The outside of Blackwell Academy
DONTNOD Entertainment's Life Is Strange has been released and the reception for "Episode 1: Chrysalis" is as varying/middling as Remember Me to an extent, but with a much warmer reception. Be forewarned, reviews may contain spoilers for Episode 1. To keep tract of official and user reviews for Life Is Strange check out metacritic.com.
Reviews[]
- Life Is Strange | Xbox Achievements:
- Overall Rating: 80/100
Ultimately, Life is Strange does have the linearity of a Telltale adventure, but it's less restrictive and the time-rewind MacGuffin adds something unique to the formula. With well-drawn characters and everyday life choices made compelling enough to make you genuinely care, Life is Strange's first episode is an engaging beginning for what we hope will be a saga worth sticking with. Perhaps there's not the same kind of gut punch ending as some of Telltale's standout episodes, but it's down to the choices that you've made having a genuine ripple effect throughout Life is Strange's five episodes that will determine whether Dontnod has something special on its hands. We can't wait for episode 2.
- Life Is Strange | Polygon
- Rating: 8.0/10
Colin: It's odd because I've done nothing but criticize this game. And yet, I admire its courage and I enjoyed playing it. I want to go back for more. It's aimed for an indie-movie meets teen-TV aesthetic, but even while it sometimes misses the mark, it's still a novel and fresh experience. And, at the end of this first episode, I enjoyed the world and I liked the characters enough to want to come back for more.
Megan: I feel the same. Despite its shortcomings, there's a powerful kind of nostalgia I draw from its characters and world. The time travel aspect is cool, no doubt, but I'm down with the little things. I've enjoyed spending time in the complicated life of a teenage girl, because it reminds me of what it was like to be one. It's the first game I've ever played where I felt that my life was represented on screen - even at its weakest points. Life is Strange uses the ordinary in a way that is extraordinary.
- Life Is Strange | PC World
- Rating: (PENDING UNTIL SEASON COMPLETION)
There's still plenty of time for Life is Strange to go off the rails. I'm not sure I'm ready for this subdued story about a teenage girl's problems to turn into the world-ending whatever-the-hell it's clearly aiming for in the prologue section.
I like the game best when it's not doing that stuff—when it's just Max going about her day, trying to navigate between different cliques and get her homework done and meet up with some boy and stuff. That's when Life is Strange is (in my opinion) at its best, in part because it's so different.
We'll see how it develops though. For now, if you like that whole quirky indie scene—Juno, 500 Days of Summer, Away We Go, et cetera—you'll probably enjoy this. Or if you're just a fan of Telltale games like The Walking Dead or The Wolf Among Us and want something Telltale-esque, but less fantastical.
- Life Is Strange | The Hardcore Gamer
- Rating: 4.5
It’s very tempting to dismiss Life is Strange out of hand as the same pretentious pabulum that it emulates, but the affectations of hipster cinema prove essential to its narrative goals. DONTNOD’s sophomore effort aims to capture the voice of today’s youth, and outside of a few heavy-handed moments it succeeds. Anyone who went through high school in the last decade is likely to find themselves overcome with nostalgia as they play. Few games – hell, few films – are so genuine and earnest in their execution, and few first episodes of anything are so effective in leaving you wanting more.
- Life Is Strange | Gameinformer.com
- Rating: 8.5
The next episode will surely define what Dontnod is out to accomplish, but Life is Strange’s introduction is a good look at the characters and dilemmas. It did its job of getting me interested. I have some minor concerns about how original the subject matter will turn out to be, but the focus on realistic problems is refreshing and the care put into Maxine’s world and the relationship-building holds plenty of promise.