Wednesday, May 8, 2013

TOP Track #24 - "Time's Scar"





I may speak for many people when I say that I wasn't entirely thrilled with Chrono Cross back in 2000. Chrono Trigger is a really tough act to follow and arguably my nominee for best game ever made. I really wasn't thrilled with Final Fantasy VIII because Final Fantasy VII is a tough act to follow. I mention them together because they are alike in a few other ways. Both games are really pretty good games when judged solely on their own merit and not compared to their predecessor, and both have phenomenally great soundtracks. Chrono Cross is my favorite Mitsuda Yasunori album of all time, and that includes Chrono Trigger so it's no small feat. Easily the greatest thing to come out of Chrono Cross is its music. 

"Time's Scar" is a really good example of Mitsuda's style. It has a really great contemporary feeling, but also a strong use of Celtic/folk instruments and themes. I feel like this song pulls me in a variety of different directions. The soft, soothing intro lulls you into a false sense of security, perhaps even melancholy, for the first minute. Then you are thrust into a whirlwind of excitement - as if being whisked off to the far reaches of space and time that the series is known for. I also picture a nomadic gypsy doing a folk dance that tells the story of a boy who would repair these rips in the fabric of time based partially on the music itself and partially on the visually descriptive title of the song. It serves as a great intro to the general feeling and pacing of the game as well.

- TOP
@TOPGamingBlog



Chrono Trigger is my favorite game of all time - and I never beat the sequel. Pathetic, I know. Chrono Cross was extremely difficult for me, which is what I say to make myself feel better about it. Even with the use of a player's guide (before the rise of GameFaqs, mind you) I couldn't make it past the halfway point of the game. The difficulty of the game, coupled with the very noticeable absence of anyone named "Crono" or "Magus," really turned Chrono Cross into more of a chore for me than anything else. I was young and stupid. Really stupid. Aside from that, I love the music, even back then. As far as I can tell, Mitsuda Yasunori can do no wrong with me. Chrono Cross is a great example of that. 

"Time's Scar" is a fantastic introduction to this game. It has the lofty appeal of adventure, mixed with that intense feeling of duty. It reminds me a bit of the Jurassic Park theme (AKA the best song in cinema history). Whether or not you get goosebumps while watching an intro movie is a good test telling you whether it's a great song choice or not. "Time's Scar" definitely passes this test. 

- Deez
@Deezer509



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