Mid-90s RPG classic Chrono Trigger debuted on Steam in February, but the decision to apply a pixel smoothing filter, and the visual mushiness that resulted, left a lot of fans unhappy. Square Enix moved to address that dissatisfaction today with a patch that enables visual improvements including an "Original" graphics options, and also dropped a couple of before-and-after screens demonstrating the difference.
The updated visuals may not be an exact replica of the old-school Chrono Trigger graphics, as the patch notes state only that it brings them "more in-line with the original style," but it definitely looks more like it should. The patch also sets the "Original" graphics mode as the default, updates the font for "a more classic look," corrects various problems with in-game text, and fixes the way the word "Trigger" appears on the title screen—apparently it was somehow a problem. The animated startup sequence has also been adjusted to be more like that of the original game.
A couple of before-and-after screens illustrate the difference:
More changes to make the interface more PC-friendly are planned for future updates, and Square Enix is also extending the availability of the Chrono Trigger Limited Edition on Steam, which includes wallpapers, game music, and "digital liner notes" by computer Yasunori Mitsuda. It was supposed to disappear on April 2 but will remain up for purchase until April 30.
