Thirty years after Chrono Trigger redefined what JRPGs could be, a small Canadian studio just delivered the spiritual successor fans never dared hope for. Threads of Time’s latest Tokyo Game Show 2025 trailer doesn’t just look beautiful – it captures that magical sense of wonder that made classic JRPGs legendary. From prehistoric Vikings riding dinosaurs to cyberpunk futures with flying cars, this time-traveling adventure promises everything longtime fans missed about the genre’s golden age.
Developed by Riyo Games and published by Humble Games, Threads of Time combines gorgeous HD-2D visuals powered by Unreal Engine 5 with turn-based combat that lets players literally bend time to their will. The newest gameplay footage reveals a depth of polish and creativity that puts many big-budget JRPGs to shame, proving indie developers understand what made classics like Chrono Trigger truly special.
Time Travel Done Right
The Tokyo Game Show trailer showcases the game’s ambitious scope across multiple time periods, each with distinct visual themes and gameplay mechanics. Players journey from Himmenheim, a prehistoric civilization where Vikings and dinosaurs coexist, to the neon-soaked cyberpunk dystopia of 2400 AD where surveillance cameras never sleep and rain falls on empty streets.
What sets Threads of Time apart from other time-travel narratives is its focus on the Order of the Time Knights – an ancient organization players must restore by recruiting heroes from across different eras. This provides a lore-driven reason for party diversity while creating opportunities for unique character interactions between warriors from vastly different time periods.
The trailer hints at a sinister plot threatening to unravel the very fabric of time itself, with animated cutscenes showing masked villains attempting to rewrite history according to their twisted vision. It’s classic JRPG storytelling elevated by modern production values and stunning visual presentation.
Combat That Respects the Classics
The gameplay footage reveals a turn-based combat system that honors classic JRPG mechanics while adding modern innovations. Players can bend time to delay enemy turns, chain powerful combo attacks between party members, and execute devastating team-up moves reminiscent of Chrono Trigger’s legendary dual and triple techs.
The trailer showcases a particularly impressive sequence where Barza (a rat-like warrior) and Rin (a kitsune ninja from 2400 AD) perform a synchronized combination attack against a bat monster. The animation flows seamlessly between characters, creating cinematic moments that feel both nostalgic and fresh.
Combat environments show impressive depth, with characters fighting across foreground and background planes against evocative backdrops. The battle perspective sits perfectly between Octopath Traveler’s HD-2D approach and Dragon Quest’s traditional presentation, creating something uniquely appealing.
Combat Features That Matter
- Time manipulation mechanics allowing turn order manipulation
- Multi-character combination attacks with unique animations
- Strategic positioning across multiple battle planes
- Dynamic visual effects that enhance rather than overwhelm gameplay
- Classic ATB-style timing bars showing turn progression
Visual Artistry That Outshines Square Enix
Perhaps most impressively, Threads of Time’s HD-2D presentation appears more polished and cohesive than many recent Square Enix efforts. Community reactions consistently praise the visual quality, with many noting it surpasses the recent Dragon Quest HD-2D remakes in both artistic direction and technical execution.
The Unreal Engine 5 implementation creates stunning lighting effects and environmental details while maintaining the pixel-perfect character sprites that define the aesthetic. From the warm, earthy tones of prehistoric civilizations to the cold neon blues of futuristic cityscapes, each era feels distinct and memorable.
Character designs strike an excellent balance between Chrono Trigger nostalgia and original creativity. While some characters clearly draw inspiration from classic designs, they feel like loving homages rather than direct copies, creating familiarity without retreading old ground.
Heroes Across Time and Space
The trailer introduces several party members who represent the game’s ambitious character roster. Rin, the kitsune ninja from 2400 AD, uses illusions and blade arts to disrupt enemy formations. Her design perfectly captures cyberpunk aesthetics while maintaining fantasy elements that feel authentic to the world.
Other glimpsed characters include Viking warriors from the prehistoric era, mechanical robots from distant futures, and various mages and fighters from different time periods. The diversity suggests a party system with significant customization options and strategic depth.
What’s particularly exciting is how character interactions might work across different eras. Imagine dialogue scenes between a medieval knight and a cyberpunk hacker, or strategic discussions between ancient mages and futuristic engineers. These cross-temporal relationships could create storytelling opportunities no other JRPG has fully explored.
The Canadian Studio Making Magic
Riyo Games, based in Canada, represents the kind of passionate indie development that often produces the most memorable gaming experiences. Their clear love for classic JRPGs shows in every frame of gameplay footage, from carefully animated sprite work to thoughtfully designed battle systems.
The partnership with Humble Games provides the publishing support needed for global reach while allowing creative freedom for the development team. This combination of passionate developers and supportive publishers often results in the kind of surprise hits that define gaming generations.
First revealed at Tokyo Game Show 2024, Threads of Time has spent a full year in development refinement, and the improvement shows clearly in the latest trailer. The additional development time has allowed for polish levels that rival much larger productions.
Platform Availability and Release Timing
Threads of Time targets PC via Steam and Xbox Series X|S platforms, ensuring accessibility across the most popular gaming ecosystems. The focus on these platforms allows developers to optimize performance without worrying about hardware limitations from older consoles.
While no specific release date has been announced, the level of polish shown in recent trailers suggests the game is approaching completion. The developers appear committed to releasing a finished product rather than rushing to market, which should result in the kind of complete experience classic JRPG fans deserve.
Community Excitement and Expectations
The response to Threads of Time’s latest trailer has been overwhelmingly positive across gaming communities. Comments consistently praise the visual quality, combat depth, and faithful recreation of classic JRPG elements that modern AAA games often ignore.
Many fans express excitement about having a true Chrono Trigger successor that understands what made the original special. Unlike many modern JRPGs that focus on complex systems and lengthy cutscenes, Threads of Time appears to prioritize tight gameplay loops and meaningful progression.
The timing couldn’t be better, as Chrono Trigger recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, creating renewed interest in time-travel JRPGs and classic gameplay mechanics. Threads of Time represents everything fans hoped Square Enix would deliver but never quite managed with their recent releases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Threads of Time officially connected to Chrono Trigger?
No, it’s an independent spiritual successor created by Riyo Games. While heavily inspired by Chrono Trigger’s mechanics and aesthetic, it’s an original IP with its own story and characters.
What platforms will Threads of Time release on?
The game is confirmed for PC via Steam and Xbox Series X|S. No other platforms have been announced, though the developers haven’t ruled out additional releases.
When does Threads of Time release?
No specific release date has been announced yet. The developers appear focused on delivering a polished experience rather than rushing to market with a specific timeline.
How does the combat system work?
It features strategic turn-based battles with time manipulation mechanics, allowing players to bend time, delay enemy turns, and execute powerful combination attacks between party members.
How many time periods can players visit?
The trailer shows multiple eras from prehistoric times with dinosaurs to cyberpunk futures, but the exact number of time periods hasn’t been specified by the developers.
Is this a full-length JRPG or a shorter indie experience?
Based on the scope shown in trailers and the development team’s ambitions, it appears to be a full-length JRPG with substantial content across multiple time periods and character storylines.
Will there be voice acting in the final release?
The trailer features some voice work, but the developers haven’t detailed the extent of voice acting planned for the complete game.
Conclusion
Threads of Time represents everything classic JRPG fans have been waiting for: gorgeous HD-2D visuals, deep turn-based combat, time-traveling adventure, and that ineffable sense of wonder that made games like Chrono Trigger legendary. Riyo Games clearly understands what made classic JRPGs special, and they’re delivering a modern interpretation that honors the past while pushing the genre forward.
In an era where many JRPGs prioritize complex systems over engaging gameplay, Threads of Time promises a return to the fundamentals that made the genre great. With stunning visuals powered by Unreal Engine 5, strategic combat that rewards planning and creativity, and a time-spanning story that could rival the classics, this indie project might just be the JRPG revival fans never dared hope for. The wait for a release date will be brutal, but if the final game delivers on the promise shown in these trailers, it could be worth every second.