Live A Live Reviews
Live A Live is an RPG that was reborn with new life and vigor, and it shows. It's a solid RPG that weaves all sorts of unique mechanics, stories and genres into one package that is very special indeed.
LIVE A LIVE is a classic that deserves to be played and admired. Don’t sleep on something special.
Live A Live still has it. Takashi Tokita led a young team of fans at Historia, Inc. to create a version of a classic as vibrant and exciting and crucially unique in Square’s catalog today as it was in 1994. Released between Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger and passed over for translation due to its technically less impressive sprite work compared to its flagship siblings, it shines today as the celebration of a cult classic, with a worldwide legacy and influence as an important milestone in an entire alternate history of RPGs. Live A Live is the exact opposite of the unique masterpiece that’s so good it ruins other games: it is a heartfelt tribute to everything there is to love about the RPG format, and will leave you invigorated and excited not just to play more RPGs, but to watch more Kung Fu movies, more Westerns, more classic Sci-Fi. If you’ve even a passing interest in the genre, it is simply a must play.
With fantastic art, beautiful music, and a wildly experimental concept, LIVE A LIVE is a wonderful remake that feels like taking a time machine back to the golden era of RPGs.
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
It’s been 28 years, but Live A Live finally gets its proper dues outside of Japan with an excellent remake.
Live A Live is one of the most unique games we never got to play in 1994.
Repetitive combat and exploration pad out this wonderfully remastered cult JRPG experience that falls just short of a recommendation.
Live A Live is a truly unique product of its time that still stands out in the competitive field of role-playing games today. After playing, it makes sense that it would be lauded to this day for its subversive takes on JRPG gameplay elements and its multiple narratives. What's most charming about how experimental the game is, is that it is not a subversion due to cynicism over the genre, but a love for its potential.
The structure of this JRPG gives it its unique identity compared to many other games in the same genre, and the vast category of ideas, eras and topics that the game's stories go through help keep it feeling fresh.
Live A Live is one of the greatest RPGs ever made. Fans of Chrono Trigger will definitely want to check this out and even if you played the original, this remake offers some new additions and adjustments that make it more enjoyable than ever. It is too bad that the localization was bungled in some areas, but this will only affect those who are intimately familiar with the original intent.
Live A Live quickly ascended to the list of some of my favourite JRPG's, and I'll be sure to recommend it to players in the future. I can see why it failed when it was originally released - it's ambitious, not in size and scope, but in creativity and imagination. Perhaps the audience wasn't ready for it back in 1994, perhaps the game was limited by the hardware it was developed for, or perhaps its creators simply needed a bit more experience before they could fully realise their vision. Having played this remake I can safely say that this time around they nailed it. I can only hope that the remake is successful because once the credits rolled I only wanted one thing - more.
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.
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.
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
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?
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
Review in Arabic | Read full review
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!
If you’re a fan of quirky JRPGs, consider Live A Live a must-have. Each and every one of the stories offered up here is distinctive and interesting, keeping your attention held like a vice. Along with a fantastic combat system, and numerous improvements to the presentation of the overall package, we’re overjoyed that this title is finally available in the west. Only the occasional frustration brings it down a little, but they’re very much worth pushing through.
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.