Six Reasons To Be Excited For Live A Live, A Modern SNES RPG

Live a Live has finally made it to the west nearly 30 years ago. Takashi Tokita was one of the original developers of Final Fantasy IV and Chrono Trigger. It would be interesting to experience Tokita’s vision for Live a Live. However, this enhanced remake uses the Octopath Traveler HD-2D graphics style.

This ambitiously designed title took me about five hours to play. I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it and the unique storytelling approach. The retro visuals bring everything to life. Square Enix will release Live a Live for Switch on July 22, These are just a few reasons to put this on your radar.

Seven Distinct Stories
Live a Live is a JRPG-version of Marvel Cinematic Universe. The first time you start the game, it asks you to choose a character from seven available. Each character represents a point in history, like Akira of the near future or The Sundown Kid out west. Each of the characters’ stories is intertwined in some manner and point to a greater truth. Each timeframe presents a new presentation with a soundtrack that fits it and different approaches to storytelling. The fun part is discovering how unique each timeframe is once you have entered them. After reading a particular chapter, you return to your character and select another story. The second chapter for the characters is still not explained to me. To unlock the next chapter, you will need to complete the first chapter.

Enjoy a Fun Collection of Characters
Three of the major characters have been friends of mine and I enjoyed them all. The Sundown Kid, the gruff and shabby Westerner that you have come to know is, is just what you would expect. The Sundown Kid lets his gun speak for him and won’t hesitate to down one glass of milk. The fun-loving cast of characters who works at the saloon/inn surrounds him. In The Imperial China Story, the Earthern Heart Schifu is an elderly man who trains the next generation. The odd selection of his disciples aren’t surprised by the wisdom of his words and knowledge of war. Each of these characters is interesting in its own way and helps the Master become a captivating lead. Distant Future’s scenario features a disorienting twist to life on board a small spaceship. Cube is a small robotic assistant. Cube is a small robot with tiny wings and wears a baseball hat backward. He also uses rollerskates for locomotion. Also, he apparently requires glasses. Each of these situations are completely different. I’m not sure how they can all be connected.

Are you looking for adult language and humor?
Although Live a Live may look like a Super Nintendo video game, its dialogue and themes would not have been approved by Nintendo back then. One scenario was where I collected an item labeled simply “horse —“” and another character spontaneously uttered the expletive in a conversation. Both the story and scenario themes explore scenes that can lead to death or other serious consequences. Live a Live has a stunningly vivid, but surprisingly dark tone.

Excellent Writing
Every character comes to life through well-written banter. The situations in which they are placed offer plenty of variation in setting and gameplay. The Wild West was my first attempt to get the assistance of local citizens in setting traps that would stop bandits from attacking. To ensure I was correct, I selected which citizens were responsible for which tasks. The difficulty of the boss battle will be determined by this choice-driven task.

But will we see enough depth in combat?
The first chapters of Live a Live focus on the story, and give only a glimpse at the combat system. It’s a negative aspect of the game. I felt like I was largely passive in my early explorations and conversations with NPCs. Each scenario has a few combat scenarios that show how the system works. SNES RPGs combat system is turn-based. The beings that you fight in battle will look very different from the ones you spoke to. To line up your attacks, your character can freely be moved around a grid. You can shoot them diagonally from a distance, while others will torch blocks of rows and require precision. The boss battles in which I was involved were well balanced. This required me to be careful with my special abilities and heal myself several times. As each chapter is unlocked, combat will become a larger part of the story. In chapter 1, it wasn’t enough.

It’s Beautiful
The 2D-HD looks are just as beautiful as the Bravely Default ones. Each story has a stunning backdrop that is a delight for the eyes. While the animation is limited, the animated sprite characters can move in a way that conveys emotion or highlights a story’s dramatic moments. Although the visuals are reminiscent of 16-bit, they also include modern features such as realistic lighting in saloons and swinging doors when a stranger walks in to get a drink.