Originally released on the Super Famicom in 1994, Live A Live is a JRPG that never made it to the West until now. There were fan translations that helped it gain a cult following at the time. However, it was fan demand and director Takashi Tokita's desire to remake the game using Octopath Traveler's picturesque HD-2D art design.
Finally, in 2022 and after a long wait, fans can get their hands on a faithful remake of Live A Live. Even by today's standards, the classic JRPG feels and plays like one of the most original and ambitious games ever made. Live A Live is unique in its storytelling in that it allows the player to take on the role of seven protagonists across different periods in time in a collection of anthology stories. These are then tied together in a final chapter that is unlocked once all these previous scenarios have been completed. There aren't many games like Live A Live, but this list provides the next best thing for fans to sink their teeth into.
8 Chrono Cross
- Released: 2000 and remastered in 2022
- Developer: Square
- Platform: PC, PS1, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One
First released in 2000 for Western territories, Chrono Cross is a follow-up to the iconic SNES JRPG Chrono Trigger. Unlike its predecessor, the game follows the protagonist Serge as he travels between two parallel worlds.
It's a complex story even by today's standards and manages to tell a story without tripping over its plot threads. Even though Chrono Cross doesn't offer multiple protagonists like Live A Live, there are opposing scenarios that interconnect with each other, multiple endings and a New Game Plus mode. Furthermore, there are 45 characters to find and recruit between the worlds, and there are lots of different fighting styles - like Live A Live - to play around with.
7 Suikoden 3
- Released: 2002
- Developer: Konami
- Platform: PS2
Even though it's not set in different periods in time like Live A Live, Suikoden 3 puts players in the shoes of three protagonists using the Trinity Sight System mechanic. The story is told through three alternate viewpoints where the characters have their unique take on the game's narrative.
In addition to the three main characters, three more optional characters have short scenarios of their own. This includes a chapter that is played through the eyes of Suikoden 3's main antagonist Luc. Furthermore, Suikoden 3 has a huge cast of characters called the 108 Stars of Destiny to discover and recruit.
6 Final Fantasy 6
- Released: 1994 with the Pixel Remaster released in 2022
- Developer: Square
- Platform: Android, GBA, iOS, PC, and PS1
Originally released in 1994 for the SNES, Final Fantasy 6 has stood the test of time as one of the greatest JRPGs of all time. The game has been ported and remastered several times, but any version of the title is worth seeking out. The Pixel Remaster was released with newly orchestrated music and much cleaner visuals.
It has the largest cast of permanent characters in any Final Fantasy mainline title. While there aren't different timelines to explore, the large cast has great character development where every character is the protagonist with intertwining destinies.
5 SaGa Frontier
- Released: 1998 with HD Remaster released in 2021
- Developer: Square Production Team 2
- Platform: Android, iOS, PC, PS1, PS4, and Switch
Another classic JRPG from Square during its heyday before the Square Enix merger is a title just as distinct as Live A Live. It's a science fantasy adventure JRPG played from the perspective of seven protagonists with their storyline.
Additionally, SaGa Frontier uses the "Free Scenario System." It's a mechanic that allowed for non-linear storytelling and gameplay. It became a cult classic when it was first released on the PS1, and thanks to the stunning remaster that makes it available on modern systems, it's gaining the fanfare and critical acclaim it deserves.
4 Radiant Historia
- Released: 2011 and remastered and released again in 2018
- Developer: Atlus
- Platform: DS and 3DS
Radiant Historia is a standalone JRPG that was first released on the Nintendo DS in 2011 and released again with additional content in 2018 as Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology on the 3DS. The latter release is the better of the two, but again, it's an incredible game on both platforms.
The game doesn't have multiple protagonists, but it does feature time travel and alternate timelines. It doesn't go as far as Live A Live with different periods in time, but the story, characters, and scenarios are gripping from start to end.
3 Octopath Traveler
- Released: 2018
- Developer: Acquire and Square Enix Business Division 11
- Platform: PC, Stadia, and Switch
In addition to being able to play with multiple protagonists, one of the major selling points of Live A Live is its beautiful HD-2D visuals. As a game coming from the same producer Tomoya Asano, Octopath Traveler includes a similar art style as well as letting players take on the role of one of eight protagonists. Another producer involved that Live A Live fans should be familiar with is Takashi Tokita, who was the original director of Live A Live.
The game will then allow the player to experience the rest of the cast's stories and motivation before joining each other later on. It's a long game with a lot of character development, giving each protagonist their own time to shine, and it takes some time to get going, but Octopath Traveler is a well-crafted and mature JRPG.
2 Triangle Strategy
- Released: 2022
- Developer: Artdink and Square Enix
- Platform: Switch
Just like Live A Live and Octopath Traveler before it, Triangle Strategy implements the beautiful HD-2D art style once again under the leadership of producer Tomoya Asano. Triangle Strategy is a tactical turn-based JRPG in the same vein as Final Fantasy Tactics.
Even though Triangle Strategy centers around one main lead called Serenoa, the characters he meets along the way are well-developed and provide depth to the story. Additionally, the game has a ton of lore to uncover, backed up by a narrative embroiled in political intrigue and betrayals.
1 Chrono Trigger
- Released: 1995
- Developer: Square
- Platform: Android, i-mode, IOS, DS, PC, PS1, and SNES
Often hailed as one of the greatest JRPGs of all time, Chrono Trigger, like Live A Live, is an incredibly ambitious epic that takes players to different periods in time while providing a compelling narrative. There aren't multiple protagonists, and there aren't as many time zones to explore, but Chrono Trigger is the closest a game can get to Live A Live's settings.
There is a prehistoric, medieval, and post-apocalyptic future for players to explore. The story is easy to follow but still manages to be deep and doesn't lose itself within the complexities of a time-traveling story like so many other mediums do. Moreover, there are multiple endings and a New Game Plus feature for one to discover. Interestingly, Chrono Trigger was directed by Takashi Tokita, who was the original director of Live A Live, and the two titles share much of the same spirit.
Live A Live is available now for the Nintendo Switch.