As one of the year's biggest surprises, Live A Live is a remake of one of the most ambitious and obscure JRPGs during the SNES era. The game was never released outside of Japan, and Western fans had to rely on fan-translated mods to play it. As a game directed by Takeshi Tokita, the same man behind Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 4, it's a shame that Western fans had to wait so long for an official release.

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Just like Chrono Trigger, Live A Live is a game that takes its players to various moments in time, from the prehistorical past to the distant future. However, unlike Chrono Trigger, it doesn't use a time-traveling mechanic to experience these periods in time. Instead, players take on the role of seven different protagonists that range from a gunslinger in the Wild West to a ninja in the Edo Period in Japan.

Live A Live Game Length

live a live prehistory crafting

Unsurprisingly, a JRPG that spans generations can be quite a lengthy experience overall. However, each chapter doesn't overstay its welcome and can be completed in around 2-3 hours each, depending on one's playstyle.

The chapters can be played in any order of one's choosing, although it is recommended to start with the prehistoric chapter first. The Prehistoric chapter introduces all the game's mechanics and serves as a great introduction and tutorial for the remainder of the game.

Some players can power through the Modern Day chapter in around an hour and a half. On a quick playthrough, Live A Live can take around 25 hours to complete.

Live A Live Edo period in Japan

Some of Live A Live's chapters can be completed straightforwardly. However, there are some stories more complex than others. The Twilight Edo chapter is one of the most difficult and the longest in the game, but some players may want to tackle it twice to see everything.

The protagonist of that particular story is a ninja. So, one can either choose to tackle it using stealth without engaging a single enemy or be forced to fight and defeat all 100 enemies in the mission. These varied story arcs can add even more longevity to the game for completists.

As a result, finding and completing everything that Live A Live has to offer can take around 32 hours to complete.

Main Story

Complete Everything

20-25 hours

25-32 hours

Live A Live is available now for the Nintendo Switch.

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