This HD-2D remake revives a cult RPG built from seven self-contained chapters, from the Old West to a wordless prehistory. Each era brings its own rules and mood, making it an anthology of experiments before a bold final convergence. The collection charms, even if some tales outshine others.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player12+
Description
Seven tales set in radically different eras ultimately converge into a shared destiny. Published by Square Enix, released worldwide in 2022. A remake of a classic, mechanics unique to each chapter, grid-based turn-based combat and gorgeous HD-2D visuals.
Live A Live review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
MAX
Story
★★★★★
"Masterful"
The HD-2D technique exalts a forgotten Square classic: reimagined pixel sprites, volumetric light and miniature scenery of striking depth. This visual rebirth, leaping across eras from chapter to chapter, sublimates a tale scattered through the ages.
Yoko Shimomura unfurls a spread of styles mirroring the seven eras you cross: dusty western, futuristic moods, prehistoric percussion and a main theme of poignant nobility. Each chapter holds its own sonic identity, and "MEGALOMANIA" has become a touchstone of JRPG battle music. The remake magnifies these visionary compositions.
Seven eras, seven heroes, from ancient Japan to the Old West, linked by a thread you only glimpse at the very end. This daring anthology toys with J-RPG conventions, and its final chapter delivers a turn that recasts everything, rightly become a cult favorite.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Pleasant"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Easy"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Seven scenarios in radically different eras, from feudal Japan to the distant future, each with its own play rules: even before the final chapter that ties them together, the spread is already wide. Combat styles vary, secrets nestle everywhere, and the climax rewards patience. That anthology structure, bold for its time, fully justifies its acclaimed return.
Technical info
💾3 GB📅22/07/2022
Published by Square Enix
Live A Live (Nintendo Switch) price, value & rarity
Across its eras, the game reinvents the duel chapter by chapter: a virtual sumo bout, a mech to keep balanced, a Wild West showdown won by a split-second draw. That variety means every confrontation sets its own rules rather than a mere health bar. And the final chapter ties all these heroes together in fights where team strategy reaches its peak.
An underrated gem
Unobtainable outside Japan for decades, this cult classic only truly met a worldwide audience through its remake. Its structure splintered into seven chapters, each with its own mechanics and a radically different mood, remains a narrative boldness rarely matched. A misunderstood pioneer at first, it disoriented players by refusing convention. Magnified by a sumptuous HD-2D look, it finally reveals all its ingenuity. A treasure for the turn-based curious who love to be surprised.
Is Live A Live still worth playing in 2026?
The return of Live A Live feels like a deserved rehabilitation. This anthology of seven chapters, each rooted in an era with its own rules, keeps a rare structural daring, from a silent western to the present and a distant future. The HD-2D treatment works wonders on a long-overlooked title, and the final convergence still lands hard. Not everything is equal: some chapters are brief or rougher, and the grid combat stays modest. Yet for its inventiveness and historical reach, this remake remains a gem worth discovering.
