Live A Live!
Sep. 14th, 2008 05:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
slimequestBetween finishing up FFIVDS and before DQIVDS comes out, I've been doing homework like a good little boy, but also playing around with roms on my breaks. Considering a new translation was released for it a little while ago, I loaded up Live A Live again and had another go at it.
Although Square had quite a few offbeat 16-bit RPGs, I don't think any quite come close to this. Basically you choose from one of seven characters to play as, each one coming from a different time period like old west, future, prehistoric times, etc. Each chapter has a different focus of gameplay and its own battle music (done by Yoko Shimomura), which helps keep things fresh and interesting. I like what the translation team did with the 2.0 patch as well - each scenario has its own font now as well, which even the Japanese version didn't have.
Currently I'm playing through Oboro's ninja chapter, which is about as close to a SNES Metal Gear Solid it gets. Basically your goal is to sneak into the castle without being seen and killing as few people as you can. It's actually possible to beat the chapter with zero people killed (Big Boss rank?) and the castle has a bunch of traps and puzzles to get through. For example, you overhear a password you can use to get through checkpoints fairly early on, but that password changes depending on what time it is (denoted by Oboro remarking that he hears a bell ringing in the distance), which is a really neat, innovative thing to do considering the time period when the game was released.
Basically, this game is pretty unique and awesome. It's really a great feeling to have a 16-bit game impress you even after all these years.
Although Square had quite a few offbeat 16-bit RPGs, I don't think any quite come close to this. Basically you choose from one of seven characters to play as, each one coming from a different time period like old west, future, prehistoric times, etc. Each chapter has a different focus of gameplay and its own battle music (done by Yoko Shimomura), which helps keep things fresh and interesting. I like what the translation team did with the 2.0 patch as well - each scenario has its own font now as well, which even the Japanese version didn't have.
Currently I'm playing through Oboro's ninja chapter, which is about as close to a SNES Metal Gear Solid it gets. Basically your goal is to sneak into the castle without being seen and killing as few people as you can. It's actually possible to beat the chapter with zero people killed (Big Boss rank?) and the castle has a bunch of traps and puzzles to get through. For example, you overhear a password you can use to get through checkpoints fairly early on, but that password changes depending on what time it is (denoted by Oboro remarking that he hears a bell ringing in the distance), which is a really neat, innovative thing to do considering the time period when the game was released.
Basically, this game is pretty unique and awesome. It's really a great feeling to have a 16-bit game impress you even after all these years.
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no subject
Date: 2008-09-15 04:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-15 09:43 pm (UTC)When playing Oboro's ninja chapter, trying for zero kills is very possible (I did it just last night), but it's pretty tedious. You just have to run away if you happen to encounter any enemies that are human, and level yourself up on ghosts and other intangibles that won't count towards your kills.
That, or slaughter every man, woman, and manwoman you encounter, whichever.
I've had a chance to play through the Wild West scenario, which was interesting, and the Prehistoric which is amusing because there's no dialog. They're cavemen, you know?
no subject
Date: 2008-09-15 09:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-16 08:15 am (UTC)I love the idea of the prehistoric level - that was what excited me about the game initially. I wanted to see how they'd pull it off. Also I was told it has the best choice box in video game history at the end.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-16 02:03 pm (UTC)Let me know if that doesn't work and I can try the usual upload places.
My emulator sometimes bitched at me because it thought it was a bad rom, but it should work.
I've begun the "mecha" level now. Elbowing radio-controlled cars to death and sitting on the toilet to be transported to my giant robot never looked so good. Also, it's really cute how they try to have a rousing Japanese robot theme song, minus the song.