I played “Life is Strange Episode 1” by Square Enix through Steam, a game intended for an adult audience who enjoys games that include a mix of exploration, mystery, and reality. There are many different mysteries at the start of this game, including the main character Max’s vision and her ability to turn back time. I argue that although this game has a clear emphasis on player freedom, that designers could have found a better balance between player autonomy and the narrative’s progress.
This game had a variety of different mechanics that allowed the player to develop the narrative at their own pace. In result, the aesthetic choice was very busy, supported by mechanics such as the ability to hear Max’s thoughts, the very informative and colorful resources, the animated directions that prompted the player to interact with nearly every element/character throughout the game, and the 360-POV. Additionally, the game allowed the player to steer the narrative by deciding Max’s responses and actions. I particularly enjoyed the clever mechanic of Max’s journal, which populates with thorough details as the player meets new characters. This element of discovery weaves the narrative into the mystery in a satisfying way that also serves as feedback to the player. As the player makes progress, they are able to see that based on the empty spaces in the journal becoming filled.
I understand the designer’s intent of centering the game around exploration and allowing lots of autonomy, but I believe that this level of autonomy made the game feel very slow. The game did not feel as though there was a balanced flow; I found myself being more bored and frustrated. For example, the overwhelming options to interact with the surroundings prompts the player to do just that. Additionally, allowing for different responses/actions further increases the time it takes for the player to complete a task. And on top of that, the ability to turn back time implicitly encourages the player to keep rewinding and trying different responses/actions. This design creates a loop that if done carefully, can provide the player with lots of helpful information. However, if not executed well, the player can get disengaged.
The storyline of the game also felt unrealistic. There were moments where I had to complete certain tasks that felt like a waste of time, such as the pipeline of trying to find a flash drive, realizing that a friend took the drive, seeing that the friend was having an intense roommate conflict, meddling in the conflict, and then finally getting the flash drive. The designer may have thought this series of events allowed for the player to meet new people and practice their abilities, but the tasks did not feel related to the narrative at the time. This helped me realize the importance of designing a narrative that is rewarding the player.
