Touhou Live A Live (Free RPG) Introduction, Impressions, and Strategy Notes

There was a live broadcast the other day to commemorate the 26th anniversary of "Live A Live".
"Live A Live" is a Super Famicom game released by Square in 1994.

Back then, as an elementary school student, I often stopped by the local Geo store and browsed the game corner looking for interesting video games.
Super Famicom games were quite expensive, and not something I could easily afford.
Video games were something that parents would buy for you on limited, precious occasions like birthdays or Christmas.
Therefore, deciding which software to sell next was an important matter, and I frequently visited game shops as part of my preliminary research.

I don't clearly remember why I picked up "Live A Live" at that time.
Now that I'm an adult, I might be drawn to the manga artists who designed the characters, but back then, the only one I knew was Yoshinori Kobayashi, who did the prehistoric arc.
The reason you bought it was,Because all of Square's games from that time were fun.That might have been the only reason.

A fan fiction work of "Live A Live" filled with such memories."Touhou Live A Live"I only recently learned of its existence.
Although it was created using RPG Maker 2003, the system and design are identical to the original "Live A Live".
While my memories might be biased, I found it to be very well-made and enjoyable, so I wanted to share it.
If it seems better not to advertise it too much due to copyright or other issues, I will take measures such as taking down the article.

By the way, I'm not very familiar with Touhou Project games; I've only played a few of the earlier titles.
I didn't time it precisely, but I think it took about 10 hours to complete.

Game Overview

Those who play this game, "Touhou Live A Live," are likely either familiar with the original "Live A Live" or are fans of the Touhou series.
However, even for people who are unfamiliar with (or uninterested in) either of these genres, I think it's safe to say that this is a well-made RPG.
If you're not very familiar with the relationships between Touhou characters, you might find it difficult to understand their connections.

In this game, you first choose one of seven main characters to play as.
The seven main characters are each set in different time periods and locations.
Once you clear one stage, you can choose the next protagonist and tackle the stages in any order you like.
Each episode can be completed in about an hour, but each one is self-contained, like a high-quality film.
Each episode features its own unique game system, ensuring that players won't get bored.

Characteristics of each section

Each section has its own general characteristics.
I'll give a brief overview of the game's features.
The information in parentheses indicates which chapter of the original work it is based on.

・Ice Spirit Edition (Modern Edition)
It's structured like an arcade fighting game, where you choose your opponent and progress through the game.
You could say it's reminiscent of Mega Man.
Since every battle is a boss fight, the order in which you challenge them and how you learn their techniques are key to success.

- Gatekeeper Chapter (Kung Fu Chapter)
The game allows for a certain degree of freedom in the protagonist's growth.
It's basically a straightforward game with a storyline reminiscent of a kung fu movie.

- The Return Arc (SF Arc)
There's no combat; it's more of a suspenseful horror adventure.
The game progresses in the same way as an exploration game.

- Wilderness Chapter (Western Chapter)
This episode is set during the American Westward Expansion period.
This is a story about working together with the townspeople to protect the town from attackers.

・Hourai edition (near future edition)
This is an episode from a stage play set in a time slightly in the future from the present day.
There are many emotionally moving developments in various ways.

・Wild Edition (Primitive Edition)
This is an episode from a time before language was invented, where there are no spoken messages whatsoever.
The interesting thing is that the story still works despite all that.

- Underworld Arc (Bakumatsu Arc)
It offers a high degree of freedom and has many hidden elements.
It has plenty of replayability and will appeal to advanced RPG players.

About combat

The battle system is the same across all chapters, employing the same "Checker Battle" method as the original game.
As shown in the image above, the game features a battle screen similar to that of a simulation RPG.
Although invisible to the eye, each character has an action gauge, and when it fills up, they can take action.
The faster a character is, the sooner their turn comes around.

When it's your turn, you can do things like move or attack.
Selecting "Fight" will open a screen where you can choose your moves.
Techniques can basically be used as many times as you want without any cost.
However, since range, charge time, and attack area vary, it's important to move to the appropriate position before attacking.

You can move your controlled allies' characters as much as you want, without any limits.
However, if it's the enemy's turn during that time, they may move or attack at any time.
Try to minimize unnecessary movement and position yourself optimally to attack.
Unless your controlled ally character performs an action other than movement, the controlled character will not change to another ally.

The range and attack area of each technique vary.
Some skills have an attack range of one square, while others are area-of-effect attacks.
Some enemies span multiple squares, but in those cases, you can inflict damage by hitting any part of their body.

There are also various other techniques, such as healing techniques, techniques that lower enemy abilities, techniques that inflict status ailments, and counter-attack techniques that activate under specific conditions.
Skills are generally acquired by leveling up, but some skills can only be used when wearing specific equipment.

Experience points accumulate as a percentage with each battle you complete, and you level up when you reach 100%.
As your level increases, your HP and stats will rise, making battles easier.

About music

I remember the original "Live A Live" having a wide variety of songs, many of which were fantastic.
I think that aspect is faithfully reproduced in this game, "Touhou Live A Live."
Even those who have never played the original game will likely appreciate how eloquently the music expresses the atmosphere of each chapter.

The music used in this work consists of arrangements of the original songs, which are then fused with Touhou music.
Even just hearing a part of the original song gives a strong sense of what makes it "Live A Live."
When discussing the brilliance of "Live A Live," it's clear once again that the music is an indispensable element.

Review (no spoilers)

If you're a fan of the original "Live A Live," I would wholeheartedly recommend this game.
Even if you're unfamiliar with the Touhou series, if you think of it as a game that uses the "Live A Live" system to play a story with a different twist, I think you'll thoroughly enjoy it.

The battles, at first glance, resemble those of a simulation RPG, and may appear to be time-consuming.
However, the turn order is mixed up between allies and enemies, creating an active battle-like tension, and above all, it's very fast-paced.
Once you master a powerful technique, you can sometimes instantly defeat weaker enemies with just that technique, which makes the game very enjoyable.
There's a certain unfairness to it, typical of older games, where you can be utterly defeated without being able to do anything against a strong opponent, but that's part of its charm.

Since I don't have a very good grasp of the relationships between the Touhou characters, there were parts that I had to fill in with my imagination.
However, you can infer the relationships between the characters to some extent from their words and actions, so it doesn't really hinder gameplay.
If you absolutely do not want to experience that feeling of being left behind, then I might not recommend playing this game.

Impressions and strategy notes (contains spoilers)

I was able to enjoy the game to the fullest, almost completely engrossed in it, right up until I finished it.
The story largely follows the original, so there aren't many new surprises, but I was able to enjoy it without any worries.

The fantasy section is longer than expected, so if you're expecting something similar to the medieval section of the original, you might be a little taken aback.
While the plot remains the same, with the protagonist eventually becoming the Demon Lord, the story's development imitates titles like "FFT" and "Tactics Ogre."
(By the way, Final Fantasy Tactics was released in 1997, and Tactics Ogre was released in 1995.)
Compared to other chapters, the pace might be a little slower.
Furthermore, the battles tend to be difficult and encounters are frequent, so I got the impression that it would be difficult to clear the game without devising a strategy for combat.
If a player were to give up, it would probably be in the fantasy section.

Below, I will briefly describe my impressions and gameplay records for each chapter.

・Ice Spirit Edition (Modern Edition)
The first chapter I played in "Touhou Live A Live" was the Ice Fairy chapter.
I can't help but suspect that the reason Cirno is featured in the modern-day segment is because of her image as having low intelligence.
I couldn't help but laugh at the surreal sight of Moribe from the original work standing alongside the characters from Touhou.

If you learn the "straight hit" technique from Grandpa Moribe, you can win by just using that technique.
If you also learn the overhead kick and keep changing your opponent's direction, you can trap and kill them.

- Gatekeeper Chapter (Kung Fu Chapter)
This Gatekeeper arc made me realize that this isn't just a story where the original characters are replaced with Touhou characters.
The story had an original feel to it.
As someone who supports Ray, I was disappointed that Yoon became the successor, but I came to accept that Yoon was the most suitable person for the role of the master.

In the early stages, skillfully avoid strong enemies like the tiger and proceed.
There aren't really any specific tips for beating the game, but if I had to say something, it would be to decide on a main technique to use and focus on training the parameters required for that technique.
If you level up properly, you should be able to clear it without any problems.

- The Return Arc (SF Arc)
It basically follows the original storyline, but the fact that you're being chased not by a Behemoth, but by former crew members (and multiple of them at that) is terrifying.
I initially thought it would be a game console, but it wasn't, so I think anyone familiar with the original would easily fall for it.
I couldn't help but grin when I saw that the mini-game involving carrying luggage was exactly like moving stones in Edinbear Castle from Dragon Quest III.

The boss will always use Carnage when it transforms into its third form, so make sure to fully heal your HP and increase your stats through upgrades and other means.
It's important to keep your HP full and use moves with minimal recovery time to steadily attack.
I got a game over about three times and had to start over.

- Wilderness Chapter (Western Chapter)
I thought that a female gunslinger is quite cool.
I think the combination of Westerns and zombies (ghouls) is interesting because the atmosphere matches well.

I tried to collect all the items before setting up the trap, as I had imagined in the original game, but it seems the mechanism is completely different.
Instead of gathering everything together and launching a full attack, it's better to send out requests in smaller increments, which will make the attacks along the way much easier.
Incidentally, I felt that the difficulty level was such that it could be cleared without resorting to any tricks or gimmicks.

・Hourai edition (near future edition)
The lineup and overall feel are different from the original, so I was able to play with a fresh perspective rather than a sense of nostalgia.
I was surprised to learn that this guy was the one who would fill the role of the outlaw Matsu...
It was really fun, with tons of traumatic scenes from games like Xenogears and Kaiju Monogatari.

Let's steadily level up Mokou until she learns Firewall.
Once you acquire missile pods and destructive ray cannons for the Ydm IV, your firepower will be significantly enhanced.
Once Kaguya learns the Jewel Branch of Hourai, it's convenient for leveling up if you put her at the front of your formation and use this technique as your first move.

・Wild Edition (Primitive Edition)
The story's basic structure followed the same pattern as the original.
I remember there being a lot of ridiculously strong weak enemies, like Yian Kut-Ku.

As for strategy, since the main character Ponga has high HP and is strong, you shouldn't have much trouble defeating the enemies in the story.

- Underworld Arc (Bakumatsu Arc)
Many of the maps and mechanics should be easy to understand and play without any problems for those who have played the original game.
This time, I didn't attempt any challenges like defeating zero or 100 enemies; I just played normally.

The combo of putting enemies to sleep with Yuyuko's Dream Butterfly Dance and then instantly killing them with Youmu's One-Hit Kill is effective in various situations.
Youmu's Chaotic Snow Moon Flower technique takes a little time to activate, but it's a powerful, cool, and beautiful move.
The boss, Hyakki Yakō (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons), is very powerful with attacks like Megidolaon and PK Beam γ, and I had to restart several times.
The names of the techniques were a mix of references to so many different works that I couldn't help but laugh.

- Fantasy Chapter (Medieval Chapter)
The story was quite different from the original, and it was significantly longer than the other installments.
From Chapter 2 onwards, Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre become heavily intertwined with the main storyline.
It could be said that Akira played the role of both Argus and Weiss.
The battles were quite difficult and offered the most challenging experience.

The Gokudo Knight and three Holy Knights you fight in Mayohiga Castle in Chapter 3 were tough opponents.
We managed to win safely by using Yumemi's P90 machine gun to put everyone to sleep and then taking them down one by one with Reimu's Fantasy Seal.

Final Chapter
Anyway, the map was huge and it was quite challenging.
However, the game offered plenty of content, including dungeons and side events for each character, making it very rewarding to play.
Finally, I chose Cirno as the main character and challenged the final boss with Youmu, Fox, and Mokou.
I hadn't taken status ailments seriously, but I managed to fight through by using a ton of healing items.
I relied almost entirely on Youmu's Chaotic Snow Moon Flower technique to fight.