomfortable, not cosy at all, which does not pay tribute to the nice fireplace in the background.
The feedback is appreciated! Didn't want to show off _too_ much of the fireplace I built because it's still kind of a work-in-progress. Seems like a lot of people dig it so far, but there's still a lot of room for playing around with this new set piece, and learning how best to put it to use to embrace those cozy vibes. Art is iterative, and this is one of my _first_ iterations. :)
Did anyone tried Sea of Stars? I would consider that the foremost current spiritual successor.
I'd agree that it's definitely one of the more successful attempts I've tried, but this really isn't a "Highlander" situation -- there _can_ be more than one. :)
Did you make that fireplace?
I _DID!!!_ 😁
@SuperDerek sweet! You could do that for a living
Well, it's a prop, it looks good on camera, and is only semi-functional, not a permanent structure though. For the ~100 hours it took to put together plus materials, I wonder if people would be willing to pay for something like that. 🤔
Then again, I suppose prop-making and set-design I think is/was an actual career path before everything went digital and green-screen.
Why even bother attempting to make one? Create your own thing. Never got to play Radiant Historia, but I heard people comparing the two at one point.
I just want to say that I don't think that Chrono Trigger is the greatest JRPG of all time. It's definitely up there, though.
Long story short: I Am Setsuna was not it.
Sorry, sir, but it's been 30 years.
It still _feels_ like just yesterday. 😔
I think the "it's a spiritual successor to Chrono Trigger" is over used. Sea of Stars did it as a marketing stunt and the game is totally not like Chrono Trigger, not a single bit. The battle system for example was just Mario RPG.
There are also many others whith names I already forgot.
Just make something new and stay away from the member berries.
Chrono Trigger was also not a spiritual successor to anything else.
For me, Chrono Trigger’s approach to time travel is the perfect amount of sci-fi to be entertaining to the masses, just like Back to the Future was for film.
Chrono Cross was a great game, but a kinda lousy sequel.