Life is Strange: True Colors

Another entry in the beloved Life is Strange franchise! We have the amazing indie music, lovable cast of characters, a fantastically wild yet relatably grounded storyline. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll love, and you'll be in awe. It's safe to say this one checks all the boxes that make the franchise so great!

Here, we are introduced to Alex Chen, a young woman who went from foster home to foster home all her life since she was 11. She is finally reunited with her older brother after years of attempting to track her down. Tragedy strikes and Alex is determined to investigate.

Life Is Strange: True Colors is the fifth entry in the series and the third main instalment. This graphic adventure game is based upon decisions made by the players that will have significant impacts later on in the game, leading to a multitude of possible different endings and offering much replay value. The game consists of five episodes of roughly four hours of length which makes for about twenty hours of entertainment in total with all the side quests. If you play the game without the side quests, you could perhaps even finish it in roughly twelve to fifteen hours.

The story of the game revolves around twenty-one-year-old Alexandra Chen who leaves her foster home and psychologist behind to start a new life with her older brother in rural Haven Springs in Colorado. The siblings were separated after the tragic death of their mother shattered their lives and the father's failure to adapt to the new situation tore them apart. Alexandra Chen had several negative experiences in foster families and homes while her brother Gabriel spent some time in prison. Arriving in Haven Springs feels like paradise to the initially shy Alexandra Chen. Her brother is caring, dynamic and welcoming to her and she soon spends time with friendly new acquaintances such as park ranger Ryan Lucan and record store owner Stephanie. She even gets the opportunity to stay at her brother's beautiful apartment since he spends much time with his girlfriend and artist Charlotte and her quirky son Ethan who have their own apartment. When Alexandra gets offered the opportunity to help out at local bar Black Lantern by friendly owner Jed, everything seems to be going fine. However, appearances are deceiving as Alexandra struggles to understand the supernatural power that allows her to detect and sense other persons' emotions. Things take a more complicated turn when tragedy strikes on her first night in town. Alexandra Chen has to dig deep into her own past and discover the dark sides of this seemingly idyllic place to come to terms with the dramatic series of events unfolding around her.

This game convinces on numerous levels. First of all, the location of Haven Springs is gorgeous with a wonderful bridge, an old school record store, a cozy tavern, a luminous rooftop garden and a park right next to a lake with snowy mountains in the background. The graphic design for this game is absolutely outstanding and anyone considering her-, him- or themselves an artist should purchase this wonderful game for that reason already.

Another particular strength are the diversified characters who all have to deal with their inner demons but also show moments of hope, joy and love - even the villains. Some of these great characters are resilient brother Gabriel Chen who has been looking for his sister for many years, poetic taxidermist Reginald McCalister III and empathic flower shop owner Eleanor Lethe. Stephanie Gingrich, from the previous instalment Life Is Strange: Before the Storm, makes an impressive appearance as energetic radio show host and record store owner. The most interesting character however remains protagonist Alexandra Chen, a tender, shy and insecure youngster who has suffered much in her past but gradually becomes a resilient, hopeful and helpful young woman you could easily imagine as your friend.

The story is also above average as the numerous side quests offer interesting details about the charming characters. The final episode that puts the different pieces together might offer a few minor twists as well. The ending sequences are very entertaining as usual and make you want to discover the numerous different outcomes.

The only element one could criticize the game for is that it keeps things very safe and is exactly in the key of its four predecessors. Due to its wonderful characters and graphic excellence, it easily triumphs over its three immediate predecessors while the first original video game still remains the greatest in the series because of its absolutely astonishing story line.

Fans of the franchise can't go wrong here as this release can be celebrated as a triumphant return to form. This game would also serve as a decent introduction to the franchise. If intriguing characters, colourful graphics and twisted stories with depth are your thing, then you can't get around this game. It's also possible to purchase additional mini-game Wavelengths that further explores Stephanie Gingrich's story between the events shown in Life Is Strange: Before the Storm and Life Is Strange: True Colors. Said mini-game is roughly four hours long if you really take your time but can also be completed in half the time if you want to.

To keep it short, Life Is Strange: True Colors is one of last year's better games and makes us look forward to experiencing the future of this vibrant franchise on the pulse of time that invites us to dream ourselves far away.

The story does not have too much to offer, it's simple, not very complicated, the choices do not matter a lot. This game does not compare to the original LIS, but it's way better than the second one. As a comparison the first game being the largest black hole in the universe this is just an ant and the second one a grain of sand.

It's an example of how good music can make a game that is not as well thought in the matter of storytelling and mechanics, to be good. If the game didn't have the awesome soundtrack it would be a 4/10, not an 8/10. The soundtrack is awesome, the zen moments are an awesome idea, a thing that I was doing since I started gaming it's now supported and encouraged by developers. I found myself sit 15 minutes or more in a zen moment just watching the beautiful graphics and feeling the song.

But still, the soundtrack isn't as good as the first game, but it's still very good. But I was expecting way more, given that Alex is intro music. And music being the central theme that revolves through the game. In the first game that was the photography and in the second drawing. So I think we deserved more attention to the music. We received less music than in the first game.

For the story, I don't know how you can miss this bad, with the background being so perfect, lonely, and peaceful town, Alex the protagonist that is a newcomer and is awaiting to see the mysteries that the town can offer. It could be much better, anyone can think of something better. So I must assume that they did that on purpose, the story is so simple on purpose, like a manifest that things aren't always so complicated and complex. I respect the writers' decision, the game didn't make me burst into tears like in the first list, but it didn't make me wish that it ends faster like the second one.

The graphics are awesome, the eyes of the characters are so cool, like how the move, respecting the classic lis art style, is so beautiful. The town the Main Street, the road, omg just fills you with an ease and peaceful emotion.

Another thing that I noticed, playing this on the ps5. Is the dualsense missed opportunities. The game has dual sense support, but it's not there in all of the cases that it could be. I mean it isn't hard to feel on a playthrough where that feedback is missing and you are wondering why so easy to find those spots.

I think biggest the problem with this game is that the first one exists, the game is worth playing and buying, one of the best games of this year, but when you compare it with Life Is Strange, the original, you even can't compare, the masterpiece of gaming and storytelling it's hella light-years away from True Colors.

Life is Strange: True Colors is a great return to the franchises roots. It perfectly nails what made the first game so special with its small town mystery and great relatable characters. Over the course of the game you get more and more attached to the town of Haven Springs and the moments where you can explore the town were some of my favorites in the game. Alex power of Empathy was extremely well done with being able to read and even absorb people's emotions was very unique for the franchise. It even rivals Max's powers of Time Travel from the original. All around Life is Strange: True Colors perfectly nails what makes Life is Strange Life is Strange.

I have to admit that I was worried for this game. I was such a Huge fan of the original Life is Strange, I was absolutely obsessed from the start. But after Life is Strange 2 released it left a bitter taste in my mouth. The characters in that game just didn't click for me. So long story short the lead up to this game was quite intense, I got quite worried when I found out Deck Nine was developing this title and that Dontnod had stepped away. But I just have to say I'm so happy I was wrong. Deck Nine blew it out of the park, they really did. It was almost as if they revived the soul of Life is Strange. True Colours was a spectacular Journey that I thoroughly delved myself into. The Character's were believable, they made me care about them. The plot actually quite surprised me. There was more mystery than I originally thought, which helped to keep me invested. I experienced a few bugs, probably two, so it wasn't too bad, it didn't break the immersion of the story so it was fine, but nonetheless I thought it necessary to mention. Overall everything in this game surpassed my expectations the music, the sound perfect for the vibe of the game, and also a few new gameplay additions never before seen in the franchise which I hope they expand on down the line in the next instalment.