Live A Live Reviews
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.
Live a Live feels like a natural fit within Square Enix’s focus on bringing older titles to newer audiences. As the blueprint for other potential titles to come, it’s clear why the 1994 SNES title was chosen as the first remaster to receive the “HD-2D” treatment. Even with a shallow learning curve, there’s plenty to enjoy in this unique omnibus. Fans of classic JRPGs won’t want to miss this reimagining with plenty to enjoy for newcomers to role-playing games.
My biggest takeaway from Live A Live is how remarkable it is considering it is a game from 1994. Sure, a lot of the fancy finishes come from the “remake” aspect here but the general package has remained the same. It goes to show that Square Enix has always been master RPG makers and Live A Live is a testament to that.
Live A Live is a beautiful remake of an overlooked classic that should not be missed by JRPG fans.
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.
Live A Live is fascinating for JRPG fans of all varieties. For those who grew up in the 16-bit gaming era, it's a time capsule into a bygone age of video games. For those who just want a good JRPG, this is that, too. For those who want a collection of different stories, each with their own characters, aesthetic, and vision, Live A Live serves that function well. Finally, North American audiences will get a chance to experience this game that feels truly timeless.
While component tales and battles can be hit-and-miss, this elderly Squaresoft anthology is a wonderful testament to its genre's flexibility and range.
Live A Live is a fascinating JRPG time machine that's getting its dues at last thanks to a remake that brings out the best in its seven stories, strong combat, and unusual structure.
Live A Live is a neat little curio that warrants a look, but there's a huge variety in not just story, but the quality of the action as well.
Live A Live leverages a fantastic visual overhaul with an already compelling and inventive narrative structure to offer an RPG experience like no other. It's aging for sure – the slower nature of the turn-based battles and some strange logic to get the story moving – but it's such a unique experience that any RPG fan owes it to themselves to try.
Live A Live is short and sweet, a surprisingly modern twist on JRPGs that Square and Nintendo luckily decided to bring back from the dead. it won't probably win any award for its narrative and surely there are far more vast and deep JRPGs out there, but this is nonetheless a very good choice for japanese role playing games lovers.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Although it is more than 25 years old, Live A Live delights with charming narratives, solid gameplay, and a well-remastered presentation.
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
We’ll never know how Live A Live would have fared in the U.S. back in the day. Flash forward nearly three decades, and I can’t recommend this revitalized relic enough. It’s that good. This is another must-play Switch RPG that entertains in ways I didn’t expect and kept me glued to the screen for well over 20 hours.
But most importantly, Live A Live feels biblical in its attempt to tie all of human history into one narrative. But as much as Live A Live admirably tries to tell a story as vast as any game has ever told, time and time again, its characters are too flimsy to hold the weight.
Live A Live is a high-effort remake from the presentation side, though the base game remains an uneven RPG experience.
It’s been 28 years, but Live A Live finally gets its proper dues outside of Japan with an excellent remake.
I want to be clear. These caveats and other elements of the game combine to mean that, no, Live A Live isn’t quite as good as either Final Fantasy 6 or Chrono Trigger. Even with that said, however, it does feel like it belongs alongside them. It feels monumentally important, wonderfully clever, and full of a gleeful energy that’ll make the heart of any old-school RPG fan swell. Top marks on this website doesn’t mean it’s a perfect game; it just means we recommend playing it absolutely unreservedly – and such is the case here.
Live A Live transcends decades given its age but the new visuals make it feel like an entirely new video game worth playing - especially for JRPG fans.
Although these are fairly bite-sized adventures, each one packs a remarkable punch. Every chapter works to distinguish itself from the rest of the pack, and it shows. While I can’t recommend each story with equal vigor, I am impressed with the total package. Sure, I would prefer fewer chances to soft-lock yourself. I’d also love to leave behind some of the level grinding. But the core gameplay loop is still fun. Between the wild stories, the engaging combat, and the incredible voice acting, Live A Live feels like much more than the sum of its parts. If you’re any kind of fan of classic JRPGs, you owe it to yourself to check out this game.