Before someone thinks that this post will contain something like “OMG BioWare ripped-off Chrono trigger!11!”, “I like macaroni!” or “Jim Sterling has green skin!” or something equally stupid i want to clarify that the connection between games is actually pretty minor. Yes, this means that post is obviously boring, you can leave now. Ok, so if anyone is still interested in hearing me out, read on. The post will contain spoilers for both Mass Effect 2 and Chrono Trigger, so be warned.
So what’s this connection is all about? Well, let me tell you how i actually got this idea. Recently i was thinking of replaying CT again and was thinking about how awesome game is. I thought about the side quest involving the rebuilding one creepy castle and remembered how i was pleasantly surprised to find out that the quest was actually a backstory quest for Frog. Then i thought some more and realized that game had a special sidequest for every party member. And that each sidequest dealt with matters of “family”. Then it finally hit me. The ME2 had sidequests for party members dealing with family!
Think of the quests in Chrono Trigger. It had “story quests” that, when started, had to be finished before moving onto something else and had to be done to continue playing. Like the trial of Crono – you had to finish the quest before you could do anything else. It had “party recruiting” quests for every single party member. You couldn’t avoid them (apart from Magnus one), but we can call them like that. We had sidequests that had nothing to do with the story or main characters. And we had special “background” character quests. They were completely optional but were really fleshed out and usually longer than other sidequests. And, most importantly, they all dealt with “family” in different meanings. Luca saved her mother from machinery. Marle saved her father, the King. Robo dealt with his “mother” the computer. Frog dealt with his friend, who was like a brother to him. Ayla saved her tribe to whom she was like a “big mother” and also chose her husband. Only Magnus didn’t have his personal sidequest (until the DS version), but story-wise his main quest was to find his sister.
Now think of Mass Effect 2 missions. Story-advancing missions you cannot avoid. Party recruiting missions. Completely optional sidequests. And character background quests. Which are also developed much better than other sidequests and also deal with “family”. No point in naming them, since the game is still fresh.
A coincidence? Maybe. I mean, if you try hard you can find even more connections in the gameplay, in the story or the characters. But than again, if you try hard you might find some Frankenweenie references and the date of apocalypse or whatever else your imagination may think of. Still, the thing that you can start the final quest/battle before all the other quests, even story quests, are finished is found in both games.
If it is a coincidence, and games were made at some points alike because BioWare devs love CT and subconsciously became “inspired”by it, then they were most lucky. If it was intended, then i think they made the right choice. Some people might’ve called it stealing, but i would call it a “tribute” and “influenced by the classic example of a great game”. I always thought, that to make a great game you don’t necessarily need to create something new and innovative. You can just look at other great games and follow the example. You just need to do it right.
P.S. I actually do love macaroni -_-