When it comes to video game RPGs, Chrono Trigger has to be one of the best in the entire genre. Released on the SNES in 1995 and remade for DS in 2008, the game follows Chrono and his team of time travelling warriors as they try to defeat Lavos and prevent it from destroying the world.
It’s a highly acclaimed game by all metrics imaginable, and one which helped define its entire console back in the 16-bit days.
But now it may be getting another lease of life entirely. Why? Because at a recent convention, Chrono Trigger writer Yuji Horii let slip that a remake was in development. Here’s the original clip courtesy of the game’s subreddit:
Plus, a translation from over on YouTube:
Basically, he’s saying something akin to “don’t say you heard it from me, but there’s currently a remake in development”. Yeah, it’s a pretty unambiguous statement, and the closest we’ll get to someone saying the game exists prior to its official reveal.
Which then raises a few obvious questions:
- How reliable is his statement here?
- And what kind of remake could the game actually receive?
With the first one being that the statement seems pretty reliable. It’s the game’s original writer saying it in a convention, and asking the translator if he’d take full accountability for said statement if someone at Square Enix disliked it being made. So, while it’s not quite a press release or news announcement, it’s probably the closest thing on an unofficial basis.
The second question on the other hand, is a much more interesting one. Since well, Square Enix has two or three types of remakes in development at the moment.
You’ve got the HD-2D kind, which update the visuals and audio but mostly leave the gameplay intact, which is what the older Final Fantasy games, Romancing Saga games and most Mana games have received.
You’ve got the medium budget kind, which turn the game into a 3D experience, but don’t actually change up the story or basic mechanics all too much, like what happened with Trials of Mana.
And then you’ve got the mega budget blockbuster type, like with Final Fantasy 7. These are basically reimaginings of the entire game, with numerous changes to the story, world design and characters to match.
So, which kind could Chrono Trigger get?
Well to be honest, it’s hard to say. On the one hand, part of us does kinda want to see them go big with this thing. After all, it’s a beloved game with decades of history behind it, and something that could make for one hell of a killer app if redone in 3D for the current generation. I mean, look at Chrono Resurrection. That fan project showed exactly how amazing this game could look in 3D, and got almost unanimous praise online for it:
Hence if Square Enix did something similar themselves, we’re sure the internet would go into a near instant collective meltdown. It’d be front page news on almost every gaming site under the sun, and rack up millions of views online in a matter of minutes.
But we also understand that route would be fraught with challenges too. Indeed, while the Trials of Mana remake was pretty good, the Secret of Mana one was a mixed bag at best, and infuriated the community thanks to its shoddy voice acting, questionable art style and uneven quality as a whole.
So we can only imagine how annoyed people would be if Chrono Trigger ended up getting the same treatment. If Square tries for an ambitious remake and somehow botches it, they’re not gonna live it down for years. As a result, that’s a very risky approach, and one best avoided unless plenty of money and resources can be devoted to making the game the best it can possibly be.
On the other hand, a HD-2D one would be a lot safer. The formula has already been nailed down with the older Final Fantasy remakes and such, the art style would probably lend itself quite well to a game like this one, and there’s the possibility of making an all-round solid remake here. It wouldn’t light on the world on fire in the way a good 3D reimagining might, but it’d do well nonetheless, and probably please millions of people worldwide anyway.
Regardless, it seems like a Chrono Trigger remake may be in development, and might be revealed soon. So, if that’s truly the case, how do you want Square to handle it? Would you rather they go with the HD-2D style, or try to reimagine it in full 3D? How should a game this beloved be updated for the modern day?
Leave your thoughts in the comments below, or on our Discord server today!
Source:
Chrono Trigger Remake Seemingly Confirmed By Yuji Horii (Insider Gaming