Live A Live, the upcoming HD-2D remake of a classic JRPG by Square Enix, just received a playable demo ahead of its launch next month. Revealed during today’s Nintendo Direct Mini, the playable demo for Live A Live takes players through three unique chapters, with all progress carrying over to the full game.
Live A Live was announced in February of this year to the surprise of many JRPG fans. The original game was released almost 30 years ago for the Super Famicom and never saw a localized release in the west until now. After the success of Octopath Traveler, Square Enix took it upon itself to remake some of its classic games using the same HD-2D art style that made 2018's Octopath Traveler so beloved. Live A Live is the first of these projects and will launch later this summer. Meanwhile, an HD-2D remake of 1998's Dragon Quest 3 is currently in production.
Ahead of Live A Live’s July 22 release, fans can get their hands on the game early with a fully playable demo now available on the Nintendo eShop. This demo takes players through the first three chapters of the game: Imperial China, Twilight of Edo Japan, and The Distant Future, each with a unique playable character. At launch, fans can transfer all save data to the whole game, which features a total of eight main scenarios. Not only that, but Nintendo has also released a 40-minute Treehouse for Live A Live, showcasing the game's Wild West and Near Future chapters.
Square Enix’s upcoming Live A Live rerelease makes some notable changes to the original Super Famicom version. Yoko Shimomura, the composer for the game, states that Live A Live now has an “easy to understand” approach to its gameplay and features a rearranged soundtrack. Also showcased during Live A Live’s Treehouse playthrough is the fully voiced cast, which should be a welcome improvement for new audiences alongside the enhanced HD-2D graphics.
Live A Live launches soon and should hopefully open the door for even more Square Enix RPG remakes and remasters. The company has been on a streak of re-releases as of late, releasing classics like Chrono Cross, the original Final Fantasy games, and the SaGa franchise to modern platforms with a slew of enhancements. The subject of game preservation and accessibility is important to many fans, and hopefully, Live A Live indicates that Square Enix is digging deeper into its back catalog and intends to make some of its hidden gems widely available for new audiences.
Live A Live launches on July 22 for the Nintendo Switch.