Live A Live Reviews

Live A Live is ranked in the 86th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10.0
Jul 21, 2022

Live A Live is a remake of the game from 1994, which may not offer an equal story, but in the end it allows you to experience some interesting twists and turns and it is for them that it is worth playing the production of Square Enix ... Although I am aware that the proposal will be appreciated by a few.

Review in Polish | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Jul 29, 2022

Live A Live is a beautiful remake of a cult classic JRPG and one that any fan of the genre should take time out to play. The HD-2D visuals are superb throughout and along with the musical score, helps to make each time period feel distinct. I loved playing through each character’s story and seeing how the game would surprise me next even if all of them weren’t as memorable as certain others. Live A Live has certain things that hold it back a little due to the era it was originally made in but those few nitpicks aren’t enough to dissuade me from wholeheartedly recommending it to any JRPG fan out there.

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10 / 10
Jul 26, 2022

The intriguing and unique premise of Live A Live is a genuine hook for players from all walks of life. This game not only has a fantasy story worthy of a SNES era Square game but it also treads an extremely upto date line with it's cool turn based combat and choice/morality systems. Players will be blown away by the content on show in this awesome RPG and it cannot be recommended enough. A great game turned masterpiece with this fantastic remake!

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Saudi Gamer
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jul 24, 2022

Live A Live is worth a try for everyone who owns a Switch and loves RPG games with a multi-role system and contains an innovative and wonderful story with a fun and simple fighting system, but needs to think about every step you take, do not expect it to be a revolutionary game, but it is worth every minute of your time, especially for the scarcity of this

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9 / 10.0
Jul 26, 2022

Live A Live is the ideal way to experience a cult classic game. It maintains or improves on everything that made the original game distinct while polishing it enough that some of the more dated design elements don't detract from the whole. It's a weird, quirky, and distinct JRPG that to this day is unlike anything else on the market. It won't be for everyone, but if you're a fan of JRPGs, then you owe it to yourself to give it a shot. What other game can you have a cowboy team up with a caveman and the pilot of a giant robot?

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8 / 10.0
Jul 25, 2022

Live-a-Live is well polished old title with new production values. But after all these years, it is refreshing experience with different time eras, chapter and heroes leading to solid finale. If you are ready for RPG all-in-one, it will show you how good games last.

Review in Slovak | Read full review

Jul 22, 2022

I realise this is a pretty short review by my standards for the JRPG genre, but there really isn’t much else to say about Live A Live; this is a quirky and fundamentally experimental JRPG that in many ways remains out there on its own. The chapter-based approach to simple (but enjoyable) narratives that take place across time and space allows for an experience that is both varied and flexible. Throw in the most excellent application of HD-2D art for the remake, and the fact that this is the first time this game has had a formal release in the west, and Live A Live is an essential experimental title for the curious and those that enjoy playing things that are genuinely different.

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7 / 10.0
Jul 21, 2022

It's enjoyable, quirky, awkward, and frustrating: sometimes the price of being unique is alienation. If it was Live A Live that allowed Takashi Tokita and his work on Chrono Trigger to soar, then of course it was worth it. In this present day chapter, for my money, I'm looking ahead to the next Square remake.

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8.1 / 10.0
Jul 21, 2022

LIVE A LIVE kept me excited for what the next chapter would entail with each one boasting unique characters, settings, and gameplay so it's a perfect game for anyone who relishes variety. I just wish each chapter was fleshed out with more depth and unique elements.

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8.5 / 10.0
Dec 31, 2022

Live A Live is a unique experience unlike any other currently seen in the gaming landscape, and looking past its few dated flaws it offers a player a special experience.

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9 / 10.0
May 8, 2023

If I didn't express my enthusiasm for Live A Live correctly with the account above, let me just sum it up. Perhaps it's a good thing that Live A Live never came out in Europe in 1994, because this remake has made me want to enjoy the genre again. It's a great game and a must for anyone with even the slightest interest in the genre. There are some lesser aspects, such as the combat, and some scenarios are a bit less than the others. Although that again depends on each person. The conclusion, however, is well worth the journey.

Review in Dutch | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Aug 11, 2022

It took almost 30 years to be able to experience Live A Live, but the wait was definitely worth it. Featuring a great, varied cast of characters and settings, the game is seemingly designed around keeping the player engaged by letting the chapters play out in the preference of the player. The remake with the HD2D technology has brought an already unique experience into the modern age, simultaneously paying homage to the era the game came from while also standing up to the most recent of JRPG titles. It an rpg well worth your time.

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4.5 / 5.0
May 8, 2023

LIVE A LIVE is downright fun for RPG fans. Each chapter is uniquely different, the characters are interesting, and the soundtrack is energetic. The map system may be too experimental, though. Still, it’s a satisfying adventure to enjoy over and over again.

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Aug 19, 2022

This remake of Live A Live is a project that deserves to succeed, so this is one that JRPG fans at the very least should give a try whether they have already or not.

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8.5 / 10.0
May 4, 2023

Live A Live is a captivating anthology of short JRPG stories with diverse settings and unique gameplay mechanics. Remade in HD-2D, it offers an engaging grid-based combat system and a fantastic soundtrack. Despite some complexity and convoluted storylines, the game's multiple endings and quality-of-life improvements provide a satisfying experience for classic JRPG fans.

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8.5 / 10.0
May 7, 2023

It’s great to see Square Enix reach into their past and allow a new generation to experience some of its best titles. While there are some negatives to Live A Live, such as weak combat and bite-size adventures, these quirks work in portable versions favors. This version loads slightly faster, so many performance quirks are part of the software. Since this isn’t quite a complete remake, the differences are marginal at best.

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4 / 5.0
May 8, 2023

If you’ve been salivating for a new old-school RPG on modern consoles, Live A Live is a proper treat. The selection of stories you play are lovely and varied, the beautifully upscaled look of the game brings details to vibrant new life, and there is a lot of retro arcadey goodness in here to bask in. Furthermore, the shortness of each individual story makes each of them easy to play without feeling overloaded or that you’re missing something. Live A Live can get tricky, its grid-based battle system is a little passe, and it isn’t the most awe-inspiring remake you ever saw, but it’s a lovingly crafted revitalization that will please anybody with a fondness for old-school JRPGs.

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9 / 10.0
May 30, 2023

Live A Live is a testament to creativity, perseverance and preservation. To see a giant company like Square-Enix spare the time for a game released nearly 30 years ago on one platform in one region? We need to shout from the rooftops about it. Seeing a team revisit such a hidden gem all these years later and knock it out of the park in nearly every way? We need to be celebrating. Live A Live is such a unique experience that even its era-specific missteps are worth forgiving. RPG fans of all levels, walks of life, and interests: Live A Live will transport you through time, in more ways than you'd expect.

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8 / 10
May 8, 2023

Live A Live makes an impressive case as to why classic RPGs are not to be forgotten in time. The vignette style of storytelling brings an epic scale to an otherwise modest and sometimes unevenly paced narrative. The HD-2D visuals and recomposed soundtrack are standouts in what is already a stellar package that all RPG fans need to play.

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8.5 / 10.0
May 4, 2023

Live A Live is an incredibly fun turn-based RPG that holds up well after nearly three decades. The Octopath Traveler type HD-2D graphics look superb, but it's the eight heroes with different mechanics that really hooked me. Whether on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch or PC, anyone with even a cursory interest in RPGs needs to check out this game.

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