RPGs broken up into chapters existed even during the time of the original release, but I wanted players to be able to freely choose the world and character they liked. Unlike many other RPGs, which typically feature a single epic journey, our game lets players pick between seven tales, each set in different eras and play through them in any order. One of the elements of Live A Live that makes it stand out so much is its structure. It has been my earnest wish that Live A Live be played by people all around the world, and thanks to so many people rooting for the game, they now can – and on the latest platform! Despite the game not being translated, volunteers localized it and passed down stories of how interesting it was for many years. However, those who did play understood the appeal of the game and spread the word for us. The game launched September 2, 1994, but unfortunately, we were unable to release the game outside of Japan. It would feature many familiar elements of role-playing games but let players also enjoy lots of different worlds and mechanics. Our idea was to break a long RPG down into a sort of omnibus – or short story – format. I wanted to create a new style of RPG, so I got together with my colleagues to kick off a new project. The original Live A Live started production between the development of Final Fantasy IV and Chrono Trigger. To celebrate its release on PlayStation consoles, I wanted to share some memories of working on the game – both the original and the remake.

This game is very special to me – I directed the original Live A Live 29 years ago, and it was the first game I ever planned from the ground up. It’s a very unique RPG that lets you play through short stories across eight different time periods – all presented with beautiful HD-2D visuals.

I’m excited to say that the game is now available to buy digitally for PS5 and PS4. Hello PlayStation players! My name is Takashi Tokita, producer of Live A Live.

Download live a live remake ps4