

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. 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. 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.

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. Due to the short length of some stories, some players may become frustrated: It feels as if some characters are vastly underpowered and don't have the skills necessary to defeat enemies in battle. There's also frequent use of profanity in the dialogue, including "ass," "s-t," and more. Sexual innuendo and comments as insults are included in dialogue, and there's implied sex in a scene as well. Some scenes are set in a bar, with characters talking about hangovers and implying alcohol consumption. The older visuals don't limit some of the mature content in the game. Some blood and bodies appear as a result of fights or in cutscenes, but the pixelation of the visuals limits the impact of the game. Combat in the game is turn based, and while the look of the combat varies from character to character, the sequences are all turn based and focus on characters using hand-to-hand combat weapons, pistols, abilities, and other weapons to defeat enemies. Players take on the role of several characters scattered throughout time as they try to complete their own destinies, unaware of how their stories interconnect with each other. Parents need to know that Live A Live is a role-playing game (RPG) exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
