


I’m impressed with the quality of the remake – but I’m more impressed with the original game, even as someone who played it back in the day and has advocated for its importance regularly since. Square Enix nailed the HD-2D look in its first run out, but having had a few more games to perfect it, the style really appears to be completely nailed-on now. It keeps the changes to a bare minimum, but adds voice acting, beautiful environments and characters that use a mixture of 3D and 2D pixel art assets, a variety of smart quality-of-life additions and tweaks, and a soundtrack rearranged beautifully by original composer Yoko Shimomura. Let me just address those who are already convinced of their interest in Live A Live up top: this is a good remake. It’s just the latest release in what is proving to be something of a new RPG golden age for Nintendo. And so now, almost thirty years later, the game is making a return on Switch with a lavish Nintendo-published remake in the HD-2D style popularized by Octopath Traveler and Triangle Strategy. Its status as a quiet cult classic appears to have helped Square Enix remember its existence. Those nerds – including Undertale creator Toby Fox – did a good job of keeping Live A Live in the public consciousness over the years. Watch on YouTube Live a Live: it's about time.
