Life Is Strange (2015) Online

2015 Hannah Telle Ashly Burch Nik Shriner Raoul Barbet Michel Koch

Original Title :: Life Is Strange
Genre :: Video Game / Adventure / Drama / Mystery / Sci-Fi / Thriller
Year :: 2015
Directror :: Raoul Barbet,Michel Koch
Cast :: Hannah Telle,Ashly Burch,Nik Shriner
Writer :: Christian Divine,Jean-Luc Cano
Type :: Video Game
Rating :: 9.0/10

An awkward photography student named Max discovers her ability to rewind time, and reunites with her estranged best friend Chloe to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a local girl.

Life Is Strange (2015) Online

An awkward photography student named Max discovers her ability to rewind time, and reunites with her estranged best friend Chloe to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a local girl.

Cast overview, first billed only:
	Hannah Telle	-	Maxine Caulfield / Courtney Wagner (voice)
	Ashly Burch	-	Chloe Price / Stella Hill / Taylor Christensen / Sarah (voice)
	Nik Shriner	-	Nathan Prescott / Trevor / Daniel / Luke (voice)
	Dani Knights	-	Victoria Chase / Dana Ward / Brooke Scott (voice)
	Carlos Luna	-	Warren Graham / Justin / Evan (voice)
	Dayeanne Hutton	-	Kate Marsh / Alyssa Anderson (voice)
	Don McManus	-	David Madsen / Hayden / Logan (voice)
	Derek Phillips	-	Mark Jefferson / Samuel / Zachary (voice)
	Eric Morgan Stuart	-	Principal Ray Wells (voice)
	PaSean Wilson	-	Professor Michelle Grant (voice)
	Cissy Jones	-	Joyce Price (voice)
	Daniel Bonjour	-	Frank Bowers / R.J. MacReady (voice)
	Joe Ochman	-	William Price (voice)
	Christian Divine	-	Additional Voices (voice)
	Kévin Poupard	-	Additional Voices (voice)

There's an RV in the parking lot of the school that resembles the one seen in the "Breaking Bad" TV series. The license plate even reads "BRKBD". Other license plates include "PRKSNRC" (Parks and Rec), "TWNPKS" (Twin Peaks), "THSPRNS" (The Sopranos), "TWLGHTZN" (Twilight Zone) and "THXFLS" (The X-Files).

Due to a character's mental health and the decision(s) that the player can influence, a message has been put in that directs the player to the Life Is Strange website that will refer a person anti-bullying phone numbers world wide.

In the girls dorm, each room has a small white-board students can write on. On the board for room 217, somebody wrote "REDRUM" and Max mutters, "No way in hell I'm going in there!" This is a direct reference to Stephen King's 'the Shining.'

Each chapter or episode has 10 optional photo achievements/trophies. This is also the number of photos contained in a pack of Polaroid film.

Originally to be titled "What If."

In the school parking lot most of the license plates could be references to popular TV shows including: 1. QNTMLP - Quantum Leap 2. TWNPKS - Twin Peaks 3. BRDCHRCH - Broad Church 4. BRKBD - Breaking Bad 5. THSPRNS - The Sopranos 6. TWLGHTZN - The Twilight Zone 7. THXFLS - The X-Files 8. BFFVMPRSLR - Buffy the Vampire Slayer 9. CRNVL - Carnival 10. THWR - The Wire 11. PRKSNRC - Parks and Recreation 12. THPRCTC - The Practice 13. SXFTNDR - Six Feet Under

This game is based on the Chaos Theory of Butterfly Effect. Consequently, butterflies in the game symbolize an upcoming decision point.

In the very beginning of the game after you leave Mr. Jefferson's class you can find a student wearing a shirt with a Bear with Deer antlers titled "Beer". This may be a reverence to "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" where a character wears a similar shirt

In Dark Room, a character references Ray Bradbury's story, "A Sound of Thunder," which also references butterflies and time travel.

On July, 26th 2016 Legendary Digital Studios announced plans to make a streaming live action series based on the game in partnership with Square Enix.

In Episode 5 "Polarized," Max can go down some steps at the "Everyday Heroes" exhibit. In the room with the woman sitting on a bench is a display of 3 statues in various positions of walking. This is from the Monty Python sketch "Ministry of Silly Walks."

In episode 2 "Out of Time" scratched onto the Two Whales Diner's bathroom mirror is "FIRE WALK WITH ME" this is a reference to Twin Peaks. Then in episode 3 "Chaos Theory" when you return to the diner, you can see the quote has lines scratched through it.

In the instances of being in Max's room, you can turn on the HiFi to play a song (like Something Good or Crosses). If you pick up the guitar ingame, you'll hear that Max plays the song currently playing on the stereo.

In episode three where max is with Chloe in her bedroom, they start to watch blade runner, the audio heard (as they watch the movie) is from said film.

In the game Max refers to the movie "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" as one of the best Sci-Fi films. That movie was made by SquareEnix, the company that also made Life is Strange.

Game protagonist Max Caulfield shares her name with Holden Caulfield: the main character in the novel "The Catcher in the Rye". Max even has a parody poster in her dorm room titled "The Winger and the Cow".

During Episode 2, Warren is wearing a shirt with a box on it that has a word balloon that says "Meow." This is a reference to the Schrodinger's Cat thought experiment.

The song heard on the teaser trailer of episode 4 is "Got Well Soon" by Breton. This single was released October 7, 2013. Barely 3 days before The Vortex Club Party date.

A reference to World of Warcraft: When Max calls Warren, when she and Chloe are trying to break into the principle's office, she tells Warren to just bubble hearth. Bubble hearthing is when Paladins would use Divine Shield to escape combat, or PvP, and then uses the Hearthstone.

While Chloe is trying to open the door to the principal's office, you can examine a red hunting cap in the corner of the school office. This is a reference to the book "Catcher in the Rye", in which the main character, Holden Caulfield (from whom Max gets her last name) wears a red hunting cap throughout the story. Upon examining the cap, Max says that only a "phony" would wear such a thing. "Phonies" were one of Holden Caulfield's biggest pet peeves.

In Episode 1, when you sit down in the swing in the back yard of Chloe's house, an auditory flashback between Max and Chloe can be heard. Max eventually mentions Lara Croft of Tomb Raider, also owned by Square Enix (by purchasing Eidos Interactive).

In Episode 5, at the Zeitgeist gallery, there's a listing of all the winners of the 'Everday Heroes' contest. Many of the surnames reference famous novelists. Jim Vonnegut, Ashley Gaddis, Kevin Pynchon and Teddy Atwood are respective references to Kurt Vonnegut, William Gaddis, Thomas Pynchon and Margaret Atwood.

In Episode 1, while in Chloe's room, you come across a speeding ticket. The ticket states "Arcadia Bay, OR," but the zip code belongs to real-life Astoria, OR.

In Victoria Chase's trash can in episode 3, a receipt can be found for a laundry detailing a cleaning job for Victoria's cashmere sweater, the name of the server is listed as Amelia Pond, a likely reference to Amy Pond who was a companion of the Doctor in Doctor Who.

During Episode 4, Max finds an invoice for The Dark Room. It was designed by Howard Roark, the lead character in Ayn Rand's "The Fountainhead"

In the Everyday Heroes gallery, there is a sponsor logo that includes 6 Braille letters. Those letters decode to "Amaury" referring to Amaury Balandier, the lead environment artist.

The song playing at the End of The World Party is "Got Well Soon" by Breton. The song appears on their album 'War Room Stories' which just happens to have a big blue butterfly on the front cover.

Before Square Enix accepted the game, it was presented to seven different publishers. All seven rejected it, as they asked DONTNOD Entertainment to change the main character to a male. Square Enix on the other hand was the only publisher that didn't request such a change.

Arcadia Bay was originally called "Aurora Creek". Christian Divine, the writer of this game, suggested "Arcadia Bay", as he thought it sounded more peaceful and mystic.

The game's unexpected success saved Dontnod Entertainment from a difficult financial situation, after their previous game Remember Me (2013), despite good sales, proved to be a commercial failure. The studio became more prominent in the video game industry afterwards, and publishers started to approach the studio for the first time.

An early concept artwork for Max was used for the game's cover.

The developers were close to choose Seattle as the main location, but the city was considered too big for the game's story. Seattle would become the place were Max moved with her family before the events of this game, and was later a plot point for Life is Strange 2 (2018).

Ashly Burch auditioned for both Max Caulfield and Chloe Price. The developers blind-cast her as Chloe upon hearing her take for the character.

At one point during development, it was considered to set the game in a Scandinavian country instead of America, as the envisioned setting was considered similar.

Whenever a new episode is reached, the menu background changes.

Inspired by the game's social themes and it's realistic treatment of real-life matters, a fan created a non-profit community called "Everyday Zeroes" (a play on the Everyday Heroes Photo Contest exhibition that appears in the game). The goal of the community is to encourage respect and equality among those who suffer social problems themselves and to give them a supportive social platform. Everyday Zeroes can be found under the Twitter handle @EverydayZer0es.

According to game director Raoul Barbet, the Unreal Engine 3 was heavily modified to allow the characteristic visual style of the game. He explained that the decision was made so the game would age better.

The developers felt that light is linked to memories and emotions, so three "lighting artists" were hired to take great care that the game is lit properly.

When Max examines David's garage, she says "Hey David, whatcha hidin'?". This is a reference to Hey Ash, Whatcha Playin'? (2008), a web series starring Ashly Burch.

Using the grid coordinates provided by David in his investigation, Arcadia Bay's physical location in the real world is the middle of the Tillamook Bay. This seems to be confirmed by the location of the Arcadia Bay lighthouse in Life is Strange 2, Part 1 on the map in the Three Seals motel. This map places the lighthouse at the northern entrance to the Tillamook Bay.

This game was released as five episodes over a period of time.

Dark Room (Episode 4) credits end with "Thanks For Crying."

In "Polarized" (episode 5), during her nightmare, Max has to enter a code to get out of a bathroom. If the player enters the wrong code fifty times (keep pressing the Use button on "0000"), Max will say, "I'm going to make the designers pay for all these bullshit code puzzles!" The door will then open without having to enter the correct code.

Nathan's license plate is "SXFTNDR" (Six feet under) also a clue as to what he did to Rachel.

The mysterious doe that Max sees is the spirit of Rachel Amber. When Max first sees it in the junkyard in "Out of Time" (episode 2), it emerges from the spot where Rachel Amber is buried.

There is unused voice data for Max Caulfield at the end of the game's final and penultimate episode, "Polarized." If left in, when Max goes to the lighthouse in the "Sacrifice Chloe" ending, she would've whispered "Chloe...au revoir."

The psychiatric evaluation of Nathan found in the dark room is signed by Dr. Jacoby - one of many Twin Peaks references in the game.

The manager of the bank intending to foreclose on the Price house in an alternate reality is named Donald Clamp, possibly a reference to Daniel Clamp, a character from Gremlins 2: La nouvelle génération (1990) who in turn was based on Donald Trump.

The gallery in episode 5 is called "ZeitGeist." Roughly translated in German it means, "Time Ghost." This may allude to the fact that Max travels through time while inhabiting various versions of herself. Zeitgeist means contemporary popular opinion or attitude. Only if translated very poorly the connection with time and how it is portrayed in the game the word Zeitgeist has any meaning for the plot...

In Chloe's room, right after the encounter with David, a graffiti is visible in the background that reads "Just gotta let go". Coincidentally, the graffiti is right above Chloe, which could be a hint to her fate at the end of the game.

User reviews

Cenneel

NO SPOILER REVIEW -THIS REVIEW HAS NO SPOILERS WHATSOEVER..MAYBE JUST ONE. SO PLEASE Don't READ THIS IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE SUMMARY OF THE STORY.

Alright i must admit 10/10 in rather generous for anything in life because nothing in life is perfect..But it is perfect when you accept it the way it is.. Here is a strange review for a strange game with a strange story. This might be the lesson hidden in this whole game that you can never make life perfect. You got to do what you can in strange situations and learn to live with it. Life is indeed strange. That i am writing a review for a game at 4:20 am . For a game i never thought i would play.The strangest this is i got this game as a gift and never bothered playing it till October the 19th 2015... And i couldn't stop playing till it reached chapter 5 which wasn't out yet. And to my uttermost surprise the 5th chapter came out on October the 20th. i didn't know this and it was incredible shear coincidence..Life is strange. Now for the review lol

Who is this game for ? Life is Strange is a great game for people who like a good story . And also people who like college drama and Sci -fi and philosophy and photography.

How is the Graphics ?

There are many scenes in the game were the places are so artistically created that you just sit and stare at it. Even though this is not a fantasy game. It does have a lot of beauty in it.Like the flag on the curtain of a certain someone in the game and how light streams through it. The engine does give wonderful visuals. Even though the visuals are not photo-real (no pun intended ) and has a style of its own. It still holds its ground visually.

How is the Story Voice over and acting?

The story voice over and acting for this game is really good. I like how you can kind of read the emotions of peoples faces and body language. Even when you are not talking to them this adds a lot of be-livability to the game .And you get a seance of life in a high school (unlike any one i have been to ) . So its refreshing and a familiar sight for you American folks out there :-).

Is it worth buying ?

I think this would be a great time to buy the game as all episodes are out and you can enjoy the whole story

Will it run on my computer ?

Aha ! this is something everyone likes to ask and i must say it should run on most computers. I am using a laptop with a geforce 2 and the game ran at medium detail in full HD resolution .

One advice for someone starting the game ?

Plants don't usually need a lot of water. all the time.

Kulalas

I have to say I'm love this game, I first played a trial version so that I can get a better experience to see if it's worth playing and sure enough, it was.

I'm a big fan of choice-making games, so that's one of the reasons why I played this. I also love how you can rewind time so you can see the alternative outcome of choices you make. I love the character development, especially for Max and Chloe, I love the relationship between the two and the relationship they have with everyone else around them.

The acting is good as well as the writing. There are times, however, where the writing can be a bit bland, including when Max is talking to herself or Chloe. For example, in Episode 2, Max moves a cup of soft drink to avoid spilling onto Kate's book. When she moves it, she says "Begone foul soft drink," which I feel was a bit dull and would of been better if she didn't say anything.

However, there are times when the writing is strong and exciting, especially during the finale of Episode 2, 3 & 4. The writing and gameplay in Episode 5 was the best, it was exciting, intense and quite creepy, especially during the nightmare sequence.

I love exploring the places Max visits from her dorm to Chloe's house.

The trophies (for the PlayStation) aren't that challenging, they're basically just bronze trophies for taking optional photos, one gold for completing episode five and a platinum for earning all the trophies.

Overall, I think this is a great game that you should take a look at, especially if your into choice-making games. Though I would advise reading a few reviews just to make sure this game is for you.

sobolica

Easily the most emotional game I've ever played. This is coming from someone who has been playing pc games for over 16 years. The way this game sucks you into the narrative, the way you get attached to the characters and genuinely care about them and their well-being. It's a sad but beautiful game with a big heart. It's something different and profound in a way. Do yourself a favour and immerse yourself in this nostalgic experience which is only emphasized by its great audiovisual side. The immersion, atmosphere, layering of sounds, camera work - everything is on point. It's a complete roller-coaster from start to finish that takes you to places in your memories you thought you have long forgotten. This game confirms that games can be the best storytelling medium if used to their potential.

Gnng

I played the first episode for free as a trial,after i finished i didn't hesitate to buy the entire game. the graphics aren't like for example gta 5 graphics but honestly that's okay,it gives the game charm.the scenery is just so beautiful,words can't describe it.life is strange also has an amazing soundtrack

the story is so amazing with so many twists and unexpected turns,it has everything,action,romance,comedy,etc. this game really does something to you,it gives you so many feelings that i can't even put into words,i finished playing it and immediately started again because its so damn addictive,this game really gets to you. my advice? play it,just play it,its simply amazing

The_NiGGa

(This review is after playing the first episode, I don't know how the rest will play out) I don't play many games, mostly because I'm only interested in the ones that tell genuine stories (if not they better be fun as hell). I was browsing the PSN store (I played this on PS4) and came across the demo for the first episode. I tried it. Loved it. Bought the season pass. Played the rest of the episode and loved it. The fact that the entire season only costs $20 is amazing to me! It's definitely worth it! The game is beautiful. The art direction and graphics are very unique and the cinematography during cut scenes is downright gorgeous. The music is gentle and soothing, giving a sense of calmness to the story. The story itself is very engaging as are the characters you meet. Everything in the game has a purpose. Speaking to another student around the school campus, what you say to them, and what you do can affect what happens to you. The dialogue is fine, although it's a little clunky at times but most of the time it's realistic and it sounds like people just talking to each other. The voice actors do a great job with what was given to them and bring humanity to their characters. As for pacing, that's up to you. It can be a pretty fast paced game if you don't slow down and actually engage in the story, which is what makes it so great in the first place.

For those looking for a lot of gameplay, turn back because this isn't for you. This plays out similar to Telltale's The Walking Dead series. Choices and actions affect the story and you basically just walk (yes, walk, not run) around talking and exploring. The levels are beautifully crafted so it doesn't really get boring.

The central story is very heartfelt and feels like it was written for a movie rather than a game, which should be taken as a compliment to the writers. A lot (not all) of games don't put a lot of focus on the story and rather on the gameplay but that isn't the case here. The story guides the player through the levels and it doesn't get boring or uninteresting. As I said earlier, the characters have this sense of humanity in them and makes it easy for the player to emotionally connect with them. It's great to see such human characters in a game where they aren't running around with a gun killing people...or things.

Overall, I have to say I'm impressed and have already recommended this to multiple friends; it's clear that a lot of care went into making this game. The first episode lasted me about two and a half hours and for $5 an episode I'd say that's pretty good! I look forward to the next installment in March!

great ant

Of course, I can't say this is a masterpiece or classic work but dude just can't stop but love it! There are so many great games like Skyrim, Mass Effect 2 or GTAV, but none of them can be so delicate and touchy like Life Is Strange does. When Max sits on Chloe's sofa and all those old memories coming up and that sadness just touched me so deep inside. I guess that's why this game is so stunning and beautiful.

I really love Max. She is one of my favorite protagonists ever. We have so much in common like we both had a BFF when we were little kids but then lost contact for ages, we are both quiet and shy and never talk much, we both enjoy stuffs that most of the other people around don't give a damn at all, we both never had a real BF/GF (OK! Chloe or Warren doesn't count) and we both hate our schools and roommates.

It just feels like we have some connection you know, like... we are brothers. (its Jimmy de Santa's quote)

Mataxe

The game itself isn't brilliant. There isn't an awful lot to do where game play is concerned. But obviously this is what Square Enix intended. The camera can be a little awkward at times which could of been easily fixed with the option to view the game in first person.

"Hang on.. You rated this game 10!?"

Yes I did, And here's why....

If there's an area where Square Enix shine it's their ability to tell an incredible story. And hot diggity dayum do they tell this story! Along with it's amazing soundtrack, the story is sensational. I think I've gone through every possible human emotion going through this masterpiece. I wish I was good enough with words to describe just how much I LOVED going through this game.

furious ox

You really gotta hand it to the folks over at Dontnod Entertainment and Square-Enix. They've crafted what is arguably one of the best episodic graphic-adventure titles of the past decade with their 2015 release "Life is Strange," and they did it in a very unique and often- entertaining way. With a story-line and characters that can only be described as "Juno meets Donnie Darko", and a fantastic game-play style that very pleasantly reminded me of the excellent interactive- horror- movie "Until Dawn", "Life is Strange" is certainly one of the more intriguing and fascinating games in recent memory. And though it might not quite be perfect, it definitely comes highly recommended from this very satisfied gamer.

We follow Max Caulfield, a young student who is attending school in the town of Arcadia Bay, Oregon. As the story begins, Max discovers that she somehow has the mysterious ability to rewind time for brief instances, allowing her to correct mistakes or change choices she has recently made. And she must use this gift and curse in an increasingly intricate story-line that unfolds over the course of a week, as she re-unites with her troubled and sometimes self-destructive childhood friend Chloe Price, tries to solve the mystery of a local missing girl and attempts to avert disaster as she begins to experience cryptic visions that suggest a tornado will destroy Arcadia Bay in only a few days time...

To get it out of the way, I do think there is one pretty moderate flaw to the game that should be addressed up front. The general storytelling and handling of character and dialog is very specific, and no doubt will turn some gamers off. It feels very "quirky" and "indie film." And this sort-of sensibility can be grating at times in the early chapters of the game... especially the first chapter, which lasts about an hour and seems to be the one most chock-full of pretentious one-liners and non-stop acoustic guitar music. Thankfully, the game quickly corrects this "eccentricity" over the second and third chapters, but it still might be a bit much for some.

The storytelling is generally top-notch, and like many other games of this style, there's a lot of room for replays as your choices impact the narrative. So each time you start the game again, you'll be getting a fresh, new experience based on the choices you make. The plot is quite fascinating and there's enough twists and turns over its relatively short length to keep you guessing and searching for the next big clue or next great character-arc to discover. Some of the revelations will definitely take your breath away and may even tug at your heartstrings. Characters are expertly written and performed (despite the occasionally-wonky dialog), and you'll very easily be able to slip into Max's shoes and feel the pressure she feels in trying to make all the right choices. It's just generally a wonderful game in terms of writing and direction, and it keeps you wholly invested from start to finish. Which is no small feat for any story.

Of particular note is the relationship between Max and Chloe, which forms the backbone of the narrative. It's an incredibly sweet and yet also oft tumultuous and turbulent friendship, going through the most extremes of high and low points. It's an emotional roller coaster, and draws so many pure feelings of happiness and despair out of you throughout the experience. And our lead voice-over actresses Hannah Telle and Ashley Burch nail it wonderfully. It is without doubt the highlight of the entire game.

Gameplay is quite astonishing for a game of this style, and both the controls and the mechanics perfectly compliment the proceedings. The basic controls are very tight, concise and easy to pick up on. It might take a bit of getting used to, but within ten or fifteen minutes, most players will have them mastered. The way Max interacts with the environment is quite cleverly implemented, with players using the thumb-sticks to look around, then using one of several buttons on a pop-up menu to interact with objects or NPC's in varying ways. The main game-play mechanic that sets the game apart is most definitely the "Time Rewind" feature, which can generally be used at any time, save for a small handful of key sequences in which Max briefly loses the ability. It's shocking how perfectly the ability is integrated into the game-play. It can be used to do something as simple as manipulate a short conversation to attain a different result, or to do something as significant as gleaning enough information in the future that you can go back a few minutes and use it to do something that will alter the entire story or even save a life. The game also cleverly creates a sense of immersion by adding in completely insignificant events that can be altered with the mechanic without any major impact to the story, for no other reason than rewarding players by giving a greater sense of depth and impact. It's brilliant, really.

The artistic style and music are also fantastic, environmental design is quite good, the voice-over performances are exquisite and generally all other aspects of the production are top- of-the-line, especially for an episodic downloadable adventure game. This is just a really excellent game that is sadly dragged down a point due to some relatively minor issues with the tone early on. Still, I can say with some certainty that "Life is Strange" is a remarkable release and is well-worth checking out for open-minded gamers. It's not perfect... but it's darned close.

I give it an excellent 9 out of 10.

NiceOne

There were many discussions about diversity and the role of women in games recently but i was unhappy about that since the late 90s. I bring it up as that decade closed off with The Longest Journey (10/10) which is regarded as one of the best games of all time and Life Is Strange feels like a spiritual sequel that is better than its 2 sequels. The 5 episodes series started deliberately slow but improved and grabbed me over time while exceeding with topics as rape or homosexuality which tend to backfire spectacularly in this silly medium (hello MGS 2-5). The sci-fi story is more importantly well thought through and the world building is particularly strong. The writers further had the guts to stick to the gradual darkening tone in the last act so i am coming back for the developer's next project. The gameplay is nothing special as this is a "playable movie" so i can't recommend it to just anyone but fans of Steins Gate and adventures games need to give it a try. 9/10

Agagamand

Greetings from Lithuania.

To be honest, first i didn't expected much from "Life Is Strange" (2015) after i picked this on my PS4 just recently. I thought it will be OK flick, without much "action". After finishing all 5 episodes i can safely say - this has to be one of the most unforgettable experiences I've ever had while playing video games. "Life Is Strange" is an amazing experience.

The story here in a first place is nothing short like amazing. While playing this game i felt like i was watching a great movie in which i could make a decisions. The decisions that later in a game brought me to tears...

Writing, voice acting, music and storytelling are all first rate - they are more then wonderful. The story itself was so amazing, so involving that i kinda needed to play next episodes ASAP after finishing previous. Graphics were very good and controls were superb as well, although this is a heavy story based game so there isn't really A LOT of game play, but there is more then enough.

Overall, i can't praise this game enough. It caught me totally by surprise of how involving and genuinely emotional this game is - there were small tears more then once in my eyes and i honestly can't remember that this would ever have happen in a video games before - and i'm a 31 years old guy. Please do your self a favor and play this small masterpiece - it is an absolutely amazing experience one that i will never forget.

Yla

Life is Strange is a graphic adventure video game split into five episodes. The game was developed by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Square Enix, one of my favorite video game developer companies. The game follows the story of twelfth grade student Maxine Caulfield who returns to the hometown she left five years earlier. She soon realizes that the prestigeous Blackwell Academy isn't as great as its reputation and witnesses bullying, drug addiction and even murder. Maxine Caulfield realizes that she has the capacity to reverse time and she uses her power to try and save people around her. However, she soon realizes that her actions create a dangerous rift in the space-time continuum which leads to showdown when Maxine must take the most difficult decision ever.

This game convinces on many different levels. It has a very strong and mysterious atmosphere that is only increased by the smooth, slow and precise flow that quickens up the pace towards the dramatic end. Another strong element are the versatile, profound and diversified characters. It's easy to identify with the calm, intellectual and unique Maxine as well as with her unstable, rebellious and outgoing friend Chloe. They are both very authentic characters that complement each other perfectly. Finally, the story reminding of television series like Portlandia and Twin Peaks is addicting from start to finish and gets particularly sinister during the last two episodes.

Life is Strange is not only a great game for teenage girls but for anyone who cares about artistics designs, mysterious plots and profound characters and doesn't mind a game that takes its time to unfold. The spin-off Life is Strange: Before the Storm is being released right now and focuses on Chloe's life rather than Maxine's life. Life is Strange 2 will be released in 2018 and will feature new locations and a new set of characters. Since the original game convinced me on nearly all levels, I'm looking forward to try out both the spin-off and the second installment.

Mitars Riders

I recalled to have had read about "Life is Strange" in a newspaper, when I was offered to play the first episode for free on Steam; unclear what to expect. I got hooked instantly and finished the first act in one session, purchasing all five of them immediately afterwards. I went through each episode in one go (around 3 hours each), spread out over two weeks.

I wouldn't consider this title a game in the traditional sense, but more of an interactive story. Actually, even more interactive story than adventure (For the record, I consider Westwood's Blade Runner to be an adventure).

The developers made a strong promise in the first episode: Every decision might have an influence on the past, present and/or future. This works very well inside each episode, to some extent even across episodes. But unfortunately fails at the end, where the player is left with only two choices. Each of them will play a different epilogue as result, but unfortunately inside these epilogues there isn't any variety (except for one), despite the many choices you made the protagonist make (e.g. one character died, but is shown in the epilogue nevertheless). Titles like "Heavy Rain" were much better in that aspect.

It courageous from the writers to throw in a bad ending either way, but I'd rather have had the option to choose protagonist or her companion, instead of town over companion. Would have made more sense plot- and character-wise, as Max always tries to make it right for each and every one (even if you do not play her that way, you will hear her inner dialogue accordingly). Overall episode 5 felt rushed (pressure from the studio?), with fillers and repetitions instead of further character development. At one point I even got tired of all the time traveling and almost hoped for a bad end, but then again I was only 80 minutes or so into this act, so I knew it's not going to end just now.

Furthermore I felt the romance between the two main characters – although the player can choose if to pursue - a bit forced, almost slightly on the salacious side of things. Could have been more subtle (I guess male writers at work), while still giving players the possibility to pursue all options - which would include nobody - but more similar weighted.

When I finished episode 4, I was sure to give this title a rare 10/10 vote. After I finished 5, I was tempted to give it a 6 or 7, but that wouldn't do justice to all the previous episodes, so let's call it a 9.

Anyway: Highly recommended for the story (not the conclusion of it), but limited replay value. If you do play it again, might be wise to just stop right after act 4, as 5 seems to be pretty one dimensional in that aspect.

tref

When I got it I played through the whole thing in a day. It was amazing the story and characters is awesome. I would replay it many times. I'm currently replaying it know and it's better than the first time. The soundtrack is my favorite out of any game soundtrack

Went Tyu

When I randomly downloaded the first (free) episode of Life Is Strange for my new Xbox One one late Friday night, I didn't expect to get hooked on the first episode. I later purchased the entire season for $20, a great bargain. I also purchased the prequel, Before The Storm, as well, but that's another review for another time.

The game follows a high school photography student named Maxine "Max" Caulfield, who attends Blackwell University in Arcadia Bay. During a lecture from Mr. Jefferson, her teacher, she discovers that she has the power to rewind time. While in the women's bathroom taking a picture of a blue butterfly, she witnesses the murder of her childhood friend, troubled teen Chloe Price, by another troubled teen, Nathan Prescott. She uses her rewind powers to revive Chloe and ring an alarm in the bathroom to evacuate the school. What happens after that? You'll have to play to find out.

Much of the game is influenced by what decisions you make and what you say in the game, and you can always rewind to change the outcome of what happens. Actions or decisions with consequences are indicated by a butterfly, and a fact you learned from a conversation is indicated by a speech bubble with three dots.

Life Is Strange is a game filled with heartbreaking moments, tough love, and deep, hard, truths about life. The first episode is free, and the entire season is only $20 on the Microsoft Store, so there's no excuse to let this game pass you by.

Bumand

Overall, I found this to be a very successful story-driven experience, though somewhat flawed in elements of its execution. The characters are complex and deep, and the story is moving. I very much enjoyed the branching storyline, and the supernatural gameplay elements which were very engaging. There are a lot of moments that can play out in a variety of ways, which encourages multiple playthroughs to learn more about the characters and find all of the secrets.

In minor criticism, I found the dialogue was frequently thrown off by an overabundance of slang. This felt forced and was somewhat distracting, but didn't take away too much from the poignancy of the story.

The most successful thing about this game is in how divisive and painful the final decision is. This game teaches that everything has a cost, every action has lasting consequences. This is a hard lesson and the final choice was very clearly made to be difficult no matter what. If a player isn't angry at the end of the game, regardless of the outcome they chose, then I think they weren't paying attention. It's supposed to hurt, but it's beautiful at the same time.

Ultimately, I believe the story to be an effective tragedy, sombre yet sweet.

caster

Life is strange is probably one of the best games I've ever played 10/10 must get

Otrytrerl

There isn't a day that goes by sometimes whenever I think of the friends I had in the past and what they may 'be doing right now. Despite wherever they are and whatever their doing with their lives their never far from my thoughts. This is not just one of my favorite adventure games of all time but also one of my favorite video games in general. It's an emotionally moving game just full of heart, though also at the same time one of the saddest video games I've ever played.

The graphical presentation is great, from the background, to the character animation. I really love the music in the game there are a lot of memorable tracks, it would be awesome to download those tracks to an iPod or even play on a vinal record.

I really love the story which is original and full of heart, yeah sure it's the typical time travel premise but it's the execution that makes it stand out. The story reminds me a little of the anime film "The Girl Who Leapt Though Time" which was about a girl that had the ability to travel in the past but not without repercussions. Despite a revolving mystery throughout the game, it's more concerned about the character drama the friendship between both Maxine and Chloe.

The characters are great, their all surprisingly relatable or people we may know or have known whether you a teenager or we're that age, it really gives that sense of familiarity to the game making it more engaging and touching. I really like the protagonist Maxine, I can relate to her a little I wouldn't say I'm highly into photography as she is though I have done some of that in high school.

She's sorts of on the passive aggressive side, a bit shy, introverted even I'm a little like that. She's no wall flower but she has a little trouble putting herself out there and acting, but she can do it given the proper motivation or simply right time which she does. She of course can travel in time, how she can we never know why nether does she whether it's a mutant ability or something God or Fate granted her your guess is as good as mine. It seems like with this she has been given a certain amount of freedom to do whatever it is she need or wants to do without many to any consequences, like playing certain pranks, retrieving certain information, asking anyone out without risking embarrassment, just anything.

But as she's about to learn the hard way with great power comes great responsibility as we discover her use of the power there are not just consequences socially but also in the whole of time and reality itself. There is also another catch as we see the power does hurt her body as she produces nose bleeds, which makes sense the more she uses her mental time warp ability the more her biological functions weaken. Which in a way made me concerned for the protagonist's life as using it hurts her sometimes but also shows this power has limitations and that despite what she can do she's not invincible.

Chloe is just a beautiful character, she very much reminds me of my wife when she was that age. I really love that she's rebellious, feisty, a little fiery, she's not perfect as she a little guilty of anti-social behavior but for a reason. She's a little aimless as she still doesn't totally know what she wants to do and be in her life. But she fun as she got some sharp sometimes funny charisma, she love rock music, also an anime fan as she dyed her hair blue (though truth be told she looks better without the dye), but also what I love about her is that she has tremendous courage as she a person that does and acts on what she feels but also doesn't care what anyone thinks of her she just wants to be herself whichever it is, which is something I can also relate to because I'm that way too and so is my wife which is part of why I love her.

Really like supporting character Luke he's just awesome he's uncannily like myself in real life, which made me almost feel like this character was modeled after myself (though I don't look like that character in real life for the record). As he's a person that loves films and is into the sci-fi which are the things I'm into. He's not too smooth like with Max he's a little on the shy side but not short of courage as he really does hold his own against danger and isn't afraid to stand up for his best friend/would be girlfriend Maxine but most importantly doesn't take crap from anyone.

I really love the chemistry between both Maxine and him which I thought was sweet though I'll admit is the only bad thing about the game I wish there were more scenes between the two let alone he's not in it much. Maybe if they decide to make another spin off game where he's the main character, may 'be we will.

Oh well, I can't really complain too much since this game is really focused and about the friendship between both and Chloe. I honestly found myself truly caring for both characters, the way their handled and the relatability I mentioned they feel almost like people that can exist in real life. The time they spend together and what they do is just beautiful and is relatable because we've had times like that with our best friends, which also makes it more heartbreaking. As I play the game more and more I'm hopping that somehow it will all turn out alright in the end for both but like in time and life itself there are no guarantees.

As usual with the adventure games it's like with any of the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books where each decision effects the outcome of the game so chose carefully. The revolving mystery throughout the game is intriguing as one thing leads to another but there is a surprise twist in it which I honestly didn't see a mile away and I like that I don't get that feeling often. I really like is the use of the time travel function which really comes in handy, as were not just able to correct a mistake or two we made, get out of certain sticky situations, but also, we'd be able to get some information that we need which in a way really enhance the detective role. I really like one part of the game which really gave me the experience of being a detective where you have this cork board with lots of photos that are pined up and your have to put them all together to see how the photographs tie in with the hard evidence you gathered, I thought that was interesting because it's like putting together a jigsaw puzzle.

This game has many themes about this game is that deals with issues like the constant conflict of both past and present, how difficult it is to transition with the times, how little we know about our fellow man, how much someone can be different and the same throughout change, how much we struggle to hold on to some remnants of the past so we don't lose ourselves in the every changing present and upcoming future, taking responsibility for decisions we make in the past and present truly affect the future, loss, friendship and the value of it.

But most importantly it's also about heroism how it's about, making the hard choices to do what is right for not just yourself but the whole of humanity. I'll admit in these moments when the really hard decisions came I honestly had trouble pressing that button because I knew what would happen, but I also know what would happen if I didn't which would make things even worse. This game had a couple of scenes which I'm not kidding made me break down and cry, I won't say what they are, but they were just an emotional gut punch.

Time and distance can never separate friendship, despite how much we may miss them or one they are always in our hearts.

Rating: 4 stars

Tejar

When I read all the raving reviews, I was kind of skeptical...and rightfully so. Life is Strange is not a game and it doesn't matter how much you claim it is. The "game" heavily copies the TellTale formula with the little of its "gameplay" being incredibly mundane and pointless.

The characters are all unlikable and badly written. Max is an ignorant protagonist who...SOMEHOW...how time manipulation powers. Was this ever explained? No, of course not. Chloe Price is by far one of the most unbearable characters I have ever seen. The fact that her hair is blue is already a clear indicator on what her character is.

The story is also pretty bad, being full of plot holes and inconsistencies. Max can basically teleport, controlling both time and space, and this is still never explained why. There were even parts of the "game" that showed Chloe being affected by her own powers. Consistency? What is that?

By far, the most insulting thing about the story is its climax: Have Chloe die like in the beginning of the game to save Arcadia Bay or let the lives of everyone you know perish to keep Chloe alive. You can already guess which one I chose. These choices boil down to: Nullify every choice you made since the beginning of the game or nullify every choice you made since the beginning of the game. Yes, for a "game" where the importance of player choice matters, it really shows how pointless it all really is.

Overall, I hated this "game". Nothing in it is salvageable. It was also clear for the beginning that the main demographic that would enjoy this game would be young angst-riddled girls who don't understand how the world really works. Can't think of any reason to play this unless you didn't take it seriously, like at all.

Hella/10...because why not?

adventure time

These are HEAVY spoilers in here, so you DON'T want to read this if you haven't finished the game.

The game was great overall. Although it had it's minor drawbacks, it was very likable and emotional and can easily compete to be the best adventure game. Sometimes it was a bit monotonous, but not dull. The graphics was OK. The audio was great. The story is also quite impressive, although, of course, it's addressed to young people mostly. I was a bit disappointed because of how little the choices had it's consequences (although the game was implying the will be heavy) and that the photos we have made throughout the game had NO IMPACT on the ending. I thought that we will have to decide which one is the best and which one we want to use to win the photo contest or something, but they just didn't affect the play-through in ANY way. And as for a game which often offers us movie cut-scenes the endings were also short and a bit disappointing. They could last for at least 5-10 minutes. The "sacrifice Chloe" ending was a bit longer, but the other one was extremely shortened. I mention mostly the weaknesses of the game, but that's because it's easier - there's less of them. Overall the game was great and satisfying.

But I want to make a comment on the final choice.

If you played the game carefully, then the game was very clearly showing you all the people who you will kill by deciding to save Chloe (everyone in the Two Whales Diner and behind the windows during the nightmare with frozen time; all these people write you comments in your diary and through text messages and by words in the last parts of the game complaining why do you have to kill them all of your own egoism).

So, although it definitely was painful, I decided to let Chloe go. In the end it was what naturally was supposed to happen. And it did happen also because of Chloe's carelessness, which we see so many times throughout the game. If you know someone is a bit psychic, neurotic, aggressive, on drugs all the time and dangerous and you still decide to meet him, shout at him and threaten him, them you have to assume you can find yourself in danger. And Chloe was not a very thinking type, which she proved many times.

It was the only moral choice. Even Chloe herself understood what has to happen. And Max was already somehow "prepared" for Chloe's death, because she had already let her die in the alternative reality (euthanasia) and she had also seen her die a couple of times during the game, not being sure whether she will be able to "resurrect" her or not. So she had time to accept that. If you save the town, then you (Max) are the only person who suffers because of this choice. If you save Chloe, then you condemn both Max and Chloe to suffer to the end of their days of being responsible of killing thousands of people (let alone tell you that if anybody would know you would get 100 x lifetime sentence). They would never be able to forget about it.

And all those people? You have been saving them for the whole game.. now to let them all just die because of you? One of your two best friends, Warren. Kate Marsh, which you saved from killing herself (assuming that you did). Joyce, Chloe's mother, who is your everyday hero. Frank and David (assuming you didn't kill Frank), who maybe weren't perfect, but in the end turned out to be good men. Samuel, Alyssa. Your other school colleagues. And thousands of other people. Many of them being perfect fathers like William, perfect mothers, sons and daughters, friend, life partners. And you decide to condemn everyone in Arcadia Bay, either by killing him or letting him suffer for the rest of his life because of his lost kith and kin.

You can't even be sure that you will be with Chloe in the future. Of course they both declare it, but you know how life is. People declare such things many times and they really do mean it. But it still doesn't have to happen this way. After a couple of years they may no longer be so close. They may land in different places to live their life and so on.

I know that the game shows you the six days during which you mainly hang out with Chloe. But Max does have a life without her. She had lived without her for the last five years and she was OK. And honestly? Although she was feeling bad about it, she wasn't even in hurry to contact with Chloe after her arrival in Arcadia Bay. If she wouldn't meet her by chance in that bathroom or later on the parking lot she would even probably not contact with Chloe during these six days. So where's the logic behind killing all those people just for Chloe?

I just hope that the people who chose to sacrifice the island will never be politicians and never vote. Because if you're likely to kill the whole society to save your single friend.. well, that reminds me of the worst episodes of the world's war and cruelty acts. So.. yeah, I know this is just a game and it's more "romantic" to always back your closest friend / love, but you really should think about yourselves and rethink your philosophy of life.

Brajind

Life is Strange is a new game that's gotten many positive reviews and praising, but me personally, do not agree. Now, you might be already hating on me right now, but let me explain my reasoning and you'll understand my viewpoint. Life is Strange is definitely a strange game...and not in a good way. It has cringey bad dialogue, like "Sad face." (I facepalmed so hard on how corny that was). The main character is just not likable. Yeah, maybe if I was hipster who's friends with a "cyberpunk" then MAYBE I could like her. The voice acting is just not convincing, and irritating. The "time travel" powers are stupid in my opinion. So she can go far back in time JUST by looking at an old photo and completely change history? Yeah, sure. And Max can also "teleport" using her time travel powers, but wouldn't that be impossible? If someone, let's say Chloe for example, saw Max and she "teleported", would she just disappear out of thin air? Wouldn't it make more sense if she just travel back to where she was before? It's just a stupid mechanic that the game decided to put in. The "villian" has the stupidest motive I've ever heard, but I'm not going to spoil it. And there you go, I've finally got that off my chest. And if you have a problem with this review just because I gave it a bad rating and not a 10/10. I gave it a 1 because I just don't like anything about this game, it literally made me want to shoot myself and facepalmed when I saw it had a "10/10" on Steam. Don't say "YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THE GAME." If you disagree with me, whatever, I don't give a crap about what you think. I've made my opinion and it's MY opinion. If you like this game, good for you, but this game doesn't do it for me. Peace out.

Saintrius

Remember that this is my opinion *note - I played on PC so bugs and glitches I had May not be the same for everyone* I went into this game hoping that it would be great I good game that is story based A story based game I enjoyed was FireWatch and I love story's about human relationships Life is strange is a game that I hate The Dialogue is UN-******* BEARABLE "Bidnezz" "I just vaped some dank OG bud" God it was so hard to play this game without me thinking WOW The writers really were trying to make them feel like real teens so let's make there dialogue the equivalent of the YouTube comment sections IQ They did a mediocre job in making the mouths move at the same time as they pronounce Words and because I tend to mess around in games I ended up breaking it like going under the map and morphing threw NPCs and ended being shot into the air being drunk however made these experiences very fun and hilarious

~SPOILER ALERT~

3 2 1 The twist's in this story were all so awful, in a world were people say that it's a good twist when a character you meet in the beginning turns out to be crazy or the antagonist which is really turning into a cliché which means when I see a character like that I think yup he's a bad guy. The decision in the end to Kill Chloe or keep Arcadia Bay was so easy, and it would have been harder if the writers actually tried to make the characters feel real!!!! Were FireWatch excels in building characters Life Is Strange fails. For me story is a huge part of everything Movies,Games I love story based games and this is not a good one

And for me the ending felt like a big middle finger to me because I chose to have Chloe get killed and felt nothing other than THANK GOD I BOUGHT THIS ON THE SUMMER SALE And the fact that the game feels like a waste of time when the game Forces you to to make a choice that obviously is better than the other! And a question is If the game doesn't make you feel for Chloe than what would be the point of the twist of you need her to die. I feel like it ripped off Steins Gate a great game that is worth the money with the whole she Dies No Matter What I Do Scenario and it kinda turns out the same as in which you can get the ending were she dies or you can get the ending were she doesn't...

All and All This game suffers from - Ametur Writing -A Predictable Story -Character's that didn't feel real - Bugs -Ametur Lip Syncing -Felt like a waste of time -Lack Of Creativity 3/10

Doomwarden

I somehow don't really know what to think about this piece of work brought to us by Square Enix. Adventure Games, mainly the TellTale Games, are a hit in the last couple of years and I always loved them, especially because of their way of capturing your mind and feelings. But this game ? I don't know. Some scenes are extremely intense, but what is bothering me is, that it sometimes gets stuck in an hour of dialouges, that aren't really interesting. So don't except an action filled game with thrilling conversations, this game is more like climbing up a hill, pretty exhausting in the first place, but great when you reached the highest point.

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