The point-and-click genre goes time-traveling.
Full review (minimal spoilers)
Life is Strange (LIS) isn't the first point-and-click adventure to feature time-traveling as a major theme. Day of the Tentacle comes to mind -- a wacky 1993 LucasArts production and one of the first PC games I ever played.
But LIS actually makes time-traveling a game mechanic.
You simply hold down a button to rewind time and return to crucial moments. Do this to change a decision you regretted, or to save someone from danger. But you can only go back in time, not forward.
What LIS does well is integrate this mechanic into its plot. You are photography student Max Caulfield who's returned to small-town Arcadia Bay and, upon discovering your time-rewinding superpower, attempt to use it for good. Along the way, you get tangled in the affairs of best friend Chloe, who dresses punk and has a penchant for doing stupid things.
Life is Strange is like that TV miniseries you watched compulsively for its village intrigues and compelling cast of characters.
When LIS was offered free to Playstation Plus members in June, I downloaded it but left the game alone for months. A female friend from my church recommended it 2 years ago; then a guy friend from my husband's church raved about it this year. I thought it'd be a preppy teen drama I wouldn't care for.
My husband and I ended up hooked on it.
At first, we were simply relaxing with LIS. It was a pleasant break from more demanding games that involved running around wildly, being shot at.
Then we got involved in the lives of Max, Chloe, and the people of Arcadia Bay. And I mean involved. We really wanted to know them. Unlike his usual play-style, my husband wanted to examine every object in their bedrooms, so we could unearth juicy bits of information.
And like in all good stories, there's more to people than meets the eye. That bully you hate? You might feel sorry for them later.
You spend most of your time with Max and Chloe. I really liked Max as a protagonist. Her best friend, not so much. But Chloe grew on my husband, especially after Episode 3.
The story takes place over 5 episodes, which were originally released separately.
The plot does well for 4 episodes, only to disappoint in Episode 5. (More on that later.) But you can't stop at Episode 4 and abandon ship just when the plot's cranked up to its terrifying climax.
It's worth playing to the end. The characters are complex and the story much meatier than I had imagined.
By meaty, I mean substantial, heavy, and dark.
LIS deals with serious real-life issues like suicide, bullying, and personality disorders.
The game reminded me that everyday real-life darkness is weighty and oppressive; it carries a gravity unlike fictional darkness that's often represented by caricatures like Sauron or Voldemort. In fact, the game comes with a helpline message: "If you are affected by any of the issues raised in Life is Strange, please visit http://www.lifeisstrange.com/talk/".
It's rated M (Mature) for violence, sexual themes, strong language, and use of drugs/alcohol. You'll not want to play this with your child unless she's, like, in her 20s, though it isn't stereotypically explicit or gory.
Personally, I experienced a little vicarious trauma from Episode 5. In my case, it wasn't for the worst. I experienced empathy for the victim and anger towards the crime, which I think are healthy responses to bring back to the real world. But players with first-hand experience of LIS issues (e.g. bullying) may appreciate an advance warning.
As an effective counterbalance, LIS does a great job of making the rest of the game light and relaxing. Plot tension ebbs and flows over the 5 episodes as you go through cycles of contemplation, investigation, conflict, and confrontation. The game's almost-cutesy visuals (interface, font, etc.) and indie folk soundtrack are intended to set you at ease. Max's internal dialogue is amusing and light-hearted, as is standard with point-and-click games.
So, it isn't completely stressful! Far from.
It's simply better suited for adults.
You might enjoy playing it with a friend. LIS has the kind of characters you'll have fun discussing and reacting to.
Choices, choices
My husband and I took turns controlling Max. But we made mutual decisions about which dialogue options to pick, whether to be nice or mean, who to help, etc.
The game is peppered with interesting choices. And you can rewind if you don't like how they turned out. This mechanic isn't in place to merely satisfy perfectionists. Occasionally, you're forced to rewind, in order to solve a puzzle or avoid fatal danger.
The choices affect characters' attitudes toward you and the outcome of subplots. Your choices even determine whether some people live or die.
The game's final choice determines if you'll get Ending A or Ending B.
Now, these final endings were the main source of my discontent over Episode 5. That, plus the fact that Episode 5 wasn't as well-paced as previous episodes (thanks to a wearying dream sequence).
Both Ending A and Ending B were emotionally unfulfilling. Neither was sufficiently rewarding.
The resulting anguish had my husband and me cracking our heads over the plot, trying to think up better endings.
On top of that, we had to say goodbye to characters we'd come to love.
When the credits rolled, we put down the PS controller and stared blankly. After a while, we trudged to McDonald's to gorge on late-night junk food as an antidote to sadness, but the blues lasted 2 or 3 days. Now and then, I had an urge to replay the game.
LIS was over, and now we had nothing to live for. (That's what I thought when the Harry Potter movies ended too...)
So, I do recommend Life is Strange? I do, wholeheartedly.
But prepare for post-game blues!