How is it vs Chrono trigger?

[-=THe M@TRiX=- [DK]]

Is it as good, close to or far from?

Loved Chrono trigger btw.

[Weltall8000]

I am about 6 hours into the game and the only aspect that I think:

Visuals, combat, exploration, and customization clearly beats out CT.

Sound is more of a toss up and could go either way. The music in SoS is very good so far.

Story/writing, CT is currently seemingly better. That said, I kinda like the characterizations better in SoS so far.

I wonder if it will have the replayability that CT has. But for a first run, this is really good.

Either way, Sea of Stars is amazing.

[NutsEverywhere]

As a player that finished CT multiple times, saw all endings and 100% it, I have to say SoS is as good as CT in many places and better in others. The only thing I'd say it's not as good but still close enough is the story. CT has time travel and a bigger character roster that allows for a longer and more varied story. The characters is SoS are richer for the most part, though.

I told this to my group of friends and it may be a hot take, but I think it is actually better than CT overall, and I LOVE CT with all my heart.

[Juan-Pedro Vidol]

it's really far from it

[597]

Overall, CT is a 10/10 and and all time classic.

SoS is an 8.5, maybe a 9, but where it shines it really shines, and that's quite a few areas.

SoS is prettier, has just as amazing music as CT, Chrono Cross and especially Seiken Densetsu 3 (with most stylistic similarities to those, but references to others both musically and visually).

The writing in SoS is often cringe and much much weaker than CT, especially in the first 1/3 or so. This improves later.

The gameplay is amazing and fixes so many things that bothered me about JRPGs for decades, in both combat and traversal.

Finally my decisions and reaction times in combat are 15x as important as fiddling with skills and items preparing for the fight, where in most JRPGs it's the other way round and you have no real choices within fights, using only really 1 or 2 of the generally optimal choices most of the time.

Replay value here is very low for people who want to feel accomplished from a bunch of grinding, but is *way* higher than CT's for speedrunning minded people or just anyone who wants reaction time challenges.

Playing with the Artful Gambit relic challenge is the most fun I've had in a JRPG in my entire life and the pacing of a new game+ flows so nice when just running from fights and struggling with bosses.

Can't wait for elite speedrunners to put on a show with this. It was made with them in mind just like The Messenger was.

[romain337]

You will never had status defect (like poisoning, muting), and no magics spells like you would think of it. There are fewer armor/weapons overall and almost no inventory (but you can create food). You will use combos that is found around the world, by resolving puzzle. Ultimate technic (one per person) is delivered by advancing in the story. Level-Up serve just to increase your states. However it's a good game and you can still go for it, the story is cool and the music and graphic mesmerizing but combat wise you will be surprised if you think of it as a better CT. It took me about 30 hours to finish, and I do not regret the purchase. try the combat system by playing the demo.

[-=THe M@TRiX=- [DK]]

I'll have to get this then - just need to finish BG3 first - thanks for the comments

[Kaisha]

Originally posted by -=THe M@TRiX=- DK:

I'll have to get this then - just need to finish BG3 first - thanks for the comments

I liked it better than BG3... but I hated BG3 so that wasn't a very high bar :)

The graphics are great (if you like pixel art), the music good, the presentation cute and very nostalgia filled. It plays well, interacting with the environment, the puzzles, dashing around the map, all fun, smooth and clean.

The story and combat though are mediocre, particularly by the end.

[AzysLla]

CT isn’t even close

[Rose Borger]

This is not close to Chrono Trigger. The game looks great, I don't know who the artists are but they did a great job, but as an rpg it's a VERY mid rpg game, the combat being the most repetitive thing ever... I expected characters to get more abilities so combat doesn't feel boring as you progress through the game, but guess not! You're stuck with the same things all the time! How did they not notice that? Did they not use playtesters?

Also the first two zones looked very samey to me, they didn't feel like two different zones.

[Armitage]

Originally posted by Weltall8000:

I am about 6 hours into the game and the only aspect that I think:

Visuals, combat, exploration, and customization clearly beats out CT.

Sound is more of a toss up and could go either way. The music in SoS is very good so far.

Story/writing, CT is currently seemingly better. That said, I kinda like the characterizations better in SoS so far.

I wonder if it will have the replayability that CT has. But for a first run, this is really good.

Either way, Sea of Stars is amazing.

Graphics easy win for SOS.

Are you really going to compare SOS's soundtrack to Chrono Triggers? Even though some of the songs are by the same composer, the soundtrack does not come even close. I'll make a poll if you want proof and upload the songs with no names.

Exploration? You have many secret items and weapons to get through multiple timelines as well as tabs, and the hidden doors that require the charged up pendant.
SOS barely has any outside of rainbow conch for an ending which adds nothing to the gameplay. And even though it is linear, you aren't railroad from one small map to another. As you can explore portions of the multiple continents.

Customization SOS you can improve your stats upon leveling up, in Chrono there are tabs hidden across the world to improve stats. SOS wins here.

However, Chrono Trigger even though it only has 4 slots for items vs 5, the stat differences have far more impact and way more variety over SOS's items. Because SOS keeps numbers very low, and does not have status effects, or buffs. No haste, poison, berserk, sleep, shell, protect, charm, not one. So no, customization is actually worst.

Chrono has way more abilities with unique properties, it also has a ton more dual and tri-techs which are useful over the 4 abilities per character in SOS. The first combo (dual tech you get does squat for damage) and to make matters worst it only requires a single characters turn to cast it after you build the combo gauge. Easy full party AOE heal that makes long fight throughout early game easy with no risk reward.

Chrono the protagonist alone has a single target and AOE lightning, aoe whirlwind attack, confuse, life, spin cut (massive single target damage), slash that goes across a straight line for when enemies are lined up.

The QTE doesn't make up for the lack of variety because Chrono actually has many situational spells. Nor does absorbing an orb to do magic damage with melee. There are far more creative boss fights in Chrono Trigger over SOS also.

And don't even get me started on the bad grammar and poorly written dialogue. You're either bias as hell, or never played Chrono Trigger before.

[_Console_]

If i was to point a key difference between games, I'd say that it's prophesy.
In Chrono Trigger everithing is done on a whim or through choice of characters.
Sea of Stars rotates arround a bunch of prophesies, chosen ones, etc.
Which is better — hard to to tell.

[Hurricane]

I've loved CT so much I've finished it tens of times over the years.
I can barely play two hours of this game without having to stop, utterly bored.
The story, the character, the combat, the music : nothing compares to Chrono Trigger.

[DragonSeeker]

Chrono trigger is the OG. Sea of stars is fun with modern touch. Only wish there was more.

[Weltall8000]

Originally posted by Armitage:

Are you really going to compare SOS's soundtrack to Chrono Triggers? Even though some of the songs are by the same composer, the soundtrack does not come even close. I'll make a poll if you want proof and upload the songs with no names.

While I appreciate that this is subjective, "yes. Yes, I am."

I love the CT OST. I love the SoS score so far too. Multiple areas or scenes I have stopped to sit and appreciate the music without distraction.

A poll doesn't do anything for whether or not this music is great.

Originally posted by Armitage:

Exploration? You have many secret items and weapons to get through multiple timelines as well as tabs, and the hidden doors that require the charged up pendant.
SOS barely has any outside of rainbow conch for an ending which adds nothing to the gameplay. And even though it is linear, you aren't railroad from one small map to another. As you can explore portions of the multiple continents.

The level design so far is significantly better in SoS. Areas are densely packed with interesting ways to interact with the environment. Puzzles are fun. Traversing areas that are partially visible or looped back to reward internalizing the space. The visual intrigue of just seeing what's there is also much greater.

Originally posted by Armitage:

Customization SOS you can improve your stats upon leveling up, in Chrono there are tabs hidden across the world to improve stats. SOS wins here.

However, Chrono Trigger even though it only has 4 slots for items vs 5, the stat differences have far more impact and way more variety over SOS's items. Because SOS keeps numbers very low, and does not have status effects, or buffs. No haste, poison, berserk, sleep, shell, protect, charm, not one. So no, customization is actually worst.

Chrono has way more abilities with unique properties, it also has a ton more dual and tri-techs which are useful over the 4 abilities per character in SOS. The first combo (dual tech you get does squat for damage) and to make matters worst it only requires a single characters turn to cast it after you build the combo gauge. Easy full party AOE heal that makes long fight throughout early game easy with no risk reward.

Chrono the protagonist alone has a single target and AOE lightning, aoe whirlwind attack, confuse, life, spin cut (massive single target damage), slash that goes across a straight line for when enemies are lined up.

The QTE doesn't make up for the lack of variety because Chrono actually has many situational spells. Nor does absorbing an orb to do magic damage with melee. There are far more creative boss fights in Chrono Trigger over SOS also.

Diverse gear and accessories, selecting the level up bonuses (until apparently max level it all comes to one point (but, during the quest itself, pretty distinct)) and the options for relics to use there are significant options. CT is light on customization, even for its time. And lol at grinding out tabs in multiple NG+ runs for unnecessary way waay beyond end game content to make the case for customization.

Dual tech, Solstice Strike? The point of it is to drop sword and blunt damage (and possibly moon or sun too) and regenerate 3 mana for two characters. It isn't a high damage ability, it is a utility move. And because it only requires one person's turn, I frequently use it with Valere to charge 6 mana for Zale in one round (sometimes vice-versa).

What risk/reward in CT? Use two turns to do an ability? Too strong of an AoE heal? Aura Beam Dual Tech was available early on in CT and was pretty powerful at the point in the game where healing was still kinda necessary. When Frog joins his Heal was pretty much all I ever used. If I actually needed to heal.

Come to think on it, that highlights a bunch of redundancy in CT's abilities.

So, elemental damage single and AoE. Physical AoE. Confuse is straight useless. Life saves an item.

And yet, there is more variety in how I use the abilities in SoS despite having fewer. In CT, I only use Lightning if a target is strong to physical and Lightning is their weakness. Luminaire, I used for quick clearing. Seldomly would I use any other single tech on Crono. And I didn't really ever need to. It was generally Attack ad nauseam. SoS, I am constantly managing my mana and alternating abilities. It is much, much more strategic.

I love CT, but its combat is not what makes it so good.

Not really. CT bosses (and a few others) will have weaknesses that change, usually in an obvious, telegraphed, or even explicitly told to the player in text manner. And SoS has several bosses that change their weaknesses throughout the battle too or have conditional counterattacks, etc.

SoS' combat simply is deeper than CT's.

Originally posted by Armitage:

And don't even get me started on the bad grammar and poorly written dialogue.

Still too early to tell with the overarching story, which CT's very well may be better. I don't know yet. Buuuut, for all the complaints about the writing being terrible, it really isn't turning up in game so far. But, it is kinda making me snicker about how much people prop up mid 90s Squaresoft translations.

Originally posted by Armitage:

You're either bias as hell, or never played Chrono Trigger before.

Those are some thick rose tinted lenses you've got there.

But, nah, I have played CT through, probably, literally, hundreds of times over the years. And, again, I love it. It is a shame that people can't be honest about things from their pasts and be welcoming of the future. SoS really is celebrating what was and making strides to further this genre and gaming. We should be happy about this, not ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ on it for not being an identical retread and ruthlessly adhering to the old ways.

You're playing this wrong and your approach to this is detrimental to yourself and the community.

[ShinkuTear]

Originally posted by Rose Borger:

This is not close to Chrono Trigger. The game looks great, I don't know who the artists are but they did a great job, but as an rpg it's a VERY mid rpg game, the combat being the most repetitive thing ever... I expected characters to get more abilities so combat doesn't feel boring as you progress through the game, but guess not! You're stuck with the same things all the time! How did they not notice that? Did they not use playtesters?

Also the first two zones looked very samey to me, they didn't feel like two different zones.

Not only are we stuck with the same 2~3 abilities per character + combos the whole game, there are at least 3 that are just Super Jump / Ultra Jump from SMRPG. Press the button with increasingly narrow timing to continue an attack that can hit dozens of times, and if you get good with it, it'll do huge damage.

There are also Bosses and regular enemies alike who have locks that require using these Ultra Jump style attacks if you want to break the lock, in that the locks will require more hits of that damage type than you can possibly generate in time with other actions, such as an enemy with 3 Moon and 1 Slash with 2 actions.

Personally? I hated Super and Ultra Jump, they were the worst specials for me to try and use in SMRPG, so seeing them here and with 1 of them being obtained super early and expected to be used regularly? Not good :( The twins heal combo shows Valerie using a giant laser, why couldn't she have that as an attack instead?

Combos are also quite restrictive to access in normal battles, so you are likely only using them in boss fights. Mostly the twins party heal, cause trying to sustain 3 people with a low power 4 MP heal on a character who gets 3 MP back on a normal attack is a losing battle.

If we are comparing this game to the titans of Chrono Trigger and SMRPG? This game is losing the combat aspect pretty clearly, and good combat is gonna be a pretty major detail in the quality of a game that expects a lot of combat.