Live A Live Reviews

Live A Live is ranked in the 86th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
9 / 10.0
Jul 28, 2022

Live A Live is a gem that has been lying in Square Enix's archive for years and has finally been made available to everyone.

Review in Turkish | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Apr 24, 2023

LIVE A LIVE is a gorgeous 2D-HD experience that combines modern with classic pixel visuals. With multiple chapters to select featuring their own story and characters, along with a variety of genres, there is so much here to keep you busy, this is a must-play RPG!

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Saudi Gamer
Top Critic
9 / 10
Apr 25, 2023

This re-release makes Live A Live shine brilliantly on modern consoles and PC all thanks to the game's breathtaking pixel art and unique storytelling that have proven it can stand tall even after more than 28 years. It's a game that should be experienced by every turn based fan

Review in Arabic | Read full review

9 / 10
Jul 29, 2022

LIVE A LIVE is still, 20 years later, an incredibly beautiful narrative adventure, pumped full of attention to detail, nostalgic moments and a good dose of humor. Under the guise of a classic JRPG, however, it doesn't really feel like one at any point. Where the title may lack a bit of ambition and depth, LIVE A LIVE skillfully knows how to counteract with its creativity and ingenuity. The standalone chapters are excitingly staged throughout, continuously motivating thanks to the varied game design, and benefit from their entertaining episodic form on the Nintendo Switch. The short stories, which are around 3 hours long, are made to be enjoyed on the go or on the couch after work. Especially gamers who don't have much time and don't feel like getting into the next, complex 100-hour role-playing game are served easily consumable and well-tolerated content here.

Review in German | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Aug 1, 2022

Live A Live is easily an instant classic for me, a JRPG experience that will remain memorable for a long time.

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9 / 10.0
Aug 4, 2022

Live A Live is a fantastic experience that any JRPG fan should try for at least a few chapters before writing off. It's still a unique and fresh title after nearly 2 decades and provides as much emotion in its shorter run time as some 80-plus-hour titles.  While I've held back on some of the surprises the game has on offer, rest assured the game has enough diversity and allure to keep anyone engaged. Live a Live is an essential title that has finally broken through the western release barrier.

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9 / 10.0
Jul 21, 2022

There’s something for everyone in Live A Live, a deliberate blast from the past that draws from Final Fantasy IV as much as it does 2001: A Space Odyssey and Shane. You’ll love some sections more than others, to be sure, but the way it all ties together is nothing short of spectacular.

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4.5 / 5.0
Aug 22, 2022

Square Enix’s remake of Live A Live shows that even nearly thirty-year-old games can use narrative tricks to have a game shine brilliantly. Modern sensibilities, such as easier quest tracking and voice acting help widen its appeal, but the core experience remains outstanding after all these years.

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9 / 10.0
Aug 1, 2022

Live A Live for Nintendo Switch is a testimony of game design that can withstand the test of time. Even though it may have taken 28 years to make the leap overseas in an official capacity, the game feels brand new and with so much to experience and the hidden gems that connects the dots to find, you will be won over time and time again.

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9 / 10.0
Aug 18, 2022

The remake of LIVE A LIVE is a triumph. This second life of the classic JRPG offers a varied, visually delightful, aurally flawless and narratively stunning experience. Despite stories with slightly different longevity and quality levels, this is a consistently excellent experience. Whether you're longtime fans of this genre or you're complete newbies, this is an easily recommended game, one of the best experiences Switch has to offer this year. Life is worth living with LIVE A LIVE!

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

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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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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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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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

8.7 / 10.0
Jul 22, 2022

A thirty years old JRPG that manages to appear younger and have fresher ideas of many contemporary games. A true gem that would be a shame not to play.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8.6 / 10.0
Jul 21, 2022

The 2022 iteration of Live A Live shows how remakes for games from the early 90's should be done: a fresh coat of paint, a few quality of life improvments and Live A Live looks like a brand-new title that plays just as well. The story was, with a few minor drawbacks, so great that it still amazes today. It i is a love letter to old school RPGs and a recommendation for everybody who likes them.

Review in German | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Apr 24, 2023

An excellent remaster of an excellent game, Live A Live influence can be spotted in many titles to this day, and most people may have never even heard of it. After 30 years, consumers can finally enjoy one of the most unique and compelling JRPGS from the SNES area.

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8.5 / 10.0
Jul 21, 2022

Seeing the rebirth of a video game as important and influential as it is unknown to most (at least here in the West) is a feeling difficult to describe. Live A Live is a remake made almost impeccably and, above all, with great taste, between the magical touch of HD-2D and the original soundtrack by Yoko Shimomura appropriately rearranged for the occasion.

Review in Italian | Read full review

85%
Jul 29, 2022

LIVE A LIVE is a classic that deserves to be played and admired. Don’t sleep on something special.

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RPG Fan
Top Critic
85%
May 25, 2023

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.

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