Life is Strange: Complete Season

There is something wonderful about the first time playing this game. In part it is the story, the heart break and the unknown. Even with how some parts develop through the game, there is a story which sort of punches you with the 'choices matter and for you to live with'. There are some boring teen drama but that is expected given the age range of the characters and later on a few hide and seek rubbish I have quit lesser games over. I ended up owning this game more than once after playing it originally on PS4 but can not bring myself to play it again after finishing it once. Not because the game was not fun or well written but because it felt like a betrayal. My emotions could not let me play Before the Storm however, maybe one day but not yet. I would recommend this game when cheap if you are only going to play through just once but it likely will stay with you. PS, some banging music for you indie loving folk.

Plenty of films and TV shows got me teary-eyed. Only three stories made me want to hug the characters. Only two drained me emotionally. Only two video games made my cry. Life is Strange did all of those things. It's easy to nitpick the plot (time travel just doesn't make sense no matter how you slice it) or criticise the gameplay (not terribly involved) and puzzles (all quite simple), but that's missing the point. It's the emotional impact of the story that matters here and this aspect of the game is exceptional. This is done through very well-written and likable characters you can't help but get very strongly attached to, as well as by having the player make choices, both small and big. And this right here is the brilliant stroke on Dontnod's part: the game puts players in situations where they need to choose, and best of all - they can never know what far-reaching consequences will those choices have, making for some really tense moments of doubt and second-, third- and even fourth-guessing yourself. And some of those choices are nigh impossible to make, leaving the player an emotional wreck. Oh yes, and the story also involves some very heavy and serious themes. This is certainly not a game to be played as a distraction or to pass the time. On a more technical level, the game looks quite beautiful, features some very well-fitting music and the voice acting reaches astounding heights, with the voices of Max and Chloe being obvious but undeniable standouts. The only real drawback to speak of is lip synch, which leaves something to be desired. Overall, I cannot possibly recommend Life is Strange enough. I've never played anything like it and I don't think I ever will again. It was a truly special experience.

I see where they were going with this game, especially with it being similar to Donnie Darko which was a satirical take on teenage angst mixed with philosophical world-ending time travel shenanigans, operating like a coked-up Philip K. Dick piece (whom director Richard Kelly was inspired by). Donnie Darko wasn't perfect, but it was interesting enough. Life is Strange shares some of those elements, but it doesn't hold up like that film does, which I find unfortunate because already so many video game stories falter one way or another, including the highly-praised ones, Which, to be fair, I get why this story is praised more than the likes of, say, the Bioshock series, which is like a hackneyed Hollywood affair written by someone who took Intro to Lit and applied what they learned during amateur hour at a writer's workshop. It's not an absolute mess like that, it's more mixed, but unfortunately, going into too much detail on what I find both good and bad overall would be too much for this review. What stuck in my craw the most was ultimately the ending anyway, which I normally avoid spoiling, but feel a serious need to from here, so be warned: First, the idea that a massive death storm arrives simply because some random person is alive is absolutely ludicrous and makes it clear the writers wanted to force a tired ethical dilemma that's more superfluously dramatic than thought-provoking. In Donnie Darko, a whole reality was ending because of the time shift, here it's just a town under fire because reasons. Combine that with another in a long line of lesbian deaths in fiction and you get a pretty tasteless facepalm of an ending. Which, I get the two women don't have to be together, I agree. But then either don't do it at all, or do it for both endings. It wouldn't matter so much if not for trying to be inclusive. If not for the ending, I would've considered three stars. Better than most still, but that's not saying much. Video games still have a long way to go...

My PC meets all the required specs but the game will not even start. Tried the suggested fixes but nothing worked. The Steam version of this game works perfectly so its something with the GOG version! This is the first game I have had problems with from GOG. That said, I also bought “Before the Storm – Deluxe Version” at the same time and that does not work as well.

Heart touching. This game will sometimes hurt you pretty hard and make you bleed. Few games in the world are capable of that. The final choice at the very end of the game is terrific. Music and voice acting is very good. It's essentially a story of friendship, and hints of something more. You won't regret it, just do yourself a favor and buy it, being on sale or not. Play. This. Game. Thanks to DONTNOD for bringing this game to GOG. The only glitch in this game are the achievements. Those related to obtaining ALL the photos of an episode are broken.