Live A Live, the remake of the storied Super Nintendo JRPG, is out now on Nintendo Switch if you can believe it. Finally officially available in the West, players can look forward to unraveling a substantial story spread across eight chapters and with a bevy of controllable characters. Each chapter is set in a different time period and has its own “main” character, but several also feature other playable party members too. Here’s the lowdown on who’s who in Live A Live.
Live A Live playable characters
Prehistory (The First)
The main character in “The First” chapter, set in prehistoric times, is Pogo. He’s an excitable caveman kid who’s just come of age and is keen to get to hunting with his gorilla pal, Gori. Being a prehistoric caveperson, words aren’t exactly his strong point, but his powerful sense of smell can let him sniff out things in the wild. After discovering a young woman named Beru on the run from her own tribe, Pogo and Gori set off on an adventure that will change their lives forever.
Imperial China (The Successor)
“The Successor” will send players to Imperial China, inhabiting the shoes of the Earthen Heart Shifu, a kung fu master in search of someone to take up the gauntlet once he’s gone. Over the course of the chapter, you’ll meet three disciples: the kind and food-loving Hong Hakka, the brash bandit Lei Kugo, and the timid but determined Yun Jou. Each of these characters will train under the Shifu over the course of the chapter and one will prove the true successor to the Earthen Heart technique.
Twilight of Edo Japan (The Infiltrator)
The chapter set in Edo Japan sees players infiltrating a fortress as Oboromaru, a fledgling ninja who hasn’t yet finished his training. Sent to rescue a mysterious prisoner from the villainous Ode Iou in order to prevent Japan from sliding into war and chaos, Oboromaru can use secret ninja stealth techniques to blend into the shadows and avoid detection as he navigates the fortress. Whether you decide to use those tricks or just charge in guns blazing is up to you.
The Wild West (The Wanderer)
If you prefer your Red Dead Redemptions a little more lo-fi, the Wild West chapter of Live A Live has you covered. In “The Wanderer,” you take control of Sundown, aka The Sundown Kid. He’s a cowboy and gunslinger with a heart full of guilt and a death wish. In fact, his desire to see his own end is so strong that he put a $1 million bounty on his own head. The chapter sees him teaming up with his rival outlaw, Mad Dog, to protect a town from a bunch of wrong ‘uns and rediscover his compassionate side.
Present Day (The Strongest)
The Present Day chapter pits ultimate warrior Masaru Takahara against the strongest fighters in the world. His goal is a simple one — to be recognized as the most powerful fighter on the planet. His method is also a simple one — pulverize anyone else who dares to try and lay claim to that title. Over the course of his fights, he can learn the techniques of those he bests in combat, adding to his own repertoire of powerful abilities.
The Near Future (The Outsider)
Akira Tadokoro is the protagonist of Live A Live’s The Near Future chapter. A short-tempered but ultimately kind-hearted individual, he tries to do right by the people around him, including his only remaining family, his sister Kaori. When he stumbles upon a sinister conspiracy, it’s up to Akira and his companions, biker best friend Lawless and robot turtle Taro, to follow the trail and root out the evil at its source.
The Distant Future (The Mechanical Heart)
In the distant future, it would seem that robots and computers have humanity’s every need covered. And honestly, when they look as adorable as Cube, the protagonist for the Distant Future chapter, it’s not hard to see why. Cube was designed as a worker robot aboard the spaceship Cogito Ergo Sum, but displayed an unheard-of capacity for kindness and empathy, leading him to be considered almost human by the rest of the crew. He doesn’t exactly have a way with words, being limited to R2-D2-style beeping noises, but he generally gets his point across regardless and is always willing to hunker down and get the work done — especially when a series of mysterious incidents puts the safety of the ship and its crew in danger.
The Middle Ages (The Lord of Dark)
The Middle Ages chapter is a more standard swords-and-sorcery fantasy adventure, which arguably makes it all the more peculiar that it’s not unlocked until the other seven scenarios have been completed. Once you do unlock it though, you’ll take control of Oersted, a young swordsman traveling to Lucrece to participate in a fighting tournament. Accompanying him is an old friend and powerful magician, Streibough, and over the course of the chapter, you’ll also join forces with the old hero Hasshe and the monk Uranus. Not all is quite as it seems, though, and Oersted’s story hides plenty of secrets that players will have to dig up.
