First released in 1994, Live A Live is a JRPG with multiple protagonists having their own chapter set in different periods of time. Each scenario plays out like its own mini-adventure giving players a unique spin on the time travel genre. It is a game directed by Takashi Tokita the same man responsible for Final Fantasy 4, Chrono Trigger, and Parasite Eve respectively.
Live A Live envokes the same kind of spirit, humor, and passion as Chrono Trigger. It is surprising then that fans in the West have had to wait almost 30 years to get their hands on this faithful 2D-HD remake. Each chapter comes with its own theme, gameplay, difficulty and even though players can choose to play the game in any order. However, this guide will provide some insight in what order one should consider playing Live A Live.
Prehistory
Chronically, the Prehistory chapter is the first in the game's story it also serves as an excellent starting point for newcomers to Live A Live. It introduces the majority of the game's mechanics and systems and functions like traditional if small-scale JRPG. There is no spoken dialogue in this scenario, as the cavemen and women in this chapter communicate in mumbles, grunts, and laughter.
However, the animation is surprisingly expressive and humorous so that one doesn't feel lost trying to follow the chapter's story. There is a bit of grinding involved when it comes to the one's characters being formidable enough to defeat the secret and final bosses. There is also crafting involved which relies on the protagonist Pogo to gather and trade in items for new ones. Moreover, the Prehistory chapter does present a balanced challenge for JRPG fans giving players a good idea of what's in store for the remaining chapters.
Present Day
In total contrast to the Prehistoric setting, players get the take on the role of a man determined to become the greatest fighter in the world. It's a challenging chapter, but it's also the shortest in the game with some players reporting that they completed it under two hours.
Despite its short length, The Modern Day chapter presents a significant challenge at this point in the game. However, it allows one to explore several aspects of combat and tactics. The protagonist intends on challenging various fighting masters that vary from wrestlers to Muay Thai, so he can learn their secrets and become the best all-around fighter in the world.
Imperial China
The Imperial China chapter is one of the most balanced in the game in terms of story and combat. The combat is easier than in the Prehistory scenario and more challenging than in the Modern Day setting. However, players need to prepare themselves for a lot of fighting, exploring, and discovering useful items to aid in battle.
The fights are very easy the chapter length doesn't overstay its welcome as it's one of the most endearing in the game. The protagonist is a Shifu that needs to search for a successor to carry on his Kung Fu teachings. It's one of the easiest chapters in the game, and it could technically serve well as a first chapter thanks to its classic JRPG mechanics.
The Wild West
The fourth scenario one should go for is The Wild West chapter. Where the Prehistory chapter has no dialogue, The Wild West story is dialogue-heavy, even compared to the other chapters in the game. The focus on the story means that there is less combat and less opportunity to grind and level up one's characters. Before the Red Dead series the Wild West setting was unusual in any genre.
Fans of Westerns will notice influences from some of the genre's best movies like Clint Eastwood's Pale Rider when it comes to setting up traps and defending a town against bandits called "The Crazy Bunch". The gang is an obvious nod to the iconic movie The Wild Bunch. Despite being heavy in dialogue, The Wild West scenario is quite short but one does have lots of opportunities to explore and take in the world and its setting. In addition to the story, The Wild West will introduce players to some puzzles and their mechanics.
The Twilight Of Edo
Chronically, The Twilight of Edo chapter comes before the events of The Wild West. However, as one of the longer and more difficult scenarios in the game, it serves well as a middle chapter making the remaining stories feel less challenging as a result.
It is set during the Edo period in Japan and offers the player two approaches. One can either tackle the level with stealth or they can choose to fight their way through a total of 100 hundred enemies. Both approaches have their good and bad points, so it's up to the player as there's no right or wrong way to get it done. However, going the stealth route makes the final boss difficult as there are fewer opportunities to level up.
Near Future
As one of the longest chapters in the game, the Near Future chapter provides a pure JRPG experience that comes complete with a world map to explore like a Final Fantasy game. Players take on the role of a character named Akira who can read minds which leads him into a deeper conspiracy.
The Near Future scenario offers a lawless setting that falls somewhere between Mad Max and the iconic cyberpunk anime Akira complete with maniacal biker gangs to fight. It does, however, have one of the hardest boss fights in the game as it's capable of killing party members with one shot. This chapter is challenging and lengthy but at this point in the game, it's the perfect time to follow the story in chronological order.
Distant Future
Continuing with Live A Live chronology, the next chapter one should play is the Distant Future. It's heavy on the dialogue and story. The scenario takes place on a ship in space that's returning to Earth.
The Distant Future chapter takes inspiration from Star Trek, Star WarsAlien, and Stanley Kubrick's Space Odyssey. There are a lot of allusions and references to iconic sci-fi movies that fans will love. Players take on the role of a robot called Cube as he interacts with the crew to get to the bottom of the deaths that are occurring on the ship.
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is Live A Live's final chapter, and it's unlocked once all the preceding chapters have been completed in any order. This is where the connections between each period in time come together to complete Live A Live's overarching story.
As the name suggests, it is based during medieval times and players take on the role of Oersted a young warrior looking to defeat an ancient evil known as the Dread Archon. This is a more traditional feeling JRPG, but it's also one of the game's best scenarios as everything comes together beautifully in the final act.
Live A Live is available now for the Nintendo Switch