Parents' Guide to

Live A Live

By Jeff Haynes, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Era-spanning adventure packs uneven, mature gameplay.

Game Nintendo Switch 2022
Live A Live Box Cover

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

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What’s It About?

Originally released only in Japan for the Super Famicom, LIVE A LIVE is a time-hopping role-playing game that spans several eras of history. From prehistoric times to the Wild West, feudal Japan, and even the far reaches of space in the future, players find themselves leaping into the stories of separate characters who are trying to overcome some significant challenge -- e.g., solving a murder mystery, defeating rivals in a fighting tournament, or discovering a student to carry on the legacy of a martial arts school. Regardless of the event they're tackling, players will engage enemies in turn-based fights where they'll use their fists, weapons, or unique abilities against opponents. These strikes can be used only when the character's energy has been charged up with an active time gauge, allowing players to tactically decide when to launch attacks, wait to counter an incoming blow, or use items to gain an advantage. How do all of these stories connect? Is there something behind the threats to each character? Only by completing each and every tale will you be able to get the full sense of these stories.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1 ):

The lack of connection with characters and the unbalanced gameplay keep this RPG from being a standout title for anyone but the most dedicated adventure fans. Live A Live feels like a game that's been captured and frozen in time, from its turn-based gameplay to its retro visuals. Its clever twist lies in its multiple-plot structure, which not only presents unique characters, but manages to provide different gameplay themes for each tale. One story is presented like a fighting game, another leans into a stealth action title, and a third is closer to a western. The variety in play makes checking out each story engaging, but this is where some of the issues pop up. Each story is incredibly brief, running anywhere from a few hours to half an hour or so at the shortest. Unfortunately, while you're exposed to a lot of game concepts and characters, you never have enough time to build a connection with or care about any of them or their stories, which also weakens the interest in uncovering the overall plot.

Even worse, the limited amount of time spent with each character makes the combat unbalanced. Players only need to fight a certain number of times in each story to be strong enough to complete their quest, but this makes them wildly underpowered to complete the final chapter. In fact, this makes the amount of time that you have to dedicate to strengthening your characters for the final chapter somewhat haphazard: You're not entirely sure if some are more effective than others, and it feels like a lot of story padding. Couple this with random fights that are over in the blink of an eye, and some that are complex struggles, and the leveling system just feels arbitrary. At least the tactical nature of the combat is good. Players can determine if enemies are vulnerable or resistant to strikes, and can plan the best way to attack targets, as long as they're possibly willing to take a hit for the perfect strike. Overall, Live A Live promises a unique era-spanning adventure, but unless you're a classic RPG fan willing to put up with frustration, or you connect with the tactical strategy in the title, you may want to explore a different saga altogether.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Players can talk about unconventional plot structures in media. Did the separate plots in Live A Live appeal to you, or did it feel distracting? Would you rather have one cohesive story, or would you like the option to explore the whole game only with specific characters?

  • This is a re-release of an older title. Do you think that its gameplay stands the test of time, or does it feel outdated? Should it have come with the option to switch between the classic version and an updated version?

Game Details

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