Life is Strange: Episode 1 - Chrysalis

 PC
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 438 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 361 out of 438
  2. Mixed: 53 out of 438
  3. Negative: 24 out of 438

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  1. Esfar
    Feb 4, 2015
    10
    A fantastic game from Squire Enix
    1.Graphics is just awesome.Color combination used here is just perfect and capture the true American theme...what is more, the attention given to graphics is insane ..even the little things are done with care....(10/10)
    2.Main character Max is likable person...they should give little more attention to side characters and story (7/10) 3.interesting    A fantastic game from Squire Enix
    1.Graphics is just awesome.Color combination used here is just perfect and capture the true American theme...what is more, the attention given to graphics is insane ..even the little things are done with care....(10/10)

    2.Main character Max is likable person...they should give little more attention to side characters and story (7/10)
    3.interesting game mechanic...
    4.F**k you IGN for misguiding people with this game...this a fantastic effort    … Expand
  2. braeden
    Mar 21, 2015
    10
    This is probably best story-rich game I have played in a while. Story, characters, atmosphere... everything is near perfection. The gameplay itself is all about character interaction and making choices that will have consequences later on. The trick is that you can reverse the time (to certain extent) and remake those choices. The mechanics for this work great, although the game wouldThis is probably best story-rich game I have played in a while. Story, characters, atmosphere... everything is near perfection. The gameplay itself is all about character interaction and making choices that will have consequences later on. The trick is that you can reverse the time (to certain extent) and remake those choices. The mechanics for this work great, although the game would probably be ok even without this gimmick.

    There's minor issue which isn't a biggie, but worth mentioning: The choices you make are divided to minor and major ones. The game logic is that you can reverse the time, but still keep items you acquired previously. This basically allows you to first select path that gives you some items and the select some other, more favorable path while keeping the items. However, for major choices this doesn't work which is somewhat inconsistent and even confusing at first.    … Expand
  3. BIGBenX
    Jun 29, 2015
    10
    This game is so good, I shat my pants.
    I really mean it. This has to be one of the best story-based games I've played in my life. The immersion is perfetly done. The Rewind-Feature is awesome and gives you much freedom and doesnt leave you with frustration and bad feeling because of a bad decision you didn't know the outcome of. You can just rewind then. Awesome!
    It's very realistic and    This game is so good, I shat my pants.
    I really mean it. This has to be one of the best story-based games I've played in my life. The immersion is perfetly done. The Rewind-Feature is awesome and gives you much freedom and doesnt leave you with frustration and bad feeling because of a bad decision you didn't know the outcome of. You can just rewind then. Awesome!
    It's very realistic and embodies the American Way of Life pretty accurately.
    I definiately reccomend this game. Escpecially if you are into kinda slow indie movies like Donnie Darko, Big Lebowski and Telltale games.    … Expand
  4. playbill
    Feb 3, 2015
    10
    What is wrong with people? Who cares about lip- syncing? Great art, great story, great mood, great style. Animations were great for me. It's like a telltale adventure game with more exploration, no fight sequences and much better graphics.
    We need more games like that people!!! Or else the Dragon age theme parks will conquer us all...
    Come on , a Cannibal Holocaust reference? How awesome    What is wrong with people? Who cares about lip- syncing? Great art, great story, great mood, great style. Animations were great for me. It's like a telltale adventure game with more exploration, no fight sequences and much better graphics.
    We need more games like that people!!! Or else the Dragon age theme parks will conquer us all...
    Come on , a Cannibal Holocaust reference? How awesome is that?
    Excellent effort- very human and indy. I hope it gets even better.    … Expand
  5. Violator4200
    Feb 5, 2015
    10
    This game makes Telltales games look amateur! I love those games but theres just something about the way they made this game that just makes it the perfect game to play and relax too with the lights off and candles lit. You can even let her play guitar on a loop which i enjoyed! The soundtrack is great and the story seems great right now even if it is a little cliche. If you like laid backThis game makes Telltales games look amateur! I love those games but theres just something about the way they made this game that just makes it the perfect game to play and relax too with the lights off and candles lit. You can even let her play guitar on a loop which i enjoyed! The soundtrack is great and the story seems great right now even if it is a little cliche. If you like laid back games like Telltale games then play this now you will like it.… Expand
  6. fask
    Jan 30, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. That was great, I had a blast, I hope the next episode will be as good.

    The story and the rewind power is really good and fun to use. I wish I had the same power :)

    Thanks Dontnod & Square Enix    … Expand
  7. CPendzich
    Jan 30, 2015
    10
    This game largely seems to target teenagers. There is a lot of teen/high school drama at the center of the story. That being said, I enjoy the concept and the narrative style game. I really enjoy the soundtrack and the game in general. I have played through episode one myself and once where a friend did most of the playing. I noticed a few cons on the second playthrough. Some of theThis game largely seems to target teenagers. There is a lot of teen/high school drama at the center of the story. That being said, I enjoy the concept and the narrative style game. I really enjoy the soundtrack and the game in general. I have played through episode one myself and once where a friend did most of the playing. I noticed a few cons on the second playthrough. Some of the consequential decisions are not forced on you, which leads to some misplaced dialogue, and things you didn't know about being brought up like you did. I also noticed the decisions don't have much of an immediate weight, however I can see them having a much larger effect over the course of several episodes. I am extremely excited to see what follows, and I could see this being a great game as future episodes come out with a little less teen drama and more powerful decisions, should that come into play.

    Animations 6/10 - Lips are animated horribly in a very dialogue based game. General animations are okay, but they definitely don't blow anyone away.

    Story 9/10 - Although it is very teen drama oriented in this first episode, I feel that this is just a setup for a much greater story. Based on the end of Episode one, I think this will develop into a very well-done narrative.

    Gameplay 7/10 - Going into it as a Telltale-esque narrative focused game, and expecting more of an interactive movie, you will enjoy it. Don't expect advanced gameplay mechanics. This is ultimately a narrative aided by interactive media.

    Interest rating 10/10 - My scores for animations, story, and gameplay are relatively low, but I can definitely see this becoming a great game as the season continues, and its a refreshing break from something else. I am very excited for Episode 2, and found this to be a nice surprise for something I almost didn't bother to buy.    … Expand
  8. Parappa
    Feb 1, 2015
    10
    First episode blew me away.
    I like Telltale games because of their story and the power to pull you in and care for the characters. But this game, I like it even more than TWD from Telltale. Obviously the theme is completely different but the main focus is on the characters just like in TWD.
    There are a lot of decisions you have to make. Different decisions lead you to different    First episode blew me away.
    I like Telltale games because of their story and the power to pull you in and care for the characters. But this game, I like it even more than TWD from Telltale. Obviously the theme is completely different but the main focus is on the characters just like in TWD.
    There are a lot of decisions you have to make. Different decisions lead you to different consequences. More interactivity in this game than in any TT game. You can control the MC pretty much from start to finish (without too many cinematics get in the way) so it gives you a feeling of greater involvement in anything that happens.
    Graphics is pretty nice.
    Not one dull moment I can remember. It grabbed my attention from the first moment and succeeded in keeping it until the closing credits. The game has a very immersive atmosphere.
    Controls are smooth as well.
    Overall everything works as it supposed to be. If the creators can keep this up with the upcoming episodes this is gonna be my favorite game of all time. Enough said.    … Expand
  9. aydinnesty
    Jan 31, 2015
    10
    The games soundtracks is awesome. Story is interesting than many games. Life is Strange to apply for games of the year. For Turkish gamers, mutlaka deneyin pişman olmayacaksınız.
  10. Raven_Roselia
    Jan 31, 2015
    10
    Pure perfection. Great characters, great story, plenty of difficult choices where you affect the story, great gameplay mechanics. I need 30 more characters.

    GOTY so far 2015
  11. Morzym
    Feb 1, 2015
    10
    WOW. Im so impressed by how deep i can feel my self into this amazing story. Never experienced sth like that. I played some telltale games but in my opinion Life is Strange feels much more nice and lovely to play. You feel like you are important for the story to exist. Can't describe my love to the game any better.
  12. Nunners
    Feb 2, 2015
    10
    This is one of the best short games I've played in quite awhile. I haven't felt so invested in a game story since The Walking Dead Season 1 game by Telltale, or Last of Us. Even just episode one I felt very invested in the characters and wanted to make sure I made the correct decisions going forward. I also think how they mixed the mechanic of reversing time in quite tasteful and wellThis is one of the best short games I've played in quite awhile. I haven't felt so invested in a game story since The Walking Dead Season 1 game by Telltale, or Last of Us. Even just episode one I felt very invested in the characters and wanted to make sure I made the correct decisions going forward. I also think how they mixed the mechanic of reversing time in quite tasteful and well done.

    Can't wait for the next episode and the rest of the series! Hopefully they continue the story after the first season or make more games similar to this with just as in depth story!    … Expand
  13. Risa
    Feb 17, 2015
    10
    I went into Life Is Strange not really knowing much about it, nor have I played a game quite like it before, unless you consider LiS to be the distant descendant of the old text-based adventure games.

    First, the not-so-great: I have say that the lip syncing is, well, not bad, more like nearly nonexistent. You get used to it, but it's a standout in a game that otherwise really looks,    I went into Life Is Strange not really knowing much about it, nor have I played a game quite like it before, unless you consider LiS to be the distant descendant of the old text-based adventure games.

    First, the not-so-great: I have say that the lip syncing is, well, not bad, more like nearly nonexistent. You get used to it, but it's a standout in a game that otherwise really looks, sounds and *feels* good. My behind-the-scenes suspicion is the developers, who are a small French studio, synchronized the animation with the dialogue en Francais.

    Neutral: The dialogue can be pretty awkward, though I feel like a lot of that comes from it seeming to draw from a cultural lexicon spanning the early 90s to today. Being able to clearly remember being 18 myself, it may just be Max and her peers have settled on a vocabulary unique to their specific time and place, which does what group lingo does best: Makes you feel not quite invited to the party, but it grows on you.

    Great: I really, really like Max, and I'm glad they stuck with a female protagonist, because I feel like her vulnerability is an important part of her story. Her voice actor (Hannah Telle) is a perfect fit. The time reversal is a unique mechanic, and it takes a little trial and error to realize what you can actually do with it. I really like the look of the whole game, all the little details that are present in the environment. The soundtrack is fantastic - and the developers have a "Life Is Strange OST" playlist on Spotify. The game is powerfully atmospheric, which is a tricky thing to get right in any game, doubly so in one that doesn't rely on flashy action. Her friend Chloe so far has had the best pithy one-liners out of everyone we meet in this episode.

    In summary, I'd say my only real regret was discovering this game before all five episodes were available. Definitely looking forward to the next four.    … Expand
  14. Swatson
    Feb 20, 2015
    10
    Finally another game out of the interactive drama genre. after telltale games marvellous job in the walking dead universe as well as heavy rain a couple of years before, this game came to my attention. and didn't disappoint at all.
    the atmosphere is really strong and it's a game you can get yourself lost in whilst time flies by. I don't want to go into the storyline, rather on the    Finally another game out of the interactive drama genre. after telltale games marvellous job in the walking dead universe as well as heavy rain a couple of years before, this game came to my attention. and didn't disappoint at all.
    the atmosphere is really strong and it's a game you can get yourself lost in whilst time flies by. I don't want to go into the storyline, rather on the mechanics and its effect on you, the consumer of it.

    the world is filled with a lot of attention to detail, posters, lovely decorations that breathe live into the scenery, the mix is stunning and if you open yourself to it lets you dip right in. it embraces you and let's you almost feel your decisions.
    finally being able to think over the decisions which face consequences for the first time is a very handy gimmick which puts pressure out of the game and lets you decide which decisions to make, not a hasty timer ticking down which makes it way more enjoyable to me.

    however, you have to be the right type of gamer/person to being able to enjoy this piece of art. it's not action, it's not comedy, it's drama after all. reading comments like "Bad jokes. And a lot of them" etc just shows me that people are not comfortable with this genre and are judging the game for something it's not supposed to be. you don't purchase a blender over amazon and then complain about is disfunctionality to microwave your chese sandwhich.

    anyhow, there are minor details, especially in animation (like the lips which are more or less independant from the spoken word) but all in all for a first episode it gives leaves behind a very strong resonance and urges me to continues with episode 2.

    dotnod & square enix - job well done!    … Expand
  15. AlexMcDouchebag
    Mar 20, 2015
    10
    The writing is great, not amazing but good enough to keep you interested. Though a bit of the dialogue does seem as if the writers were trying a bit to hard to add a bit of teenage sass. The graphics and aesthetics are absolutely gorgeous. I spent about six hours on episode one and later realized I had still managed to miss some cool optional objectives. TLDR: Its great and I am lookingThe writing is great, not amazing but good enough to keep you interested. Though a bit of the dialogue does seem as if the writers were trying a bit to hard to add a bit of teenage sass. The graphics and aesthetics are absolutely gorgeous. I spent about six hours on episode one and later realized I had still managed to miss some cool optional objectives. TLDR: Its great and I am looking forward to more of it.… Expand
  16. Queezle98
    May 15, 2015
    10
    An awesome game. It's just something new. Slow paced and with a good story you can think about for hours. Already worth the 20 bucks (after 2 episodes). I can just recommend this peace of art.
  17. Ciocolici
    Aug 5, 2023
    10
    Embarking on Episode 1 of "Life is Strange" was a journey of uncertainty for me. I anticipated an adventure game with Telltale-like elements, where choices hold significance. However, I was pleasantly taken aback by the sheer brilliance the game displayed from the very start. I found myself utterly enamored with the characters, the enthralling storyline, and every other aspect that thisEmbarking on Episode 1 of "Life is Strange" was a journey of uncertainty for me. I anticipated an adventure game with Telltale-like elements, where choices hold significance. However, I was pleasantly taken aback by the sheer brilliance the game displayed from the very start. I found myself utterly enamored with the characters, the enthralling storyline, and every other aspect that this initial episode had to offer.

    What struck me the most was the depth of the characters and their compelling narratives. Both Chloe and Max left an indelible mark on my heart, making me invested in their lives and experiences. The freedom to explore the world, immerse myself in character hubs, and witness the vividly crafted world added an enchanting layer of immersion.

    One aspect that truly impressed me is the profound empathy I felt for the characters. The game remarkably evoked genuine emotions, forging an unexpected and powerful connection between me and the virtual personas on the screen.

    I absolutely adore the Telltale-inspired style of gameplay, but what sets "Life is Strange" apart is the ability to exert more control over the characters' actions. Furthermore, the game's central theme of chaos theory piqued my interest, adding a unique layer of complexity to the narrative. And of course, the ingenious time-rewind gameplay mechanic is superbly executed, elevating the gaming experience to new heights.

    This initial episode has offered a truly distinctive and emotionally resonant journey, brimming with heartfelt moments. I've yet to encounter anything to criticize, and I have every confidence that this game will rank among my all-time favorites if the subsequent episodes maintain the same level of excellence.

    In conclusion, Episode 1 of "Life is Strange" stands as a remarkable experience, leaving me eager to explore the rest of the narrative. The sheer abundance of emotions and remarkable storytelling make it a game to cherish. I'm eagerly anticipating the forthcoming episodes and have no doubt that this captivating journey will leave a lasting impression on me. Bravo to the creators for crafting such a remarkable piece of interactive art!    … Expand
  18. Nadrac
    Feb 3, 2015
    9
    It's fun and thoughtful game.

    The settings of the story may make it seem like it was aimed at younger audience and i wish they do check it out, but it truly just shows us in one of the scariest parts in our life, in a mature way. The first episode did heavily focus on characters, and set up stories. Some already wrote it off as a teenage drama where nothing happens, but i am not getting    It's fun and thoughtful game.

    The settings of the story may make it seem like it was aimed at younger audience and i wish they do check it out, but it truly just shows us in one of the scariest parts in our life, in a mature way. The first episode did heavily focus on characters, and set up stories. Some already wrote it off as a teenage drama where nothing happens, but i am not getting that feeling, i am glad it established the characters before tried to tell stories about people i don't know or care about. These episodic adventure games could get into the habit of making the first episode a double, just to strongly establish the series. I recommend taking the time to read everything and pay attention because that's how these games should be played, and i had a blast doing so.    … Expand
  19. Skitte
    Feb 22, 2015
    9
    Salted with a story that draw teenagers attention and a mistery that gets deeper step by step, life can truly bestrange for some people that presents special gifts.

    Pros: - Unpredictibility -Immersive story - Versatile protagonists - Girls team - Possibility to rewind the story and see more sides - The backstory - Unboring tasks Cons: - lip sync - some texture really suck,    Salted with a story that draw teenagers attention and a mistery that gets deeper step by step, life can truly bestrange for some people that presents special gifts.

    Pros:
    - Unpredictibility
    -Immersive story
    - Versatile protagonists
    - Girls team
    - Possibility to rewind the story and see more sides
    - The backstory
    - Unboring tasks

    Cons:
    - lip sync
    - some texture really suck, even on high graphics
    - slow start
    - no interactivity with the environment

    All in all, this is a good game that would be way better with a better design.    … Expand
  20. WafflePrince
    Feb 3, 2015
    9
    I really liked this game. I found it amazing how relaxed it is, and how you can admire the high detail settings at you time. Half the story is going round and clicking on things and hearing what Max had to say on them. By doing this you find out tones of background story on all the characters. I thinking it is one of the best world building in any game since The Last of Us. Life is strangeI really liked this game. I found it amazing how relaxed it is, and how you can admire the high detail settings at you time. Half the story is going round and clicking on things and hearing what Max had to say on them. By doing this you find out tones of background story on all the characters. I thinking it is one of the best world building in any game since The Last of Us. Life is strange really clicked for me, and I give 9 out of ten. As a pilot, this hows a lot of potential for a great episodic game series. Guess I am hipster or something...… Expand
  21. Davisx3m
    Jan 30, 2015
    9
    Well, I just finished episode one, so this review will at start ONLY give my views on the first episode.
    What is "Life is Strange"? Well, I would say Life is Strange is an story driven adventure game alá Telltale Game.
    Is that it? No, that's the thing, it isn't. If it was I might have called these guys "copycats" but that wouldn't really have been fair, since I do not call Call of Duty    Well, I just finished episode one, so this review will at start ONLY give my views on the first episode.
    What is "Life is Strange"? Well, I would say Life is Strange is an story driven adventure game alá Telltale Game.
    Is that it? No, that's the thing, it isn't. If it was I might have called these guys "copycats" but that wouldn't really have been fair, since I do not call Call of Duty copycats of Battlefield or the other way around.

    But to return to the subject, it isn't a Telltale Games clone in that way that it actually has game play.
    Telltale Games are famous for letting the player draw his or her own story by choosing different paths, and sometimes some easier puzzles (At least in The Walking Dead S1) This game has that, and a little more. This first episode has more puzzles than a whole season of Telltale Games, sure they aren't hard to do, but... The way you are doing them, that's the interesting way.

    As you probably know, this game is about a girl, her name is Max and she's 18 years old, she just started going to this high-school which name I've unfortunately already forgot. It was something typical American. However, she discovers very early in the game that she can timetravel, at least a few seconds. This time-traveling is the main focus of the puzzles in Episode 1. You want to do something, you try to do something, you fail, you rewind time, see what's going on, change what you did earlier, and ta-da success!

    Unfortunately this time-travel option is not available, but only when the game want it to be, which at times are a bit frustrating. I was at the time of playing talking about the game with a friend who became very interested when a certain scene happened in the game, so I said I could show him with the Steam-stream, however I wasn't able to turn back the clock at that time. Nothing big but I just wanted to state that.

    How is the atmosphere of the game? Does it fit an 18 year old girls mind? Well, in a stereotypical way, yes. Do I like it? Yes. It fits perfectly to Max and her surrounding. The music is great, the art style of the game is beautiful. Not perfect though. There are quite a few graphical glitches and the faces seem... a bit... lifeless at time. But Life is Strange eh? ;)

    One thing that did surprise me quite a lot was the length of the episode. Used to playing Telltale Games I thought this would be like... 1.5 - 2.5 hours at most. I spent a bit over 4 hours playing this game! I wanted to explore everything! Get to know everyone. Unfortunately I didn't even get that chance! The episode is taking your through different areas of the campus and some other places, but there are loading times between these areas, and if you enter "Area 2" from "Area 1" and you have something to do in "Area 2" you can't return to "Area 1", it simply tells you "I can't leave yet" or a similar message.

    This was quite sad because I didn't explore "Area 1" fully, I missed a lot of photography possibilities, yes you can actually take pictures of things. (Only things the game wants you to take pictures of though, and there are achievements) So not only did I miss these things, but I also missed achievements. (Not that important though, I just wanted you to know)

    Now I talked about quite a lot of things, but haven't really mentioned the story, except the whole time-travelling thing, which by itself is big thing but the story is more than this. A girl has gone missing, which is made known by all the "Missing person" papers everywhere, and this made me think the whole story has something to do with her, she is mentioned more and more often while the time is passing, so I guess there is something mysterious going on around her.

    Either way I can't wait for the next episode! Which apparently will come in March 2015. I highly recommend this to any adventure game player.    … Expand
  22. Marick
    Feb 1, 2015
    9
    Life Is Strange, is an episodic game of point and click, product Dontnod Entertainment and published by Square Enix. The game puts you in the role of a student in a college photo named Maxine Caulfield, who discovers he has a power to control time, or rather the butterfly effect.
  23. Thirdrail
    Jan 31, 2015
    9
    There are really two separate things to review on this one: the game, and the story.

    The game is a huge step forward for this genre. The world is beautiful, and well served by its indie soundtrack. The time travel mechanic is a great addition, because it allows you to try different choices on the spot. Again, just a huge step forward for this type of game. Technologically speaking, Life    There are really two separate things to review on this one: the game, and the story.

    The game is a huge step forward for this genre. The world is beautiful, and well served by its indie soundtrack. The time travel mechanic is a great addition, because it allows you to try different choices on the spot. Again, just a huge step forward for this type of game. Technologically speaking, Life is Strange looks and plays like it's from a completely different decade than any of the other story games.

    The story is a bit more subjective. Just as billions of girls (and, in fairness, less combat oriented guys) around the world feel no instinctive kinship or investment when they're handed a controller and find themselves playing a floating AK-74 on a giant noisy battlefield, I'm sure some guys will need a moment to invest in a teenage girl whose life revolves around photography and trying to survive her final year of high school. While discovering that she can control time. There's a lot of shop talk on the photobug side of things. This game name drops famous photographers in the exact same way that the Treme writers were always trying to prove they knew more about jazz than their audience.

    Personally, I like the main character, Max, a great deal, and I enjoy her art school a lot more than I enjoy her time travel. We've all been a teenager in an unfamiliar new place. We can all remember the pressures of potential clashing with inertia as we approached the end of high school. The fact that she is a girl does not affect my ability to identify with Max. (You're a human, from Earth, you really should be able to fully empathize with all TWO of the genders on your homeworld, ffs.)

    I would, however, give this single warning to the less artsy people in the audience: If you could never enjoy being an art museum, large sections of this story will probably seem boring and stupid to you. The photography is not a line of background on a bio when you press C, it is who Max is, and what she does, and what she thinks about, much of the time. The complaint that this game is aimed at hipsters is far, far more valid than the ridiculous idea that the target demographic is teen girls, which is no more true of Life is Strange than it was of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

    All in all, I would call Life is Strange a tremendous step forward, not just for story games, but for the general level of narrative in a medium that so often struggles to find a mature, adult voice.    … Expand
  24. Steeldude
    Mar 24, 2015
    9
    One of the rare games that try to tell a realistic story where your decisions really matter. I like the characters and the school setting which is kind of rare to see done properly in video games. The story is interesting and I have to wonder what's going to happen next. Definitely a game worth replaying (after finishing all 5 episodes, though). Too bad it's so short, I fully explored allOne of the rare games that try to tell a realistic story where your decisions really matter. I like the characters and the school setting which is kind of rare to see done properly in video games. The story is interesting and I have to wonder what's going to happen next. Definitely a game worth replaying (after finishing all 5 episodes, though). Too bad it's so short, I fully explored all of the areas and it took me around 4 hours to finish this episode while seriously taking my time through it which is not that much (most episodic games I had played before took me around 7 hours) and left me with a slightly empty feeling, like I deserved a little more. Despite that, I can't wait to find out how the story is going to progress in Episode 2. And I guess that's the most important thing about a video game - wanting to play it more and once again after you're done with it. So, let's give this one a 9.… Expand
  25. haloboyscp
    Jan 31, 2015
    9
    It's amazing.
    Perhaps it just really looks too short.
    But anyways in this one you definitely feel you have to play it again one more time.
    Story telling is simply amazing.
  26. shtomer
    Jan 31, 2015
    9
    For me, there's only one way to judge an adventure game: Did it touch me, or did it not. The first episode of Life is strange touched me very deeply, as I figured it would after watching the trailer. Surprisingly, it's even kind of fun! The gameplay is rather creative, and while the puzzles aren't exactly challenging, one does need to spend like 30 seconds thinking ;). So whether it's theFor me, there's only one way to judge an adventure game: Did it touch me, or did it not. The first episode of Life is strange touched me very deeply, as I figured it would after watching the trailer. Surprisingly, it's even kind of fun! The gameplay is rather creative, and while the puzzles aren't exactly challenging, one does need to spend like 30 seconds thinking ;). So whether it's the soothing atmosphere, believable characters, wonderful soundtrack, or writing... the game got me hooked! Can't wait for the next episodes. One critique point I may have is that the writing does tend to be slightly too stereotypical at times...… Expand
  27. TheTitan84
    Feb 12, 2015
    9
    The good: Unique and interesting mechanic that ties well into the story. "Real" characters, and not zombies with no emotions or stuff behind them (looking at you, Dreamfall: Chapters). Action system makes the chapter re-playable. Lots of "side stuff" that gives a good universe, but not "needed" to explore to finish the game. Price, 5$ for the episode or 20$ for all.

    The bad: Lip    The good: Unique and interesting mechanic that ties well into the story. "Real" characters, and not zombies with no emotions or stuff behind them (looking at you, Dreamfall: Chapters). Action system makes the chapter re-playable. Lots of "side stuff" that gives a good universe, but not "needed" to explore to finish the game. Price, 5$ for the episode or 20$ for all.

    The bad: Lip animations/syncing, play with subs and avoid looking at faces during conversations as it ruins the immersion. Short, 2-3 hours fully exploring. 30 min speed run.    … Expand
  28. equinoxe8th
    Apr 16, 2015
    9
    It´s very good, esta genial, muy fahernheit. or me, there's only one way to judge an adventure game: Did it touch me, or did it not. The first episode of Life is strange touched me very deeply, as I figured it would after watching the trailer.
  29. Bammerbom
    Jun 26, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is perfect! Only bad thing I found are the textures.
    Maybe a bit short.
    The story is perfect and I like the concept. .    … Expand
  30. Gwenchlan
    Jul 28, 2015
    9
    It's beginning slowly, but when the power is awakened, story interest rises. Good OST too. I was curious and when I finished it, I only wanted to continue with the Episode 2.
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Awards & Rankings

92
#92 Best PC Game of 2015
53
#53 Most Discussed PC Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. PC PowerPlay
    Mar 26, 2015
    80
    A very strong first chapter of an intriguing new adventure series. [Apr 2015, p.61]
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    Mar 19, 2015
    79
    A promising, if flawed first episode. Life Is Strange boasts believable characters and an intriguing setting. That said, the dialogue sounds awkward at times and some of the plot twists are a bit too much. [March 2015]
  3. CD-Action
    Mar 17, 2015
    75
    Adventure game – check. Developed by Frenchmen – check. Tells a story about an American – check – teenage girl – check – gifted with paranormal powers – check. Here’s where Beyond: Two Souls and Life is Strange go their separate ways, because the latter is actually good. [03/2014, p.74]
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