As noted earlier, I made my way through 2300 AD after recruiting Robo and finding the Gate. The fact that this seems to be one of the worst regarded areas in the game is very promising, as I didn't think it was bad. I went into the basement to activate the computer and procure food for the starved people holed up in the dome. After a boss fight against a mechanical Guardian (didn't think it was too bad), I learned the location of the next Gate and brought back seeds - the only food source I could find, back to the surface. The dome elder, Doan I think his name was, gave me his Bike Key as a reward, saying his bike would get me through Lab 32 more quickly. I do as he says and rev up the bike, but I'm confronted by a cocky robot/motorbike hybrid. Apparently, the only way through the shortcut is by beating him in a race. The race minigame kinda sucks (although it does show off some nifty SNES graphics), and I win.
Curious to see exactly what I skipped by taking this shortcut, I go back on foot. Turns out, the whole race saved me the effort of travailing through... one screen. lol. Granted, it was a screen with some tough enemies, but lol nonetheless. We reach the dome with the Gate and discover a hunk of scrap metal that, after some Lucca elbow grease, would be known as Robo, the fourth member of the team! Robo says we've gotta go pwn some ass in a nearby factory before we can access the Gate, and that he is a mandatory party member for this mission. I take him and dat blond ass to the factory to crush things hard, although some of the battles are more challenging now. Before leaving, six robots identical to Robo confront us. These ones, of course, are hostile, and scrap Robo, calling him defective. Crono's Cyclone makes short work of them, and we drag the incapacitated Robo back to Lucca for repairs. After all that, we're finally able to access the Gate, but it takes us somewhere unfamiliar, a small area called "The End of Time." This area functions as the game's hub between different time periods. From here, every time period is accessible.
It is here where I learn that the laws of jRPGs are far-reaching indeed, because I can only travel in groups of three, and everyone else has to stay in The End of Time, likely to be fondled by the creepy old man there (he's a bit TOO stoic if you ask me). I've been keeping Lucca and Robo back, keeping Marle as a permanent team member because of her healing. Here is also where I meat Spekkio, a helpful monster that's far more powerful than he looks. He's the guy who teaches everyone magic, so I used his services and even bested him for a Magic Tab. I leave this place and hit the teleport that takes me back to my time, but to the other continent that I've yet to visit.
As tranny said, this place is occupied by monsters weak to magic, so the game is treating this as a magic tutorial area. I melt, zap, and freeze my way through these minions with ease... until I confront Heckran, the area boss. Content with my usual Fedor combat style of "throw bombs until the other guy falls down," I was summarily wiped. My first death. I didn't realize that when in a defensive stance, Heckran counterattacks each hit with a devastating water attack. I figured this out the second time and beat him easily. After that, I made my way back to the Festival and took the original Gate to reappear in The End of Time. So uhhh... was that part of the game even necessary? I don't think I got any critical items or info, so maybe it was nothing but Magic 101.
Anyway, I then teleport to what I can only assume is my next area of interest, 65 million BC. So I'm here, I'm waiting for the Brian Peppers music I heard earlier in the game, and I'm stuck yet again. I've gathered each of the four items these ancient people are talking about (Horn, Pellet, Fang, Feather) but have no idea what to do with them.
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Yoblazer: http://oi52.tinypic.com/ad21i1.jpg
Watch and you'll see... someday I'll be... part of your world!