Chrono Trigger defined the concept of New Game+, and then its divisive sequel missed the point entirely — Of all the gifts Chrono Trigger gave the Japanese RPG genre, New Game+ is probably its most endearing and enduring. This mode — which unlocks when you’ve beaten the game once — allows you to replay the game using your previously-powered up characters, and most of their equipment (minus items…

How a Super Nintendo JRPG developed by a Dream Team of creators is still finding new fans 25 years later — Nobody likes to throw up at school. But even if I could travel back in time to that fateful morning in early 1996, I wouldn’t change a thing. I arrived at school groggy-eyed from staying up all night slugging coffee and working on Chrono Trigger fanfic. (Don’t ask me why…

An early demo of Sea of Stars reveals a game bursting with innovation and beauty while staying true to its classic inspirations — Sea of Stars is an upcoming turn-based RPG from Sabotage Studio, the makers of 2018’s The Messenger. It caught my attention early on thanks to the studio’s pedigree, and the obvious inspiration it takes from golden age Japanese RPGs like Chrono Trigger. Sea of Stars launched with a huge Kickstarter…

How Rabbit & Bear Studio’s new Kickstarter is channeling the soul of the beloved Suikoden franchise — “Suikoden” and “Eiyuden Chronicle” don’t exactly roll off the tongue the same way “Final Fantasy” and “Dragon Quest” do, but these Japanese RPGs from Yoshitaka Murayama represent an important place in both the history and future of the genre. In the days before Final Fantasy VII, the Sony PlayStation was…

Despite gorgeous sprites, fun battles, and great characters, this late-generation PlayStation Japanese RPG just misses classic status. — In my debut on the Hugo Award-nominated Nerds of a Feather, I’ve got some deep dive impressions into the first several hours of Breath of Fire IV. Released during the PlayStation’s final months, Breath of Fire IV is a throwback to the way Japanese RPGs were on the Super Nintendo…

Following the 20 year digital journey of the world’s greatest trading card game from tabletops to eSports — I’ve made no secret about how Magic: The Gathering — a hugely popular trading card game with origins in the early ‘90s — has impacted me as a writer, gamer, and creator. More than Tolkien, more than Final Fantasy, Magic is responsible for setting me on a lifelong obsession with…

How Final Fantasy VII Remake’s opening hours use nostalgia and modern gaming ideologies to redefine how we think about remakes. — Spoiler warning: This piece contains open spoilers for Final Fantasy VII Remake’s first five chapters and the entirety of the original Final Fantasy VII. Few games have changed their respective genre as much as the surprise 1997 PlayStation hit Final Fantasy VII. It released to a market broadly unfamiliar with…

Like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the two versions of Trials of Mana show strengths and flaws in opposite ways — Remakes are super hot right now. From the huge success of Final Fantasy VII Remake to Switch re-releases of the Bioshock trilogy, game publishers are leveraging nostalgia to sell old games to both new and longtime fans. One of the most surprising is Square Enix’s Trials of Mana for the…

From dead Squall to post-war Kanto, you’ll never look at Final Fantasy VIII, Pokemon, or Chrono Trigger the same ever again. — Who doesn’t love a good fan theory? (Besides George R.R. Martin because it makes finishing his series so much more difficult.) Fans have been speculating about their favourite books, films, and TV shows for decades, and gaming is no different. From theories about Majora’s Mask and the five stages of…