The Alliance Alive HD Remastered

Nearly two years on from its initial release, The Alliance Alive HD Remastered proves to be a perfectly competent port of an already fantastic handheld game. A well-written story, a smartly interwoven and complex system of gameplay mechanics, and a distinctive visual style makes this a no-brainer for anybody looking for a consistently high-quality RPG experience on their Switch. It may feel a little simple, given its origins on the 3DS, but don't make the mistake of passing up on The Alliance Alive HD Remastered, it's well worth your time.

The Alliance Alive is a decent RPG for in between, but on current systems you have so much better options that there is really no reason to invest time in this remaster. Although it looks much nicer than it did on the 3DS, its origin cannot be denied. The forgotten characters and the character development system, which takes getting used to, will also appeal to few. If you have played through the hits completely, you could have a look, everyone else would rather satisfy their RPG hunger with better alternatives.

The Alliance Alive HD Remastered is a JRPG with no serious errors. It is what it seeks to be, a classic cut title with a great script and with a spirit from a couple of generations ago, with a more modern execution.

The Alliance Alive is what I would call your average JRPG. It does some things well, but falters elsewhere, not really shining too much in one given area. The combat, for example, is pretty well-done, but is ultimately brought down by the game’s complete lack of difficulty scaling. The story, while providing a different take on the usual JRPG formula, isn’t anything too special beyond that one change.

If a classic JRPG is what you're looking for, The Alliance Alive HD delivers most of what you could want, if little else. With a few tweaks to the JRPG formula, a likeable cast of occasionally dumb characters, and some interesting combat mechanics, it's not exactly breaking the mould, but it's doing a pretty good job of filling it.

The Alliance Alive HD Remastered brings back the 3DS JRPG to home consoles with improved graphics. It’s a bit on the short side for an RPG and doesn’t really add much for folks who have played it before. At the same time, its nice story, likable cast of characters and classic gameplay make this a great title for JRPG lovers, especially those who never got a chance to play the original.

An classic RPG with strong, deep, combat mechanics, a captivating story and some nostalgia thrown into the mix, from old-school RPGs

If you’re a JPRG fan and missed its original release on the Nintendo 3DS, then you will not be disappointed.

The Alliance Alive is back under the form of a remastered version for the Nintendo Switch and while the best aspects about the game, namely its vast and open world and well written dialogues are all here, there is not much more added value compared to the original version, namely as its visual environment is below par next to other JRPGs on the Switch. While a good experience for big fans of JRPGs, this game often feels like a disappointing experience.

For better or worse, The Alliance Alive is the very definition of a mid-tier RPG. The visuals and story fall under the line of "good enough" that they don't necessarily have to aim for greater heights, while the content is practically bursting with customizable features and mechanics that  will drive stat-lovers into a joyous frenzy, even though the time it takes to reach to the juicy center is a bit on the long side.