Life Is Strange

If you want to compare the gameplay to something, it's practically identical to Telltale's Walking Dead, Wolf Among Us, Tales from the Borderlands, etc. games. About the only thing missing is the QTEs, not that that's any loss. The main character has a power that allows her to rewind time, which is interesting from a story perspective but also a great mechanic for this style of game because it allows you to explore the short-term effects of choices without having to save and reload the game, sit through a bunch of loading screens, or replay entire chapters. Of course, there are long-term effects that may cause you to want to redo the whole chapter too, but it least it's not like Telltale games where I find myself irritated that I am constantly crossing points of no return that require a full replay to change.

I just finished the game a couple days ago and I really liked it. More than any Telltale game so far, which surprised me a lot considering this was Dontnod's first attempt at the genre. Makes me wish they had done Remember Me in this style too, because that game would have been far better with a ton more of the memory manipulation stuff and without the half-assed fighting system. Waiting for the whole thing to come out was definitely the right choice; waiting months for some of the cliffhangers to get resolved would have annoyed the shit out of me. I don't touch any episodic series anymore until the whole thing is done for exactly that reason.

Don't let the fact that the setting is some pretentious art school in the pacific NW, or that the main character's best friend is a blue-hair voiced by Ashly Burch turn you away if you think the game looks interesting. It could easily have been a SJW shitfest, but it isn't like that at all. There's maybe 2 or 3 eye-roll moments throughout the whole thing. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who's a fan of Donnie Darko and enjoys this style of adventure game.

My only real complaint is that there's two endings and the only one I'd ever choose is much shorter and less fleshed out than the other. That, and I feel like I made the 'correct' choices the whole way through and have little desire to play it again just to see how the one or two things I wish I'd done differently pan out.

I loved Episodes 1-3, and have played through them twice. I'd go so far as to say I enjoyed them as much as Telltales' Walking Dead. Half way through episode 4 though I started to lose interest in the conversations, the writing seemed to take a nose dive and whereas before I was totally into the characters and story after that point I found myself getting bored. Episode 5 I still haven't got around to completing yet as it's just weak.

Definitely don't judge LiS too harshly on Episode 1. The game only gets better and better until Episode 3 or 4.

The game certainly earns its mature rating.

The second episode of the earlier in time Chloe centric story is out. I really love it.

I played episode two last night. It is sooo good.

So I'm debating if i should pick up Before the Storm on sale and keep a fair bit of cash on steam wallet, or burn it on Nioh

For those who played the prequel how did it hold up? I loved the first and I'm happy to say even the women in my life who don't play video games found themselves engrossed by it, I'm a total suck for the sort of coming of age, outsider story and watching Max transform over that week in the first game was fantastic.....I dated a confused, intelligent art student type at that age, and was totally a gigantic music hipster, IT was almost disturbing the amount of animus and catharsis the game generated for me. Great experience that totally got me pretty emotional and I'm sure made many a young girl cry.

I didn't realize the game was supposed to take place in Oregon as i just assumed Arcadia Bay was in Maine as there's an actual place up there as i recall and it visually looks like that.

Some scene's were so well done, like the "Save Arcadia Bay" ending, the music, the way the polaroid's of Chloe get ripped apart , Max with her black outfit with the Doe necklace, the butterfly on the coffin. Also the ending of Episode one with the montage and the snow in Arcadia bay, great montage scene and the moment i realized i was going to love this game, the song that plays during it is totally perfect for the mood and overall it does a better job then most movies at shooting the picture inline with the music.


This is the one, still a beautiful song. just listening to reminds me of that summer between high school and college. When everything seemed possible and all the thing we had been waiting for what felt like an eternity for,, freedom from our parents, to drive a car, freedom to work where we wanted, to have sex, have a girlfriend/boyfriend, to listen to the music we wanted, ect.. seemed like it had just came or was within our grasp. back at a time before the responsibilities of life took over and the millstone around our neck grew heavy.

I'm afraid if i buy BTS and it doesn't live up it will ruin my appreciation for the game. Please convince me that i need it somehow...
My sister will want to play it somehow also but i'm not sure her i3 7100 notebook with it's onboard gfx can handle it...

The prequel is great, though I haven't finished it. There was a voice actor strike going so Chloe has a different voice instead of the hey-ash-whatcha-playin lady, but before I knew that I didn't even notice. It's really close.

I don't think it is as good as the first, but I'm such a fan I'll take whatever I can get.

I'll second the BTS stuff is great.

I didn't even know about the VA strike until well after I had played the first episode and I didn't even notice that there was a difference in the voices.

I noticed they had the hey-ash lady on as a consultant, so she might have done some voice coaching.

Oh, and also the music in BTS kicks major ass, if you like new age-y type of stuff. If you're into death metal, definitely don't buy it for the music.

A sample :

I believe the bonus episode for those who purchased the deluxe edition of the before the storm game comes out next month. It is basically max and Chloe when they were younger prior to max leaving arcadia bay. I really liked before the storm even though after paying through the first game you you have a sense of impending dread for most of it. These games can really kick you in the feels.

Hmm I have a friend that has both but hasn't done either. I'm thinking of advising him to do 2 then 1, what do you think?

That is a good question if you had no played either what order to do them. Honestly I think you probably should still do them in order 1 than 2. Because playing through the first one and knowing what happens really kicks up the feels in the second one.

Bonus episode is out, it's really good!