Life is Strange

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2178 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,832 out of 2178
  2. Mixed: 217 out of 2178
  3. Negative: 129 out of 2178
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  1. CoreGamer1408
    Apr 29, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Well I played the prequel sequel first which was zero fantastical. This game really put my fave character from Before the Storm through multiple ringers in this one. This time around in the Life is Strange series a young woman coming of age is gifted or cursed with a fantastical power.

    The graphics are reminiscent of Telltale games. The VA and music really added a lot of class to the experience. The gameplay is fairly simple and so the experiences ends up more character and story driven focus. It took sometime for the Mono Max character to grow on me. The overall story was interesting, but I liked Before the Storm more, because of it's down to earth realism. Well at least I know how far I would go in a computer game between love/friendship versus altruism towards a town.

    The polarizing limited choice at the end was kind of frustrating. If messing around with time was a cumulative effect that caused a major environmental disaster? Then why would the logic of making another time jump even be helpful? It wasn't even clear how time worked. So risking a persons life on hunch seemed very illogical.    … Expand
  2. Charlybs
    Jul 24, 2022
    10
    Un juegazo narrativo. Lo recomiendo a todo el mundo. Debería ponerse como juego obligatorio en los institutos y la gente aprendería algo al menos. Un juego que no olvidaré nunca. En mi top 3.
  3. brendo214
    May 22, 2019
    9
    Life of Strange has one of the best stories ever told in any game ever. It's perfectly emotional.
  4. 4Nick3
    Jan 15, 2019
    10
    Life is Strange puts the player into an emotional Journey, you can't out this game down because of its story originality. Life is Strange makes the player get emotionally attached to the characters in the game very well. Life is Strange is a very original title. Rating: 9.6/10
  5. Ajbras
    Feb 20, 2019
    7
    I really enjoyed my time with Life Is Strange. The story was compelling enough to keep me engaged throughout the five episodes. There were enough twists to keep it from being completely predictable and the plot takes a pretty dark turn toward the end that wasnt really expected. The choices made you really think about your decision and at first I put a lot of thought into decisions untilI really enjoyed my time with Life Is Strange. The story was compelling enough to keep me engaged throughout the five episodes. There were enough twists to keep it from being completely predictable and the plot takes a pretty dark turn toward the end that wasnt really expected. The choices made you really think about your decision and at first I put a lot of thought into decisions until i realized that it really didnt matter to the story arc at all. The rewind puzzle solving was a nice feature that kept things fresh. I would have scored this an 8 - but the last chapter, in my opinion, really fell apart and was all over the place. I think the addition of some out of place stealth scenarios and a very jarring story line left a me wishing they wouldnt have tried to change the formula up too much. In the end - for a game i spend $3.00 on i was not expecting much. It was a nice filler between action games. Would recommend.… Expand
  6. XxAlbertoBuzzxX
    Jun 2, 2020
    9
    Life Is Strange
    ...........................................................
  7. ordePGamerSilva
    May 10, 2020
    9
    Life is Strange, without a doubt, it ties you to an immersive story and that you will want to play and live until the end of Max's journey!
  8. MrZfinger
    May 6, 2018
    8
    A very good, soulful story about a friendship that everyone likes. Nevertheless, the game lacks non-linearity
  9. KARF4GEN
    May 10, 2018
    8
    Начиналось все замечательно, но финальный твист катастрофа.
    В целом понравилось, после Теллтейл играется не хуже и картинка приятнее..
    Надеюсь на другие проекты от Dontnod
  10. TUCA_GAMER
    Jan 8, 2020
    10
    Um jogo com uma historia profunda e cativante que força o jogador a tomar decisões que vão definir o rumo da história.
    Life is strange aborda assuntos delicados como suicídio, drogas e abuso. Para um jogador que procura uma história emocionante e que faz você se apegar e se identificar com os personagens, Life is strange é um game imperdível. O único ponto fraco para mim foram os gráficos    Um jogo com uma historia profunda e cativante que força o jogador a tomar decisões que vão definir o rumo da história.
    Life is strange aborda assuntos delicados como suicídio, drogas e abuso. Para um jogador que procura uma história emocionante e que faz você se apegar e se identificar com os personagens, Life is strange é um game imperdível. O único ponto fraco para mim foram os gráficos que podiam ser levemente melhores    … Expand
  11. GODonyaONFiRE
    Jul 12, 2020
    7
    Esli vy odinokaya devocka, pochemu vy eche ne poigrali v etu igru? Slezki polit - imeetsya. Lubov' - toze imeetsya. No ya kak-to igroi ne proniksya Anal. otdel stavit 7 kolobkov iz 10.
  12. tewa_kanui
    Oct 3, 2018
    8
    Finally a game where the choices actually DO matter. Don't be mistaken, I LOVED the Walking Dead Telltale games but the choices there are not that important. Life Is Strange is a very important game, that conveys such a strong message and delivers a greeeaaattt story. It is kinda boring sometimes though, but I really liked the simple complexity / or / complex simplicity of the game. TheFinally a game where the choices actually DO matter. Don't be mistaken, I LOVED the Walking Dead Telltale games but the choices there are not that important. Life Is Strange is a very important game, that conveys such a strong message and delivers a greeeaaattt story. It is kinda boring sometimes though, but I really liked the simple complexity / or / complex simplicity of the game. The main character is likable and the ending(s) are very emotional, I recommend it of course.… Expand
  13. Maarten95
    Nov 22, 2020
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I did enjoy it but there arent really many story options. Everything kinda moves in the same direction. Gotta say the story finale kinda suprised me but the whole end lf the world thing was uncalled for.… Expand
  14. Q_C
    Oct 8, 2018
    7
    Life is Strange was, for lack of a better word, a strange experience. Made by Dontnod Entertainment and Published by Square Enix This game was a new adventure similar to the classic Telltale Games. In this game, you play as Max a teenage girl who has a run in with the fantastic. The story is woven perfectly and told a great pace throughout the first four episodes in the game. There wereLife is Strange was, for lack of a better word, a strange experience. Made by Dontnod Entertainment and Published by Square Enix This game was a new adventure similar to the classic Telltale Games. In this game, you play as Max a teenage girl who has a run in with the fantastic. The story is woven perfectly and told a great pace throughout the first four episodes in the game. There were many moments in this game that I didn’t think they would let happen, or let me play out. Things I’ve never seen another dev team in the same genre go to think lengths Life is Strange did. But with that praise, I was incredibly underwhelmed by the climax of the game where your final choice seemed obvious to me. The game was incredibly drawing; the atmosphere would just captivate me, and I loved walking through arcadia bay. The Development of all the main characters was deep and you really felt like the world around you was growing with you. And that only drug in the immersion in harder. It was breathtaking. My biggest gripe with the game was the graphics. I say all the time how graphics grated to me. Everything felt bad, Max’s expressions were flat, and the art design wasn’t great, and the lip syncing was abysmally bad. There’s a scene late in episode 4 where you’re at a pool party and the characters in the pool look like crowds in Smackdown Vs Raw. All in all, I loved the story and the experience made me want to see it to the end. It’s unfortunate that the end of the game was a mess of new mechanics out of nowhere and a lackluster ending to the cliffhanger left at the end of Episode 4. Also the Promotional Picture is hella misleading.

    Life is Strange gets a 7 Out of 10
    -Das_Dood    … Expand
  15. MawiCast
    Aug 8, 2019
    10
    Best game ever made... I love it..............................................................
  16. LaDix
    Dec 19, 2019
    10
    My favorite game off all time, good story, interesting charterers, amazing art style, fantastik soundtrack.

    And BABE over BAY
  17. Totomoto13
    Jan 6, 2019
    8
    Gameplay: 8 (The rewind ability was so interesting)
    Story: 10
    Characters: 10
    Graphics: 6
    Re-playability: 8
    Online: -
    Overall: 8,4
  18. TheRaggedFlygon
    Mar 8, 2019
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Life is Strange was extremely close to becoming not only my favorite narrative based video game of all time, but also one of my favorite games of all time — until I played its ending. It is a game that should be one of the greatest of all time but instead falls short of its ambitious goal by the time the game is done. Elements of the game design appear to be a paradox while many others are just meant for show. The problem with Life is Strange is that the first 70% of the game is phenomenal while the remaining 30% is mediocre.

    A big complaint many have regarding the game is that it starts off slow. I find this to be an advantage. The game follows Max, a high school student at a boarding school, and the game starts off like your standard run of the mill coming of age story. Of course the twist with LiS that Max has the ability to time travel. Time travel is what makes this game so compelling. It allows you to see the immediate consequences of your actions, but not the long run consequences. You take a gamble with most actions as you consider how it could affect you in the future. The first chapter of the game, while it is slow, lets you get a feel for the game mechanics and characters — it serves as world building.

    Episode 2 is when the game really starts to hit hard. The stakes start to raise of Max and her best friend Chloe and obviously the chapter culminates with Kate’s attempt at suicide. It was at this moment that I knew LiS was going to be a different game. Dontnod decided to tackle a complicated issue and at the same time punished the player for not paying attention to Kate and investing in the game world earlier in the Chapter.

    Episodes 3 and 4 are both more or less filler. You begin to uncover the mystery of what the hell is going on in Arcadia Bay all while continuing to experience the excellent characters of the game. Episode 3 ends with the introduction of long range time travel via photographs and Episode 4’s start allows you to go down an alternate timeline. The beginning of Episode 4 when Max is given with the choice to euthanize Chloe makes the player care for Chloe as a character. Leading up to this moment, Chloe has been a bit of a jerk to Max and this is the first time that I finally appreciated Chloe.

    Now we get to the end of Episode 4 and Episode 5. It is revealed that one of the teachers at Blackwell Academy, Mark Jefferson, has been kidnapping and killing teenage girls. And here is the first sign that LiS was starting to fall off the tracks. I enjoyed that LiS had thus far been addressing topics that were previously considered taboo by video games. That was something that made me enjoy game more was its willingness to actual address real problems that modern society faces. I was confident that this whole Mark Jefferson reveal was going to directly tackle the extremely prevalent issue of sexual assault in the modern world. I was wrong. Instead it turns out that all he does is take photographs of them tied up and then kill them. His crimes are still atrocious, but it feels like Dontnod pulled a punch here to avoid addressing too controversial topics.

    The ending of the game is the biggest let down for me. The rest of chapter 5 plays out more like a puzzle/stealth game as you jump through time and try to figure out how to save Arcadia Bay. Then, rather than taking all of the choices that you have made during the past 10-15 hours and creating multiple endings for players to experience, Dontnod gives players a binary ending choice and the credits roll. One choice feels right and the other feels shoehorned in at the last second. My disappointment with Chapter 5 cannot be overstated. LiS had the potential to enter my top 5 games of all time, but fell short due to the terrible ending.

    The dialogue in this game is also atrocious. I played the game in English while the game was written by people who mostly speak French and as a result, a lot of slang is very outdated. Nevertheless, the characters themselves are like able enough to make up for it.

    Overall the game captivates the player with its fantastic world, interesting characters, novel mechanics, and promising narrative, but ultimately the game fails to deliver a satisfying conclusion to live up to the hype.    … Expand
  19. mikemormai
    May 7, 2019
    7
    cara jogo legal, mais na minha opniao nao é aquiloo tudoo, jogo achei q poderia ser melhor
  20. ToshLichev
    Jun 21, 2020
    7
    A pretty good TellTale game...that wasn't made by TellTale. The mystery and storytelling are fairly good, laughably bad dialogue at times aside, and the time-rewind feature is a pretty neat addition to the "choose your own adventure" genre. The game never manages to do anything truly impressive or noteworthy but it's definitely a fun ride.
  21. Mehrab4K
    Apr 21, 2023
    10
    I fully recommend you must playing this amazing game . Story is amazing and i love soundtrack in this game
  22. Kostas101
    Oct 6, 2021
    6
    I really like the concept of High School and Murder Mystery, and I think that this game mixes both settings pretty well, the story is interesting, and there are some good moments in it, but there's one point in the story where the game takes a turn that changes everything and the story gets messy, with some plot holes here & there, a very boring & dumb antagonist, time travel powers thatI really like the concept of High School and Murder Mystery, and I think that this game mixes both settings pretty well, the story is interesting, and there are some good moments in it, but there's one point in the story where the game takes a turn that changes everything and the story gets messy, with some plot holes here & there, a very boring & dumb antagonist, time travel powers that do not make sense and an ending that makes all of your choices throughout the game completely pointless. I enjoyed my time with the game to be honest, Max was a surprisingly likeable protagonist, and there were some few other nice characters too, but in the end, I left with more questions than answers.… Expand
  23. M0NST3R_G4MING
    May 17, 2019
    10
    Life Is Strange is a masterpiece. The story of Life Is Strange has to be experienced. You play the game for the story, not for the gameplay.

    Story: First of all to the most important part of Life Is Strange (spoiler free of course): The Story. As already mentioned, Life Is Strange is played exactly for this wonderful and very emotional story. The characters are perfect, dialogues are    Life Is Strange is a masterpiece. The story of Life Is Strange has to be experienced. You play the game for the story, not for the gameplay.

    Story: First of all to the most important part of Life Is Strange (spoiler free of course): The Story.
    As already mentioned, Life Is Strange is played exactly for this wonderful and very emotional story. The characters are perfect, dialogues are well portrayed and the story is also thrilling, sad and thought-provoking. Life Is Strange also lives up to its name. The story is really strange at some points because of its special ability. That's exactly what makes the story so good! It's fun to follow the story.
    What I also like very much is that you can influence the story with decisions in the game. So every player gets an individual experience. That's what only few games offers - that's why you should definitely have a look at Life Is Strange!

    Gameplay: Now to the less important point (in this case): Gameplay. As a true gamer you would probably call the gameplay of Life Is Strange boring. I'm a true gamer and I disagree completely. The developers of Life Is Strange have placed little value on gameplay. The focus was on the story. Don't buy Life Is Strange because of the gameplay. You won't expect anything special here. But due to the EXTREMELY good story I didn't deduct a single point in the rating.

    Conclusion: Every story lover should have played Life Is Strange in any case! It's a feast for the eyes when it comes to the story. Very exciting and emotional. I also like to remember this story again and again. And I only claim that for a few Story games.    … Expand
  24. Turpal-Ali
    May 19, 2019
    10
    Люди не завышают оценки он просто прошли игру как и я
  25. ShadowTarzan
    May 28, 2019
    10
    Best storytelling in the game industry. Immersive... Emotional... Damn. This is pure perfection.
  26. crybabyyy
    Jun 6, 2019
    10
    That is the best and the most fascinating game i have ever played. Max, XO XO
  27. Huey_Kratos
    Jun 11, 2019
    9
    I love the story wish they had given it a linking sequel game. The engine improvements in the newer versions are amazing. Look forward to having more choice in the story in future sequels.
  28. AnasIbrahimy
    Jul 19, 2019
    10
    A **** MASTERPIECE !
    There's nothing more to add literally this game is awesome what a story !!!!!
  29. Luahanseng
    Apr 22, 2021
    9
    Completed on PS5 and in PLATINUM Trophy
    Game Completed : April 22, 2021
    Playing hours : 6-7 hrs It is the most engaging story-driven game that i have played so far and its music score is its biggest contributor. Even though the graphics are so outdated and stiff sometimes, they still manage to make each and every character relatable and charming. Up until now, i can remember each and    Completed on PS5 and in PLATINUM Trophy
    Game Completed : April 22, 2021
    Playing hours : 6-7 hrs

    It is the most engaging story-driven game that i have played so far and its music score is its biggest contributor. Even though the graphics are so outdated and stiff sometimes, they still manage to make each and every character relatable and charming. Up until now, i can remember each and every characters in the game. The ending though, is not the best i have seen.

    Story/Narrative : 10/10
    Gameplay : 9/10
    Sound/Music : 11/10
    Fun Factor : 10/10
    Graphics : 7/10    … Expand
  30. Pedro006
    Sep 2, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Awesome, buy it.
    Best game that i've played in my life, Life is Strange is very unforgettable in every aspect.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Best PS4 Game of 2015
16
#16 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2015
25
#25 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. PLAY! Zine
    Feb 5, 2016
    85
    An honest, sometimes even painful, story about friendship and finding yourself. Life is Strange is played with a lump in the throat and its ability to make a grown man tear up is its true "power".
    Read full review
  2. Eurogamer Italy
    Feb 1, 2016
    90
    The Limited Edition of Life is Strange doesn’t introduce anything new. The graphics are the same, as well as individual episodes that form this wonderful adventure. The art book and soundtrack are still a nice plus that could push some collectors to purchase this edition.
    Read full review
  3. Metro GameCentral
    Jan 21, 2016
    80
    Despite its obvious flaws the reactive story and compelling characters make this one of the best storytelling experiences of the current generation.
    Read full review
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