Although they may not sport the most impressive graphics, complex gameplay, or cutting-edge technology, theLife is Strangeseries has amassed itselfa large following and has become an unmissable classic among lovers of narrative-focused games. Though the series has had its highs and lows, anticipation was high forLife is Strange: True Colors, which was released in 2021. Fortunately, judging by review scores from critics and gamers, it satisfied most people.
TheLife is Strangegames have hooked gamers in by offering up highly emotive stories featuring relatable characters dealing with common life issues. Players take an active role in deciding how their character will navigate social landmines, moral conundrums, and family problems. While a bit of the supernatural is occasionally sprinkled in through the inclusion of superpowers, none of it ever stops the games from feeling grounded.Life is Strange: True Colorsseems to have intensely studied its predecessors to learn what went right and what went wrong. The result is a game that has masterfully crafted the franchise’s formula to provide the bestLife is Strangeexperience to date.
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Life is Strange and the Stories of Everyday Life
Life is Strangepresents a novel experience, putting gamers in realistic but fictional settings and blending epic tales with the everyday events that make life challenging, exciting, frustrating, and endlessly mysterious. The introduction of the firstLife is Strangegame illustrates this beautifully. The game focuses on Max Caulfield, an aspiring photographer who is talented yet lacks confidence. When the game begins, players are thrust into the halls of Blackwell Academy. As nostalgia-inducing indie music plays, gamers are treated to sights that will be all too familiar to anyone who has had to endure high school. Whether it be jocks, nerds, skaters, spoiled divas, or spaced-out artists, every cliched-but-true high school trope makes an appearance.
Life is Strange: True Colorshas arguablyproduced the best exploration of everyday life in the series. This is, in part, thanks to the beautifully crafted small town of Haven Springs. The protagonist Alex Chen arrives at the Colorado town to reunite with her brother. As she spends time in the tight-knit community, she is exposed to stories that are brutally emotional yet not farfetched.
InTrue Colors, Alex meets Eleanor, a senior woman and florist who is struggling with her slipping mental capacities. Although Eleanor loves her job, she has to cope with the unstoppable march of time and its effects on her mind and body. Alex also crosses paths with Mac Louden who is initially unlikeable due to his intense jealousy, but his experiences are nevertheless normal human emotions that many players are likely to have experienced themselves.
Through the inclusion of well-written characters placed in a homely community that Alex can explore, the weird stories of everyday life are laid bare for players to immerse themselves in and pick apart in the safety of the realm of video games. WhilepriorLife is Strangetitleshave also featured their fair share of characters with relatable stories, none have nailed it quite likeTrue Colors.
True Colors and Its Ordinary Superpowers
AlthoughLife is Strangestrives to remain grounded, they feature some kind of superpower. While these superpowers provide avenues for unique gameplay mechanics, they can sometimes clash with the down-to-Earth tone of the games. Furthermore, they occasionally lead to plot holes and sloppy narratives when a protagonist has the power to change their situation, but for some reason suddenly cannot or will not use their powers.
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Issues with superpowers are evident in thefirstLife is Strangegame. Max discovers that she can turn back time, giving her the amazing and enviable ability to redo decisions that she regrets and to help out those around her when she finds them headed towards trouble. As awesome as the superpower is, it opens up a cornucopia of plot holes. Max’s ability to use her superpower is inconsistently applied, and it is difficult to track what rules or logic her superpowers abide by. At times, it is possible to rewind time over and over again and other times, such as when Max must help a friend during a moment of crisis, she is suddenly incapable of accessing her powers at all.
InLife is Strange: Before the Storm, a less fantastical power is presented. Instead of having the ability to defy the laws of physics, Chloe’s “superpower” is backchatting. With enough sass and attitude, she can worm her way out of difficult situations and intimidate those around her to do as she wants. Although it is less impressive than time-bending, the connection to reality helps the games to remain a sober reflection on everyday life.
True Colorsseems to get the balance rightby featuring a superpower that is exciting and supernatural while remaining relatable. Alex is an empath, meaning that she has heightened empathy abilities. To the everyday person, empathy is a regular emotion and while everyone will experience it in different quantities, it is a sense that most are familiar with. The game takes empathy to a supernatural level, allowing players to basically read the minds of other characters and also access memories left on objects. Alex’s superpower hits the sweet spot between being grounded and supernatural, managing to capture the best of both worlds.
Life is Strange: True Colors' Music
Music is an integral part oftheLife is Strangeexperience. The games manage to elicit nostalgic, melancholic feelings through their carefully selected soundtracks. This is apparent from the very firstLife is Strangegame. Whether Max is strolling through the halls of Blackwell Academy with her headphones on or letting loose and dancing with Chloe, music helps to make each scene impactful.
Once again, music plays akey role inLife is Strange: True Colors. Music is a source of fun when Alex is dancing with her brother, it is a form of self-expression when she is singing on stage at the Spring Festival, and it is a source of healing when she is dancing with broken-hearted Duckie.
There are more opportunities than ever to engage with music inTrue Colors. In the Black Lantern, which is a cozy bar in Haven Springs, there is a jukebox that Alex can use to play different songs. Things only get better inWavelengths, the DLC toTrue Colors. It focuses on Steph Gingrich, a music lover who moves to Haven Springs and quickly finds herself running the local radio station as well as the record store. Throughout the game, players have the opportunity to decide what to play on the airwaves. They can also help Steph craft a song of her very own. WithTrue Colors, music is no longer a feature in the background. Instead, it is something that players can actively engage with in creative ways.
EachLife is Strangetitlemanages to be unique, which is why every game in the series has its fair share of ardent fans. Some appreciate the first game for beginning the franchise, others loveBefore the Stormfor its focus on Chloe, and some players preferLife is Strange 2, which dares to venture in a drastically different direction. There are plenty of reasons to considerTrue Colorsto be one of the best installments in the series, simply because it builds on the foundation laid by previous games while avoiding many of their mistakes.
Life is Strange: True Colorsis available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. It will also be coming to Nintendo Switch on December 7.
