life strange life strange episodic graphic adventure video game developed published square_enix available microsoft windows playstation playstation xbox xbox consists episodes released periodically game plot focuses photography student discovers ability time moment leading choice enact butterfly effect having approaching storm max responsibility prevent destroying town player actions adjust narrative allowed travel time quests making environmental changes represent forms puzzle solving addition branching choices conversation began april formed episodic format mind reasons financial creative developers conducted research setting travelling pacific_northwest known characters player feedback influenced adjustments episodes story character arc serve central point game traditional graphic adventure like point click puzzles voice recording sessions took place los_angeles california release received generally favourable reviews commending character development game mechanic taboo subjects common criticisms included slang poor lip earlier episodes inconsistencies story sold million digital copies end july gameplay life strange graphic adventure played person view mechanic time allows player action taken player examine interact objects enables puzzle solving form quests making changes environment items collected time travelling kept inventory fact player explore locations fictional setting communicate non playable characters dialogue exchanges branching options conversation event reset details provided earlier permitted avail future instances choices dialogue alter affect story short long term consequences choices good short term turn worse later plot life strange takes place week october told perspective twelfth grade student fictional town oregon prologue begins max thrown vision lighthouse destroyed swelling tornado instantly class teacher restore proceeds max witnesses classmate murder girl single sudden effort time moved classroom informed following outcome rescue girl recently developed ability revealed person max saved childhood friend price reunite walk lighthouse nightmare max reveals capacity travel time known thought dream future event storm approaching disaster headed town following day max observes fellow student subjected bullying viral video depicting kissing students party suggested max suspects max visits mother works meets decide experiment max power secret hideout strains max results having takes class called courtyard kate roof girls intention jump max stops time unexpectedly uses ability attempt reach kate point opportunity convince kate roof come ultimately max vows uncover happened kate missing friend max break principal office night investigate search files insists entering pool swim campus security alerted comes inspect activity inside flee place morning max depart sneak drug dealer rachel friend learn rachel having romantic relationship frank lied storms feeling betrayed dormitory max examines childhood photo notice transported day picture taken faced chance save father william dying traffic collision keys car inadvertently creates alternative reality neck alternative reality max comes photo let save father instead uses decision restore health manages establish original timeline max continue investigation obtain clues lead abandoned barn owned influential family discover bunker hidden underneath contains pictures kate rachel tied rachel shown image buried secret hideout speed direction rachel found dead buried despair max follows school party confront believing target student victim receive text message threatening destroy evidence returns ambushed jefferson max shoots head max held captive inside bunker jefferson reveals kidnapping young girls order photograph capture innocence max uses powers escape photograph emerging beginning jefferson class informs stepfather head security identity jefferson caught rescued max afforded opportunity san_francisco photos displayed art gallery calls event realising effort storm reached bay max time took gallery photo eventually leads alternative realities nightmare story end max arrives lighthouse confront fact max brought approaching existence time travel abilities place way prevent time allow killed max choice sacrifice life save bay sacrifice bay order spare development life strange second title starring female protagonist remember disclosed developer diary project efforts potential publishers male protagonist place instead square_enix publisher intention change founder brought controversy context example great debate emphasis issue stand rest development life strange started april team people expanded collaborations commenced originally retitled distinguish film game born idea mechanic developer experimented game remember lead character max created ability time supplement mechanism episodic format chosen studio creative reasons financial restrictions marketing purposes allowing tell story preferred slow pace pacific_northwest picked setting purpose conveying nostalgic feel game development team visited region took photographs looked local newspapers google street view sure environment accurately portrayed decided early budget spent writing voice actors original story written french converted game script directors design team subsequently handed fine tuned english story character development highlighted point click puzzles making choice consequence integral narrative auditioned july offered auditioned max given role price recording sessions los_angeles california french developer brought holds significant differences remember game addresses similar themes memory identity life strange specified look human identity contrast remember digital view theme running improved version engine makes use tools special effects like lighting depth field engineered remember subsequent advances visual effects like post processes double exposure overlapping screen space particles artistic approach displayed lead character time textures seen game entirely hand painted adapted achieve art director called rendering elements adjusted based player feedback influences like walking dead gone heavy rain mind catcher additional source inspiration protagonist shares surname max game lead characters created known establish entry point player sake serving realism supernatural elements designed metaphor characters inner conflict experts consulted tackle subject teen suicide score composed band inspired modern indie folk music soundtrack intended inform mood game music contains blend licensed tracks composed pieces considered creative director experience featured artists include bright eyes message bears local natives matters angus julia stone mud flow release square enix announced life strange august episodes released digitally steam playstation playstation xbox xbox xbox live january october november publisher expressed interest having physical copies released game time added focused digital release year later retail edition set released xbox north_america january europe january limited edition featured soundtrack score director commentary japanese version released microsoft windows playstation playstation march tasked life strange released june released july day episode indefinitely available free xbox xbox reception life strange received generally favourable reviews having metacritic score playstation xbox criticised lip use dialogue critics notably lauded character development time travel component suggesting games like eurogamer thought best interactive story games generation declared sleeper hit gamespot called episode involving slice life works situations capture peculiar early college state mind game informer stated found subjects usually taboo video games impressive noticed episode strongest characteristic exploration ign wrote story ultimately script worse performances response episode time echoed view emphasis self exploration considerable impact enjoyment game critics opined ending emotional high point brought meaning choices second episodes writing pacing episode time slower exciting episode episode chaos theory thought dramatic improvement presented thrilling poignant fascinating narrative outcome past decisions added sense realism additionally game revolution complimented character beats particularly development price said comes fully formed character gamespot said quests interfered emotional quality episode built killer cliffhanger according deemed episode dark room easily emotional episode said mystery tremendous job keeping hooked telegraph regarded developer venture subjects like social division online bullying parental conflict suicide bold criticism directed cheap ways progressing plot character shock value resulting problems episode puzzles relationships given approval final episode commended having offered fitting conclusion coming age story relationship leads similarly noted having carried successfully stealth sequence described tedious place aspects inhabiting course events favoured reviewers essentially divided ending citing episode subtitle mirrored feelings sales episode ranked fifth best selling playstation playstation video games february life strange reached million sales july having accumulated million unique players worldwide attach rate units complete season season pass proved extremely strong square enix retail edition seventh place game sales chart week ending january awards
Life Is Strange