Live A Live is unlike a lot of Square Enix’s RPGs which might be why it took so long to bring it over here from the heyday of the SNES. Players will have to go through multiple scenarios, each segmented off from one another. There is no overall connecting story, or at least that’s what appears to be the case.
Live A Live is also a combination of two different RPG genres: turn-based and tactics. A lot is going on in this latest HD-2D remaster from Square Enix but have no worries. These basic tips and warnings should help beginners get a grasp of the game’s mechanics quicker.
8 Every Scenario Is Short
All seven of the starting scenarios are around two to three hours long. Some episodes, like The Wild West, do not have a lot of fighting in them. This makes the stories wrap up a lot quicker. Then there are others, like Prehistory, which feature random encounters and opportunities to level up like in a typical RPG. It should take around twenty hours to complete. After those seven scenarios are finished, a final episode unlocks which is significantly longer.
7 Pay Attention To Meters
It is a bit hard to understand the battle system at first because it combines turn-based RPGs with tactical ones. When the ATB gauge fills up, that player character or enemy can move. Some actions require more time to prep while other actions, like basic attacks, are immediate.
Pay attention to enemy ATB gauges and try to eliminate the enemies who are about to attack which should help mitigate team damage. Sometimes it is better to kill enemies with weak HP first though. The overall tip is to analyze the map before making any moves.
6 Spread Out Your Team
Do not cluster your party together while moving around the map. This is a tip that applies to many tactical RPGs besides Live A Live. Grouping together makes it easy for enemies to attack the party with area attacks.
Spreading out will prevent damage from hitting everyone. Also, tackling multiple enemies at once can help reduce their numbers quicker. Don't get too far away from allies though. They might need to be revived, so, as always, play everything by ear.
5 How Death Works
Players will not enter a Game Over screen unless all party members on the battlefield die. Some RPGs, especially tactical ones, set up failure when particular heroes go down. The Persona and Fire Emblem series come to mind when the main character falls.
Losing all HP in Live A Live will have characters enter a limbo state with a halo around their head. Using any healing spell or item can revive them. If they take one more hit from an enemy, they will retreat and won’t get experience for that battle.
4 Movement Versus Action
It is necessary to discuss how movement works within this game more. The ATB gauge fills up a sliver of time whenever an action is performed and this includes movement. Sometimes it is better to use a lesser attack to take advantage of the situation rather than risk activating an enemy by moving one square.
Here is an example one can encounter on the battlefield. Two enemies are about to die and if the player moves one square, they can attack both with an area attack. However, this might also allow one or both enemies to attack first which may kill that character. Weigh all options. That is the mantra of tactical RPGs as a whole.
3 Follow The Map
Players are given a mini-map to follow quests with. This mini-map is marked with diamonds in three different colors. Orange diamonds, or flags, will indicate where the next story beat is. Gray diamonds indicate that the player has not visited that area yet while blue diamonds show that the player has been there.
Before moving to the main objective, be sure to explore areas thoroughly. There could be a fun item hiding in a chest or an NPC with some useful dialogue. This may be an obvious tip to give as most RPG fans know to explore. For RPG newbies, it’s good to install this idea into their heads.
2 Two Scenario Tips
Every scenario in Live A Live is different and there is not enough time to go through each. Instead, here are some tips for two of them to get the player started. The Wild West is a fast storyline, making it an easy recommendation to tackle first.
When making traps, be sure to go back and forth between the bar and the town to prep for the battle sooner. In Prehistory, there is a legendary piece of armor players can craft. Combining a pelt and a leather strap will create the Wildheart Dress for Beru, making her almost invincible.
1 Save Anywhere, Save Often
One of the best things about this game is that players can save any time and any place. There are also plenty of save slots, twenty in total, allowing players to bookmark their favorite moments. Be sure to take advantage of this mechanic by saving as often as possible.
Save before going into an orange objective marker, for example, as boss fights, or fights in general, can erupt at any moment. Saving as much as possible and spreading saves between multiple slots is a tip that transfers to other RPGs as well.
Live a Live was released on July 22, 2022, and is available on Switch.
