I was first introduced to the Life is Strange franchise years ago, when it hit the peak of its popularity in pop culture. Created by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Square Enix, the game series became a hit for its portrayal of teenage characters, atmosphere, and the underlying mysteries to be uncovered. In the original game, this centers around the disappearance of the character Rachel Amber and is furthered by the powers of the main character Max Caulfield. In delivering the narrative and the mystery to its players, Life is Strange takes advantage of its unique mechanics and the confining characteristics of the setting. While the story is physically confined by the bounds of the current setting, the time travel mechanic allows for temporal exploration where spatial exploration is not possible.
In a way, the architecture of the story can be analyzed very literally; much of episode 1 takes place at Blackwell Academy, the boarding school the main character attends. Here, there is only so much one can uncover, and you can only discover clues that exist in that physical area. For example, you can talk with old friends of the missing girl in their dorm rooms. These physical limitations also create barriers for temporal exploration, as you are only able to time travel within the same area and cannot revisit clues or decisions you made at a previous point later on. As a mechanic, this is effective in pushing the mystery if a bit weak in narrative reasoning. As a player, I was confused and a bit frustrated with this limitation when I first encountered it, and I struggled to see a reason why Max couldn’t do so within the bounds of her abilities. However, this provides a built-in pacing to the story and defines an “end” to clue searching. Without this, I imagine players would spend countless hours scouring every combination of choices and discoveries, as one might do if they were trying to uncover a real mystery. At some point, however, the player must move on with the plot.
This isn’t an immediate need, however. As much of the gameplay comes from using time travel innovatively to solve problems and uncover clues, players can use this with great flexibility to explore and discover as much supplemental information to help solve the mystery and gain more access to the narrative. Each area has side tasks or problems to solve that aren’t necessary to advancement but can offer future narrative rewards or background on the characters. On my playthrough I entered the area between the main quad and the dorms, where a girl was hit by a football as two other students were playing near her. Players don’t have to interact with her or either of the students playing and can continue inside without even noticing them. However, by rewinding time to help her, I gained a friend along the way that could provide information or a shortcut later on. The time rewind mechanic also means players can try all options when they’re faced with a decision, letting them see the short-term outcomes before committing to one. However, as choices are locked in once the player leaves the area, frequently the player makes a decision and doesn’t know what the consequences will be until much later in the story. I think this is an effective way to give agency to players in trying different approaches without trivializing the importance of their actions or the consequences. It also allows players to grasp all pieces of the narrative relevant to them at the time, giving them more information to work with to understand the mystery. The ability to rewind time also, by definition, introduces loops to the narrative, where players can trace their old decisions over and over.
In conclusion, Life is Strange uses its innovative game mechanics to further an ongoing mystery throughout the game’s narrative. The game’s narrative architecture, both physical and temporal, shapes the player’s experience, creating boundaries that drive the mystery forward while allowing for flexible exploration. While the physical constraints of the setting may initially seem limiting, they ultimately serve to pace the story, preventing players from becoming overwhelmed with endless possibilities. This blend of narrative structure and interactive gameplay gives players agency while maintaining the significance of their choices. Life is Strange immerses players in a rich and dynamic world where every decision matters, inviting them to unravel its mysteries and forge their own path through the story.
