- Joined
- Sep 19, 2018
What the hell is this game?
Live A Live is a role-playing game released in 1994 for the Super Famicom. Set in a fictionalized version of Earth, each chapter takes place in a different era: from prehistory before spoken word was invented to the far flung future where humanity has taken to the stars. At first it might appear that each chapter is its own separate story with no obvious links to one another but as the player progresses through the game, it soon becomes evident there is something more going on. Each chapter features its own art, drawn by a different manga artist. Being in many ways an experimental game, it also mixes in various gameplay styles that at the time weren't usually seen in JRPGs such as stealth and survival horror. Much of the inspiration for the various stories came from movies rather than fellow games. It was the directorial debut of Takashi Tokita who would go on to direct other classics such as Chrono Trigger and Parasite Eve. This was also Yoko Shimomura's first solo work since joining Square.
The gameplay itself is turn-based and takes place on a 7x7 grid. The player is able to move characters across the grid, but so do the enemies. Abilities and techniques vary greatly from each other: some are able to attack only one square, while others can cover the whole grid or just a part of it. Some abilities, especially powerful ones, can also take a couple of turns to charge but can be canceled out by either side with specific attacks. There are also ways of putting a temporary elemental field onto the grid which will harm the enemy/player characters so long as they are standing on it. Characters level up and gain new abilities along the way, though some chapters have the gimmick of learning the abilities from someone else. The rest is more or less standard JRPG fare.
Why was it never released outside of Japan until now?
Various reasons were speculated as to why: poor graphical fidelity compared to its contemporaries. Licensing issues. Not being a priority due to it being a new IP. While it might be a combination of all of these facts, I think the reason is much simpler as the game was considered a flop upon release in Japan and not really given a chance overseas. Still, the game clearly has its fans in Japan and with the release of a fan translation in the 2000's, it became known to a small international fanbase as well.
The HD-2D Remake
Considering how old and unknown the game generally is, a remake came off as a bit of a surprise, but here it is. Redone in the style of Octopath Traveler, the game has been given a second chance to shine nearly 30 years later. From the trailers and the demo playthroughs, it appears to have been faithfully redone, with various QoL additions to UI and gameplay, orchestral soundtrack and even voice acting. It is yet to be seen if there are any significant changes or additional new content.
Final Trailer
I don't own a Switch, so note that my knowledge of the game only extends to the original.
Last edited:
