Ep 114: Chrono Trigger - To Be or Not To Be a Final Fantasy

[00:00:00] On March 27th, 2024, Moses Norton, aka the Well-Wred Mage of V-Pixels.com and GameLogica

[00:00:23] on YouTube, said the following.

[00:00:26] Is Chrono Trigger a Final Fantasy?

[00:00:30] Even an honorary one?

[00:00:34] I will say honorary.

[00:00:36] Okay.

[00:00:37] Absolutely say honorary.

[00:00:38] They put it in the thing we said earlier.

[00:00:41] They put it in the thing.

[00:00:42] They did.

[00:00:43] It's dead here somewhere.

[00:00:44] Where is it?

[00:00:45] Let's get our copies out.

[00:00:47] Let's get our copies out.

[00:00:48] We're right back.

[00:00:50] Boom.

[00:00:51] Haha, I got it first.

[00:00:52] And who's right here?

[00:00:54] Oh, I had to run in the next room.

[00:00:56] Nah, just kidding.

[00:00:57] I'm not right here.

[00:00:58] Hey, bruh!

[00:01:00] Yeah, look.

[00:01:01] Okay.

[00:01:02] You don't make a compilation called Final Fantasy Chronicles and put a non-Final

[00:01:09] Fantasy game in it.

[00:01:11] It just doesn't make sense, right?

[00:01:14] I think I...

[00:01:14] Listen, I will always say honorary.

[00:01:17] That's definite.

[00:01:18] I just don't...

[00:01:20] It's not in the title.

[00:01:21] Everybody can see that.

[00:01:22] It's not in the title.

[00:01:23] Right, obviously.

[00:01:24] I always say they labeled it Final Fantasy.

[00:01:28] You know what this is?

[00:01:29] You know what this is?

[00:01:31] I had growing up and I think you probably all had growing up.

[00:01:34] I had an aunt and an uncle who are aunt and uncle but they weren't family.

[00:01:39] So my aunt Tony and uncle Ron, they weren't family.

[00:01:44] They weren't blood related but they were in the family to get invited to all the weddings.

[00:01:47] They go to come show up at Christmas once in a while.

[00:01:50] They were family.

[00:01:51] That's Chrono Trigger to Final Fantasy.

[00:01:53] They're not blood related but they're in the family.

[00:01:56] They're the fun sitcom neighbor that shows up and says, hey!

[00:01:59] Now people want to be like, well what about Bradley Default?

[00:02:03] Well what about, you know, Secret of Mana?

[00:02:07] They're like work friends.

[00:02:08] Exactly!

[00:02:09] This is Chrono Trigger.

[00:02:11] It's like, come on.

[00:02:13] So there's so many clinchers here.

[00:02:16] If you ever do a Chrono Trigger episode I swear by all things holy I will show up and talk

[00:02:23] as long as you want me to.

[00:02:24] But I can make a great case for this.

[00:02:27] I can.

[00:02:28] Have you ever thought, I'll leave you with this mind fought food thing.

[00:02:33] If you ever wondered why Genova and Lavos are so similar.

[00:02:40] Ooh!

[00:02:41] There's a lot.

[00:02:43] That's kind of Cetra, right?

[00:02:46] Was it Cetra?

[00:02:47] It's been a long time since I played Seven.

[00:02:49] Cetra, right?

[00:02:50] Yeah, I think that's correct.

[00:02:51] I gotta look it up or somebody's gonna be like, what the heck are you talking about?

[00:02:56] Yeah, yeah, Cetra.

[00:02:58] I was like, oh gosh is it Centrist?

[00:03:01] No, Cetra.

[00:03:03] Cetra.

[00:03:04] The Cetra, you know a kind of an ancient magic race and then you've got the zeal kingdom as

[00:03:10] well.

[00:03:10] There's a lot of similarities.

[00:03:12] Oh that's interesting.

[00:03:14] And that's because they pulled the developers from Seven to work on Trigger.

[00:03:20] So the mixture of Final Fantasy ideas, yeah people will be like, well it's just as much

[00:03:26] a Dragon Quest as it is a Final Fantasy.

[00:03:28] No it's not.

[00:03:29] There's two people who worked on it, who worked on Dragon Quest.

[00:03:32] And this was not made by Enix, it was made by a Final Fantasy publisher with a Final

[00:03:37] Fantasy team spearheaded by the father of Final Fantasy.

[00:03:41] I think that would be a really fun episode for this series to do a chrono true episode

[00:03:45] in the middle of the Final Fantasy series and just watch the way.

[00:03:48] Yeah, the best thing is people will be mad at you for categorization.

[00:03:52] And not enough people are mad at me.

[00:03:54] Oh, let's hang out.

[00:03:58] I do a show that's based off of personal experiences and you can't argue that.

[00:04:03] No, you can't argue personal experiences but you can have these fun debates and that's

[00:04:08] why I like chatting with you because these fun debates do come up and you've now put

[00:04:14] an evil thought in my head.

[00:04:15] I got the grinch smile going in my brain.

[00:04:18] Now you know why I look this way.

[00:04:20] I should do a chrono trick.

[00:04:30] So what is this episode?

[00:04:33] Is this some sort of grand troll designed to enrage gamer people in line?

[00:04:38] Have I sunk to the depths of rage baiting for clicks and interaction?

[00:04:42] Have I become the very monster I detest?

[00:04:48] Eugh, kinda.

[00:04:51] In response to Red's comments, I started asking my guests that very same question

[00:04:57] in largely the exact same way.

[00:05:00] Should I do a chrono trigger episode during my final fantasy series?

[00:05:05] Do I awaken decades of schoolyard debate with my normally controversy free podcast?

[00:05:13] Obviously the answer is yes because this episode exists but not exactly as you may expect.

[00:05:21] On this episode of A Gamer Looks at 40, I asked the same question multiple times and through

[00:05:27] those responses discover some truths about the relationship between chrono trigger and

[00:05:34] Final Fantasy 6.

[00:05:35] And on the back half of the show, I spend a half hour chatting with a chrono trigger

[00:05:40] superfan about her love of the game and what it's meant to her over the years.

[00:05:46] This may be the most meta podcast I've ever produced so time to polish the wings on the

[00:05:53] epoch, wave goodbye to the old man at the end of time and hurdle 6 months into the past

[00:05:59] on episode 114, chrono trigger to be or not to be a Final Fantasy.

[00:06:12] Now at first the devil on my shoulder, that one saying chrono trigger,

[00:06:19] stayed pretty much silent but about two weeks later after my chat with Moses I was talking

[00:06:25] with Jeff and Trevor of New Dad Gaming and in the middle of us kind of sort of talking about

[00:06:30] Final Fantasy an evil thought wormed its way in.

[00:06:35] I want to switch gear real quick because this came up in a different conversation

[00:06:39] with somebody and I'm going to ask y'all and this literally just came to brain as we were talking.

[00:06:44] Do you, it's not three questions but it might be as annoying.

[00:06:50] I've not thought of three questions good ones as we were talking.

[00:06:53] I'm not that adept at this podcasting thing.

[00:06:58] Is chrono trigger really a Final Fantasy?

[00:07:02] And as such should I do a chrono trigger episode during my Final Fantasy series?

[00:07:11] Hmm.

[00:07:13] So in if you think about the some of the anim, so obviously the style is incredibly similar.

[00:07:20] The type of story arcs it does the characters similar.

[00:07:23] I was even thinking some of the reaction little sprites that happen.

[00:07:28] So when they stare at the screen and like the sprite changes something

[00:07:31] shocked or like their hands are in the air like oh that's all like it just it

[00:07:37] It doesn't it's not a repeat but it is a rhyme in that sense.

[00:07:40] That's quite putting it like that yeah it's not a repeat it's a rhyme.

[00:07:44] But I can't yeah so I'd say no look I understand that it's like it's very

[00:07:49] Final Fantasy like but like Legends of Dragoon in a way almost was but there's a

[00:07:53] for me I think the thing they really quote unquote kills it would probably be the combat

[00:07:57] because at the time like Final Fantasy was very formulaic and even if it worked the same

[00:08:02] but just like the way the characters surrounding whoever you were fighting and just being in

[00:08:08] different locations you could see the enemies on screen.

[00:08:10] It's almost like that's that's just enough of a departure of one of the absolute core

[00:08:16] indisputable tenants of the Final Fantasy games of that time that I'd say no it's just not

[00:08:22] it's not called Final Fantasy so just it's.

[00:08:24] So you're saying I shouldn't you're saying I should not do and break the internet with

[00:08:29] it would almost be almost a troll you'll get heat if you want some podcast I avoid podcast heat

[00:08:36] what do you think Jeff I think bring on I you know have a lot this would be very very split either

[00:08:45] like people are totally for it or they're like what are you talking about and just shadow drop it

[00:08:50] don't even announce it yeah just as if it is one of them call it call it like the appendix

[00:08:56] episode or call it the I'm just gonna drop it right after Final Fantasy 6 because it was the next

[00:09:01] one in the series it's the next one final fantasy current trigger was 95.

[00:09:08] I some say the best fall fancy game take the advice of the sage age and highly suggest you do

[00:09:15] well here's why and the reason I say it may not be family but it's like one it's

[00:09:20] Chrono trigger is to Final Fantasy like the aunts or uncle and your family or cousin that's

[00:09:25] not really a cousin but they show up to all the stuff they're invited to all the weddings

[00:09:29] they show up to the baptisms they show up to they show up for Christmas once every other year

[00:09:33] their their family but they're not blood related and that's how I see Chrono trigger it's part

[00:09:39] of the family but you know it wouldn't be able to give a kidney to somebody

[00:09:46] yeah definitely like the bloodline is a little bit it can't donate can't donate in Oregon

[00:09:49] it's yeah exactly okay cool I think I think you do the episode okay make it so here so here's the

[00:09:57] question then um so Jeff have you guys played Chrono trigger yes same story played it loved it

[00:10:03] and beat it beat it cool I haven't beat that one either interesting okay ever on that one so I

[00:10:07] was gonna say which one would you prefer what's your well here's what's your take on culture

[00:10:11] let's just just do it that way as before so i'm not workshopping questions for you

[00:10:16] and and it's not the best thing to do with a guest what do you hit hit it Jeff okay Chrono trigger

[00:10:22] was one okay I'm gonna be honest you can get the hate bill if you put this out I don't direct this

[00:10:28] at new day gaming I bounced off that one interesting I initially rented it and did not purchase it

[00:10:36] and usually when I rent a game back in those days uh if I liked it enough as an RPG it just

[00:10:41] weren't a purchase it was just cheaper that way I'm gonna spend 60 70 hours in this thing plus

[00:10:47] might as well buy it and that was one where I'm like yeah like they changed so much with what I

[00:10:53] was expecting it's like those expectations that we talked about but it was like just not what I

[00:10:57] was prepared for at the time so like the battle system was different you could see the enemies

[00:11:02] it was kind of cool and then I just like kind of left it but then later on in life I like I

[00:11:07] picked it up again I think now I even have it from my iPhone and it's just one of those things where

[00:11:13] yeah I I don't mind it I'm I don't see where the magic is for people but I can understand it

[00:11:21] put it that way and I think if I were to choose of you back to your original question Final Fantasy

[00:11:26] 6 is my like that's the peak Final Fantasy that's where they had kind of everything streamlined

[00:11:32] and knew what they were doing and they could tell all these stories with all these different

[00:11:35] characters and make you feel for each one which is very hard to do with like a cast of six to eight

[00:11:41] right and Chrono Trigger I just didn't quite feel that but I understand where people feel that and

[00:11:46] I I don't know if it was just it didn't hit the same through it didn't hit the same Final Fantasy

[00:11:52] button that's fair now at this point in the process I was still on the fence on what

[00:12:04] a Chrono Trigger episode could possibly be but Jeff's less than enthusiastic thoughts in the game

[00:12:10] sparked an idea not everybody is a superfan but rather than do my journalistic due diligence

[00:12:18] and follow that very sensible train of thought I decided to just press on getting permission to do

[00:12:25] this episode at this point I thought if the majority thinks it's a good idea let's do it my next

[00:12:32] guest was content creator mckel kasa nova the well-read mage we all know moses obviously we all

[00:12:38] know he's a huge Chrono Trigger fan the biggest Chrono Trigger fan you'll ever meet as we know

[00:12:44] he asked me in our last interview am I gonna do a Chrono Trigger episode for my Final Fantasy

[00:13:35] yes because if you know while it's not really a Final Fantasy but the fact that it released within

[00:13:41] the Final Fantasy compilation that's your technicality entry point right there so on the grounds of

[00:13:48] technicality yes do it also because no one is expecting it three yeah the reason you should

[00:13:55] do it is because that is something outside of well-read mage moses very few people are still

[00:14:06] actively talking about it and I think you can give a different perspective on it

[00:14:13] and maybe a little controversy you could you know just clickbait a little bit

[00:14:17] I listen you know what I try to avoid it but you know it's just something a little devil on

[00:14:22] my shoulder going I should do it you should do it I'll be fine dude like here's the proof right

[00:14:27] here boom right there that's it Final Fantasy Chronicles there's your proof there you go because

[00:14:33] all you need because if you do it I would say like say something real controversy like controversy

[00:14:39] wise and then have that be like a soundbite clip post it on x or twitter or whatever we're

[00:14:45] calling these days and then people are gonna get and you know moses gonna hop on it he's

[00:14:51] gonna say something it's gonna draw a lot of attention and people are gonna watch the episode

[00:14:55] or listen to it and they're gonna be like yeah oh from there it was a mixed bag of reactions but

[00:15:12] at this point I'm undeterred I am now on this road so my next interview is with

[00:15:17] Mike Alberson of games my mom found and he had this to say so let's now move on to

[00:15:24] I have one more I have a question for you and then we can talk about Final Fantasy 4 and

[00:15:27] we'll call it um I was talking with the well-read mage I was doing an episode I was doing a Final

[00:15:35] Fantasy recording with him and he asked me a very dangerous question I can play I'm gonna

[00:15:40] pose this question to you he said so are you going to be said are you going to do

[00:15:45] a chrono trigger episode for your Final Fantasy series and I said no he says you might want

[00:15:55] to think about that though you may want to think about that because you know Mike even though

[00:16:00] the well-read mage he's a bit of a provocateur or a rabble rouser as we all know yes and he

[00:16:08] loves he loves himself some chrono trigger he adores chrono trigger great game so I so I

[00:16:14] ask you and you adore chrono trigger as well I think you still rank that as your favorite

[00:16:19] yes all time so I ask you Mike Albert and should I do a chrono trigger episode in my Final Fantasy

[00:16:30] series and just shadow drop it not even only those privy or to be interviewed for it will be

[00:16:37] we'll know about it I say go for it especially if you never experience it plus it but it isn't

[00:16:43] I mean isn't Final Fantasy you like but it's just great RPG and it fits in the instant that

[00:16:47] SNES era but here's the question though does but doesn't belong in a Final Fantasy series no

[00:16:54] because I've done a chrono trigger episode before then no it doesn't belong in in Final Fantasy

[00:16:59] yes you're advising I don't wear but it doesn't belong and it's also made by many veterans of

[00:17:06] the Final Fantasy franchise noble you know some pretty close ties to the court a curatoriyama

[00:17:12] wasn't involved in Final Fantasy and he's the lead or not please but he's his art it's what it's you

[00:17:17] know is the game yep yep I don't know I'm tempted if I can get some good I am actually very tempted

[00:17:24] to shadow drop a chrono trigger episode and have the episode be is final fan is chrono trigger a

[00:17:30] Final Fantasy game because I it's it's on the Final Fantasy Chronicles collection on PlayStation

[00:17:36] yes it is the best Final Fantasy 4 they didn't know what to do in my opinion but okay here's

[00:17:41] something controversial so you know also it's like the Final Fantasy a little game called Kingdom

[00:17:46] Hearts I mean if you want I mean that that is culture hate that even has fall fancy characters

[00:17:56] in it but no I don't you're made like I don't consider chrono trigger but it would it

[00:18:02] can fit for what you're going for yeah okay so you so you were of the mindset then

[00:18:07] lost so it's for this episode lost Odyssey is another one of those games that is what should

[00:18:14] have been found fancy 13 if you're looking at games that Xenogear is another one that was

[00:18:18] also supposed to be a Final Fantasy game by the way sure it's supposed to be eight I don't know

[00:18:23] I think the ties are pretty close it's interesting especially that era right year after Final Fantasy

[00:18:27] six it's got the same director same direction one of the musicians similar style you can make

[00:18:37] you can draw some parallels anyway you don't think so that's good I think this will be an

[00:18:41] interesting episode if I choose to do it I may not next up on this extremely meta episode is the

[00:18:58] great Tim Knowles formerly of the leadest who not only gives his opinion on this ridiculous idea

[00:19:04] but shares why it might just actually work let's see oh and one of the things before we before

[00:19:11] we part this has been awesome I've asked my guest you also mentioned another game that I am I am

[00:19:17] considering for this Final Fantasy series I'm trying to get people to talk me out of it I'm

[00:19:22] trying to to not do this because I talked to the Well-Veared Mage who you know loves Chrono

[00:19:28] Trigger it's his favorite thing on the planet probably and he asked me if I was going to

[00:19:33] do a Chrono Trigger episode in my Final Fantasy series at the time I said no should I what do you

[00:19:43] think as far as making it part of your Final Fantasy series hmm you know I think it was it was

[00:19:52] I don't think there's any arguing really that Chrono Trigger was not gonna say it was the best

[00:19:57] game ever made but it was a perfect game like it was it was perfectly designed it was well crafted

[00:20:05] it was beautiful every aspect of it was fun and kept your attention and it fit right in

[00:20:13] you know the the timeline of Final Fantasy games you know you I you probably be hard pressed to

[00:20:22] play one or the other you know it's a very good point but I think there's enough difference going on

[00:20:30] there and there's enough things that make Chrono Trigger distinct that sure I think it warrants its

[00:20:36] own bit of attention outside of the Final Fantasy series totally and that I agree I agree because

[00:20:42] I've done a Chrono Trigger episode very early in this podcast like episode 10 I think was like

[00:20:46] a Chrono Trigger episode when I had maybe four guests to show because I'm still starting out

[00:20:51] getting people what kind of connective tissue do you see in between Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger

[00:20:55] like is there there is some connective tissue and I in your opinion maybe not enough to include it

[00:21:01] in a series but what what do you see as somebody who's a fan of a big fan of both you know of

[00:21:07] course there's there's mechanics that are similar between them the the fact that it gave each

[00:21:15] character life and their own story and you know you wanted to see it through and you didn't see

[00:21:22] it through until like endgame for most of them which is very similar to Final Fantasy 6 for example

[00:21:29] the music is equally memorable you know I've as I said before that that really stands out to me

[00:21:39] as something I consider you know that intertwines those quite a bit it was almost like

[00:21:48] when we do like the relative comparison like it was like the family friend the close family friend

[00:21:54] it was the cool family friend you know what I mean it was like the really awesome one that you were

[00:22:00] like like the reason you keep inviting them back is not just because oh because they're always

[00:22:06] around it's because they're so awesome you know yep yep we had we yep just think they're like

[00:22:13] the greatest person in the entire world and you really want them to be a part of it yeah

[00:22:20] you know they give really a presence at Christmas like they're really good at it and

[00:22:24] and they get you stuff you didn't ask for but somehow you love and you're like wow did this

[00:22:28] happen yeah exactly it's it's yeah very that's a very apt way of putting it and it also and I would

[00:22:39] say one more thing is that in some ways for the for a turn-based RPG brought to life the actions

[00:22:46] that you were taking that were just you know quick animations in the Final Fantasy games where these

[00:22:52] like fully defined and realized abilities that you could see take place on the field it mattered

[00:23:00] where you did Cyclone you know what I mean it mattered where you dropped you know where you were

[00:23:06] for an area bomb you know these these are the things that like just added on top of yeah there was

[00:23:11] there was like a bomb type thing in Final Fantasy 6 yeah there was like a sword attack in Final Fantasy

[00:23:16] 6 but now you get to like you get to see the like the full version of it you know yeah it's it's it's

[00:23:22] almost like I almost liken it to you know when you're when you're playing D&D with friends and

[00:23:28] you get this perfectly described thing that happens to the point that you feel like you're

[00:23:33] there you know Chrono Trigger was that Final Fantasy it made you feel like you were there

[00:23:39] for for all of the cool stuff that you were accomplishing in those kinds of games

[00:23:53] after that conversation it was all about reactions and next up is one of my favorites

[00:23:58] from the one and only Ryan Lindsay of Kissful to 5.3 FM in Ottawa I have one more question for you sir

[00:24:05] and then um I will take my leave of you and again thanks again for the time this was a lot of fun

[00:24:11] I had a conversation with my friend the Welvard Mage who is and you may know him from Twitter or

[00:24:17] not maybe not I just I'm not we're not friends we've talked once or twice via exchanges on Twitter

[00:24:23] I'm not calling it X sorry Elon um but I can't either I that content is at all times big fan big fan

[00:24:31] big so I'll chat with Moses aka the Welvard Mage and he asked me you know he's the biggest

[00:24:37] Chrono Trigger fan on the planet on the planet my brain immediately pulled up like 17

[00:24:42] well we're a big he posited he's like so Bill are you going to do a Chrono Trigger episode

[00:24:51] in your Final Fantasy series and I went Final Fantasy I uh I said I wasn't but convince me

[00:25:03] that was a mistake because I think he started to convince me to do a Chrono Trigger episode of

[00:25:08] Final Fantasy so I'm going to ask you and I've asked all my guests so far do you think this is a good idea

[00:25:15] okay this one he is 100 right it kind of kills me that a lot of people don't put it in there because

[00:25:20] I know it doesn't have the title I understand it and the there's so many people that have

[00:25:25] stand up to be like it's totally different system that's a totally different game I'll get sued

[00:25:29] for making a Mickey Mouse voice but it deserves to be in there let's be real the game has

[00:25:39] yes brilliant strides towards all sorts of different things and a lot of things they didn't do in Final

[00:25:45] Fantasy games prior but you play that game you try and tell me you don't feel it the same way

[00:25:51] it has the same storytelling it has the same emotional moments it has the same like bad he

[00:25:57] becomes good he becomes this becomes that becomes this becomes that moments I I will say

[00:26:04] it deserves to be in there he's the photo trigger is just the the neighbor in the sitcom that comes

[00:26:10] by and says hey and everyone goes ah Chrono Trigger come on in let's do let's do a thing

[00:26:16] furniture that's funny yes you have to put that like that caveat the drunk funny uncle let's use

[00:26:24] right yes because there's a big difference I want to go on record since you've got it and this may

[00:26:30] get cut and it may not and that's okay I think Trono Trigger is a masterpiece in a phenomenal game

[00:26:35] but much like your line where Sephiroth ain't no Kefka Chrono Trigger is not the top of the

[00:26:44] pile for me I I'm I agree I agree seven is very very close after with two or four depending

[00:26:51] on what you call it very very very very shortly after that but six is the top of the pile for me

[00:26:58] I agree and I've always felt that way I love Chrono Trigger and I you know tons of fond memories

[00:27:04] I've lots of great stories about it and I will do another Chrono Trigger episode for the show I

[00:27:09] did a Chrono Trigger episode way back when this started almost three years ago so it

[00:27:13] needs to be redone anyway you know it's like a topic that you know I think I had like four

[00:27:17] people on there it's just starting to starting the conversation so I need to do it proper justice

[00:27:23] I think I'm gonna do a Chrono Trigger episode and I'm just gonna shadow drop it I'm just gonna drop it

[00:27:26] and not just poop here you go enjoy time and pull snip you're loud it's Chrono Trigger

[00:27:34] you know this is true this is very true

[00:27:37] see I'm gonna drop the same episode and be like this is brand new and they'll be like whoa

[00:27:43] now after weeks of question asking and getting a variety of responses and reactions I was all

[00:28:06] but set on this senseless venture into Chrono Trigger slash Final Fantasy controversy but

[00:28:13] before truly going all in I had to get the blessings from two of the biggest Final Fantasy

[00:28:20] fans I know Julian of the Stage Select podcast and Ryan aka Games with Coffee had this to say

[00:28:27] I have a thing now another thing I'm gonna spring upon you before we talk about Final Fantasy 6

[00:28:33] we I was talking with our pal the Well-Weld Mage about Final Fantasy 6 and I think 5

[00:28:39] and other things and he and you can take a guess of what he asked me and he asked me

[00:28:44] not to say it he goes are you going to do a Chrono Trigger episode during your Final Fantasy

[00:28:49] series and I said no not doing that and he said of course said think about it they starts listing

[00:28:57] reasons should I Julian of Stage Select someone whose opinion I trust should I do a Chrono Trigger

[00:29:06] episode and just shadow drop it just boop just drop it right after Final Fantasy 6 oh after

[00:29:14] four episodes of Final Fantasy 6 which is what it's shaping up to be right now maybe five

[00:29:19] after a month just shadow drop boop a Chrono Trigger episode I think you should definitely do a

[00:29:26] Chrono Trigger episode okay I think you should make it clear that it's not part of your Final

[00:29:30] Fantasy series ooh okay it's a fun bit that that that Moses likes to do I know because

[00:29:38] it was included in the Final Fantasy Chronicles collection on PlayStation yep but you know that

[00:29:44] is simply because it was a marketing thing where they're like well we can't shot we can't like

[00:29:49] release like one of these games separately for 50 dollars right we need to have two and we don't

[00:29:53] want to we don't want to like spend the money to translate a new game so yeah let's just throw

[00:29:58] Chrono Trigger in here it's fine um you know and I think the the thing that that I would

[00:30:05] counter you know Moses is because at this point I'm not even sure if it's a bit anymore or if he

[00:30:09] truly believes this I think it's not I don't think it's a bit I think he truly believes and

[00:30:14] he's a yeah that's kind of where I'm leaning now um and and my so my my counterpoint to that

[00:30:18] would be the fact that like Chrono Trigger has never been included in any other thing

[00:30:24] this Final Fantasy related since that collection right like whenever whenever you're talking about

[00:30:29] like the company themselves right acknowledging like the history of Final Fantasy or you

[00:30:34] know doing things like the Decidia series or the Theatrhythm games where they're pulling from the

[00:30:40] entire franchise Chrono Trigger ain't there um or if it is it ends up being as like a DLC type thing

[00:30:45] right but there I'm there there is like Chrono Trigger music in Theatrhythm but Theatrhythm

[00:30:49] also has stuff from Live Alive and Secret Amana and Front Mission and stuff like that right

[00:30:54] because because it ends up becoming a celebration of music from Square's games their back catalog

[00:31:00] but in the initial package right it is only Final Fantasy games and Chrono Trigger is not part of that

[00:31:06] package um you know and yeah you know there's there's little references here and there but

[00:31:12] that's that's because they're just little fun references right it kind of harkens back like

[00:31:17] I'm also one of those people who really rails against the idea that some people try to like

[00:31:22] cram all of the games in like together and so like no no they're part of the same

[00:31:26] like it's all connected blah blah blah you know like Zelda and it's like no it's not like

[00:31:30] they're all separate worlds like yeah it's fine for them to be they don't you know

[00:31:34] whenever you see like a reference to an older game it's just that it's just it's just a fun

[00:31:38] reference for the people who get the reference right yeah it's a it's a new story for people

[00:31:42] who get it not everything has to be this interconnected thing right not everything

[00:31:46] has to be this giant spider web of connections it's and everything's not the MCU it's okay

[00:31:53] it doesn't have to be nothing it doesn't have to be an extended universe but I will pose this

[00:31:58] as this question then because it's funny I've asked this question now a number of times to

[00:32:01] different people since that conversation and I get different answers from almost everybody

[00:32:05] and for different reasons which is going to make this episode really what it's going to be

[00:32:09] is going to be a it's going to be a very meta thing where it's going to be an episode of

[00:32:14] people debating whether or not I should drop a Chrono Trigger episode in my Final Fantasy

[00:32:18] series and this is what the episode we made up of so as a little bit of point to that

[00:32:25] what parallels if that were to happen if if if let's say Square for some better reason said you

[00:32:31] know what we're going to lump this in what parallels could you see if you were to make

[00:32:37] that jump or do you think there really is not enough to make that claim because there are

[00:32:43] some different because you have some of the developers that worked on the same games and

[00:32:46] there are some stylistic similarities between the two titles the our good friend Moses makes

[00:32:53] up makes a makes a makes it a good argument what would you say to that argument would you

[00:33:00] if I'm gonna try to put it try to frame this question in a in a way that's not leading

[00:33:06] I guess really could you make some parallels or do you really think now this is yeah

[00:33:12] yeah of course yeah of course you can make some parallels I mean you know obviously like the

[00:33:16] battle the core battle system right like it uses the ATV system which had been like you know

[00:33:20] the the Final Fantasy standard at that point you know like I and I think just just the actual

[00:33:27] impetus of the game right was let's take the best and brightest from Final Fantasy and the best

[00:33:33] and brightest from Dragon Quest and have them work together on a super game right like like

[00:33:37] in a way like it's sort of like like a like a super group you know music like that that's what

[00:33:43] they were kind of going for I think that's also that's the other thing for me is that you know so

[00:33:49] Chrono Trigger is not my favorite of the RPGs on the Super Nintendo and it actually is not even

[00:33:55] in like my top five games of all time I love it but like I don't have I don't hold it to the

[00:33:59] high standards that most people do but having said that I think I think trying to lump it in with

[00:34:08] the Final Fantasy franchise almost does it a disservice because from the outset it was trying

[00:34:14] to be like yo look at this like massive endeavor from like the creators of the two biggest RPG

[00:34:20] franchises in the world at that point and and here's something new and and it's so and it's

[00:34:25] so good and it's so new that there doesn't need to be a follow-up to it right because even

[00:34:31] even though Chrono Cross is technically part of that franchise you know it almost it almost makes a

[00:34:39] case for like another Final Fantasy thing where it's like well I mean it's the name's there

[00:34:43] but it's not really you know it's it's sort of a sequel you know that type of thing like yeah

[00:34:50] I think Chrono Trigger stands on its own so well that it that it kind of is yeah this is going to

[00:34:57] sound harsh what I mean too because I love Final Fantasy and I like it more than Chrono Trigger but

[00:35:01] it it almost it does it a disservice to try to lump it in with Final Fantasy because I think

[00:35:07] it stands on its own as a uniquely special thing that was lightning in a bottle that could never

[00:35:14] happen again. Yeah it's also why I'd think that they should never try to remake it. Yeah I

[00:35:18] don't think they should either I think they should just leave it alone I know the money the money you'll

[00:35:22] get people people will pay and spend for it but honestly I don't think there should be a remake

[00:35:27] I it's funny I like how you liking Chrono Trigger to like the traveling willberries

[00:35:33] or a super grim it's true though. It's the temple of the dog of RPGs.

[00:35:49] So we all know our friend the Walred Mage of course yes and we know Red as the biggest

[00:35:57] Chrono Trigger fan this side of the pesos and I was doing the I was we were talking about Final

[00:36:04] Fantasy and he says to me hey Bill are you gonna do a Chrono Trigger episode in your Final

[00:36:10] Fantasy series and I said no no no no he said think about it just think about it oh boy so

[00:36:21] I put it to you coffee should I do a Chrono Trigger episode in my Final Fantasy series just one

[00:36:31] just one episode and the episode might be me just asking people if I should do a Final Fantasy

[00:36:38] or Chrono Trigger episode what do you think?

[00:36:43] That is you know that's that's actually pretty funny I think yeah I mean thinking about it

[00:36:51] thinking about it closely I mean I'm in agreement Chrono Trigger is a Final Fantasy

[00:36:56] I mean it has kind of the same basic beats there is a cycle in which you have to

[00:37:04] you have to break out of which is the the entire time traveling from when Lavasol arrives 65 million

[00:37:12] years ago to 80, 2300, 80, 1999 when it arrives destroys the world and leaves it a dying husk of

[00:37:20] its former self so there's that there is that breaking of the timeline there so if we're

[00:37:26] going by we're going by that definition of a Final Fantasy yeah that's there it fits

[00:37:31] do we have compelling characters yeah we do that fits do we have great music yeah we do

[00:37:36] that fits I mean yeah if a potato put on it you know all right Final Fantasy Chrono Trigger

[00:37:44] there you go that's so you are in you're in on this so here's yeah I'm in on this

[00:37:49] so if we were to you already stated a few things a few of those lines you can draw from Final Fantasy

[00:37:56] to Chrono Trigger what are what are some lines that you you think you could draw between the two

[00:38:03] two games and you already mentioned a few of them but what do you think one the biggest one is

[00:38:06] the biggest parallel that you can see between the two oh the biggest parallel that is a very

[00:38:12] good question I think I'm going to go circle back to the the breaking of a cycle okay breaking

[00:38:20] up breaking all the cycle is this is probably the biggest um the biggest indication the biggest

[00:38:26] high that ties uh Final Fantasy the series to Chrono Trigger as I explained before the weird the

[00:38:35] goal in Chrono Trigger is to eliminate Lavos before he destroys the world if he doesn't

[00:38:42] this time loop the timeline still remains the same earth and humanity is doomed but that

[00:38:49] vital inflection point in 1999 when the team takes on Lavos they effectively break the cycle

[00:38:57] but then they start some dimensional shenanigans that leads into Chrono Cross and that's uh

[00:39:04] that's a whole kettle of fish that I'm not gonna I'm not gonna pop into at this point right now

[00:39:08] that's a tricky one that's a tricky one that's a very tricky one but we're but under the under

[00:39:14] the um under the scope of uh Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger the breaking of the cycle is

[00:39:22] where the parallels lie interesting that's very and that is my answer final answer I love it

[00:39:27] I love it I think that makes a lot of sense and I think because because Curd Trigger is all about

[00:39:32] those cycles and I think that makes a lot of a very good amount of sense when you put it in

[00:39:37] that kind of perspective for sure yeah for sure for sure well maybe I also helps uh

[00:39:44] it also helps that I played Chrono Trigger just recently it wasn't supposed to I wasn't like

[00:39:51] planning on it but I'm just like you know what well it was really because of a curatorial

[00:39:55] is passing and I'm like you know what I'm gonna play some Chrono Trigger I'm just gonna go

[00:39:59] well I'm just gonna go wild with it so I pulled up my SNES emulator um played it on a trip

[00:40:04] when I went to states for some training for work and uh yeah just had fun with it

[00:40:11] it's like fresh in my mind right now so that's awesome that's awesome man

[00:40:26] before we continue down this long strange road I want to thank my wonderful patrons

[00:40:31] for supporting this show financially on patreon these people include Phillip Becker, Terry Canare,

[00:40:39] Reg Stewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 series of videos,

[00:40:44] The One and Only Games with Coffee, The Let's Play Princess, B.T. Goebbels, Tim Knowles,

[00:40:49] formerly of the leadist, Julian of the Stage Select podcast, Seth Sergel of the All-In

[00:40:54] Media Network and finally the one and only Pete Harney if you'd like to join these amazing

[00:40:59] people in supporting the show financially, mosey on over to a Gamer Looks of 40 at Patreon

[00:41:06] patreon.com forward slash a gamer looks at 40 check out the tiers and sign up today and if not

[00:41:13] tell a friend about the episodes or a rating or review on your pod player of choice is always

[00:41:20] greatly appreciated but the episode couldn't be just that it could not be 40 minutes of me

[00:41:33] asking people questions and getting responses so I searched out a brand new voice to the show

[00:41:39] who I thought could provide insight perspective and a different take than what I've heard before

[00:41:46] meet game developer voice actor youtuber and all around fun personality Chrono Katie.

[00:41:52] A few months ago she was kind enough to sit down with me to chat about all things Chrono

[00:41:56] Trigger and put a sensible capstone to this completely insensible idea let's join the

[00:42:03] conversation Katie thank you so much for taking time to talk with me about a game that is

[00:42:09] clearly near and dear to your heart Chrono Trigger just a little just a little bit before we get started

[00:42:15] tight to the meat of it I'd love to hear your history with Chrono Trigger when did you first

[00:42:19] play it was it of its time like I just love to hear how you got involved with so believe it or

[00:42:27] not I did not play it on the SNES I didn't even know about its existence until 2008 so yeah

[00:42:36] I'm a fake fan no um yeah 2008 was when the DS version came out right so I grew up with

[00:42:44] watching Dragon Ball I'm a huge Dragon Ball nut and I was how I got close to like my cousin

[00:42:50] how we became like really good friends and we would watch it all the time so obviously

[00:42:54] Toriyama's art style was stuck with me right so um and then it was around like the time when

[00:43:01] I think the the Wii was preparing to launch um I got really into video game journalism like like

[00:43:07] I had never really like known that that was like a thing you could do like oh you can write about

[00:43:11] video games like a paid or you know reviews and stuff like that and I was really into IGN at the

[00:43:16] time so like and back then the team was like Matt Kasmacina but Mark Boson and um oh god I

[00:43:23] like Craig Harris I think and I was super I was really getting into video game journalism

[00:43:29] and then I see this review for a game called Chrono Trigger by Mark Boson who knows this story

[00:43:36] and loves it so that makes me really happy but um yeah and I see it and for the first time ever

[00:43:43] I see Toriyama's art style which I had never seen in yeah I grew up with games but I was no

[00:43:49] like I wasn't like the super expert who knew everything you know right away so like I was

[00:43:54] like oh my god there are games with Toriyama's art style so I clicked the link and I'm like

[00:43:59] it's about time travel I'm like that's like my favorite thing I'm like I need to get this game

[00:44:04] and the headline is like one of the greatest games ever made I'm like okay it's an RPG

[00:44:08] it's one of the greatest games ever made and apparently and it's got Toriyama's art style

[00:44:12] okay so that was like the first time I think I've ever bought something based on like you know

[00:44:20] that kind of thing like a commercial or something like that you know um and I went out and got the

[00:44:26] DS version and I just freaking I fell in love like I just I remember there was like one moment

[00:44:33] where toward the end of the game when I was just crying and I was like yeah this is the

[00:44:42] you got into it through the art style that's something I don't hear very often that you were

[00:44:48] familiar with Toriyama's work and you're like oh this is just another Toriyama joint great and

[00:44:52] let's just in video game form like why not right? That and Dragon Quest 9 were like the first time

[00:44:59] I was like wait what like because I was I loved the DS and I played so many games on that and

[00:45:04] Dragon Quest 9 was on the DS so yeah thank thank thank Dragon Ball. So when you first played it

[00:45:12] obviously the art style is what grabbed you initially but obviously it sounds like there are

[00:45:16] a lot of story things that were interesting and how did it hit for you when you played it

[00:45:21] for that first time on the DS? You know um the first playthrough I think I was so fixated on like

[00:45:28] finding out why it was so good that it hurt my initial playthrough but then in the second one

[00:45:35] that was when I was like oh my god like um I like I love to write that's like my favorite thing

[00:45:40] to do like I want to write a book that's like my dream right and like so I'm really into writing

[00:45:45] I'm really into narratives and storytelling and stuff like that and to me it's kind of been like

[00:45:51] my muse for a long time like I just think the writing is so so stellar especially for a 25 hour

[00:45:59] game especially for an RPG it is a game with absolute perfect pacing um it's just the one

[00:46:07] story beat leads into the next and it leads into the next and just everything is complete it is firing

[00:46:15] on all cylinders right which makes sense because it's like made from by the biggest experts you know

[00:46:20] of the RPG you know it's like it's literally like a superhero like it's like a traveling

[00:46:27] it's a traveling will-burys of video games I think I was describing it as it's it's the

[00:46:33] lightning in the bot in a bottle game you can't yeah create it it's it's just when when perfect

[00:46:38] force is collided and yeah and so I just I look to it now as like an inspiration in my writing

[00:46:46] that's a big reason obviously the music I mean come on just come on I've always had trouble like

[00:46:53] articulating how music makes me feel but I think it's just like you don't necessarily need to

[00:46:59] you just say the music and we all on some level inside know like how that made us feel you know

[00:47:04] what I mean like um and just Mitsuda's tracks just oh my god like um but yeah I mean I I also had this

[00:47:14] one super memorable experience the first time I was playing it it was like it's probably my favorite

[00:47:20] favorite moment to this day it's when you first get to Magus's castle well actually the entirety

[00:47:25] of Magus's castle really um and and I don't know like how long it's been since you played it but

[00:47:31] I'm sure you remember like the atmosphere of Magus's castle oh yeah McCall and yeah you hear the

[00:47:38] you hear like the the owls like and the crows like in the background and and it's super creepy

[00:47:44] right and I played that part I got to the castle uh it was during a massive storm in real life

[00:47:53] massive storm and our power went out so I played that entire Magus's castle section with power out

[00:48:00] in pitch black during a storm and let me tell you it was forget it yeah it was a palpable experience

[00:48:10] that is something I would pay to do I know I would actually pay for like that experience

[00:48:14] that is so cool I love that I should leave a file there and then just wait for a storm to blow

[00:48:20] in next I love that I yeah that's that's that's the way to do it if you're gonna if you're gonna

[00:48:27] play that that version especially on the DS it's portable yeah the batteries that's that's really

[00:48:31] really fun and good what are some of the characters obviously Chrono Trigger I would even say more

[00:48:37] than story is so character driven it's it's ridiculous how character driven that game is

[00:48:42] what characters did you connect with or do you connect with now either then or now or

[00:48:46] if they've changed you know I think I think at first it was always frog because you know people

[00:48:52] always say frog and it's why wouldn't they you know he's got a cool he's got he's one of the

[00:48:56] deeper characters he's everyone loves a good story of redemption he's so cool you know I mean

[00:49:02] he's a freaking knight and you know um but like I wouldn't say relate to him but Magus has become

[00:49:08] my favorite um I just think that there's a lot of like hidden depth in his character that even

[00:49:15] like even the game doesn't like make blatantly like clear you know um and I love to think about

[00:49:20] his character in that way but um I always think the most underrated character is is Marley I know

[00:49:27] it's Marle but I call her Marley I'll die in there no that's totally fine I feel most like her

[00:49:34] I guess because she's like bubbly and an idiot so I feel nice no I think she's an underrated

[00:49:42] character because she's like the group's conscience you know she's like like you know she's like their

[00:49:48] light and like keeping them cheery and they you know they they wouldn't even be able to save Chrono

[00:49:53] like they do if it weren't for her so like but nobody ever talks about Marley so it's interesting

[00:50:00] because she she's kind of like this force of positivity totally you know and like you said

[00:50:05] she's kind of like this driving engine when all seems bleak Marley has this and I always

[00:50:09] say Marley as well so you're in good company I said Marley for the longest time I never said Marle

[00:50:14] so also language is fluid we just just it's fine it's fine if you say Marle I'm totally cool at that

[00:50:20] I didn't yeah I I prefer Marley that's all yeah so for Marley I I always saw her as again like

[00:50:27] this agent of positivity when all things are bleak here comes Marley who's going to have a

[00:50:34] a rosier look at the situation or can do kind of attitude and I think so much of that is due to

[00:50:40] the fact that she has never seen the real world before well you know what I mean like she's been

[00:50:46] cooked up in a castle her whole life so she everything is wonderful to her probably like

[00:50:51] you know she sees all this is just a big great adventure that makes sense because this this is

[00:50:56] this you know even just the fare alone is like spellbinding to her like never mind the time

[00:51:02] travel you know um that's something I've always like if they ever did like a remake or something

[00:51:07] like touch more on like you know that that side of her like she's she's a little erythie you know

[00:51:14] in a way where she's like she's getting out to see the world for the first time and so she's naive

[00:51:19] and happy a lot but there's nothing wrong with that but there's also an innocence there like

[00:51:25] and that's and that's cool like there's there's there's something to be said for that innocence

[00:51:29] because she was a princess right she's she's she I'm sure she hasn't had the roughest of lives right

[00:51:34] she hasn't had a frog life she hasn't had you know like most these characters uh so I think that

[00:51:41] may be maybe why people don't like really talk much about Marla but I don't know I think that

[00:51:47] trope of the princess out in the world for the first time allows us to it gives us somebody

[00:51:54] to wonder at the world oh yeah she she's and that's kind of how I see it yeah she's she's in

[00:51:58] some ways like the second main character because she's like kind of like you get through the story

[00:52:02] through her almost that point of view character I agree yeah yeah and it's it's cool to have that

[00:52:08] person in the story that as an audience member you know they go wow look how cool this is is

[00:52:13] this cool Marla yeah it's super cool isn't it and I can have that almost mental conversation

[00:52:18] and it kind of drives that narrative forward because without that it would be harder to push

[00:52:23] forward because there's so much other stuff right and that's why I think she's such an underrated

[00:52:27] character she's so important to the group but you never hear people talk about Marla

[00:52:31] it's you know Luca is a big fan of the frog I get it but

[00:52:36] trigger is full of huge moments and and settings and areas what would you say you're

[00:52:49] I was trying to avoid the word favorite but what would you say like it may be favorite

[00:52:53] your favorite time period of Chrono trigger if you how about this here's here I'll ask it this way

[00:52:59] which time period would you want to live in the most oh gosh I actually have like I ask

[00:53:06] the people like like all my other Chrono trigger fans I asked them this question a lot actually

[00:53:12] oh I mean I mean I guess the obvious answer would be like um 12 000 BC you know because

[00:53:21] yeah and like I mean assuming you live in but like everyone's a jerk and stuck up and like

[00:53:28] elitist there so I don't know like it's that's tricky the middle ages seems like it's such a cozy

[00:53:34] place but it's also like in wartime so it's like I you know I um I think I would say probably

[00:53:43] antiquity 12 000 BC um yeah I like my my favorite one in the game though I think is prehistory

[00:53:51] personally interesting okay interesting is why why prehistory I just really um I love dinosaurs

[00:53:58] so that's part of it so it's really shallow right um it was my second favorite character

[00:54:04] so like and but also I just I really like um the second segment in prehistory the entire like

[00:54:14] the battle against the Zala and like that fight on the bridge with the tyrannosaurus rex like

[00:54:20] to me it's so iconic it's it's my favorite set piece in the game yep like I always said like

[00:54:27] if if if Chrono trigger got a smash bro stage right make it tyrannolare bridge

[00:54:31] that would be it that would be it yep 100 that would absolutely be it that would probably be it

[00:54:37] yeah I too love the 12 000 BC I just love the look of that place I like the soundtrack I like

[00:54:45] I like everything about that visually I don't know if I'd be fancy enough to live in the good place

[00:54:51] though that's the only issue um the present day looks pretty good honestly yeah I don't know

[00:55:01] time like like there's nothing going on there's nothing bad going on there pretty much

[00:55:07] everything's actually pretty much okay yeah so I think that's probably why I would end up but uh

[00:55:12] yeah I just love the look of that 1200 BC the antiquity yeah it's equity it's I just love

[00:55:18] a look at that I'd be interested to see if anyone said future and I'd be like can you justify that

[00:55:24] yeah can you justify future because clearly you have a different mental image of what the

[00:55:28] future is not those domes I don't live in the broken domes I'm gonna live in like a cool dome

[00:55:33] absolutely um yeah I can't imagine my only food source being a thing that's that I walk into

[00:55:39] makes me not hungry yeah and then I go still hungry let's talk a little bit about your

[00:55:46] your project you're the thing that you are working on right now at you as of this recording

[00:55:51] you've released the first chapter of your fandom we did yeah and when I heard there was a fan dub

[00:55:57] for Chrono Trigger I'm like oh this is gonna be interesting what is this gonna be and I said to

[00:56:03] myself be open-minded be open-minded go into it with open mind and I'm so glad I did because it is

[00:56:09] honestly and truly really good oh my god that means so much you don't have to just you don't have to

[00:56:14] say that like and I'm and I'm not and recently setting it up like this is because I I don't

[00:56:19] just say things and I I wouldn't say anything about it if it wasn't good I am very pleased

[00:56:24] to report to you the person who made it I'm very happy because I it's actually really good

[00:56:29] and fun and you made some really good choices so I'd love to talk about I'm glad I'm so glad

[00:56:35] it's really good because like that is the biggest worry of mine because Chrono Trigger fans are

[00:56:39] passionate yes yes they are that's why I haven't done a full series or anything on

[00:56:44] Chrono Trigger that's why I'm kind of sneaking into the Final Fantasy series

[00:56:48] and we can go back to that in a little bit but it's really really good so before I he

[00:56:54] praise on it I'd love I I'd love to hear how you got started with it what was your

[00:56:59] inspiration for doing it and kind of how you got everything to I've always liked voice acting

[00:57:04] in games like I a lot of people are against it especially like for older games but like

[00:57:12] you know I didn't grow up with the original and I think the original is still amazing amazing

[00:57:18] but I don't I'm not one of those Chrono Trigger fans who's like oh it has to be a certain way

[00:57:23] it has to stay that way it has to stay that way I'm like no there's always something you can do

[00:57:28] and I'm always open to other interpretations and stuff as long as somebody knows what they're

[00:57:33] doing and I'm like I think I know what I'm doing so I'm like I've always wondered what it

[00:57:38] well as far as Chrono Trigger not life but I'm like I'm like I I've always wondered what a voiced

[00:57:45] version of the game would sound like and it's just been a pipe dream for a long time

[00:57:49] and I just I don't know I just found myself with a lot of free time so I'm like let's just do

[00:57:54] it it was really just like a like a that's awesome do it it won't happen so let's just do it

[00:57:59] like I can't imagine the casting process it was it was very intense

[00:58:08] how many how many voice actor how many voice actors do you have involved in the project oh my god

[00:58:13] to be honest um I actually haven't counted total because I brought on a ton of um

[00:58:20] extra people just for like NPCs you know that they could just yeah the people feel involved

[00:58:25] and can be in it so they just like do like a one-off line or something but um I want to say it's

[00:58:33] somewhere around like 40 right now no maybe like 35 yeah something like that okay that's that's

[00:58:40] incredible you must have and you must have gotten so many submissions and yeah again the casting

[00:58:45] for this is is really well done I really like the fact that you're giving Chrono a voice

[00:58:49] thank you that's that was probably the thing I was most afraid of obviously what did you

[00:58:54] because that is a big bone tag exactly so wide what made you make that choice to give Chrono

[00:59:02] a voice in this um I think so the way I described it is I think that there's a difference between

[00:59:13] a game and like what we're making um so it plays out basically like a playthrough of Chrono Trigger

[00:59:19] that's voiced but in my opinion since you're watching it it's kind of more like a movie

[00:59:25] and a silent protag works a lot better in a game because like it's your conduit you know it's

[00:59:30] supposed to be kind of you and like you're envisioning what it is but this you're just

[00:59:35] watching it so to me it would be a little more awkward if Chrono never spoke and I've always you

[00:59:43] know I've always I've never had a problem with making the the silent protag speak like I'm cool

[00:59:48] with it even if Link did it like it doesn't matter to me as long as the character is cool

[00:59:52] and interesting you know so I I thought what if we did like a Joker from Persona thing where

[00:59:58] like he says he just has really short lines and he's mostly a silent protag but you know

[01:00:03] he just little short lines that boost the that boosts the storytelling a little bit

[01:00:08] totally no that makes a lot of sense and I think it I think you made a right decision because again

[01:00:13] if if I'm just playing the game I can beat Chrono but it'd be very awkward if Chrono never said

[01:00:19] a word exactly in this visual rep yeah I'm so sorry to cut you off I um technically he

[01:00:27] he does talk if you think about it because he responds to things with like you know sure

[01:00:31] why not yes no you know so I'm like those are technically him that's technically him saying

[01:00:37] something because characters respond like he said the word yes or no you know what I mean

[01:00:41] now there's one thing you did in the in this first episode and again this this episode of the show

[01:00:46] will probably release in about a couple months I'm assuming I'm guessing just based on my

[01:00:52] mental schedule but um so you may have more episodes out and I'm not sure how often you

[01:00:56] plan on releasing these but um in the initial episode when you walk into the millennial fair

[01:01:02] you have lots of little voices just scattered around the environment as you would at a fair

[01:01:09] you have somebody introducing you to the millennial fair and then you have different people commenting

[01:01:13] on different things it is such a again this is not just praise fest but it's such a smart

[01:01:19] idea to utilize this format to grow that out that was a really really good idea like I

[01:01:26] I was very impressed when I when I wanted the millennial fair and it felt very integrated

[01:01:31] also into the millennial fair I've walked through countless times before in playing this game over

[01:01:37] and over and over again there's some uh there's some really fun little easter egg lines in there

[01:01:41] too oh really oh cool I have to I have to give them a listen then that's cool thank you though

[01:01:46] I wasn't sure how it would play out but I peep we got a lot of compliments on it so

[01:01:51] I'm glad I think it's cool I think it definitely adds a lot of flavor to the environment and stays

[01:01:57] and it stays out of the way it's not something that I think clutters it or it's it's very well

[01:02:03] well placed so I thought I thought that was particularly neat um whoever did the voice of

[01:02:09] the robot I don't let's forget boy did that person have fun that person was having a blast

[01:02:15] yeah they were um that's an idar canum he's great and he was a runner up for magus as well

[01:02:21] um but didn't quite get it so I was like oh well let's let's give you something you know and he's

[01:02:25] like what about gato is a joke I'm like yeah he's like seriously I'm like yeah let's do it

[01:02:32] that's really really cool so so uh what kind of release schedule you're looking like

[01:02:37] are you looking at for for this series basically just they they release as I finish um but I am

[01:02:43] working every day on it and it's going quicker than I thought episode two is like I would say already

[01:02:50] like 75 done um that's so awesome yeah I planned to I planned to hopefully have it out within a week

[01:02:58] um and I've been I've just been giving it more thought now that now that it's off the ground

[01:03:02] you know now that it exists and we actually freaking made it like I'm like I'm like okay

[01:03:07] now let's thank how many episodes is this gonna be so I've been thinking in my head like

[01:03:10] you know what because there's good stopping points that's one of the great things about

[01:03:14] chrono trigger too there's so many great stopping points where like a story is done and then you

[01:03:18] move on you know so like each episode is kind of going to be like that and I think it's going

[01:03:24] to come out to like 28 episodes that's my current guess wow and I seem to be making them in like

[01:03:31] a two week basis like a two week basis so far um but you know an episode could be hard

[01:03:38] more difficult I could get busy so it's I'm not entirely sure right that's fair and I love the fact

[01:03:45] that it's you're leaving it open to whatever happens right and I I think that's really great

[01:03:50] that you've decided to let's just get it out there let's get people excited about it and

[01:03:54] get the work out there um I genuinely yeah it's so much more important to me that we do it right

[01:03:59] to you know not just get it out there like like as fast as possible like no we got it we

[01:04:04] gotta do it well the chrono trigger deserves nothing less

[01:04:15] do you think chrono trigger is part of the final fantasy family do you think I should do

[01:04:23] a chrono trigger episode in the middle of my final fantasy series right going through every

[01:04:28] number of final fantasy game some of which multiple times what do you think um I think

[01:04:35] what you're what you're doing I think that makes sense what you're doing

[01:04:38] um but personally me I have never seen it as a final fantasy game

[01:04:43] interesting I know what I realize why people do of course um but you know it's obviously

[01:04:50] you got sakaguchi in there you umatsu in there you know like I know why people do

[01:04:56] but um right to me the entire tone of chrono trigger is just very different from a final fantasy

[01:05:02] game um final fantasy games are just they're a bit more they're a bit more epic and I know

[01:05:10] chrono trigger is about like it's about obviously saving the world but it's more of you said it

[01:05:14] earlier it's more of kind of a character game and it's a little bit more about like the smaller

[01:05:19] like down to earth moments so I've always felt if anything it's kind of closer to a dragon quest

[01:05:27] I still don't call it a dragon quest but but also the dragon quest creators are we're on it too so

[01:05:33] I'm like well if you call it a final fantasy then do you call it a dragon quest you know that's

[01:05:37] but like I have no problem with anyone who does me personally I don't I kind of I also think

[01:05:44] chrono trigger is just so good that even though I love final fantasy I think it's much better than

[01:05:49] any final fantasy game so like that's just me I don't know I don't think there's a

[01:05:56] putting it in a series like that though because you know it can be like a fun spin-off episode or

[01:06:01] something but also and obviously it has huge ties to the final fantasy series right and that's kind

[01:06:08] of what I'm doing on the episode for chrono trigger it just wasn't getting inspired by

[01:06:11] the well-read mage who is the biggest chrono trigger fan I know maybe now second after talking

[01:06:16] to you but he's he is one of the biggest chrono trigger fans I know and he's the one

[01:06:21] who posited while we were talking about final fantasy he's like hey Bill are you gonna do

[01:06:24] a chrono trigger episode I'm like no he's like maybe we'll think about it so now the episode is

[01:06:30] literally going to be me asking people if final trigger should be in the final fantasy series

[01:06:36] and then explaining why or why not because I think that's like the biggest tie chrono

[01:06:40] trigger has a final fantasy is that people think it should be one so it's gonna be a very meta

[01:06:44] episode and then this conversation will be like the tail end of that like so that's kind

[01:06:48] of what I'm envisioning but and I know he very passionate he has a very passionate take

[01:06:52] on that which I really appreciate and like you know even though I'm on a different side of it

[01:06:58] you know I totally understand why people see it that way totally and I love well-read so good choice

[01:07:06] yeah no it's it's gonna be a lot it's gonna be a lot of fun one other question

[01:07:10] with comes to chrono trigger you mentioned that chrono trigger has a lot of these

[01:07:15] made up a lot of moments but a lot of the moments in chrono trigger are smaller but

[01:07:19] impactful which I think 16 bit rpgs do very well usually more I think better than the

[01:07:26] the newer ones everything's like a big set piece what small moment in chrono trigger do you remember

[01:07:32] being particularly impactful um I I feel like the easy answer is always the campfire because

[01:07:41] I just I really love campfire scenes in in games like like I used to back when I when I

[01:07:48] streamed I used to always tell my friends like we had this term called the campfire scene

[01:07:53] and it didn't always have to be a literal campfire it's just any moment where the characters

[01:07:58] just stop take a breath and talk and just be themselves you know and I'm like not enough

[01:08:03] games do that um so I'm like oh campfire scene yay and that's like the that's like one of

[01:08:10] the originals that's like one of the greatest ones you know um yeah but I I think I think that's

[01:08:20] that would be the first choice that pops into my head I really really love the part where

[01:08:27] they are can I do spoilers is that okay absolutely yeah this is total spoiler I really love the part

[01:08:33] after chrono dies when um the when gaspar the guru of time says ah yes to break death's hold over one

[01:08:43] you hold dear still like it's it's such a I don't know it's it's just such a poignant beautiful line

[01:08:49] I've always loved that part when he's trying to console everyone after chronos died I'm like

[01:08:54] because that's like that is like the lowest point in their adventure that's when the drama is at

[01:08:59] its highest so but it's this personal little scene in front of a street lamp it's it's so beautiful

[01:09:07] it is it is really beautiful and I love the I love how also for the player you've lost your main

[01:09:13] character the person your avatar is gone and you don't have to get them back you can go through

[01:09:20] the through to get the all the stuff you need to do it and do but you don't have to and that's

[01:09:25] really powerful that the you know it's almost like you're clinging to the to the man at the end of time

[01:09:31] who's basically like you said saying hey there is a way it's hard it's very challenging but if you

[01:09:39] want to it's there and it gives you that little bit of hope exactly it's so beautiful because

[01:09:44] you think we think of death is like well that's you can't stop you know that's irreversible but

[01:09:49] like if they truly want it that much it there's kind of like a lesson in perseverance there like

[01:09:56] yeah you literally can't undo death but like believe in what you're trying to do you know and just

[01:10:01] and try as hard as you can because he basically says like the outcome will depend on how badly you

[01:10:09] want it like how important chrono is to you at this is so beautiful totally agree it's it's

[01:10:16] really a just a stunning kind of moment for sure I also agree the campfire scene is is is just

[01:10:22] gorgeous and the one thing for me that the one mode I always always gets me is and they both

[01:10:27] does 62 they both involve robo is when robo is betrayed by his by his by his lady friend

[01:10:34] I guess or by his counterpart I forget the name of the character that one is just so sad

[01:10:40] and I can't even handle it and the second one is robo oh it's so brutal and then the second one

[01:10:47] is that part yeah that's gonna be a tough one I can't wait to hear I can't wait to hear the robo

[01:10:54] oh yeah I can't wait to hear oh yeah I think we really killed it with robo I'm excited

[01:10:58] very cool the other one is when robo you ask for both to plow the fields for 400 years

[01:11:04] and you just skip forward in time takes three seconds but for him it's been 400 years from the

[01:11:09] 600 600 to the thousand and it's again the feeling that passage of time is so like he's

[01:11:17] literally star trek level awesome like he looked trusted and yeah it's it's so good

[01:11:24] yeah awesome those might those are my two ones that are really hit me hard it's it's just it

[01:11:30] ages well again all all the classics and current triggers the same way chrome trigger ages that's

[01:11:34] what's beautiful about video games as just a medium this to go off topic a little bit

[01:11:38] is that it aged with us right grew up with a certain certain age and with everybody really

[01:11:45] it grew it's it's evolved so quickly alongside us that we had that's why we have these close

[01:11:51] connections those two games in particular have just aged like a fine wine it's amazing I yet

[01:11:57] there I'll tell you the quick story I told four on the show before but I'll tell it again here

[01:12:01] I was in Colorado a few years ago on a ski vacation with my my younger cousins they're aged at the

[01:12:08] time I'm gonna say seven nine and ten maybe let's just say that three boys and all they

[01:12:13] want to do is play their new switch that's all they want to do we're in we're in Breckenridge

[01:12:18] at this like really nice house and and all the parents are like let's go skiing and they

[01:12:24] just want to play Mario Kart and I'm just giggling on the inside as this is so fun so anyway I'm

[01:12:30] sitting there in like this living room area just with some downtime and I pop in Chrono Trigger

[01:12:36] on the DS because I always I always have a way I brought you to bring with me places so I'm playing

[01:12:41] the DS and I'm playing Chrono Trigger and all of a sudden one the kids comes up behind me and

[01:12:45] goes what are you playing what are you playing uncle uncle Bill like I'm playing a game called

[01:12:50] Chrono Trigger and it was the section in Magus's okay so first one kid comes up and starts watching

[01:12:57] play then the second one comes up then the third one then my son comes up five four kids aged

[01:13:04] four to ten engrossed engrossed they want to know the characters names they want to know what

[01:13:11] the story is what's going on here what's happening and I was like it's just a proof of

[01:13:17] concept of like how these games hold up and it was so cool and they're like uncle Bill don't

[01:13:25] don't next time you play make sure you're there when you play we want to watch you play

[01:13:27] make sure you're there I love that so much it was so cute so you're sorry though like it's just

[01:13:34] a good story transcends all time good characters transcend all time good music you know and like

[01:13:41] they see like it's so great that even though they're they're like in the complete new generation

[01:13:45] they see all pass through the two-dimensional visuals and everything and they just see it for

[01:13:50] what it is just a wonderful experience just something about it just caught them visually

[01:13:56] and and I think that's a testament to Toriyama's art design and I think that's a testament to

[01:14:01] in the sound design and just how timeless all that is and how it does kind of break down

[01:14:06] those barriers in that like retro gaming is not just for us old oldsters you know it's

[01:14:12] they are timeless stories for a reason um yeah so absolutely I thought I would share that a little

[01:14:18] that final little thing with you I'm so glad you did so glad you did

[01:14:27] thank you so much for listening to this edition of the gamer looks at 40 if you'd like to follow

[01:14:45] Katie online twitter is where she is most active at chrono Katie next week we're going to do a

[01:14:52] Tales from the bargain bin featuring my best friend on the entire planet mr. Joe Coro and then after

[01:14:58] that another solo interview and then it should be Final Fantasy 7 time y'all but I I don't know if

[01:15:06] i'm gonna get all that done in time we will see and that's the fun part about this show sometimes

[01:15:11] you just gotta wait hopefully that is not the case too much at this time around thank you so much

[01:15:18] for checking out the episode thank you to kev and Pete for cutting up the interviews to they make

[01:15:23] these episodes possible thanks once again to my patrons and thank you for checking out this edition

[01:15:29] of a gamer looks at 40 and until next time just be kind to yourselves and each other and me online

[01:15:37] when you inevitably complain about this croto trigger episode in my final fancy series but not

[01:15:43] really have a great one y'all