Replaying Life is Strange


Finally this series of articles about Life is Strange comes to an end. The purpose of this second play-through was to analyze whether the choices one makes matter. As the picture above states, supposedly every choice has an effect. Every gamer has seen this before, whether it was TellTale games promising a tailored experience in The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among us, or Bioware assuring players, “the decisions you make completely shape your experience and outcome,” in the Mass Effect series (After three games, regardless what choices one made, every player was allowed to pick from three final endings).


Players should realize it's impossible for studios to deliver a unique story for everyone but we still love it anyways. Until we realize it's a lie.

Ultimately, no matter what one does in Life is Strange, the player receives two choices at the end. And to expect any more is delusional.

But that isn't all.

The promises made by the Mass Effect team were astounding in their breadth: one could interpret Bioware's comments to mean every player would have a unique ending. Impossible, but three games of forty hours each inspired confidence. The ending disappointed to say the least.

But Life is Strange's promises are more restrained and the game only lasts twelve to fifteen hours. It doesn't promise anything more than that one's decisions will impact the game.


And they do. Every episode contains about four major choices and ten minor choices. Playing through the game every one has an effect: sometimes obvious, sometimes tiny, sometimes almost unobservable but they all do.

Of all the episodes, Out of Time was most effected by player choice. The choices in episodes one and two combine to a thrilling conclusion where Max attempts to stop a friend from jumping to her death. Previous choices and conversation with Kate alter the outcome. It's possible, by one's choices to have already locked in a result, but it's also possible to change the result through dialogue as she stands on the brink. And the final outcome can not be undone with Max's power, lending it a solidity most of the game lacks.


The results of Kate's life/death ripple strongly at first, a meeting with the principal afterwards felt dramatically different, but the effect dissipated by the end of episode three.

In my first play-through Max was kind, helpful, and reasonable, but in the second Max was aggressive, mean, and stood by Chloe no matter what. But it didn't matter too much.

If life is all about the experience, as they say, rather than the ending, then the game offers enough differences to please. This concept is highlighted by the last third of episode five.


There isn't much more to say here. If you're interested, I started using a new video recording device. I recorded episodes two – five of the second play-through. Remember I've just started doing this stuff, but if you have any comments I'd be glad to hear them.  And don't worry, video isn't going to replace writing.  Just trying tools out.

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