Live A Live review: vibrant and endearing
Our Verdict
Live A Live is a phenomenal RPG that's sure to delight new and old fans alike. Each chapter tells a story with its own cast, time, and location, yet all are done seamlessly and they tie together nice to form the overarching story. Then, to top it all off, the combat is fantastic, well designed, and exactly what you'd expect from a title that utilises turn-based mechanics.
It's 1994. Square Enix develops a game that is innovative and contributes to the industry's transition into a new era. Now, over thirty years later, the same title reappears, but with a lively update that injects fresh energy into Live A Live, an RPG that demands your whole focus.
For those who are unfamiliar with the original, one of the most captivating aspects of this iconic game is its eight distinct chapters, each of which focuses on a different protagonist in a variety of settings and eras. This is naturally also true of the remake. Even better, each of the eight is an incredible experience on its own. Actually, none of them are weak, in my honest view. Every chapter stands alone and has a distinct personality that sets Live A Live apart from other role-playing games.
It seems only fitting to go over the game's mechanics and stress the value of using the little map in the corner of your screen to navigate before I go into a few of the chapters. Like many games of this kind, Live A Live offers you more to accomplish than what first meets the eye. Each chapter has information beyond your primary goal, which encourages exploration.
Even better, the game lets you customize your experience and plot by letting you decide which chapters to go through first. Each chapter has a unique cast of people, each with a unique backstory to tell. In my experience, I haven't yet seen one that doesn't immediately captivate me. Yes, Live A Live is that fantastic, and as you'll soon discover, I have nothing but positive things to say about it.
If I could only offer you one piece of advise, it would be to familiarize yourself with the minimap. An orange flag will signify your main goal, while blue dots will show areas you haven't yet explored. Most of the time, these spots include goods that may aid you in your travels, as your equipment directly affects your odds of surviving and winning combat.
Putting you in the position of a Shifu who wants to recruit new followers, The Successor in Imperial China is my favorite chapter in the game. This isn't too difficult to do, and it's just as funny as you would imagine—a kung-fu expert searching for apprentices and finding them in the most unusual ways. A former ordinary thug who simply wants to bash the elderly guy up, one for stealing a really good noodle dish, and another after he almost begs to be given a chance.
All of that seems like a recipe for humor, and it does provide some humor, but as the chapter on Imperial China goes on, it also positions each of the young protagonists for some amazing character development. particularly for Lei, the feisty young lady who obviously despises authority, suffers from a serious attitude problem, and is simply itching to kick the elderly man in the butt. She gradually softens (just a little) and learns how to see above her limitations in order to improve herself.
As you can probably anticipate, there are some interesting developments throughout this chapter, but I won't give anything away to give you a spoiler or give away too much about the plot. I will admit this, though: teaching your pupils is quite interesting, and because they all have distinct fighting styles, you must always favor one of them. When you select this choice, it's important to take Live A Live's turn-based grid fighting into account since characters like Hong are quite strong.
The breathtaking mountaintop and the ethereal bamboo forest, both of which hide peril around every turn, are only two of the breathtaking locations in Imperial China. Finally, the music for this chapter does a fantastic job of encapsulating the setting, plot, and people.
If you want to listen, I'd even argue that the combat tune from this chapter, Clash in China, is my favorite song from Live A Live (I play the in-game jukebox version of it on repeat, no shame). It simply strikes me, and I have no idea why. I get a thrill every time I hear the sound. I have a strong inner want to travel.
This game has some of the best sound design ever. It's a really unique combination that works well with the remaster, perfectly matching the tone of each particular chapter while remaining deliciously new and giving regard to Live A Live's origins. It does a great job at capturing the feelings of each situation and contributes to making the environment appropriate for the moment and location you're in.
The Infiltrator in Twilight of Edo Japan is another chapter that has me kind of enamored. You assume the role of a shinobi in this narrative, and you go on a significant mission that takes you through a magnificent Japanese property. I knew I was going to be in for a treat as soon as I stepped foot in this location. Since all I could do was look around, it honestly took me a minute to be able to move. When I eventually made my way inside the property, I must admit that I was completely taken aback by what I saw.
In addition to the breathtaking beauty that envelops you in this place, the enemies are equally amazing. As someone who enjoys Japan, its past, and its fabled warriors, it was an honor to assume control of the shinobi and battle ronin, oni, and a few other enemy types. This chapter gives you the impression that you are really there as you spar with historical samurai.
Even better, one of the chapters where the protagonist has special abilities is Twilight of Edo Japan. Here, you may click the 'Y' button to become invisible and evade the guards who are on the lookout for you. This presents a unique character choice: you may decide to confront everyone and convert the formerly prestigious facility into a bloodbath, or you can opt to forgo fighting until the conclusion of the chapter, saving those who are just misled.
Which other chapter is very special to me? earlier times. You take on the charming Pogo in this chapter, a young caveman who has just reached adulthood in his tribe and has to learn how to be a man and take on additional duties. Fortunately, Pogo has his closest buddy Gori, an ape, on his side to aid and keep him company. When the young caveman learns to speak the word "love," however, the presence of the primates isn't so welcomed.
After discovering Beru, a cavewoman who left her own tribe to hide among his, he falls in love with her. To be honest, it's rather adorable to see, and it's also fun to see Pogo slam Gori against a wall if he acts in an obnoxious manner. The bulk of Live A Live's chapters are full of hearty humor, but this one is no exception. Of course, there are also some darker moments.
Since every chapter has a purpose and does it almost flawlessly, there isn't a single one that I don't like, not even the ones I haven't spoken about in great length since some just need the time to wow you on their own. The Medieval chapter is one of my favorites as well. Who wouldn't want to play as a little robot on rollerblades? This is precisely what Live A Live's Distant Future section offers.
I have no complaints with Live A Live's fighting since it fulfills all of my requirements for a turn-based grid warfare system. You have to confront an opponent before you can join battle. Once you are in a fight, you may move around an invisible board. Although I say invisible, you can see the grid when you attack since it shows you where to aim and whether your opponent is in your offensive range.
Of course, there are other factors to take into account as well, as an attack isn't always the wisest line of action. It's often a good idea to wait it out, let the adversary approach, and then use one of the assaults you may choose from the top of the screen to let go your wrath. In relation to that, I like the UI design during combat. It isn't obtrusive, and until you're ready, the attack alternatives are hidden. One minor drawback is that foes sometimes find themselves hidden behind the abilities menu, making it difficult to determine if they are immune to or resistant to a particular assault.
Because each protagonist from the divergent storylines has a unique fighting style, you may utilize a distinct set of powers against them in combat. Consider the Shifu from Imperial China. As a master of kung fu, you have access to a variety of martial arts methods, but this does require you to get up close and personal—at least, most of the time. A few of his strikes force him to relocate to other areas of the board, placing some space between you and your adversary.
Then, as a shinobi, you may strike from almost anyplace. However, you might need to slightly modify your posture to make sure your opponent is next to the attack landing area. Certain skills, like throwing shurikens, maintain you at a distance, while others force you to close the gap. If you thought there wasn't enough diversity in this, in one of the other chapters, The Wanderer in the Wild West, you take on the role of an outlaw on the run.
As you may undoubtedly expect, firearms play a major role in this chapter's battle, and some of the skills are quite entertaining to use. I couldn't help but feel like a virtual version of Jesse James as I fired off round after round of very lethal ammunition. The placement aspect in Wild West is crucial as you must be in the right spot to land your strikes, but the grid system lets you understand what moves you need to make to make this happen.
In Prehistory, however, Pogo, a prehistoric caveman who has yet to achieve civilisation, knows all about laying down the smackdown and has rudimentary tools at his disposal, as does his reliable comrade Gori. Fighting a group of cavemen and ancient creatures with clubs, bones, and an incredible sense of smell is a lot of fun. Yes, this chapter's unique power is scent, and to be honest, I'm all for that.
In relation to special powers, I've mentioned Pogo's (smell) and the shinobi's (invisibility), but what about the other countless protagonists? In the Near Future chapter, you take on the role of Akira, a disobedient adolescent with the ability to read people's thoughts via telepathy. Trust me when I tell that this gives the chapter additional complexity and makes it yet another highlight in a game full of thrilling encounters.
However, Masaru, the main character of the Present Day chapter, may be my all-time favorite. His narrative centers on his quest to become the world's greatest fighter, which requires him to take on more experienced opponents who are eager to employ their special movesets to smash the youthful upstart into the ground.
Fortunately for you, Masaru has a special ability that allows him to mimic any opponent's move—as long as they use it on him. One of these opponents is obviously inspired by Hulk Hogan, and it feels great to beat him using just his own abilities.
You don't need to worry if you lose a fight since, similar to many RPGs, you may use a variety of things to heal yourself, get rid of bad status effects, or improve your attributes. You don't get these things for free, of course. Because of this, it's critical to pay attention to your surroundings. If you see anything that has a hint of glitter, there's a strong probability that it contains a tool or other valuable object.
Naturally, the fighting is just one aspect of this fantastic role-playing game. Although I have mentioned a few of the distinct storylines in Live A Live, I would be remiss if I did not also mention that, despite their apparent separation, there are events that occur that tie them all together. You will undoubtedly wonder for a while how it all ties together, but it does, and in the most amazing manner.
Live A Live has a really interesting story structure. Every episode is almost flawlessly written in and of itself, but they can all work together to form a larger narrative that builds to what I think is an amazing finale that you really have to see for yourself. I could talk a lot about the many tales in Live A Live, but I really think that you should have the most amazing experiences for yourself.
After praising the battle and plot so much, let's talk about the game's visuals. Spoiler alert: it's vibrant, opulent, and breathtakingly gorgeous. The fact that Live A Live's style stays faithful to the original is what I like most about it. It goes from being charming to another level of magnificent with a pixelated art style that has been rebuilt to meet the demands of modern visuals. This kind of design has a certain quality. Pixelated art makes me feel really nostalgic, and I believe it stems from my early years, when the Sega Megadrive was my closest buddy before the PlayStation was invented.
Naturally, I must discuss performance. After more than twenty hours of play, the game has operated flawlessly, with not a single kink in the system visible. To be quite honest, playing Live A Live makes me happy, and part of the reason for this is the smooth experience it provides. Not only does performance work well on the TV, but it also performs well in portable mode on the Switch.
All things considered, Live A Live is an excellent role-playing game that pays homage to the 90s RPG heyday while still being a refreshing new release for 2022 that will appeal to both old and new lovers of the genre. It is definitely worth the roughly twenty hours and thirty gigabytes of space to finish. And believe me when I tell that I have every intention of coming back through again. You won't find a more genuine experience elsewhere because to its charm, charisma, and real people. A magnificent role-playing game that has not only endured the passage of time, but I think it will do so forever.