Live A Live solves my biggest pet peeves with the RPG genre

digitaltrends.com:

The Nintendo Switch got a pair of high-profile role-playing games this month, but they couldn’t be more dissimilar. Live A Live is a remake of an influential 90s game that features retro visuals, turn-based tactical combat, and a breezy runtime. Xenoblade Chronicles 3, on the other hand, is a behemoth of an action-RPG that features a bevy of complex systems rolled out over a 150-hour adventure. It’s a tale of two RPGs.

Like many Switch owners, I plan to hop into Xenoblade Chronicles 3 today, but Live A Live is the game that currently has my attention. The HD-2D remake is an uneven experience, but it’s been a surprise charmer for me thanks to its clever storytelling and experimental structure. While the original release had an influence on RPG-makers (Octopath Traveler more or less plays like a spiritual successor), it’s still unlike anything I’ve ever really played in the genre.

Throughout my playthrough, I’ve found myself wishing more RPGs would take lessons from it. Even two decades after it first released in Japan, Live A Live’s manageable pace and eagerness to constantly show players something new makes it feel like a breath of fresh air in an era of titanic stories that tend to drag on.

The first thing that especially stands out about Live A Live is that it’s the rare RPG that you can beat in a week. Clocking in at around 20 hours, it’s a relic from a time when the genre wasn’t as focused on delivering some of the longest experiences in gaming. That’s a relief as someone who likes to play a lot of games, but it isn’t just my personal time that benefits from the slimmer runtime.

With virtually no fluff, Live A Live is able to deliver more focused storytelling and gameplay that doesn’t feel padded out to invent