Live A Live

Genre: Turn-Based Strategy-RPG

Players: 1

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Review:

Live A Live is a Turn-Based Strategy-RPG released on the Super Famicom in 1994 but never released outside of Japan. While the game sold poorly in Japan and got somewhat mixed reviews from critics, it gained a cult status overseas, where many saw the game as a lost classic of sorts, a game that never had its chance to shine. A fan translation would come to be passed around and celebrated over the years, but it is only now in 2022 that the game is finally being released outside of Japan, in a remake that reimagines the game in the “HD-2D” style that has brought Square Enix a good amount of success in recent years.

In many ways, this is a fitting choice for a first game in Square Enix’s classic catalog to be reimagined in this way, and not just because it was arguably underappreciated in its time. Live A Live combines elements that were in the prior two HD-2D games – like Triangle Strategy, the game is a Turn-Based Strategy-RPG, although the two games play very differently within that genre. And like Octopath Traveler, this is a game with not just one central character, but multiple characters, with the game split into chapters focusing on each of them in turn, with players able to tackle these chapters in any order they please.

Having never played the original game, I can’t quite say how accurate this game is to the story in that game, but I suspect it’s fairly faithful. However, being only just now localized in 2022, the game benefits from excellent writing due to a skillful localization, and one that not only makes the story and characters shine, but that makes each of the included stories feel different, befitting the different eras and genres of storytelling they represent. One of this game’s best qualities is that you get a wide variety of stories ranging from caveman days to modern times to the distant future, and all of the stories feel well-told and interesting in their own right. One story set in ancient China feels like a videogame version of a classic kung fu movie, and the story set in the far future draws direct inspiration from the Alien franchise of horror films.

One other excellent element of this game’s story is that while all of the included stories are initially separate and self-contained, and differ wildly in tone and genre, they all share a common theme and repeating elements that tie them together, and these are expanded upon late in the game with a conclusion that ties all of the stories together in a way that Octopath Traveler never got, at least not in any sort of satisfying way.

Of course, it helps that the excellent story has a superb presentation, and much credit for that goes to the excellent redone soundtrack and wonderful voice acting. But of course, the real attention-grabber here is going to be the HD-2D visuals, and Live A Live does not disappoint. I feel like each new game in this art style draws my attention to some element that looks absolutely gorgeous – in Octopath it was sand and snow, in Triangle Strategy it was water, and this time around it is lighting and shadow, which combines with exceptionally-animated environments to bring the locations of the game alive, making this feel like far more than merely pixel art imagery stretched out into a third dimension. The combination of that pixel art look with the excellent environmental detail and animation, as well as some lovely particle effects, keep this game eye-poppingly beautiful, despite that this is the third time this “trick” has been pulled. Maybe someday I’ll get tired of seeing games in this art style, but today is not that day.

If I had to point to a weak element here, it is the gameplay itself. I commend the game for making it a point to make each of the included stories feel different by using unique mechanics and different gameplay elements, such as Edo Japan era’s focus on stealth and use of traps in combat, and the way that each age’s weapons partly dictates the range its characters have to fight in. I also really appreciate how this game takes a unique approach to the Strategy-RPG genre, making battles largely about managing movement and time rather than managing a pool of magic points.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to approach battles strategically when you don’t have a good way of knowing the attack range of enemies, something players can only glean by watching their attacks and piecing it together themselves. This makes for the frequent situation where you think you’re attacking an enemy from a safe range, only to discover that one of their moves can actually reach you. The game is thankfully forgiving of occasional blunders like this, as your HP is healed after each successful battle, but it’s still frustrating that this element limits the strategic gameplay that would otherwise be a highlight here.

Still, while the gameplay may disappoint somewhat, Live A Live is still a delightful game thanks to the wonderful amount of variety present throughout, the excellent storytelling, and the magnificent presentation. It may not be perfect, but this game definitely does feel like it was the “lost classic” that diehard fans have been heralding it as. Perhaps not on the same level as its best contemporaries of the era, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, and Secret of Mana… but still an excellent game in its own right, and one that JRPG fans will want to snatch up now that they finally have the chance to play it (well, legitimately), and in a wonderfully modernized form, no less.

tl;dr – Live A Live is a remake of a classic Super Famicom-era Strategy-RPG that was never released outside of Japan, given new life with an absolutely gorgeous “HD-2D”-style presentation. The game’s story is split into a variety of different eras, with different characters, tones, genres, and game mechanics, and each of these stories is well-told and compelling in their own right, and combine into an even grander tale. The gameplay is mostly good too, though the game’s refusal to convey information to the player feels like it limits the strategic element to the gameplay. Still, while it isn’t without its flaws, this is a magnificent game that JRPG fans will absolutely want to try out.

Grade: B

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2022 Game Awards:

Winner:

Best Graphical Style – Even with this being the third game to use the “HD-2D” style of visuals, Live A Live still manages to impress with its combination of pixel art, 3D visuals, and excellent lighting and shadows. With each new title to use this art style, Square Enix continues to find new and impressive ways to implement it to great effect.

Best Port / Remake – It says something about the quality of a remake when it’s so good that I immediately think about how much I want to see numerous other games get the same sort of remake treatment. Granted, Square Enix’s “HD-2D” style is not new, but this was the first indication we saw that they were willing to use this art style to rejuvenate a classic (and a classic previously never released in the West, as well!). Taking pixel art visuals and giving them wonderful depth, and additional effects breathes new life into the retro-style visuals in a way that’s absolutely gorgeous, and the additional voicework and remastered music is superb as well. Will we be getting multiple other games with the “HD-2D” treatment? Well, Square Enix has already confirmed they’ll be remaking Dragon Quest III in this style, but beyond that we can only wait and hope that other beloved games of yesteryear get the same kind of love that Live A Live got here.

Runner-Up: Best Strategy Game / Simulation

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