AAAAA MAGUS’ CASTLE AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
…Sorry, I think I watched Losar’s gpp vid too long. Seriously funny stuff, guys.
So! Today is actually my favourite point, so I’m jealous as all heck that Charlie got to do it. Oh well, I get to do my second favourite part next week. This part has all of Frog’s insane character development, a sweet new weapon with a matching accessory, a crazy-big castle full of bosses and enemies and puzzles, and the epic battle with Magus himself. Sure, your gamer’s intuition is telling you it can’t be the end yet (you never got Ayla back in the party, after all) but plotwise it certainly feels like the culmination of all things, the natural progression leading you here since you originally learned of Lavos’ destruction in the future.
Personally, I like the SNES translation better. Glenn comes off as more subtle and dare-I-say sensitive, whereas in the remake they really bash you over the head with his outright squeamishness. Doesn’t quite seem to mesh with the daring swordsfrog we met back in the cathedral, does it? On the other hand, the DS gives us those great movie sequences — and you practically get to watch each one twice, once in SSJ ANIMES mode and then again with classic sprite animation. They both have positives, is what I’m sayin’. Also, Slash is sort of the representative characterization of each version: sloppy and joking on the SNES, far more grave on the DS. He still cuts a mean rug in both, of course.
Speculation about Flea can go in posts after mine. I ain’t goin’ near that one.
Ozzie is… well, he’s Ozzie. There’s no good way to explain him; he’s just that right combination of competent and useless to make him the perfect Square-Enix henchman. I mean, the guillotines on conveyors? Very intelligent. Dozens of holes in the floor? Brilliant. But then forgetting to account for opposition formation and personal placement in his own ice-shielded battle? Stupid, stupid, stupid. Ah, well. Never mind, Ozzie, we’ll catch you later.
And then, Magus. I think everyone dies fighting him the first time. After all, they went so far as to add a non-standard game over (and if I just spoiled you, well, you’re either crazy-good or ultra-lucky.) And it’s nice that they didn’t go with the usual “barrier change, use a Scan spell to find his weakness” tactic. He hits you with lightning, you hit him with lightning. Really makes the character selection important, too. I like to go with Marle so I can use Haste, but it does limit my capable counterattacks. But then he completely switches it up, starts casting Magic Wall (faithful attackers have been lowering his magic defense with the Masamune, naturally) and then suddenly DARK MATTER whoops you’re dead! You were probably underleveled. And stupid. And ran out of Revive and Mid Tonic.
True Story: I went allllll the way back to San Dorino from the save point in Ozzie’s room just to restock my items so I could beat Magus the first time.
‘Course, nowadays all is ease and splendour and we get a wacky little future-imperfect scene with Marle telling Crono to get a haircut and get a real job. What, did all the monsters stop dropping random cash? A samurai’s gotta chop firewood now? Sheesh.
