Last year, a remake of Live A Live launched on Nintendo Switch, nearly 27 years after its original 1994 launch on the Super Nintendo. Now that it’s out on PS4, we’re happy to report that Live A Live is still a unique and groundbreaking experience.
Right off the bat, the game presents a choice of seven characters to play with, each spanning a different time period: Pogo of prehistoric times, Masaru of the modern plateau, Cube of the distant future, and everything in between. Choosing him one of these characters doesn’t mean you have to play the entire game as is. Instead, it simply provides a starting point. Each of these 7 characters has a small chapter that can easily be completed in up to 3 hours. This forms a wider game. There is no set order to play.
You might think that each of these chapters are the same, repackaged for a new time period, but they’re not. Each character has their own personality and, in many cases, abilities. . Prehistoric Pogos don’t have the verbal skills to communicate with their mates in a series of grunts, but they do have an impeccable sense of smell that can be used to track down enemies. Akira in the near future can read minds and Oboromaru in Edo Japan can use his Shroud of Shadows to become invisible. There are connection tips that will be revealed in the final chapter. Some chapters feel like completely different genres. Most notably the current day, when the whole thing is set as a Street Fighter-esque fighting game. It brings a very interesting experience that makes each chapter a memorable one.
Live A Live also has the advantage of letting you jump in and out of chapters if you feel unfamiliar with something. All chapters must be completed to unlock the Endgame Pass, but just because you start a chapter doesn’t mean you’re locked into it until you finish it. You can exit the menu to start or resume another chapter. The game remembers your timeline progress as it ends. It’s time to enjoy a different feeling than usual.
In Chapter 8, where it all comes together, the loose narrative threads that have been woven in the previous chapters are finally revealed.
Many chapters are simpler than others, but some feel particularly puzzling and vague. Unravel many puzzles and traps. Conversely, the Prehistory chapter is very linear in its progression, leaving no doubt as to where it needs to go.
It’s little things like this that make Live A Live stand out. Yes, it’s a game divided into cohesive chunks, but it also feels like a series of smaller games that are part of a larger whole. There is a charm that makes you feel like you are. In our favorite chapter, The Wild West, the protagonist collects items and townspeople set traps for outlaws. about to attack. Depending on the number of traps set within the time limit, there is a ripple effect on the number of enemies in the final battle. It’s a really fun mechanic that I’ve rarely experienced before, and it makes that particular story stand out.
With updated HD-2D graphics, Live A Live features a re-created soundtrack by original composer Yoko Shimamura. Multiple timeless soundtracks beautifully evoke the era you’re playing in, while still sounding cohesive across the timeline. This is a great enhancement to the experience.
Combat-wise, Live A Live feels like familiar ground. Each character that takes place on the grid has a gauge that must be filled before unleashing an attack. Moving around the grid fills the enemy’s gauge and prepares them to attack, but some of their unique techniques can delay or disrupt plans.Each attack has a different area of effect. . That means you need to be in the right position to do maximum damage to multiple enemies, or to make sure you hit someone first. Enemies have different weaknesses and resistances, which can be easily discovered by targeting them, so you can use different moves with different attributes to plan your attacks accordingly. It’s all pretty fun, but the combat system doesn’t stand out or feel unique, especially compared to how compelling the rest of the game’s design is.
Conclusion
Live A Live is a very interesting and unique JRPG experience. With beautiful HD-2D graphics and a large number of main characters, it’s hard to compare it to something like Octopath Traveler, but it’s a completely different kettle of fish. Live A Live is a varied and thrilling ride that still impresses after all these years, and while the combat struggles to keep up with the rest of the adventure, the game delivers intriguing individual stories. It does a great job of tying it all together. This is a journey through history that we have been thinking about for quite some time.
