Story (4/5) | Characters (3.5/5) | World (4/5) | Gameplay (2.5/5) | Visuals (3.5/5) | Music (3.5/5) = 73% overall score

The story of Live a Live takes part across several very different separate characters across time. The story and characters of each really vary in quality, with some stories being enjoyable and interesting (Sci Fi and Kung Fu chapters) and others being boring or poorly translated (Martial Arts and Cyberpunk chapters). The variety of different locales and settings should be commended however. All of these characters become connected in the end by a unique twist that occurs after you've played them all, this alone makes the game worth playing through to the end.

I did not like the gameplay of Live a Live very much. The basics of it being a grid based with various "moves" that you could learn felt really clunky and none of the characters were that much fun to play. There was some strategy in trying to get rid of multiple enemies with attacks, but battles just got repetitive IMO and it didn't work well across all of the chapters. In the end, you can build up your party of all of the characters you want, but it's annoying to have to go through end game dungeon after end game dungeon for each one to get their best equipment.

The sprites are simply average, with the standout being the variety there are based off of all of the different settings there is. The music itself is good with some standout tracks with a lot of variety from the settings, but some songs are used too much.

Time to Complete: 20 hours

Favorite Chill Theme: The Birds Fly in the Sky, the Fish Swim in the River

Favorite Action Theme: Megalomania

Preliminary: I'm nervous about the tactical RPG combat I've read about, but I am enjoying it so far and the SNES colors/Look are always pleasant and I like the UI of this Item Creation/Synthesis area

I'm doing this tedious thing where you talk to the 20th caveman for a load of items to synthesize early in game, I hope once I get to the combat I don't dislike it enogh to arleady stop playing after all this >.<ff

Oh wow wait... I think... I like the tactical RPG esque gameplay of this?!

Early Game (I'm playing the characters in chronological order, starting with prehistory)

Cute and absurd names for moves a la the Mother series. Meanwhile the concept kinda reminds me of Chrono Trigger. And I like the combat so far even if grinding wont allow me to just mash a button with fast forward on :-p It's intuitive and fast-paced, so that's all I can ask for from a somwhat tactical/somewhat action RPG combat system. I like the tune, tho it's been the same this whole time... a long time so far haha. But I am absolutely in love with the UI of the menu and the Save anywhere aspect and all the QoL features. I hope items prove to be the same (I kept thinking how I think I'd enjoy Earthbound much more if it had the basic QoL expectations of 1994 JRPG inventories...)

It's quite surreal doing this whole campaign with no words, but that's the idea. I am excited to see how into the future it gets. Interesting that I'm reading these relatively short scenarios even have optional bosses and super rare accessories and whatnot. Nice.

I'm really really liking this so far except the random battle frequency is just obnoxious in certain areas and I'm not sure if it's somethjing I'm doing wrong. Tbh it could be what gets me to quit this game if it doesn't let up. If I run frm a battle uh, let me run. Don't keep putting me back in a battle...

TUrns out it seems to be a glitch with the fan translation... argh. And the modern remake doesn't come for a long time... I really wanted to play this through. I suppose I could just do a different scenario but it would feel weird not to finish it. Imma try one of my older saves and see if the issue happens again but...

Ok I don't remember leveling up being this much a chore the first time through ha. Darn Bel keeps dying.

Alright no clue what I did, but the issue isn't happening. I think it has something to do with going back to the original wilderness first instead of jumping the pit. Seemed to set it off... Not sure, but I saved now before heading back to try on the optional boss King Mammoth. If the issue starts again, I'll just live without the optional boss :-p It says a lot about the game that I want to try the optional boss AND that I was willing to replay from one of my earlier saves. I just hope the other scenarios' quirks don't impede my fun

As much as I am enjoying the Play and Feel, the scenario felt a bit empty. Already done with it. Maybe once more dialog is involved I will get more, well, involved. Indeed, the Feel/Look keeps delivering though

This game has a strange propensity for silence lol. Should have been more neat tunes. I love the way it remembers your selection in combat even when you didn't select it.

Yesss I love these enemies

Another scenario done. I wish they felt a bit fuller, but I assume they culminate together in the end. And I wish they had a new tune for their credits to make them more interesting instead of hearing the song we just heard on repeat for the entire scenario lol.

Here I am, hours gone by again a secnod night, this game trly makes time fly. It keeps being so fresh and different, I suppose is why. I am on the NInja scenario trying to get a 2nd party member cuz the optional boss wrecked me :-p It seems so open-ended, at least this scenario, I did end up turning to a guide but wow, even key items can be gotten different ways and the way you approach the scenario is entirely up to you.

The fact I keep preferring to do, or at least attempting (when it came to that glitch), the optional content says a lot about this game.

Oh no! I think I messed up my chances at getting O-Robo :( The optional party member that helps a bunch with the optional boss. Not a good sign! Heh. The openness of this scenario is... well overwhelming. (Next day report: don't worry, I got O-Robo!)

Omg! Getting out of that place was such a nightmare! I luckily found a map online. A surprising lack of maps, considering it being a well-known JRPG, but luckily there was a map of the ninja area because of its complexity. I am finally out and ready to take on the optional bosses! Which again, says a lot since I could have just wrapped up the scenario. I wont do all the optional things but this one seemed necessary since I went through the work of getting this additional party member.

Bahahaha omg.... so I think I backgtracked too far... Ugh! Maps from now on! Yesss at least it was all worth it lol this optional boss

Wow the fight for the Muramasa was way harder, but I made it! With one character left lol. Time to finish up this lengthy scenario! I'm really en joying this but lol it's quite unbalanced in that if you want to enjoy the optional content, you are OP for the scenario bosses. Yesss the colros for the scenario boss

In many ways, this feels like just battle after battle for the plotline and I don't connect much with any of the characters. but the gameplay is so fun and varied and fast-paced and RPG-addicting that it fits perfectly for it to be a fast-paced-feeling plot. All that's missing is a better, more sentimental soundtrack, namely during the endings. Literal silence is surpising for 1994. But still the best scenario ending yet thansk to the sunrise colors

Mid Game

Oooo I like the Sundown level dance-y tune. A positive to these short little vignette games is I have gotten so many nice ending parts, and the Sundown scenario had a unique ending tune!

Quite absurd that a good chunk into this JRPG, I have a fighting game select screen lol. With a definite Hulk Hogan lookalike in there. But I like the tunes and gameplay of this area too (and I like the Street Fighter esque scream you do when you learn a new technique)

Annnd another great ending screen

Nice. Some more good tunes in the Near Future scenario, and with the most 1994 SNES JRPG Look so far. And good tunes!

Overall I am absolutely loving this and this is for sure a 5 star, possibly a favorite. I do wish there was less of the JRPG/videogame sexual joke parts. It's always towing the line, nothing too grating, btu just unnecessary. And contributes to the individual plots feeling blah and not what's hooking me. Instead, I am just absolutely hooked to the gameplay.

If this item synthesis guy says "Oops I messed up" one more time to me... And this is a good scenario but it definitely has some tediously long conversations/scenes and the respawnings of the random battles in the "world map" got a bit tedious near the end of the scenario. But it knew its time was up and wrapped up aroudn the time I felt that way. Luckily, one of the scenario's tunes, the one that plays during the reminiscing scene near the climax, was very nice and sentimental and Kingdom Hearts-y (pretty sure this same tune plays during such scenes throughout the game, but sitll, re-noticed during this :-p )

Hard to exactly explain why but I feel this was influenced by Earthbound/Mother series, and that this influenced Pokemon.

End Game

Welp I'm on the final character's scenario, and though I assume there is a culminating scenario, I would consdier this end game I think. Time for the future one. (Wow, based on my peek of a guide, I guess this isn't really end game and the final chapter is super long, but whatevs)

I just read that the final chapter varies considerably based on which character/s you choose. Interesting. I might try out a coupel characters but most likely I will save that for future playthroughs.

Oh suddenly it's like I'm watching a super dark sci-fi film with the sound and everything. Alien-esque. Tho the premise wound up being a bit silly and the the arcade game basically just more of the same combat the game has had, it was all very unique and had some really interesting avant/noise/absurd-sound parts.

Oh wait, there's another character?! Medieval now? I am really enjoying this still but the hook is starting to get lost due to the length, as per usual with some of the great JRPGs of the time like FF4 and FF6.

Very neat and open-ended how you can choose Orsted, who has turned out to be the main villain for the final chapter and basically be the enemy against your characters. I know other games have done this and whatnot, but this does it in the most modern-feeling way so far. And even within that, there are apparently multiple ways to approach it. I think Imma play as him just since everyone says it's a short version of the final chapter, then play the final chapter with my personal dream team :-p

Oh now we are suddenly in a traditional JRPG vibe complete even with random battles :-p

Something I hadn't mentioned yet that I love about this game is that you heal after each battle. It eliminated the tedium of finding an inn or healing spot, rinse recycle. And while I do love that format, I also loved just knowing that as long as I manage to push through the battle, I'm ready for another one and to grind away as needed.

Classic SNES JRPG trope scene here :-p

The drama of this last character lol. but now I really am in end game

So again, it says a lot about the game that I'm willing to see 3 of the possible endings. It's always fun playing as the bosses, but I also did the Armageddon option which was epic imo. Actually doing teh full scenario of playing as all the bosses felt quite redundant tho and I didn't love that ending as much. But time to play the actual scenario and either onyl pick my main favorites, or possibly if really feeling motivated despite how many days I've spent on this day--doing all the characters' dungeons and getting all their best weapons.

I am so intensely hooked ot this final chapter. I think it's cuz they saved the more traditional JRPG vibes for the end, and it's a checklist vibe of getting each character, doing their dungeon, and then switching out party members. It is a rather limited space and some tedium for sure, but whatever it is, I'm hooked and it helped keep the Play fresh for the final stretch whic is a struggle for many early JRPGs.

I've done all the character dungeons ecept Pogo's and Oboro's and have formed my final party to do those and then wrap up the game! My final party is Sunset, Cube, Pogo, and Oboro. The only decision I'm querstioning is Cube, since the Parts arent' as frequent as I had hoped, but its healing is great.

Alright... Oboro's dungeon is getting really tedious with these keys. And these Pistachios are so brutally tough, I would ignore them but I need some darn Parts for Cube otherwise I'm not feeling him. I feel ridiculously weak against some of these mobs. Lol! After the utter hell I went through to finish off the Pistachios and Tumble Bugs instead of just killing Mustard Dragon... I got no Parts... the whole purpose of that. Really thinking I switch out Cube.

Uhhh so now 3 of those awful, draining battles done and not a single Part. That is such a bad mechanic. And I don't want to let it drain my joy of this.... And now I can't seem to get a Rusted Key to drop . Ugh this dungeon sucks compared to the rest! In general, it seems the chance for items to drop is just way too low. Even these Helios Haunts... supposed to drop Power Parts... not a one. I really don't get people's preference for Cube tbh

Welp despite those frustrations, I still have just been thoroughly hooked and impressed with the QoL features taht there are. And in spite of an urgent care visit and generally bonkers night, I have reached the final boss

Great pleasant tunes for the ending. Loved the sentimental goodbyes, while keeping it short too. Beautiful music as it shows the different areas changing back to normal. I can't believe I even got the optional treasures I never used, and did basically everything there was to do in the game except the bugged King Mammoth situation at the beginning.

Wow okay. There really is something about games that click with me and knowing what kind of endings I love. After some of the late game frustrations I was starting to lean back toward just a 5 star not favorite, but uh. The ending was peak me lol. First, sentimental music and reminiscing in a very dramatic way. Then.. the most dramatic sunrise ending I've seen yet in the chronology project. To top it off with my characters (first the team I picked) running along as silhouettes. Wow. Peak ending right there. Oh and the music changed from the requisite sentimental to triumphant. Perfection. Chef's kiss etc. This review had way too many screenshots but uh, even since the Venetian Blinds game, sunset/sunrise/twilight has been essential to my love of gaming. Each of the character's dramatic Illustration presentations for the credits even had sunsets/sunrises lol. I missed most of them but included a couple below, and at this poitn I should've just posted a link to a vide of the ending but lol. Everything felt very personal, and I know each ending would have slightly different quirks depending on whom I chose as my lead character. What a wonderful game

Look: 9.5/10 Epitome of great SNES JRPG Look, with quite a large variety to boot. The UI and sheer excellence of each variety they presented boosted this .5

Sound: 9/10 Overall enjoyed all the tunes, some got a bit repetitive while grinding in an area and the use of silence was both a positive and a negative, but that ending really is what boosted this to a 9 isntead of 8.5

Play: 9/10 Some frustrations in the Dungeon of Keys, but overall, every variety of gameplay was excellent, the combat system was my favorite of the tactical-ish RPG so far, and I was absolutely hooked

Feel: 9.5/10 Yes

Attachment: 9/10 Yes. I'm very curious to play the remake.

Overall: 9.2/10