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. EABanBoy
    May 30, 2015
    10
    The good: Astounding game that made me feel all sorts of emotions, I'm completely invested in the story and characters, and I would say that Dontnod does the formula better then telltale. Going off of telltale I have not experienced any immersion breaking graphical glitches (unlike telltale games where you will have body parts/ weapons fading through clothing etc) and the game tries toThe good: Astounding game that made me feel all sorts of emotions, I'm completely invested in the story and characters, and I would say that Dontnod does the formula better then telltale. Going off of telltale I have not experienced any immersion breaking graphical glitches (unlike telltale games where you will have body parts/ weapons fading through clothing etc) and the game tries to keep it so that the information you need to remember is provided within each episode (with one exception), which is handy since the business model has the episodes coming out every 2 or so months. The time travel mechanics are also very fresh (and thus unclear) and makes me wonder at the possibilities for time travel in future games.

    The bad: Some have pointed out issues with lip syncing but I have not noticed, also there is one exception to what I previously stated in that you do need to remember how the time travel mechanics work (which isn't very clear in the first place) from previous episodes, for example there were two puzzles in episode 3 which had me stumped for a good 10-15 minutes each, the first puzzle relies on using time travel mechanics in an unconventional way that you may or may not figure out as the game doesn't tell you (or if it does I don't remember it telling me which is a fault in clarity and guiding the player as several others have experienced this problem). The second puzzle I can't really get into without spoiling, but it was a failure in terms of game design, but not one that relies on the time travel mechanics.

    The ugly: Now for the business model, I abhor this business model (the episodic business model) and is one of the oldest tricks in the book in terms of television, it makes you want the next episode encourages you constantly thinking about it throughout the weekly, month;y or yearly, release schedule. This is a common marketing ploy used to keep you thinking about a product and is very effective in making you want more. However I am still willing to give this game a 10, which I suppose speaks to its effectiveness.

    TL:DNR Great game, while not a "game changer", like games such as Telltales the Walking Dead, it is still one of the finest examples of the genre and of storytelling in video games.    … Expand
  2. lakin777
    May 30, 2015
    10
    Life is strange might look like a telltale game wanabe but really its everything a telltale game should be!
    The story is custom tailored for this kind of genre and even though it might seem boring it really isnt.
    The game looks good,fells good and controls good. its lenghty and i actually spent more time going through it in my second playthrough which is my first in a plain story game.    Life is strange might look like a telltale game wanabe but really its everything a telltale game should be!
    The story is custom tailored for this kind of genre and even though it might seem boring it really isnt.
    The game looks good,fells good and controls good. its lenghty and i actually spent more time going through it in my second playthrough which is my first in a plain story game.
    I am really lost for words, and i really dont know how should i boast about this game more without spoilers.
    JUST BUY IT! best of all you can buy all the episodes one after another instead of the whole package!
    my second 10/10 right after portal 2 and hell does it deserve it!    … Expand
  3. Guerrino
    May 29, 2015
    6
    I hadn't even read something about this game before i downloaded it... When i played it some time i understood that it's not interesting boring and with bad language. It's good if game is based on real life. But it's not interesting for me. I found it so boring. Maybe i am an adherent of another games but the script... Not for me. But download this game and check. Maybe it's for you ;)
  4. SoulBackUp
    May 27, 2015
    10
    Can't believe 3 people gave this game negative reviews. I wonder what's wrong with them. Anyway, be ready to see some of yours 1st episode choices come back and bite you in the as ;d
  5. Dobhar-Chu
    May 26, 2015
    9
    Après l'épisode 3 :
    Très plaisant à jouer. Les thèmes collent bien avec les diverses événements du jeux. Jeu fluide. Petit bémol : je trouve les épisodes du jeu se séparent, pour le moment, assez peu de leurs lignes directrices mais on touche là, à mon avis, plus un problème de matériel (un ordinateur ne pourra pas prévoir autant d'actions/interaction qu'un humain).
    A suivre :)
  6. DarkStarFactory
    May 23, 2015
    8
    The closest you get to a Western slice-of-life game. A solid mix of and interactive film and a slice-of-life game with more gameplay and dignity than Telltale titles, decorated with powerful cinematography and ambience.
  7. Furiosa
    May 22, 2015
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really wanted to like this game. It does look and feel pretty cool for a video game. It's like one of those thought-provoking teenage dramas about life, death, and all the happiness and unhappiness in between. Unfortunately, I just feel that it missed its mark.

    First of all, the music kinda bothers me. It's relaxing at times, especially during the scenes where Max gets to sit down somewhere and a BGM starts to play as you relax with her and just chill. At other times, I feel that it came off as rather pretentious, like one of those movies that plays Coldplay's "Fix You" just so to be 'deep'. The opening scene with the music on-loop in the first episode was so annoying. It's blasting so loud that I could barely hear Max talking over the song as I explore the hallway.

    Then there are the characters. I don't know why people kept on calling this game and its characters realistic, when most of the character traits here were ripped out from your typical high school drama movie. You have your rapist jocks (right, because seemingly nice guys like Warren would NEVER rape people), your sonority snobs (whom, as opposed to Hollywood's lies, are the exceptions among real life teenagers, not common stereotype), your shy sensitive love interest, Warren (whose real life counterparts actually rape people), because every teenage romance movie has to have one of those, your hardass military veteran, your homey housewives who married to an a**h*** (because they always do in movies for the sake of drama), and of course, your 'nice girl' protagonist going into a 'good girl gone bad' phase - again, a trademark of many teenage drama. To be fair, you do get to decide whether if the nice girl stays as a prude or unleash her inner-punk, so it's not all bad.

    Half of the cliches I described above don't exist in real life high schools. Jocks aren't always the ones who are self-entitled a**h***s, sonority girls aren't always snobbish and selfish (Max even used the phrase "Victoria's Secret" in the game to inform the players, "Yes, this is a cliche sonority b**** who's shallow and insecure like all real life models..." except that real life models aren't like that). They even have your textbook versions of two 'slaves' that follow Victoria everywhere like in Mean Girls. One of them has to be the 'smart one' and the other is a soft-hearted ditz. FYI, life isn't a teenage movie.

    The worst part is that befriending Victoria doesn't change anything in the long run, as she still acts like a shallow snob in episode 2, despite my expectation of the writers showing her to be more than skin-deep. Moreover, not ratting Nathan out doesn't change anything either, as he still gives you trouble and beats up Warren anyway. The only significant decision is Kate's suicide, which you can't prevent if you screwed up too badly.

    The problem with decision-based games like this is their focus on the main plot. They are forced to tell the main story, so their choices can't affect that too drastically, like giving you a choice not to save Chloe's father and not screw up her life, handicapping her, while you join the clique of those stereotype sonority ditz. It's no different from Telltale Games in that aspect. You want a game with choice? Try Fallout: New Vegas or School Days. Both of those games have myriad amount of endings significantly affected by your decisions. As far as I'm concerned, Life Is Strange is as linear as a movie. It's an interactive movie where you get to participate in SOME decisions where you want the story to go, but you'll never truly change the fate of the protagonist herself, because the main plot is unchangeable.

    It's not all bad though in hipsterville. The game deserves to be hailed as an improved version of Telltale Games. The controls are more interactive, the cutscenes are of higher quality, the dialogues are more fun and quirky, and some of the character moments aren't actually as bad as I might have implied above. Despite the cliches, Kate the bible-thumper is not as innocent (or horny) as movies portray bible-thumpers, Victoria redeems herself a little bit when you choose to comfort her (though I still wish they would drop the ridiculous snob act altogether), Chloe is damaged goods and a pretty selfish bestfriend (something I could actually relate with in real life), and I have to admit, there were enough subtle differences among the cliches for the game not to be totally terrible. It's no Call of Duty bad, but the character writing is merely on-par with Telltale's The Walking Dead.

    There are some cool things the game did with the choice system, such as the rewind mechanic and dialogue opportunities you get to try out using the rewind if you fail to have a proper conversation. One thing I'm annoyed is that you can't answer correctly if you are replaying the game a second time (note that collectibles must also be recollected with replays).

    Overall, the game has potential to be great, but its flaws greatly hold it ba    … Expand
  8. Megamike
    Apr 9, 2015
    10
    At first I did not pay much attention, did not view any trailers and did not research anything on this game. I thought to myself: "Okay, it's only 20 bucks for 5 episodes, could be fun, I mean I liked games like The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us, might as well give this game a try."

    So I bought this game and I'm so overwhelmed by greatness, I do love nearly everything about this    At first I did not pay much attention, did not view any trailers and did not research anything on this game. I thought to myself: "Okay, it's only 20 bucks for 5 episodes, could be fun, I mean I liked games like The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us, might as well give this game a try."

    So I bought this game and I'm so overwhelmed by greatness, I do love nearly everything about this game, the plot, the characters, the atmosphere, hell gosh the soundtrack!
    Even though the Lyp-Sync is way off and there are some visual bugs like floating items (Can be fixed with future patches and is not game breaking), it deserves better reviews and ratings and it is my best pick of 2015 so far. In fact the only reason why sites like IGN gave this game a "6.5/10" is because this game has a very specific target audience, as for me, I'm totally one of the audience as someone who turned 18 this year and almost finished with school.
    I am so hyped for episode 3 which will be released in may and I am talking non-stop about the previous 2 episodes so far, I spend so many hours on talking with my friends about this awesome game.
    We (My friends and I) tried to analyse the game and understand what makes this a great game but it is nearly impossible to say specific things. Dontnod Entertainment really did a great job and for that price it's completely worth it,

    TL:DR Worth it! Buy it! Play it! Discuss hours and hours with your friends    … Expand
  9. jagdtiger1234
    Apr 3, 2015
    9
    Great game with great graphics (walking deadish), love the characters and the setting plus they really get the pretty little liars part of this game right as their is always drama (like in schools nowadays) but what makes this a great game is the writing, dialogue and plot being absolutely excellent making it one of the best story driven games I've played this year my only complaint isGreat game with great graphics (walking deadish), love the characters and the setting plus they really get the pretty little liars part of this game right as their is always drama (like in schools nowadays) but what makes this a great game is the writing, dialogue and plot being absolutely excellent making it one of the best story driven games I've played this year my only complaint is the lip-syncing (supposedly the lip-sync is French) and episodic layout (cause I'm not patient :P) . Overall I really like where this game is heading and after episode 2 I can't wait for episode 3.… Expand
  10. jamyjet
    Mar 22, 2015
    9
    One of the most carefully crafted games I've played. With a great, engaging story and good character development, episode 1 had me wanting episode 2 right from the get-go. If the other episodes are half as good as this telltale inspired episodic drama, then we're in for a treat.
  11. RocknJon
    Mar 15, 2015
    9
    The theme is new and the way they develop the story is very personal, great soundtrack and aesthetics, beautiful world and it seems very alive, from the characters to the environment
  12. mindw0rk
    Feb 27, 2015
    10
    Its fresh. It has great story and characters. Its fun to play. The game was a pleasant surprised for me since I never heard about it before playing. Now Im eagerly awaiting for episode 2.
  13. Vunguard
    Feb 17, 2015
    9
    Alright, so, here we have a 3D point-and-click adventure game by a company called Dontnod Entertainment operating on a moderately down-to-earth scenario involving college drama mixed with a touch of Prince of Persia time-reversal weaved into the narrative (I did say "moderately" down-to-earth). I'll be honest, it sounds a little like something that David Cage would make if he joinedAlright, so, here we have a 3D point-and-click adventure game by a company called Dontnod Entertainment operating on a moderately down-to-earth scenario involving college drama mixed with a touch of Prince of Persia time-reversal weaved into the narrative (I did say "moderately" down-to-earth). I'll be honest, it sounds a little like something that David Cage would make if he joined Telltale Games, but it's actually a lot better than that and something I heartily recommend, though with a massive pulsating asterisk on it. If you have little patience for high-school antics and slang, then you will find this game incredibly trying.

    First, characters. Honestly speaking, the characters here are very believable and you can generally tell the kind of people they're supposed to be, but with one exception they act like people, not just caricatures. The main character, Max, is a quiet art student type girl, and seems to have a lot of self-doubt, if her inner-monologue is anything to go by, but she's pretty relatable, especially for introverts. Most of the supporting cast you can see working out well with interesting potential, though I admit that I'm /very/ concerned about how certain people wind up getting portrayed mostly due to what they might be used to represent. The (so-far) primary antagonist is... interesting to say the least; think of a spoiled rich brat with roid rage... I don't know what to make of him yet. But so far, the characters get a 10/10 for me.

    Second, plot. So, nothing wrong with the plot, Max moved back to her hometown to go to the local university as a photography student, and has discovered she rather spontaneously has the ability to rewind time, quite extensively I might add. The situations going on around her (with one spoiler I'm not saying) are quite varied and quite serious with the potential to go wrong, but so far are being treated maturely so I'm not too worried, but just know that they will be at least talking about murder, drugs, rape, and other such things, and not jokingly. My big complaint stems from the fact that I can so far identify what every character's role will be immediately and the aforementioned potentia ex machina. There's also a lot of variation of choice and little things you can change. One thing that bugs me though is that... this is clearly a high school story, and not just the characters but everything about the setting is clearly a high school. Yet for some reason they keep saying it's a college, and I can't for the life of me figure out why. If I had to guess, it was originally a high school story, but something they have planned for later episodes is going to be really graphic and they didn't want to show it happening to a minor. 8/10

    Third, writing and acting. Let's address the elephant in the room: yes, the main character is a girl named Max, and I wouldn't be lying by saying it's REALLY distracting. Beyond this though, I personally have a VERY low tolerance for terms like 'selfie,' so I weary of the slang used in this, but it's not poorly or inaccurately used for the most part. The characters speak like real people and the voice actors give wonderful performances--though I should note that some of the people are a little... different, not unbelievable just odd. My only gripe is directed solely at the word 'hipster,' because it does NOT mean what they think it means. Max keeps getting called one, but besides using a polaroid camera, she doesn't talk, act, dress, or in other way indicate this; she's just an art nerd. And then there's one girl that is so punk that I wouldn't be surprised if she wound up wearing a mohawk at one point, but for whatever reason she keeps getting called a hipster. It's annoying really, but I don't know if it's an intentional mistake to show ignorance of the characters or just the writers using a hot word. 9/10

    Graphics, gameplay, and glitches. No glitches to speak of. Graphically... it's quite good for using Unreal Engine, especially the effects and atmosphere, but note that that involves words 'Unreal Engine.' There's something odd about the modeling I can't place, it's not ugly but it needs a little touching up. That said though, the effects and lighting are AMAZING. The point-and-click interface is wonky to get used to, but functional in the end, and the way they handle the time travel is actually quite nice (think longer-ranged Prince of Persia). 9/10

    Overall: So long as you can overlook the pseudo-high-school setting and some abuse of modern language, then this is a wonderful Telltale-style adventure game with a somewhat predictable but solid and engaging story. The characters are interesting, and I DO hope to affect what happens to them... even if I'm thinking of ways I can drop one or two of them off cliffs.    … Expand
  14. falcone1
    Feb 10, 2015
    10
    Telltale Games стоит пересмотреть своё отношение к играм, с віходом таких проектов,как Life is Strange, их лидерство в жанре "Интерактивной драмы" уже не кажется таким очевидным, качественная режиссура и отличное повествование на голову превосходит те же эпизоды "Игры Престолов". Игра очень сильно напоминает Heavy Rain, но имеет собственный стиль и затягивает не хуже проектов ДэвидаTelltale Games стоит пересмотреть своё отношение к играм, с віходом таких проектов,как Life is Strange, их лидерство в жанре "Интерактивной драмы" уже не кажется таким очевидным, качественная режиссура и отличное повествование на голову превосходит те же эпизоды "Игры Престолов". Игра очень сильно напоминает Heavy Rain, но имеет собственный стиль и затягивает не хуже проектов Дэвида Кейджа. От меня 10 авансом, в надежде на то, что последующие эпизоды будут не менее интересны.… Expand
  15. Scruzzer
    Feb 8, 2015
    9
    I normally don't play these types of games, so I had extremely low expectations going in. This goes far beyond the point and click adventure game. On first play I was dismissing this as a game targeting teen girls. And then suddenly it got real. You know that rare moment when you play a new game and then suddenly you "get it" and then a massive hammer of possibilities hits you in the face?I normally don't play these types of games, so I had extremely low expectations going in. This goes far beyond the point and click adventure game. On first play I was dismissing this as a game targeting teen girls. And then suddenly it got real. You know that rare moment when you play a new game and then suddenly you "get it" and then a massive hammer of possibilities hits you in the face? That happens here.… Expand
  16. MetaTruther
    Feb 8, 2015
    9
    Fantastic game, with a soundtrack that fits "guardians of the galaxy" well. Its visual style is appealing to me, if not cutting edge. Its not really that kind of game. The characters are like able and I'm interested to see where the story goes. The dialogue can get a bit cringe-inducing at times but if you can get past all the hellas the its pretty solid. Ignore that fool YungDizuck's badFantastic game, with a soundtrack that fits "guardians of the galaxy" well. Its visual style is appealing to me, if not cutting edge. Its not really that kind of game. The characters are like able and I'm interested to see where the story goes. The dialogue can get a bit cringe-inducing at times but if you can get past all the hellas the its pretty solid. Ignore that fool YungDizuck's bad review as he Obviously didn't play the game. There are No QTEs, which I found to be refreshing.… Expand
  17. rodericrinehart
    Feb 7, 2015
    9
    I really enjoyed this game. I am confident I will remember the game years from now, and I can only hope we find more games from all publishers like this in the future. I enjoyed the female protagonist, the Telltale-influences gameplay, and beautifully created world. It is not just a "walking simulator" like Gone Home (which I also enjoyed), and has more depth than The Walking Dead or TheI really enjoyed this game. I am confident I will remember the game years from now, and I can only hope we find more games from all publishers like this in the future. I enjoyed the female protagonist, the Telltale-influences gameplay, and beautifully created world. It is not just a "walking simulator" like Gone Home (which I also enjoyed), and has more depth than The Walking Dead or The Wolf Among Us.

    The time rewind feature adds an interesting twist to adventure gameplay. It doesn't feel like "cheating" because although you might know the immediate consequences of your decision, you can't rewind past maybe 30 seconds and you can't see how these things will affect the future.

    I am pumped for more episodes!    … Expand
  18. RAGE7788
    Feb 5, 2015
    9
    This game features high school related drama from the perspective of a teenage girl. I HATE stories like this typically, however the writing, art design, and atmosphere is done so well it will win you over. It tells a very human story while exploring the supernatural. The characters you interact with are entertaining and the story has a lot of heart to it. You are given the opportunity toThis game features high school related drama from the perspective of a teenage girl. I HATE stories like this typically, however the writing, art design, and atmosphere is done so well it will win you over. It tells a very human story while exploring the supernatural. The characters you interact with are entertaining and the story has a lot of heart to it. You are given the opportunity to make several decisions that will impact future episodes, which gives you significant input over the direction of the story. The time travel mechanic is used so well in this game as you try to solve puzzles, rewinding time to manipulate people and objects to your advantage. It is a great buy for $5, i am happily surprised and i am waiting for the next episode!!… Expand
  19. YungDizuck
    Feb 5, 2015
    4
    This is an example of a game that takes many disparate supposed influences, then implements all of them badly. As usual with my reviews, I'm going to start off with the aesthetics of the game, then talk about the writing and dialogue, then conclude with mechanics, then summarize. Let's get started.

    First up, Life is Strange's design choices look like something that was put together by    This is an example of a game that takes many disparate supposed influences, then implements all of them badly. As usual with my reviews, I'm going to start off with the aesthetics of the game, then talk about the writing and dialogue, then conclude with mechanics, then summarize. Let's get started.

    First up, Life is Strange's design choices look like something that was put together by someone who has only experienced American youth culture secondhand. It takes extreme examples of some icons, then copy/pastes them together in some "hella" strange mixture of stereotypes that sort of belong in a satirical movie, ( which, in my opinion, this "game" desperately wants to be, but we'll get to that later.)
    You have the hipster teacher, complete with the stereotypical thick glasses, the well intentioned white knight Warren, Chloe, then of course, Max Caulfield. All of which would be great in a movie like say, Junebug. I find it rather flat and uninspiring. But hey, looks aren't everything right? Let's move on. The animation and graphics are quite dated looking, and the interface felt clunky.

    So let's talk about the writing. It bills itself as inspired by Twin Peaks, Donnie Darko, Groundhog Day, etc, yet captures nothing of the charm of any of those movies. The dialogue once again, felt like a satirized version of something someone heard that one time, from that really obnoxious teenager in that one movie. The dialogue is pretty cringey, and the portrayal of a lot of the characters in the game left me feeling no sense of attachment to any of them. I wonder how badly you have to miss the mark, if you have to bill yourself more to fans of movies, rather than gamers? I digress.

    Mechanically, again, the game feels clunky, it's a mess of casual pandering QTEs, and falls into some ridiculous adventure game tropes, which is odd, considering how much the marketing is billing itself as more of an interactive movie than as an actual game.

    So to summarize, I feel like this game is simply attempting to pander to the Telltale market, but ultimately fails to find anything in common with that demographic. If you're a fan of walking simulators like Gone Home, you'd probably find a lot to like here, but for a core gamer looking for something to actually play, I couldn't recommend spending money on it. There are better games out there with time rewinding mechanics, if that's your hook. I give it a solid 4 to a 5 at best. For fans of the genre only.    … Expand
  20. Esfar
    Feb 3, 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
  21. izazael
    Feb 2, 2015
    10
    There are some fancy quotes out there saying this is a cross between Gone Home, [Telltale Game's] The Walking Dead, and Twin Peaks -- and Life is Strange makes no apologies for that; the musical direction and general vibe is akin to Gone Home, the interactive storytelling is akin to Telltale Games, and the atmosphere and story are unabashedly Twin Peaks (one homage is literally drivenThere are some fancy quotes out there saying this is a cross between Gone Home, [Telltale Game's] The Walking Dead, and Twin Peaks -- and Life is Strange makes no apologies for that; the musical direction and general vibe is akin to Gone Home, the interactive storytelling is akin to Telltale Games, and the atmosphere and story are unabashedly Twin Peaks (one homage is literally driven home).

    Life is Strange is an enjoyable cinematic experience that's admittedly a little rough around the edges. 10% of the voice acting is hit/miss but the VO for the main characters absolutely nail it. One or two of the "revelations" come a little too late as you've already cottoned on far beyond when the protagonist should have realised. These are only minor gripes made all the more visible because the rest of the game is so beautiful, emersive, and engaging that when you encounter them you have no choice but to acknowledge them. Don't let them distract you from how impressive this game is.

    I've got very high hopes for the next batch of episodes of Life is Strange and a genuine interest in how the story unfolds. Buy it. Buy it now.    … Expand
  22. Parappa
    Jan 31, 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
  23. RoxStryke
    Jan 30, 2015
    9
    Here is a game very promising and with a different proposal. It's not like the psychological thriller of walking dead (yet?), with choices of life and death (maybe yet), but its a game that make you sympathize with the problems and obstacles that Max have to deal with, maybe because the environment of high school and teenager problems. The plot is very good and has the potential to be aHere is a game very promising and with a different proposal. It's not like the psychological thriller of walking dead (yet?), with choices of life and death (maybe yet), but its a game that make you sympathize with the problems and obstacles that Max have to deal with, maybe because the environment of high school and teenager problems. The plot is very good and has the potential to be a very impressive story.

    I really enjoyed the high school problems, even being a cliche its made in a different way than the usual thanks to the possibilities of change the course of action and I hope the next episodes will bring the impact of the choices in the first chapter.

    The soundtrack is amazing and I'm not ashamed to say that I bought the game thanks to the trailer and the soundtrack in it. The graphics are beautiful and not too heavy, there is no try to make a perfect graphic, instead there is an art concept and is gorgeous.

    I know its only the first chapter, but I'm too anxious to the next to come, please March come fast!    … Expand
  24. StarCitizenZues
    Jan 30, 2015
    8
    So this is an interesting game that has a unique concept: you play the role of the heroine Max, a freshman college student, who realizes she has the ability to rewind time. Think “Donnie Darko” meets “Groundhog Day” meets “Brick.”
    The game begins with Max witnessing a cataclysmic event destroying her town, only to be thrust back into the present, where she witnesses her best friend being    So this is an interesting game that has a unique concept: you play the role of the heroine Max, a freshman college student, who realizes she has the ability to rewind time. Think “Donnie Darko” meets “Groundhog Day” meets “Brick.”
    The game begins with Max witnessing a cataclysmic event destroying her town, only to be thrust back into the present, where she witnesses her best friend being shot by the town’s protected and evil rich boy. She discovers her powers and the game takes off from there.
    If I have one major gripe with the game, it’s that you are just thrown into this characters life, with nothing more than a 8-page “journal” which chronicles the past five years of her life, and briefly touches on friends and foes. The game would have really benefited from a 5-minute intro that explains this girls life and gives a better clue who she is. On the bright-side, wonderful music, voice acting and toon expressions really do draw you in, and after some trial and error, you pretty much get it.
    I’d recommend this game to any interested in the “Walking Dead” series, as it does have that consequential outcome for the choices you make. Episode 1 (out of 5) is available now, with Episode 2 slated for March. $4.00 an episode on Steam, or $20 for all 5.

    Pros:
    Interesting plot and concept
    Story is fun and “time-travel” is a hysterical tool to turn the table on your opponents with “future” knowledge and manipulation.
    Very effective emotional communication between characters
    Wonderful music and voice acting
    Great lighting and effects on PC

    Cons:
    Just throws you into a characters life with zero background. Slows emotional connection between player and in-game characters
    Graphics are a little stiff (Unreal engine) and it can’t tell if it wants to be a toon, or live-action movie at times.
    Interface is slightly wonky at first
    While the “time-travel” aspect is highly enjoyable, it leaves those gaping plot-holes which leave the viewer to ask “why didn’t she just …?” Be prepared to pile disbelief upon disbelief and enjoy the ride    … Expand
  25. Overlord87
    Jan 30, 2015
    8
    The game is promising. Nice characters (a little stereotypical, though), interesting plotlines, nice pacing. The game feels a little clunky (not HeavyRain-level clunky, but clunky) sometimes, when you have to move around and do stuff, but nothing dramatic. Very nice graphics and soundtrack.
    Considering that this is an episodic game, obviously it still has everything to prove. But we're    The game is promising. Nice characters (a little stereotypical, though), interesting plotlines, nice pacing. The game feels a little clunky (not HeavyRain-level clunky, but clunky) sometimes, when you have to move around and do stuff, but nothing dramatic. Very nice graphics and soundtrack.
    Considering that this is an episodic game, obviously it still has everything to prove. But we're off to a good start, definitely. The only con is the length, just a couple of hours for a single run. Considering that it comes at a price of 5 euros, though, it's well inside the boundaries of what I'd call reasonable.    … Expand
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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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