Life is Strange

 PC
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3257 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,751 out of 3257
  2. Mixed: 277 out of 3257
  3. Negative: 229 out of 3257

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  1. destruidor
    Jun 20, 2018
    10
    muito bom historia envolvente gostei recomendo ilike very good i recomend good history graphics good game good
  2. Chubac
    May 13, 2020
    6
    Mediocre gameplay and a story that we saw million times already in other videogames, movies and TV.
  3. Rem
    Jul 7, 2015
    9
    Life Is Strange from DontNod does not enter the scene of episodic gaming with a slide and tip of the hat, but rather charging through the front doors looking for a bone to pick with anyone named TellTale. From the first episode, players are put into the camera lenses of Max Caulfield, an 18 year old high school student with a love for photography and possesses the ability to rewind time.Life Is Strange from DontNod does not enter the scene of episodic gaming with a slide and tip of the hat, but rather charging through the front doors looking for a bone to pick with anyone named TellTale. From the first episode, players are put into the camera lenses of Max Caulfield, an 18 year old high school student with a love for photography and possesses the ability to rewind time. Pinch me if I haven't heard skeptics call this Tumbler: The Game. I had the same thoughts too going in, but as soon as the credits rolled, my mouth was taped shut and my wallet dumped into the next four episodes. Life is Strange absolutely nails the atmosphere and setting the mood of the story and the characters that populate it. The game on the opposite end of the table sitting away from TellTale, boasts a striking paintbrush look to its world and characters, with soft textures adorning plenty of the environment. But what this first episode alone gets perfect is the soundtrack. Being set in the small town of Aracdia Bay in the state of Oregon as seen through the eyes in a coming of age teenage girl, the indie folk and mellow guitar strums really pull you in, inviting players to a world akin to Juno and Donnie Darko. Life isn't perfect in this game world and the characterization of all the characters, including Max, are based off some high school archetype of the 21st Century. It's more exaggerated than overblown, just enough so it becomes clear of each character's place into this small town and how they add to the mood of it. Skeptics on the other end are already sneering on the prospect that this game is one giant cutscene, but Life is Strange prods itself to be more akin to a point and click adventure, since there are no QTE events or fear of death as in other episodic games, such as The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us. Instead, players are encouraged to take their time examining the world through Max's eyes and while some quips and phrases makes people roll their eyes and scream cringeworthy, it lends a charming, immature nature to the game. Max is no superhero and the way she goes about her day even with time traveling abilities is much the same, through her thoughts are centered around her new profound ability to reverse time. In this game's mechanics, reversing time is used to retrieve and use new information to persuade, solve mundane tasks and issues, and even changing certain decisions if the player is not content with their aforementioned choice. While it is not mind boggling complex, the simple nature of it invites even the most clueless of gamers and it works well around the game's plot. One extreme flaw I do have to mention is the lip syncing: its below average. Sometimes it seems that the game was originally in French then translated to English till I found out that the animators just screwed the pooch. Other than that, LIS nails the mood, tone, setting, characters, and pacing in a single episode which can be completed in a slow afternoon. Life Is Strange on its first episode alone has given TellTale a run for their money on top of the episodic gaming scene, and The Walking Dead has two seasons already.… Expand
  4. Hack
    Mar 8, 2016
    7
    If you enjoy the visual novel genre of game Life is Strange is one you need to play, while it's not the best it's definitely up there and worth your time. It had quite a strong emotional effect on me whilst I was playing it, it makes you think about your own life and what you wish you could "rewind" and do over again.

    I would rank the episodes as follows: 2 > 3 > 4 > 5 > 1
  5. Jaynasser
    Dec 8, 2015
    10
    This game is one of those games wherein you play it and, for me, couldn't get over it for the next few months or years or so. I'd really recommend playing it. But if you're not really into the mellow, heart-gripping, tear-jerking type of game, then what are you still doing here?
  6. NightProwler
    Feb 29, 2016
    10
    This game gives you goosebumps. The first few episodes have a clear and followable storyline which lead to major plot twists in the last 2. Its giving you opportunities to get attached to all of its characters and make simple choices to help them...
    It reminded me a lot of Heavy Rain in the regard the story is told, but has fewer action sequences in it which makes it more of a playable    This game gives you goosebumps. The first few episodes have a clear and followable storyline which lead to major plot twists in the last 2. Its giving you opportunities to get attached to all of its characters and make simple choices to help them...
    It reminded me a lot of Heavy Rain in the regard the story is told, but has fewer action sequences in it which makes it more of a playable movie than a game.    … Expand
  7. BSim500
    Jan 19, 2016
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This review is marked spoiler because the plot is primarily what's wrong with the game (and it's impossible to discuss otherwise). By now you've probably read other negative reviews and figured out the problem - Episodes 1-4 build up a plot which Episode 5 literally makes zero sense of, leaving gaping plot holes in its wake and rendering the primary "gimmick" of the game pointless. You basically save the life of a friend in Episode 1 by rewinding time, then use that power from then on to help your friends. By series 5, you are "told" that use of that power has caused a storm that'll destroy the town. Your "choices":-

    Ending 1 - You "rewind your rewinds" back to the beginning to undo everything saving the town but causing your best friend to die. Great except it makes zero sense for two reasons as laid out in Ep1 : 1. You already saw the storm coming BEFORE you used your power for the first time (the storm is the opening scene in Ep1), so it wasn't using your power that caused it. 2: The "rewind time" is actually creating "alternative reality loops", in which each time you rewind, you spin another loop. So even if "rewinding" did 'cause' the storm, doing a "big rewind" won't undo anything, it'll just create another parallel loop that'll make the storm even worse... The storm itself makes zero sense and trying to "rewind the rewinds" is openly contradicted by some comments in Episode 1. This ending actually eliminates every reason to play (and replay) the game in the first place!

    Ending 2 - You don't "rewind time" and the town is destroyed but your best friend lives. After spending early episodes talking about dating boys, you then ride off into the sunset shacked up with her after magically turning lesbian... Given the developer is the same one who created "Gone Home", this "twist" really isn't a surprise. But ignoring that, "the storm" itself still makes zero sense as a "consequence" of your power given it was already brewing before you initially used your power (which is never explained HOW or WHY you got it)...

    There are a lot of other "issues" as well : Adults writing as "with-it teenagers" is never easy, but every 18-21 year old in the game seems to still act like the worst Hollywood stereotypes of the 12-16 age group. Writing was cringe-worthy in many lines and the whole "high school drama queen" theme felt more annoying than immersive. Likewise, hardly any of the characters were actually likeable. Two or three of your "friends" (including the girl you 'save' Chloe) were unfriendly, petty and annoying enough to want to not save. What on the surface of some interactions appears as an initial "air of intellectualism", later gets shown to be cheap attempts at emotional manipulation followed by screwing up the plot after a bloated script collapses under its own weight. By that I don't mean it's "difficult to understand" but rather they introduced so much "stuff" regarding other characters on top of the main plot, by the time the end came they either forgot or lacked time / money to wrap everything up they introduced.

    In short "Life Is Strange" is another of those "your choices really really matter this time" point and click adventure games where not only do most of your choices not matter in the slightest, the only important choice you do make 5 mins before the end of Episode 5 wipes out all of your choices anyway yet still makes no sense either way...    … Expand
  8. objectivelytrue
    Dec 10, 2015
    2
    The only reason to play an adventure game is for story, if you're an adult, have read books, have played games considered the best in setting and story, this will seem like an inept teen tale. Because it is. Since I didn't like the story, there was nothing left for me and I quit out. I won't bother to mention the technical difficulties because obviously the children who like it are willingThe only reason to play an adventure game is for story, if you're an adult, have read books, have played games considered the best in setting and story, this will seem like an inept teen tale. Because it is. Since I didn't like the story, there was nothing left for me and I quit out. I won't bother to mention the technical difficulties because obviously the children who like it are willing to put up with it, and I won't play a bad game even if it's designed well everywhere else. Negative points for being episodic.… Expand
  9. TheCyborgFalcon
    Dec 7, 2015
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Story looks great. Gameplay isn't worth it. How to do puzzles: Look for a solution. Oh no, did you fail? Rewind time. I only played the first chapter, but if the Gameplay isn't engaging from the start, I'm not going to buy more episodes (don't get me started on episodic releases. I'd rather watch this as a movie, but even then the characters are so fake with their "trendy and cool" dialogue attempting to appeal to younger audiences.… Expand
  10. GeneralTreesap
    Nov 18, 2015
    10
    You should not be reading this review. Play the game now! 10/10 You should not be reading this review. Play the game now! 10/10 You should not be reading this review. Play the game now! 10/10
  11. AMX
    Dec 6, 2015
    9
    This is the best i have played in a while. Good graphics, good history, amazing characters. Even when the choices doenst make a big impact, they are still pretty relevant, and well, the best i can say is the fact i feel that empty that you got when you play a good game. Is **** great.
  12. high_gamer
    Dec 8, 2015
    9
    Must play for any story gamer. It has my single most powerful and emotional moment i've ever had playing a game. The less you know the better so go play it right now.
    Has always the only issue with the these of games are the technical ones like lipsynching and general graphics. But again doesn't matter when the story is this good.
  13. DLight03
    Oct 2, 2015
    9
    As close to perfect of a game that I have played of this type. Life is Strange is a brilliant, emotional, thought-provoking game that raises the bar and will reach out and grab anyone that enjoys a great story, great characters and a world that is rich in nuanced detail that helps bring everything to life. If you had any reservations about putting yourself into the shoes of a teenage girl,As close to perfect of a game that I have played of this type. Life is Strange is a brilliant, emotional, thought-provoking game that raises the bar and will reach out and grab anyone that enjoys a great story, great characters and a world that is rich in nuanced detail that helps bring everything to life. If you had any reservations about putting yourself into the shoes of a teenage girl, don't, because this game is nothing like it might seem and truly a masterful creation. If you love Telltale-style games, you will feel right at home as it borrows unabashedly from the leading works im the genre, with its own twists woven into the game's mechanics.

    The only thing that holds back Life is Strange is that it is a port of a game that was animated in another language (Ithink French), which means the English voiceovers don't accurately fit the mouth movements of the characters when speaking. It is a pretty major detail, although one you will quickly get used to as you immersive yourself in the story. A remastered edition would be worth it if it is ever released.

    Stellar, memorable game.    … Expand
  14. tali5965
    Oct 23, 2015
    9
    Life is strange is my Game of the year for me so far. I have never played a game where I cried four times. This game talks about subjects that no games have talked about, such as suicide,depression,mental health. It is a really dark and emotional story, that makes you attached to the characters. The music fits in the indie folk feeling of the game. I like how they designed to fit in theLife is strange is my Game of the year for me so far. I have never played a game where I cried four times. This game talks about subjects that no games have talked about, such as suicide,depression,mental health. It is a really dark and emotional story, that makes you attached to the characters. The music fits in the indie folk feeling of the game. I like how they designed to fit in the right music at the right time, this makes the scenes more emotional.… Expand
  15. ahs1999
    Nov 26, 2015
    9
    A fantastic game with great music and best last episode ever...
    It has a great drama and a lot of advantures ...
    with a great game play and color combination ...
  16. Srezzly
    Oct 13, 2016
    9
    fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantasticfantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic fantastic… Expand
  17. aristotle61
    Jul 4, 2016
    0
    I really have to wonder about these reviews. This game, if you can call it that, fails on so many levels. The dialogue and pretentious politically correct nonsense makes it hard to keep playing even after only a few minutes of game play. Add to this the absurdity of the story from the opening minutes of the game, and I found myself constantly asking myself who could like this game?

    The    I really have to wonder about these reviews. This game, if you can call it that, fails on so many levels. The dialogue and pretentious politically correct nonsense makes it hard to keep playing even after only a few minutes of game play. Add to this the absurdity of the story from the opening minutes of the game, and I found myself constantly asking myself who could like this game?

    The dialogue literally made me cringe, and based on how quickly and thoroughly the game hits you with so many political messages, the mindset and political leanings of the developer become crystal clear. In just a few minutes you get an anti-gun message, an anti-bullying message (when will the bullying of minorities by white people stop?), a rich people are bad and can do whatever they want message, a men are sexist message, a climate change message, and of course, virtually all of the bad people are white. There is mention of a Vortex Club that is, apparently, bad, and filled with people who think they are better than everyone else. Your character points out a black student who is a member of this club, and for just a moment, I thought they might actually have a minority student who is being portrayed as something other than good or a victim, but just as soon as Max (the avatar) points out this student, she qualifies him as an exception. Whew! That would have been racist! And of course we can't forget about the Native Americans. You just have to mention them. Even if there is no reason too. (Just don't mention the native Indians of Mexico who were wiped out by the Spanish.) All of this in just the opening minutes of the game. It's amazing that no one else mentions this in any reviews.

    All of that nonsense aside, the game interface and pacing are awful. The characters are terrible. The graphics are lousy. However, if you like clicking on objects and hearing things like: "This is a camera, it is really cool.", and "This is a plasma TV that is really awesome!", or "They must have really spent bank on these computers!', then maybe this game is for you. It's also very "clever" how they are able to stretch out the game to avoid having too much actual content. After an initial boring sequence, the game actually makes you repeat the same sequence listening to the same painful dialogue again. What's not to like, right? This review is based on the first episode only. I'm sorry, but I couldn't bear going on any further.    … Expand
  18. Adast_Adamov
    Dec 20, 2015
    6
    I just can't understand...How the game that started so good, can have such awful endings? Not only they make all your previous choices pointless, they also didn't explain anything in the end.
  19. Strid3r
    Jun 21, 2015
    10
    An absolutely outstanding game.

    I bought 'Life is Strange' as it was very similar to 'Telltale' games, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. However, the characters at first didn't seem to have any connection to me, unlike 'Telltale's The Walking Dead' which I felt strong connections to each character. But to my surprise, I had emotions for the characters and thought deep and hard on what    An absolutely outstanding game.

    I bought 'Life is Strange' as it was very similar to 'Telltale' games, which I have thoroughly enjoyed. However, the characters at first didn't seem to have any connection to me, unlike 'Telltale's The Walking Dead' which I felt strong connections to each character. But to my surprise, I had emotions for the characters and thought deep and hard on what words to say and what actions to take.

    A great game, 'Dontnod Entertainment' did a great job on this game and I recommend it to anyone and everyone.    … Expand
  20. SwiFtPrvrt
    Aug 1, 2015
    10
    Talk about intense. Life is Strange takes a plunge into the pool of emotions and drowns you in the rollercoaster that is the story. You become strongly invested in the characters as you adventure out to find the truth on a missing Rachel Amber and the craziness surrounding Arcadia Bay. It's been quite a while since I've been able to feel completely broken and helpless after a gamingTalk about intense. Life is Strange takes a plunge into the pool of emotions and drowns you in the rollercoaster that is the story. You become strongly invested in the characters as you adventure out to find the truth on a missing Rachel Amber and the craziness surrounding Arcadia Bay. It's been quite a while since I've been able to feel completely broken and helpless after a gaming session and Life is Strange does just that. Important decisions throughout the game cause you to abuse Max's power and question your own decision making as it becomes apparent real quick that these decisions have CONSEQUENCES.

    While I can admit that I went into this game with a very "meh" mindset, the first episode grasped me in a way you can only explain by experience. Both Max and Chloe, while completely different in personality, really show how well they complete each other as best friends. It's these differences that allow themselves to help each other in areas of weakness, Max being more reserved and Chloe sometimes being even too reckless. Life is Strange is the kind of game that keeps me in gaming and remember that there are studios out there that still know how to tell a story.

    Can you enjoy a Telltale game? Then this game is for you. Even in a cruel world that is real life, Life is Strange brings a light that seems to seep through into the real world. Though this game can get dark, and I mean dark (oh lord we haven't even seen episode 5 yet!), the color and music brought to the world is quite fascinating. It's extremely difficult to give a game 10/10 for me, however Life is Strange has brought something to me that I haven't felt since The Last of Us and thus, I feel is deserving of my own 10/10 as that was the last game for me to receive such a score. While very different, they achieve the same in personal value and experience.

    Play this game... if you like a good story... if you like twists that'll make your head spin... or if you just want to play something that will change your thoughts on a few personal life decisions. This game has honestly changed mine and that's an experience I can always love.

    Life is Strange - 10/10.    … Expand
  21. Garibaldi
    Dec 2, 2015
    10
    Amazing game, i actually had low expectations from it thinking is just a copy of telltale games but it was much better then any of telltale games which i think they are very good. Graphics need to get used too in the begging but later you start seeing that they are very detailed and nice. Story and the characters are definitely the best part of the game. As i was following news about gameAmazing game, i actually had low expectations from it thinking is just a copy of telltale games but it was much better then any of telltale games which i think they are very good. Graphics need to get used too in the begging but later you start seeing that they are very detailed and nice. Story and the characters are definitely the best part of the game. As i was following news about game i found they will make a second part but disappointed as the main characters will change.… Expand
  22. WykwintnyKrytyk
    Dec 6, 2015
    10
    This is 10/10, Great characters, awesome music that fits in like gold, great story, its not for all but for adventure games geeks like me its almost dream come true game. If you like TTG products you will love this.
  23. stako
    Apr 14, 2016
    4
    "Life is Strange" is one of the most badly written and poorly designed, over-glorified modern story-driven games. Save for very few actually interesting moments, the game has nothing to offer. From the ground up, the game is set in a cliche filled world, inhabited by basic archetype characters, who do little to change things up or provoke a more-inteligent player. The puzzles offered are"Life is Strange" is one of the most badly written and poorly designed, over-glorified modern story-driven games. Save for very few actually interesting moments, the game has nothing to offer. From the ground up, the game is set in a cliche filled world, inhabited by basic archetype characters, who do little to change things up or provoke a more-inteligent player. The puzzles offered are dull and fall into the "time-waster" category, twists are extremely predictable and most characters have little to no actual motivation for their actions. And in the few cases they do - it's a thread that ends quickly. The plot offers solid foundations - the opportunity for something better is surely there, but the finished product can be bestly descibed as dissapointing. Missed opportunities are abound: taking photos is just for the collection, instead of a possible interesting mechanic, etc. The biggest problem of the game is that the protagonist's abilities make no sense. Not only do they rewrite actual science theories (while using others selectively), but they are inconsistent in the game itself. They bend at the will of the narrative, not to the player. Anyone who can think logically and has some reading experience in the sci-fi field will take this product as a complete insult to the genre. Sadly, that would be a perfect world. Ours is one in which this game gets praise for no reason, while actual gems are lost in the dirt. If you are a player, who has ever read a book and played at least a couple of good games in your life, stay away. There is nothing strange about Max's life - just cliches on top of cliches, covered in filters of unjustified reviews. "Life is Strange" is one of the worst story-driven games made to date.… Expand
  24. tomchee
    Jan 5, 2016
    9
    It was perfect, if it didn't have "typical american story" smell. But still, i loved it. So its a "typical american story", mastered :) Besides, it was only £9, so totally worth it.

    I never liked Telltale's stuff, so at the start i was suspicious. Great job DONTNOD Team, u changed my mind about this genre! :)
  25. atown16667
    Jan 6, 2016
    10
    Donnie Darko+Girl With The Dragon Tattoo+Breakfast Club=Life Is Strange. It also equals amazing.

    You can nitpick all you want over any game you desire but if you stop coming from a biased angle (reference intended) and come at this game objectively you'll find it to be a masterpiece. Yes, cell shaded like graphics isn't for everyone and yes, it isn't your typical run of the mill game    Donnie Darko+Girl With The Dragon Tattoo+Breakfast Club=Life Is Strange. It also equals amazing.

    You can nitpick all you want over any game you desire but if you stop coming from a biased angle (reference intended) and come at this game objectively you'll find it to be a masterpiece. Yes, cell shaded like graphics isn't for everyone and yes, it isn't your typical run of the mill game (*cough cough COD players cough cough*), but rating this game based off of those criteria is like rating a painting by tasting it, it just doesn't make sense. The story is amazing no matter how you look at it. It's meticulously designed and lets the inner completionist indulge in every little convo that is available for Maximus to have. All the game mechanics have been done before (Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, Walking Dead, etc..). Its NOT original just for those out there that praise its ingenuity, its just the way the game mechanics work with one another that makes it feel original. That being said, it does in no way take away from the game. It's like how everyone hates on quick time events. It only sucks if it ISN'T DONE RIGHT. Just look at Dragon's Lair for an proper example of quick time events done right. The characters were so developed it felt like you were participating in a movie which in some cases made this game a turn off for some gamers. I understand that everyone has their own idea of what makes a good game and what genre's each individual likes will be different. THAT DOESN"T MEAN THE GAME IS BAD! It just means you are not partial to the game style, so please don't come into a popular rating website and spam 0's across the board because you didnt like the style. Once again that's like rating art by tasting it....... it doesn't make sense. Enjoy this game for what it is: an expression of art, and I'll bet some of you hardcore COD players will begrudgingly admit that the game's developers really hit the mark on this one. Once again, be objective, not biased wehn playing games. Especially if you are going to rate them.    … Expand
  26. TitaniumDragon
    Jan 9, 2016
    8
    Life is Strange is about Max Caufield, a girl who goes to the prestigious Blackwell Academy, a private high school on the Oregon Coast. Or at least, the game claims to be set on the Oregon coast – in many respects, the game feels like it is on the opposite coast. The architecture of the academy and its racial demographics both feel much more northeastern than northwestern, and one of theLife is Strange is about Max Caufield, a girl who goes to the prestigious Blackwell Academy, a private high school on the Oregon Coast. Or at least, the game claims to be set on the Oregon coast – in many respects, the game feels like it is on the opposite coast. The architecture of the academy and its racial demographics both feel much more northeastern than northwestern, and one of the first characters you are introduced to is a sassy black lady, the likes of which is rather rare in a state where the coastal counties have 0.4-0.8% black people, and even the black people who live here generally don’t speak with an AAVE-type accent. But I digress.

    The game is about Max Caufield, a would-be photographer who, one day after her photography class ends, goes to the bathroom and takes a picture of a blue butterfly off in the corner. Moments later, a girl and a boy get in an argument in the bathroom over money, with the girl apparently trying to extort money from the boy. We quickly learn that the boy is psychotic, drugged-out classmate, rich kid Nathan Prescott, whose family also feels much like an East Coast establishment… and he has a gun, and, in a freakout, shoots the girl.

    At which point, Max wakes up back in class, and realizes that everything is playing out exactly the same. Realizing she can save the girl, she tries to excuse herself from class, but is stopped by her professor. At this point, she realizes she can rewind time, and does so, using it to her advantage to play out conversations perfectly to suit herself after exhausting all the possibilities. She then goes to the bathroom and desperately scrambles for a way to stop the shooting, eventually using her ability to carry objects back with her through time in order to prevent it from happening.

    As the game goes on, it quickly becomes a mystery – both about what happened to Rachel Amber, a friend of a friend who went missing six months before the story begins, and before Max came to the Blackwell Academy, as well as the mystery of why a bunch of freak meteorological phenomena are happening around town, including snowfall on a warm October day and large numbers of animals dying in the vicinity of the town.

    The central game mechanic is Max’s ability to mess with time. This manifests itself in two ways. In the first way, she can rewind events which just happened. The most common gameplay scenario, this allows you to play out every possible branch of conversation trees, change important decisions you just made to make them play out differently, give yourself more time to solve time-intensive problems, and even steal things by taking them, then rewinding backwards in time, keeping the item on Max. The way that conversations can be manipulated by carrying back favorable information through time is very interesting, as it allows you to gain information and ask questions without having to actually deal with the consequences of actually doing so, and to make things play out in your favor by being able to talk about personal things that the other person threw in your face to show how poorly you knew them.

    This is a lot of fun, and it also means that, unlike a lot of other adventure games, you can easily play out multiple variations on a scene and see which resolution you like the best. The game further plays with this by making most of the choices very morally ambiguous – is it better to keep quiet about Nathan Prescott having a gun in the bathroom, thus avoiding his ire and looking like a liar, or accusing him without evidence, thus potentially making him hate you but potentially setting up for other accusations to pile up against him later on? Do you take the blame for your friend’s pot, or let them take the blame for it themselves? Do you take a picture of a girl being bullied so as to have evidence to present later, or intervene and break up the argument?

    These decisions are frequently called back to, and a number of the scenes actually make you feel bad for the characters. A lot of the decisions also come back to haunt you more as you realize that the characters that you saw as one-dimensional jerks at the start of the game actually have a more human side, and you come to feel sorry for them while recognizing their flaws.

    If you like visual novel type works, this is probably closer to that than it is to a traditional video game. The plotline does not branch heavily, but your decisions are frequently referenced and mostly feel like they matter emotionally. If you don’t mind reading what amounts to a 20-hour long novel, and if the central time rewinding mechanic sounds interesting, it might be worth checking out the first episode, and then seeing if you want to buy the rest of it from there.

    If, however, games like the Walking Dead bore you, you should avoid this.    … Expand
  27. Janiuszko
    Jun 16, 2016
    10
    Don't you fu. cken dare giving it less than 9/10!........................................................................................................
  28. Toffenuff
    Feb 9, 2016
    9
    I don't usually play these types of games unless they're Telltale games (which are of similar theme), but this was on sale, I was looking to try something new and fresh, and it had gotten great reviews so I decided to give it a shot. Slice of life with a mysterious and interesting plot that leaves you wanting to find out what happens next, with enough hard choices to make that impact theI don't usually play these types of games unless they're Telltale games (which are of similar theme), but this was on sale, I was looking to try something new and fresh, and it had gotten great reviews so I decided to give it a shot. Slice of life with a mysterious and interesting plot that leaves you wanting to find out what happens next, with enough hard choices to make that impact the overall arc of the story.

    The graphics, overall art design, and music are excellent, the story is very interesting and "strange" as the title suggests, and the characters are real and compelling enough. Especially the main character, Max. She's great.    … Expand
  29. PedroLFerrari
    Feb 11, 2016
    10
    This game is one of those games that makes you keep thinking about yourself. At least for me I can take it out of my mind. Mostly because I was always trying to be myself while playing this game, so every choice I made was telling something about who I am. I don't know if this was something that was intended or not, but that is the beauty of this game.

    It is such an unique experience    This game is one of those games that makes you keep thinking about yourself. At least for me I can take it out of my mind. Mostly because I was always trying to be myself while playing this game, so every choice I made was telling something about who I am. I don't know if this was something that was intended or not, but that is the beauty of this game.

    It is such an unique experience that makes this game deserve a 10. Sometimes it gets really messy and confusing. Max adventure is very well written and it is a huge rollercoaster. But if you like GREAT stories, and if you want to get one of the most unique games on the last years do yourself a favor and play this game.    … Expand
  30. Tehpava
    Oct 23, 2015
    10
    This might be one of the best game ever made. The story about Max and her friends is perfectly written, and the end is not so foregone. Everyone should play this little pearl. Good job Dontnod
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Awards & Rankings

32
#32 Best PC Game of 2015
8
#8 Most Discussed PC Game of 2015
19
#19 Most Shared PC Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. Softpedia
    Jan 28, 2016
    85
    Life Is Strange is an imperfect video game and the actual mechanics of playing it, including the time rewind, can become annoying of frustrating, especially when the development team tries to borrow from another genre. But the game makes it easy to create a connection with Max and to care about her choices and trials, a rare feat, and that means any fan of narrative-driven experiences should try it out to see how he deals with the feelings of the protagonist and the impact they have on Arcadia Bay.
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  2. PCWorld
    Jan 19, 2016
    80
    Life is Strange is flawed, but this paranormal coming-of-age story is nevertheless refreshing proof that small stakes can still feel important, given strong characters.
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  3. IGN Spain
    Jan 18, 2016
    86
    Life is Strange is a brilliant concept that you will love if you forget prejudices.
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