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| Could Alex be any more hipster? |
| Quick Info | |
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| Reviewed by: | Mark Goninon |
| Developer: | Deck Nine |
| Publisher: | Square Enix |
| Release Date: | 10 September 2021 |
| Time played: | 10 hours |
Colorado is Strange
Originally, I was hoping to finish all the Life is Strange games prior to the recently released Life is Strange: Double Exposure, and while I did achieve this goal, I've been a bit slow when it came to posting the actual review. Well, worry no longer, it's finally here!
The first Life is Strange made by French studio DONTNOD Entertainment, was released in 2015, during a renaissance in linear but cinematic adventure games, spearheaded by the likes of Telltale's The Walking Dead in 2012. The game was a critical and commercial success and scored a respectable 8 out of 10 here on Choicest Games. The game focuses on a teenage girl attending college called Max Caulfield who soon discovers she has supernatural powers which she uses to gather information and solve puzzles. The game would kickstart a franchise and was followed by a prequel in 2017 called Before the Storm (which focused on Max's best friend Chloe Price), a free bridging episode in 2018 called The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit and later that same year, the sequel, Life is Strange 2 (which focused on two brothers fleeing the authorities). While each of the games focused on different characters, they're all set in the same universe, a version of the United States where kids somehow develop a variety of superpowers (a bit like the mutants in "X-Men" in many respects).
Life is Strange: True Colors was released in 2021 and developed by American developer Deck Nine Games, the same developer that worked on the prequel, Before the Storm. The developer is situated in the state of Colorado which I think is important to mention since that is the same state that True Colors is set. In this game, you again play a character with superpowers, an Asian American that hails from Portland, Oregon called Alex Chen. She spends many of her teenage years in the foster care system until she finally reunites with her brother living in Haven Springs (which seems heavily inspired by the actual town of Idaho Springs). While the sleepy town in the mountains seems idyllic, things aren't what they seem and soon take a turn for the worse.
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| Zen scenes make a return and man are they gorgeous at times |
Same same, but different
As far as adventure games go, the Life is Strange games aren't overly complex when it comes to their gameplay and this is also the case with True Colors. To the cynical adventure gaming elite, these games feel like nothing more than glorified walking simulators, and for the most part, they'd be right. But this is also what is appealing about them (save for the intense action sequences and twists that are also common to the series) as you get the opportunity to explore your surroundings and soak in the scenery (sometimes quite literally during the Zen cutscenes that make a return in True Colors). Also similar to previous Life is Strange games, you'll also come across characters from the original: in this case it's Steph, the nerdy, yet cool dungeon master into tabletop role-playing games.
In terms of visuals, the Life is Strange games have always done well in this department and this iteration is no exception. There is a lot of detail and higher definition to the backgrounds and character models despite using the same engine that 2018's Life is Strange 2 was built with (Unreal Engine 4).
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| Steph introducing you to the town as "some chick" |
What Psychonauts could've been
Every Life is Strange character has a special power (well, except for Chloe I guess) and Alex is no exception: Alex is an empath and can feel what other people feel, a bit like Deanna Troi in "Star Trek: The Next Generation". While this power may seem kind of underpowered compared to what you get to experience in the first two Life is Strange games, it does become more powerful as the game goes on to the point I was starting to get flashbacks of Psychonauts. With your powers, you'll be able to piece together everyone's backgrounds, learn their deepest fears and ultimately solve the many mysteries that surround Haven Springs.
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| When Alex's power is in effect, other people are highlighted by a colourful aura |
May Contain Interesting Themes
It wouldn't be a good Life is Strange game without touching on some interesting themes. Despite Alex having a special form of empathy, it's a power that many people can relate to: the ability to be more empathetic in order to connect to people. The game also touches on the dangers of judging others by trying to read emotions: everyone reacts differently when listening to shocking news and just because someone has a visceral reaction to something, it doesn't mean that individual is either condoning or condemning what they hear.
Being able to feel strong emotions using her empathic abilities can also be a hindrance to Alex at times and I think this touches on the themes of those who have suffered trauma, building walls to close off their emotions as a self-preservation technique. The game can be seen as a way of Alex coming to terms with trauma, a tale of recovering from dissociation as a coping mechanism. To me, the game also touches on the topic of parentification, where a huge burden is placed on kids potentially resulting in them being hypersensitive to the needs of their family over their own.
Colour me Bad
While I overall enjoyed this latest iteration of Life is Strange, the game does have its flaws. For example, those who have played the previous Life is Strange games all know they're due for a plot twist and this game is no different. To some, this can seem too predictable but I didn't mind it at all.
I also expected more from the epilogue. You'll find out what happens to the main characters for sure, but you don't get to know what happened to a whole bunch of supporting characters and you never get the opportunity to talk to them again after the climax of the game (which could've been an easy way to bring closure and make the epilogue a better one). You also have no idea what happens to your powers afterwards which seems like a glaring omission.
Technically, the game runs pretty smoothly on my setup but timing when it comes to the delivery of lines could definitely be improved, or the duration of the overly pregnant pauses. Conversations sometimes sound awkward or unnatural as a result since they don't flow well.
Oh, I'm also disappointed we never got to hear this song on the soundtrack:
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While I'm disappointed Phil Collins didn't feature on the soundtrack, I loved the themes of recovering from trauma, parentification and not taking things at face value. True Colors is a beautiful looking game and will feel familiar to Life is Strange fans but some might be put off by the seemingly weak superpower and the occasional plot holes. Ultimately, while it may feel less accomplished to previous entries in the franchise it was still entertaining and thought-provoking enough for me to enjoy it. |
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Special thanks to my sister-in-law for gifting this game as a 2023 birthday present!
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