Live A Live

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 beautiful remake of an overlooked classic that should not be missed by JRPG fans.

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.

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.

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.

Seven beautifully unpredictable genre stories, each designed by a different manga artist, are playfully rendered in this novel 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.

Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.

And without giving anything away, Live A Live culminates towards a powerful conclusion that will have its time-spanning heroes living on in your memory long after its credits roll…for the ninth time.

Live A Live is an incredibly interesting and unique JRPG experience. With lovely HD-2D graphics and numerous main characters, it's hard not to compare it to the likes of Octopath Traveler, but it really is a completely different kettle of fish. Live A Live is a varied thrill ride that still impresses all these years later, and while the combat does struggle to live up to the rest of the adventure, the game does a fantastic job of tying all of its intriguing, individual stories together. It's a history-hopping journey we'll be thinking about for quite some time.