Life is Strange is a choose your own adventure game developed by Dontnod Entertainment and available to play on PlayStation, Windows, Xbox, OS X, Linux, iOS and Android. The storyline of the game is told in 5 episodes, and I played the first episode on OS X.
Life is Strange primarily follows the character Max Caulfield as she navigates high school life after discovering that she has the power to rewind time. The game unfolds through an emergent narrative, as players control how she interacts with other characters and the environment, as well as when she uses her rewind time power, creating a customized player experience. Overall, Life is Strange employs player choice and a unique time rewind mechanic to create an immersive world, deepening investment in its characters and illustrating the complex, unpredictable consequences of altering time.
From the beginning, the game throws you into action as Max wakes up in a storm and the player must try to navigate her out of danger.
(Image of beginning scene where player controls Max to try and escape a big storm.)
In this way, Life is Strange begins weaving its narrative as this intense opening scene brings the player directly to the climax, setting the stage for what the story will eventually evolve into and keeping players on their toes about how the plot will circle back to that dramatic opening. The player is able to use Max’s rewind time mechanic to exit the experience, and is brought back to her high school photography class.
In these school scenes, the player is able to look around the classroom and read things, allowing for explorer players to enhance their sense of discovery.
(In this school scenes, players interact with objects and people in the classroom to gather more of the background story. For example, in this image you can read Max’s journal to learn more about her.)
This part of the game also introduces the ability to make choices in talking to others with no time limit, which allows for exploration and player autonomy. After these choices, the player will be told if their action has consequences, and is able to rewind time to correct perceived mistakes, which appeals to players’ need for harm avoidance. On one hand, this ability to rewind after every choice makes it feel as though the player is invincible, with endless possibilities to choose from and room to fix any errors in judgment. However, Life is Strange is able to curate ambiguous choices that have long-term consequences, forcing the player to still be unsure of which choice is “right.” For example, at times, I was stuck in a loop of trying different possibilities, only to realize that both choices were unfavorable and I had to accept that I couldn’t change what was going to happen.
(Image of decision making process for talking to principle about shooting incident.
Neither choice had a favorable outcome, leading to a major player dilemma.)
This creates a sense of challenge since players want to rewind at the right moment and try everything for the optimal outcome, but it also teaches a valuable moral lesson that some mistakes are unavoidable and regretting your choice isn’t productive. These different adventure possibilities increase Life is Strange’s replayability, because there are so many different tracks you didn’t go down that you might want to explore later.
Throughout the game, there are moments of pure storytelling that drive the fantasy elements as we learn more about Max’s background and her social situation. These moments of exposition facilitate world building with character descriptions and a better understanding of the circumstances that brought the characters to where they are. This allows for the player to become more invested in the world and its characters, caring for their future and growth. The game also draws on sense pleasure with peaceful but lamenting music, and also employs key imagery from high school to give its primarily young adult audience a sense of nostalgia.
Each of the different areas in Life is Strange serve as a distinct level, with certain actions that need to be taken to solve a problem or learn more about the story and Max’s background. The design of these areas significantly influences the player’s experience and overall game mood. For example, trying to save a girl from being shot was a stressful situation where I had to react quickly and precisely, while listening to a girl tell the story of her abortion was difficult in a different way where I had to interact in a careful and empathetic way.
(Image of deciding whether or not to talk other character after finding a positive pregnancy test. As a player, need to decide between wanting to get closer with this character while also understanding the gravity of this moment and its ability to have future consequences.)
The puzzles are not incredibly difficult, but they appeal to a sense of play while also furthering the story as the player learns more about other characters and builds a sense of relatedness with them through being Max.
Even so, the excitement of the game seems to wear off after a bit of playing. The ability to rewind time is fun initially since it allows for player experimentation, but since almost any action can be undone, it leads to a sense that choices ultimately don’t matter. This diminishes the game’s sense of fun and challenge, as it reduces the overall stakes of decision-making. Implementing some kind of limit on what choices get a redo, would add more tension to each decision and be more exciting as a player to navigate.
(Image of decision making process after rewinding. The correct answer learned from rewinding time is highlighted as the correct choice for the player, demonstrating the inability to ever really make mistakes.)
Moreover, the game often restricts player autonomy by steering you towards what it deems the “right” choice. Max’s internal commentary frequently suggests the right course of action, which is frustrating since the game is meant to center on player choice. Removing the guide rails for players and allowing them to freely make decisions within the world would allow for a greater sense of agency and discovery. It would be more rewarding for players to be able to navigate challenges independently and learn from their mistakes, making the player-driven gameplay more compelling.
