Hello PlayStation players! My name is Takashi Tokita, a live a live producer.
We’re happy to announce that this game is now available digitally for PS5 and PS4. This is a very unique RPG where you can play short his story across 8 different eras. Everything is presented in beautiful HD-2D visuals.
This game is very special to me. I directed the original Live A Live 29 years before him, and it was the first game I planned from scratch. This is my favorite title!
In honor of its release on the PlayStation console, we would like to share some memories of working on the game in both the original and the remake.
History of Live A Live
The original Live A Live began production between the development of Final Fantasy IV and Chrono Trigger. I wanted to create a new style of RPG, so I got together with my friends and launched a new project.
Our idea was to split a long RPG into a kind of omnibus (or short story) format. Many of the elements are familiar from role-playing games, but players can enjoy different worlds and mechanics.
The game was released on September 2, 1994, but unfortunately was not released outside of Japan. It was heartbreaking.
However, the people who actually played the game understood the appeal of the game and spread the word about us. The game was not translated, but volunteers have localized it and passed on its enjoyment over the years.
I sincerely hope Live A Live will be played by people all over the world. Thanks to the many people who support this game, it’s now available on the latest platforms!
live a live design
One of the things that makes Live A Live stand out is its structure. Unlike many other RPGs that usually feature a single epic journey, in our game the player chooses from his seven tales, each set in a different era and played in any order. can.
RPGs divided into chapters have been around since the original release, but we wanted to give players the freedom to choose the world and characters they want. We asked a different manga artist to design the characters for each chapter, and I wanted them to fully demonstrate their individuality.
Live A Live also gives players the ability to make key decisions and forge their own path in certain key parts of the story. Because we believe that freedom of choice and the consequences that follow create the best in not only RPGs, but games in general!
Various settings of Live A Live
From the very beginning of the planning stages of Live A Live, we wanted to include a setting that would definitely incorporate elements of an RPG. Thus, we have eight different periods of his history.
- prehistory without words
- Imperial China where Shifu trains his successors
- Wild West with towns to explore
- Twilight in Edo, challenging top-secret missions
- Modern times where you can test your skills with martial artists from all over the world
- The near future where the main character has psycho power
- A distant future where all the drama takes place in a spaceship
- Medieval with classic RPG elements and something you can choose when you complete other elements
We had a lot of ideas for what would happen in each chapter. for example…
Twilight of Edo
In this chapter, you play as a shinobi tasked with infiltrating enemy castles and rescuing hostages. You can either evade combat and sneak past guards to tackle this task stealthily, or you can take them all on in combat. it’s up to you.
The staff in charge of chapters have been very meticulous and have given players more freedom than I originally expected. As a result, the level design was also very complicated.
That said, the concept was for Shinobi to carry out his mission as he pleases, so both the original remake and the new remake took time to produce, defeating all the enemies and killing 100 people. Either kill or kill no one.
the current
In this combat-focused chapter, you play as a fighter on your journey to become the world’s greatest warrior. By fighting different enemies, you can learn their skills and use them yourself.
Fighting games such as Street Fighter and Virtua Fighter were popular during development, and many of the staff, including myself, were professional wrestling fans.
At the time, it was difficult for a company like Square, which mainly produced RPGs, to create a standalone fighting game, but I thought it would be possible to create a part of an omnibus as a fighting game.
By the way, I think it was just a coincidence that this was the first title that Yoko Shimomura, who was in charge of the music for Street Fighter II, moved to Square!
Of course, Japan’s Edo Twilight and Present Day are just two examples. We have chosen eight of his eras that are so different that each has its own influence.
Defining the Visual Style of the Live A Live Remake
This new version of the game is even more impressive thanks to its stunning HD-2D visuals! It combines 2D sprites with 3D graphics and we think you’ll agree that it looks beautiful.
Thanks to Octopus Traveler for this approach. I was working in another department at Square Enix when that game was announced, and I was blown away by how well dot characters and modern effects blended together! I didn’t know you could do that!” I remember thinking.
After a while, I joined Team Asano, who made that game. They were looking at their next project and considering various options for the remake. Live A Live was considered.
Of course, we were waiting for an opportunity to bring the game back, but thanks to the ratings the original title received and the enthusiastic support that surrounds us, Live A Live is back in HD-2D. I think it’s in the shape of
We hope you enjoy reading about Live A Live. The game is currently playable on PS5 and PS4.
We hope that you will enjoy this bite-sized omnibus RPG in an age of digital entertainment.