Life is Strange Reflections

If you haven't played Life is Strange yet, you're missing out.  It's a great little episodic story game that manages to improve on a relatively new genre.  There are several mechanics that make Life is Strange different, and in some ways more satisfying, than some TellTale stories.  Being able to rewind time might seem cheesy, but it has made me think about my decisions so much more than simply being rushed into a decision that I might not have time to fully consider.  There are also so many smaller, more intimate moments that give players much more insight and feeling related to the characters in the game.

Life is Strange has made me realize a few things.  Firstly, I am really glad that I am not a teenager today.  Yes, I'm getting older and I'm reminded of this every day, but I don't know if I could survive in a world where everything is connected and documented.  All your ridiculous teenage mistakes are easily accessible for a much wider audience.  A large part of the plot in the second episode revolves around some serious bullying of a specific student.  Kate Marsh is presented to players as a character who has strong religious values and tries to promote those values.  As Max prepares to start her day she runs across a group of particularly mean girls who are trying to spread a viral video of Kate at a party.  Players can choose to support Kate and try to keep the video from spreading or to simply ignore what is going on.  This situation didn't exist when I was growing up--no one carried around a video camera to record every event.  Today recording everything has become commonplace.

Small moments like a bus ride are memorable.

I am also enjoying the smaller, more laid back moments in the game.  The fact that you can choose to have Max lie in bed and listen to a song or have her sit in Chloe's junkyard wasteland and ponder the situation is something unique in a game.  The soundtrack for the game has been very carefully chosen and gives a nice vibe to moments like riding the bus into town or hanging out in Max's room.  The scene in episode two where Max and Chloe were walking on the train tracks and talking made me feel nostalgic for old friends who I haven't seen in years.

Life is Strange is taking the episodic story genre into a much deeper and enjoyable direction.  I like only occasionally being rushed into my decisions and being able to change my mind.  The game has run so smoothly that I think TellTale needs to start taking notes--no annoying save game bugs, no horrible technical problems, and only a slight delay to the release date.  I'm rooting for you Life is Strange!