Nintendo Switch Critic Reviews

I love The Alliance Alive HD for so many reasons that the laughably simple gameplay was a non-issue. The characters are vibrant, the world is fascinating to explore, the aesthetics are gorgeous, and the game perfectly straddles that line between indulging in nostalgia and modernising what it needs to to retain relevance. It's the kind of game that looks like it would be easy to dismiss or overlook as being something too indebted to yesteryear, but in truth it deserves much greater respect than that.

Nearly two years on from its initial release, The Alliance Alive HD Remastered proves to be a perfectly competent port of an already fantastic handheld game. A well-written story, a smartly interwoven and complex system of gameplay mechanics, and a distinctive visual style makes this a no-brainer for anybody looking for a consistently high-quality RPG experience on their Switch. It may feel a little simple, given its origins on the 3DS, but don’t make the mistake of passing up on The Alliance Alive HD Remastered, it’s well worth your time.

With stellar combat, a nuanced story that keeps things interesting, stunning art design, and a killer soundtrack, The Alliance Alive HD Remastered is a worthy addition to the incredible line-up of Switch RPGs.

A great 3DS JRPG title gets a crispy clear remaster. Higher Definition simply asks for appreciation, as The Alliance Alive brilliantly implements its cute style into the game world. Great mechanics, music, and characters, make this a classic you should at least try now when it's available on more than one platform.

The Alliance Alive is a wonderful and easy to recommend JRPG. This Switch version offers updated graphics and a reworked menu but not much else to make it worth double-dipping if you already own it on 3DS.

Even accounting for the passage of time, and the contempt that familiarity brings, The Alliance Alive HD Remastered is still a class act. This traditional tale offers a unique blend of fun characters and engaging exploration. The battle-system is sufficiently deep, and caters to any style of play. There are times where this journey isn't as good as it could be, but absolutely nothing about it stands out as truly awful. All in all, it's a wonderful RPG that deserves to be checked out.

This classic JRPG receives a second life on Nintendo Switch with a high definition graphic section and improved menus that, although they will not bring anything new to those who have already enjoyed it, improve an experience that was already good on Nintendo 3DS, with an interesting story and an excellent artistic section.

Despite the flaws in story and system, overall The Alliance Alive HD Remastered was compelling from start to finish, and I have a feeling I’m not done with it yet. Two separate new game plus modes let you keep trucking, but there’s plenty of content I had left untouched. While you can blast through the main story in under 30 hours, this is the kind of game where fanatics might double their playtime. Players looking for something classic, yet new, will love this game, but it won’t satisfy everyone. The Alliance Alive HD Remastered is just a few tweaks away from being amazing, but it’s the perfect example of a rainy day JRPG.

For better or worse, The Alliance Alive is the very definition of a mid-tier RPG. The visuals and story fall under the line of “good enough” that they don’t necessarily have to aim for greater heights, while the content is practically bursting with customizable features and mechanics that will drive stat-lovers into a joyous frenzy, even though the time it takes to reach to the juicy center is a bit on the long side. It’s an overall solid experience and yet another badge to pin on the Nintendo Switch for its outstanding service of the RPG genre.

A mediocre remastering of a remarkable JRPG video game that, after passing through 3DS in digital format, tries again on PS4 and Nintendo Switch.