I'll say one little thing to try to explain what I think sets Chrono Trigger apart, and then I'll shut up.
RPGs in general, along with lots of TV and movies made in Japan, have a bad habit of relying on TONS of expository dialogue to convey their stories. Chrono Trigger, however, kept this to a minimum in spite of having a somewhat complex plot. You could make a hack of CT that removes every single line of dialogue and give it to a first-timer with a barebones FAQ, and they would still understand 80% of the story after beating it. It's very event/context-driven, and whether a game or movie or book, that tends to get people more emotionally involved. It's the old "show, don't tell" rule from Creative Writing 101.
I'll leave it at that.