Wow. I was expecting great things from the beloved Chrono Trigger… but I wasn’t expecting this. Ayla (strong!) kicked my ass, stole my heart, and in the process, has become one of my favorite RPG characters ever. There’s nothing to hate here. She is the best designed party member – yeah I said it. IMO, her sprite rivals Magus as the best looking, and her awesome panther run (strong!) helps give her the edge over the wizard from Zeal. She was, without question, my favorite character to use in battle. Ayla hit like a truck, dodged like a gazelle, and stole like a ****ing raccoon from an open dumpster. A fully leveled Ayla is capable of critting for 9999 (or, if you’re extremely lucky, killing Lavos’s final form in three hits). Her Techs – whether Single or Dual – are sick. Falcon Hit and Volt Bite were probably my two favorite in the game and two reasons why I always had Ayla and Crono on board for fightin’. Never had I had such unrestrained, primal awesomeness ooze from my SNES (or Wii, as the case was).
Due to her prehistoric era and limited vernacular, I bet many fans consider Ayla boorish and unintelligent. I ask these fans to reexamine the character. Sure, she isn’t prim and proper, but if you look over her dialogue, Ayla actually imparts much wisdom throughout the game. It makes sense, as I think she’s a bit older than Crono/Ayla/Marle and holds a position of power and responsibility. Unlike Frog, Ayla is self-assured and confident from the start. I know that Crono is a courageous hero, but I honestly felt that Ayla was the party’s rock of strength. She never doubted herself or showed the slightest inkling of fear before a climactic battle. A feral beast in battle, Ayla still demonstrated feminine qualities by reassuring the other party members when the chips were down.
My only gripe rests with the designers for not giving her an optional side quest. I feel that doing so could have fleshed out an already awesome character – a missed opportunity. Still, Ayla emerges with a club, a saccharine smile, and a lion’s spirit to champion this game on her shoulders. Strong!
--
Yoblazer: http://i33.tinypic.com/ml36gl_th.gif
Watch and you'll see... someday I'll be... part of your world!