Again, some chapters feature more freedom than others in this department, with the Edo Japan scenario being the most non-linear in how you can tackle your objectives. In some chapters, navigating the world will also become available. You’ll still fight enemies on a grid, choosing which skills to use and which items to rely on. Whichever chapter you play, and in whichever order, the core gameplay will remain the same. However, each of the game’s eight scenarios varies wildly in how much freedom you have.įor example, the Present Day chapter will see you remaining at level 2 throughout its run, while the Edo Japan one will see you levelling up and customizing your character with far more flexibility. At its core, this is a turn-based, party-based JRPG. Gameplay is where everything should come together in a great JRPG – and Live a Live aged less than gracefully in this department. Gameplay – It Hasn’t Aged Very Gracefully What Live a Live lacks in gameplay depth, it most certainly makes up for in its heart and messages. They also don’t overstay their welcome, with each taking 1-3 hours to complete at the most. Each story is unique compared to one another and there’s very little overlap in terms of themes, structure, or main inspirations it draws from.Īnd while the stories do converge at the end in a certain fashion (no spoilers, we promise), they’re still very individual and stand on their own. There’s also a story of an old Kung Fu master looking for a successor before he passes. There’s a story of a lone gunman coming to a small town in the desert here. Best of all, you can pick up, drop, and switch stories to your heart’s content. In this sense, Live a Live is the progenitor of the gameplay style later revolutionized by Octopath Traveler.įrom Prehistoric times, throughout the Wild West, all the way to the distant future, there’s plenty to look forward to here. Instead, you’ll play as eight different characters at eight distinct points throughout human history. Live a Live doesn’t have a traditional overarching story as most JRPGs do. Story – Vignettes Throughout Time and Space Long-time genre fans will also find plenty to love here, with each of the game’s eight chapters paying homage to Japanese games, movies, and pop culture of the 90s. While it’s not as deep or ambitious as other Square Enix titles from the 90s, it has its own appeal and identity. So, how does it fare compared to other Square Enix titles which share the same DNA, such as the recent Octopath Traveler II? TL DR Live a Live is the perfect entry-level JRPG for gamers who’ve always felt curious about the genre. And on April 27 th 2023, the game finally arrived on Playstation and PC platforms, making the 90s classic available to even more gamers worldwide. Studio Historia, with the help of talented people from Square Enix’s Team Asano, could finally get a second lease on life for Live a Live in 2022 on the Nintendo Switch. Fast-forward to 2022, it received a proper remake, with the game’s original director, Takashi Tokita, now serving as the remake’s producer. Originally a 1994 SNES Japan exclusive, Live a Live slowly outgrew its small team and minuscule budget to become one of the most beloved games of the era. While they garnered a cult following then, casual gamers had to wait for years if not decades to play some of Japan’s biggest titles. During the 80s and 90s, it wasn’t unheard of for entire gaming series to never make it outside Japan. We genuinely take JRPGs for granted these days.
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