Well I just finished playing Chrono Trigger...for the first time... Yes, ever. What's really sad is that CT turns out to be the most innovative traditional turn based RPG I've ever played. The developers of CT seem to have asked themselves some very important questions about traditional RPGs before making the game. Why am I encountering a monster every few steps (even in areas I had already cleared out)? Why are there two seperate menus for magic and abilities? Why is it that when I take a certian character out of my party temporarily he or she doesn't grow in power along with the rest of my group? (Or rather, why should I be forced to go back and level this character up, just to enjoy some character variety? It is through asking all these questions and more that CT suceeds. I think asking these types of questions is the secret to revitalizing stale genres. Why do I respawn in online matches? Why is there always an enemy creature with only melee abilities running towards me in FPS games? Why do Poke'mon just jump out at me when I am on the hunt for them, and they don't want to be caught? Why don't the cops ever help me in San Andreas? Why am I always sidescrolling from left to right? Why not another direction from time to time? Why am I always the hero of the story? Developers need to ask themselves these kinds of questions, especially with formulaic features that you would never even think to alter or remove from said genre.