Life is Strange: True Colors has arrived on Nintendo Switch! It’s a fully featured version of the game, with visuals and gameplay comparable to other, more powerful platforms.

That didn’t just happen by magic - there’s no ‘Export Version To Switch’ button that magically ports everything from a PlayStation or Xbox over flawlessly. In fact, a whole lot of work has gone into making sure you don’t notice much of a difference - and it’s taken a lot of time and effort to get there.

To give you an idea of what it took to bring Alex’s journey and the soaring Coloradan mountains of Haven Springs to this amazing console, we’re going to dive into the development and explain seven reasons the Switch version of the game is so impressive.

Dragons, Decks and Squares

Together with developer Deck Nine Games and publisher Square Enix, a team of 30 at Dragon’s Lake Entertainment worked solely on the Switch port for a whole year - including programmers, 3D artists, and specialised QA dedicated to optimising its visuals and performance.

This collective of industry veterans ensured that players get the same experience on the Nintendo Switch as they would on any other gaming platform, and also that the game was optimised for both docked and “on-the-go” handheld modes.

All Killer, no filler

The Nintendo Switch version of Life is Strange: True Colors contains exactly the same content as the other platforms, including all of the character performance capture and facial animations, plus full, uncut audio and extensive licensed music soundtrack.

That means players on Switch get the full, uncut game just as it’s meant to be - including the awesome Steph-focused DLC, Wavelengths, included in the Deluxe Edition.

Let there be lighting

The lighting engine has been entirely rebuilt, including a bespoke LightBaking pipeline and new approach to reflection probes, shaders, and dynamic shadows for dynamic objects.

In addition, a new Switch lighting model has been created specifically for the rendering of lights on faces. The result of all this work is that the reconstructed, Switch-specific solution reaches a similar level of lighting as on the other platforms - albeit via a different route.

It’s been optimised from the ground up to work efficiently with the way Switch processes graphics, so think of this as one of those ‘iceberg’ moments – as a player, you’re seeing the beautifully lit tip of the iceberg that looks much like the other versions. But underneath the surface, the lighting on the Switch version is working in a totally different way, with a whole bunch of Switch-unique processes set up to deliver each frame, and squeeze out every bit of performance and quality, especially in handheld mode.

Supermodels

Every character model and environmental object has been optimised and reworked in the game, preserving fidelity during decimation while optimising polycounts. If, like me, your response to that was “uh… what?”, I asked a member of our production team to explain.

Basically, the number of polygons, or triangles, have been reduced in most of the models, while still keeping the amount of detail and quality, AKA ‘fidelity’, within them. Decimation is another term for ‘LOD’ing – or Level of Detail. Long story short, at the Switch’s handheld and docked resolutions, the character and background models look pretty darn good.

Another trick we’ve done to speed up rendering time is a process called ‘batching’, whereby static items that are close together are clumped into a single item. A bunch of plant pots in the flower shop, a pile of rocks by the river, or a set of trees in the park - while all platforms have some form of batching in play, the Switch version is optimised to ensure performance.

To put all this into perspective, the Haven Springs Main Street saw total scene polygons reduced from 13 million to 9 million, and the Processing Plant at the Mine reduced scene polygons massively, from 21 million to 10 million. Despite this, very little will be noticeably lost to the player - thanks to the wonders of game optimisation, it’s performant but still looks good.

To cut a long story short, developers are geniuses.

Anti-aliasing awesomeness

As you probably know, your display is composed of pixels - the smallest element of every digital image - and these pixels are rectangular in shape. What this means is that when round shapes are shown on screen, you’re almost guaranteed to see some jagged edges - known as aliasing.

Anti-aliasing refers to a process of eliminating these angular edges and smoothing them out. For the Life is Strange True Colors Switch port, anti-aliasing has been reworked using a TAA solution, yet optimised to be as performant as FXAA. If these all just sound like a bunch of letters to you, let me break it down a bit.

TAA and FXAA come into play once the computer has already rendered the object, which allows for the more efficient and less resource-heavy removal of jagged edges.

The primary difference between TAA, which stands for ‘Temporal Anti-Aliasing’ and FXAA, which stands for ‘Fast Approximate Anti-Aliasing’, is the method in which they identify and eliminate aliasing, or ‘rough edges’.

FXAA directly analyses every pixel, identifies the jagged bits, and corrects them before pushing the frame to your screen. TAA, on the other hand, compares the frame with the previous frame to identify edges and prevent issues.

Basically, Life is Strange: True Colors’ Switch version makes use of the gorgeous visuals provided by TAA, with all the advantages of minimal GPU load when using FXAA. Result!

Docked mode

The beauty of Nintendo Switch is having the best of both worlds. If you fancy a chilled session on your big TV at home, dock the console and settle in on the sofa - completely uninterrupted.

Within Life is Strange: True Colors, we have integrated the AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) technique for when the game is docked, which increases performance at 1080p without a hit to visual quality.

Post-processing features

In an effort to match the visual quality of the other platforms, we’ve also built and reworked unique post-processing features, adding in the Atmosphere, Light Shafts, Bloom, Depth of Field and screen space ambient occlusion (SSAO) that conjure the unforgettable world of a Life is Strange game.

You can see all these things in action in the video at the top of this page, but hopefully we’ve done a good job of explaining how much time, expertise and passion have gone into the Nintendo Switch version of Life is Strange: True Colors!

Thanks for reading and to all Switch players, see you in Haven Springs!

• Get Life is Strange: True Colors

Have you explored the world of a game and thought: “I wish I was there?”

It’s understandable if you have - the worlds of Square Enix games are often so well-realised, they feel like real, believable places. Imagine if you could actually live in one of these worlds - which would it be, and why?

We’ve pondered this little thought experiment and here’s what we think:

Fa’Diel - Legend of Mana

We’re gonna lay some truth on ya: the world is what you make of it.

That sounds like a blandly inspirational slogan - the kind you’d see on a cat poster in some depressingly beige office. But when it comes to Legend of Mana’s Fa’Diel, it’s the literal truth.

When you start the game, the world is a blank slate, and it’s up to you to build it through the game’s unique “Land Creation” system. Towns, shops, dungeons - you put it all where you want.

Just ponder the possibilities! You could put the local shop right next your house, and save the long trek every time you need to restock on candy! Put a lovely coastal town like Polpota Harbor nearby so you can enjoy the calming seas and indulgent restaurants whenever you like.

Annoying neighbors? Just stick them on the other side of the world and problem solved! Truly Fa’Diel is a beautiful and vibrant world to be admired and desired.

• Get Legend of Mana on Switch
• Get Legend of Mana on PS4
• Get Legend of Mana on Steam

Shibuya and the UG - NEO: The World Ends with You

Mouth-watering meals, fantastic fashion, and toe-tapping tunes. It’s all right there in the Shibuya Underground - or “UG” as the cool kids call it.

If you like a place that’s always buzzing, this is definitely the game world for you. The city’s a bustling metropolis full of ordinary pedestrians, endearingly quirky players of the Reapers’ Game, and of course the Shinjuku and Shibuya Reapers, who are themselves pretty memorable.

Another big perk of relocating to the UG is the psychic powers you can get. Depending on which power you get, there’s a chance you able to read other peoples’ thoughts - imagine the gossip you’ll be privy to! You may even be able to influence how they think!

If you’re really lucky, you might be able to control time itself, like Rindo in the game! For example, if you had a really good meal, you could travel back to earlier in the day and have it again! And you’ll definitely want to because the food in the UG is chef’s kiss!

It’s not all good in the UG, of course. While all cities have problems with noise, it’s a much bigger issue when that Noise manifests as killer frogs, bears and sharks. Plus you may feel oddly compelled to help everyone around you solve their problems.

Still, all that’s a small price to pay for some of the best clothes and food you can imagine. We’ll see you all at Glutton 4 Gluten!

• Get NEO: The World Ends With You

Spira - FINAL FANTASY X-2

In FINAL FANTASY X, the world of Spira is a bleak place. Each person lives in constant fear of Sin - a terrifying creature who spreads death and chaos wherever it goes. It’s kind of a party-pooper, to be honest.

So to be clear, we don’t want to live in that Spira. Frankly, we could do without the stress of FINAL FANTASY’s moistest menace turning up to ruin our day.

But the Spira of FINAL FANTASY X-2… well, that’s a different story. By the time the sequel starts, that whole Sin business has been sorted out, and the world is free. Everyone has a new lease on life, and the world has exploded with a sense of freedom, joy and possibility.

There are political tensions bubbling under the surface, as there are in any country, but for the most part, it’s a very positive place to be. It also offers lots of different ways to fill your time, including Blitzball tournaments, chocobo rearing and even shooting galleries… and that’s barely scratching the surface.

Most exciting of all though, would be the chance to see a Spira concert in person. We don’t know about you, but we think we’d experience some Real Emotion…

• Get FINAL FANTASY X | X-2 HD Remaster

World A - FINAL FANTASY pixel remaster

The land of the original FINAL FANTASY isn’t named in the game itself, but throughout the history of the franchise it’s referred to as World A. It’s a name that fits perfectly, because in our opinion it’s an A-grade place.

It’s utterly beautiful, particularly the new pixel remaster version. Every town, cave, mountain and desert is crisp, clean and colorful - it’s one of those worlds that just feels good to spend time in.

We could easily imagine spending our time chatting to the townsfolk of Cornelia, visiting the elves in the appropriately named Elfheim or just soaring happily through the skies on an airship.

There’s also a sense of gravitas to the place that comes with being the first. Every land in the FINAL FANTASY series owes something to World A - we’d relish seeing first-hand where it all began.

• Get FINAL FANTASY
• Get the FINAL FANTASY pixel remaster bundle(https://sqex.link/voh

Haven Springs - Life is Strange: True Colors

It doesn’t take long to fall in love with Haven Springs.

This Colorado mountain town is idyllic, picturesque and… well, generally rather lovely. But it’s not just the scenery that makes it such it joy to inhabit - it’s the people.

From resident DJ Steph, to the loquacious Duckie, almost every resident is friendly and eager to help when it’s needed. This is the kind of town where everyone will excitedly come together in extravagant role play just to help an upset child.

There are secrets beneath the surface of course, some darker than others, but for the most part, Haven Springs is a town of nice people and positive vibes. Add some great shops and an amazing bar (it has an Arkanoid cabinet!) and you have a town where anyone would be able to set down roots.

Just… maybe stay away from the mines, yeah?

Midgar - FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE

Let’s get this out of the way: Midgar is not a perfect city. It’s dirty, there’s disparity of wealth, and as Yuffie makes clear in the new FF7R EPISODE INTERmission, it smells pretty bad too.

And yet, there’s a real energy to the place - and we’re not just talking about the Mako. The upper plate is a suburbanite’s dream, full of lovingly furnished houses with picket fences, well-maintained roads and hidden parachutes (just in case you fancy a spontaneous skydive with a friend).

Down on ground level, things are less pretty, but even more vibrant. Think plenty of shops, friendly communities and great bars like Seventh Heaven (visit ASAP to beat the crush).

Add in the amazing music scene (we like to get down with Hip Hop de Chocobo) and you can see why the people who live in the city love it so. We’d definitely consider moving to Midgar. If, y’know, it was real.

• Get FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE

Hydaelyn - FINAL FANTASY XIV Online

What makes Hydaelyn so great is that it’s a land of opportunity.

For adventurous types, the world is full of amazing things to see and do. You can visit the gorgeous vistas and bustling city-states of Eorzea, delve deep into mysterious ruins in search of treasure and maybe even become a legend in the process.

Alternatively, you can just sack off all that exhausting hero business and focus on simpler pleasures. You could go fishing off Costa del Sol, get your hands dirty with some crafter / gatherer tasks, or make your (virtual) fortune betting on the chocobo races in the Manderville Gold Saucer. It really is up to you.

Best of all, there’s always something new to see. The world is always expanding, with new areas, new races, and new activities to try out on a regular basis.

Case in point: on December 7, FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker arrives, adding new locales to this already vast world. You’ll be able to soak in the architectural splendour of Old Sharlayan, marvel at the underground wonder of Labyrinthos, explore the tropical coastline and dense rainforests of Thavnair, and more.

Even more excitingly, you’ll also go to the moon! And unlike the pesky real world, you won’t even need a billionaire’s bank account to do it!

• Get FINAL FANTASY XIV: Endwalker

Those were our picks for the Square Enix worlds we’d love to live in, but what about you? Agree with our choices or do you have somewhere better in mind? Let us know:

• Square Enix Blog
• Square Enix on Twitter
• Square Enix on Facebook
• Square Enix on Instagram

Life is Strange: True Colors is out now!

This new entry in the narrative adventure series is an all-new, self-contained story that focuses on Alex Chen - a young woman with a mysterious power, on the search for answers in the seeming idyllic town on Haven Springs.

It’s already proving a resounding success with critics and fans alike, but what about those of you who are yet to dip your toe into the series for the first time? What should you expect from the game, and why is it such a special experience?

Read on and we’ll explain all:

1. You forge your own story

What is life if not a series of decisions? What shoes should I wear today (the grey ones), what should I have for lunch? (salad or sandwich), should I play Life is Strange: True Colors after reading this (yes, obviously)?

In Life is Strange: True Colors you’ll constantly be faced with interesting choices to make. Some are large and dramatic, others so small that you may not even notice you’re making them.

Regardless of what you do, the actions you take and the decisions you make can greatly affect both the story and the way characters interact with you. Even if something you do doesn’t seem to have much of an impact in the moment, the effects can ripple down to affect future events in ways you don’t expect.

So, remember decisions have consequences in Life is Strange: True Colors - but just as in life, there are no wrong choices. Just choices.

2. You can play with an amazing - but volatile - power

Alex Chen has an amazing secret. She has the unique ability to ‘see’ people’s emotions as colored auras, and even interact with them directly.

This psychic power of Empathy adds all kinds of fascinating gameplay opportunities. Alex can utilize the power in different ways, depending on the subject and situation. For example, if a character is hiding secrets, or holding something back, Alex can reach into their feelings and use this unspoken information in conversation, helping to get them to trust her.

Alternatively, the emotional aura may be so strong that it transforms Alex’s perception of the world around her. She can then explore this altered environment and search for ‘emotional insights’ that shed more light on what the character has been going through, and what lies at the root of this turbulent emotional state.

There are other ways to use the power too - Game Designer Christopher Sica walked us through these in more detail on the blog. Read it here:

• Life is Strange: True Colors - how powers work in gameplay

3. The characters are interesting, relatable, and believable

Videogame characters tend to be larger than life. We’re used to dealing with the likes of giant sword-swinging soldiers, super-cyborgs, or unusually athletic archaeologists. In Life is Strange: True Colors, you’ll interact with something far rarer in games: normal people.

…except, there’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ person, is there? Everyone is unique, and that’s something the game really drives home. The residents of Haven Springs come from all walks of life, but each one is richly defined, each with their own personalities, passions, and character arcs.

As Alex, you’ll get to know them inside and out. You’ll explore their successes and failures, fears and frustrations, and in doing so gain an intimate knowledge of what makes them… them.

As a result, you’ll discover – and become part of! - one of most memorable groups of characters you’ll encounter in a game this year.

• Meet the characters of Life is Strange: True Colors

4. The town of Haven Springs begs to be explored

It’s a cliché to say you’ll think of the world of a game is almost a character in itself… so we won’t. Even though it’s completely true.

Instead, we’ll say this - the Haven Springs is a beautifully realized, fully-formed town full of amazing things to discover. While previous games in the series guided you from place to place as the plot demanded, Life is Strange: True Colors lets you really soak in this picturesque Colorado mountain town.

You can take your time wandering the high street, check in with friends and acquaintances throughout the game, and really luxuriate in your surroundings. It gives Haven Springs a palpable sense of place that’s quite unlike anything else in the series. You’ll almost want to move there yourself!

Of course, all towns have their dark side…

5. You’ll uncover a compelling mystery

We’re stepping into very mild spoiler territory here, so if you want to play the game completely blind, avert thine eyes.

Alex Chen enters the town of Haven Springs to reunite with her brother Gabe. But tragedy strikes when Gabe dies. It’s seemingly an accident, but Alex isn’t convinced, and she starts peeling away the layers of secrets in Haven Springs to get to the truth.

That’s the central mystery that drives the story in Life is Strange: True Colors, and it’s brilliantly constructed, with revelations and surprises that will change the way you think about the town and its inhabitants.

6. You’ll hear one of the best soundtracks in gaming

The Life is Strange series is known for its amazing soundtracks, and True Colors is no exception. The game features brand new original songs by some of the hottest artists out there, including Novo Armor, Angus & Julia Stone, and more.

They sit alongside a wider playlist of amazing tunes, including tracks by Kings of Leon, Phoebe Bridgers, Mura Masa, Gabrielle Aplin, and many others.

Of course, we’d be remiss not to mention the incredible mxmtoon, who has not only produced new original music for the game, but also performs as the singing voice of Alex Chen. You may have heard her cover of Creep - it’s something special.

You can also check out Angus & Julia Stone’s full soundtrack album on YouTube, along with an exclusive acoustic performance.

The soundtrack is available now on Spotify so take a listen:

• Listen on Spotify

And don’t forget to check out the Lo-Fi is Strange: True Colors playlist of unique remixes!

7. You’ll get the whole experience

Previous Life is Strange stories have been released episodically, but things are a little different this time. Life is Strange: True Colors includes the full story from beginning to end.

Want to experience the entire game as a single continuous experience? That’s entirely possible. Alternatively, if you’d rather take a break between chapters to let the characters and themes rattle around in your head for a while, you can do that too.

It’s entirely your decision on how you want to play it - and what could be more Life is Strange than that?

Life is Strange: True Colors is available now for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows Store, Stadia, GeForce NOW, and PC Steam, and is coming to Nintendo Switch later this year.

• Get Life is Strange: True Colors

For more news about the Life is Strange series, including the upcoming Life is Strange Remastered Collection, make sure you follow the team on social media:

• Life is Strange on Facebook
• Life is Strange on Twitter
• Life is Strange on YouTube

Dear Life is Strange: True Colors players,

Thank you for taking the time to play and review our beloved Life is Strange: True Colors. This game was born out of a question that fascinated us during the development of Before the Storm - how can video games act as tools for exploring empathy?

Today, this question grips us and beguiles us as much as ever. After 17 months, and counting, of global trauma, isolation, and loneliness, we are deeply humbled to be offering up a story about connection and hope against all odds. Much as Alex’s power allows her to feel the emotional truths of others, we hope players will feel the love we poured into the game as an expression of the immense gratitude that we share for each other and our Life is Strange community.

For both Alex and the player, the journey through Haven will reward what you put into it. We encourage you to explore every shop and alleyway of Main Street, delve into the lives of each character you meet, and unearth all the memories buried just beneath the surface. Alex’s path is winding and sometimes painful, made all the more so by her power. But she will come to discover that her empathy, like a supernatural prism, has refracted the light of all the lives she’s touched into the colorful tapestry of her own life.

In the end, that tapestry will reflect each player’s journey through the game, a culminating statement on who their particular Alex is - and, perhaps, a deeper knowledge of who they are as well. We hope you enjoy exploring this question as much as we did

Best,

Deck Nine Games

Hi everyone - this is Christopher Sica, Game Designer at Deck Nine.

Life is Strange: True Colors stars main character Alex Chen, a gifted individual with the unique psychic power of Empathy. This power allows her to connect with individuals around the town of Haven Springs, learning about who these characters are, the struggles they face, and the backgrounds that shaped the dynamic characters we interact with throughout the game.

From a gameplay perspective, the development team wanted a fun gameplay mechanic that supports our strong narrative and allows players to use the Empathy power in unique ways to learn more about Haven Springs, the characters surrounding Alex, and ultimately Alex herself.

Gameplay Mechanics

Alex’s power can be used in a few ways throughout the game:

Environmental Power Moments

Life is Strange: True Colors allows players to use the Empathy power in “environmental power moments” that are frequently found in the open spaces and the town of Haven Springs. Here, the power can be used in different ways to advance gameplay and deepen the player’s engagement with the narrative.

Here are just a few examples:

Characters will be hiding secrets, and not telling Alex everything they know directly up front. For example, if a character is afraid in the moment and does not want Alex to know how they are truly feeling, they will only give her a shallow response.

Alex can use her psychic power of Empathy to gain more information from these characters, delving into how they truly feel, and using this unspoken information to help characters trust Alex and connect with her.

Many of the townsfolk on the streets of Haven Springs will have storylines that you can follow across the chapters in the game. You can, for example, chart the story of a young couple as they try to figure out their relationship.

These storylines are completely optional. If Alex wants to skip these interactions, she can, but they bring additional color to those willing to explore further, and allow Alex to connect deeper with the town of Haven Springs – and its uncertain future.

Other characters will offer additional insight into the current situations in the game. These moments give Alex background on what is happening around town, and allows her to better understand the people of Haven Springs and connect with the struggles, triumphs, and experiences they are going through.

Pressing and holding the power button allows Alex to see nearby “emotion auras” on NPCs. The emotional auras on these NPCs are subtle, and Alex can only see them once she actively looks for them. Alex can walk up to the NPCs to interact and trigger an emotional insight. Alex will respond to each of these insight interactions with her thoughts, observations, and how she is feeling in these moments.

Story-Vital Power Moments

Life is Strange: True Colors also features “story-vital power moments” where Alex will explore the emotions of the primary characters in our story in depth. These characters have an emotional aura around them where the aura is so strong that Alex can always see it.

Alex absorbs a character’s emotional aura by connecting with the character, to truly feel their emotional state. At this point, Alex is transported into the unique emotional world that this character is feeling, the emotions of the other character coloring and transforming Alex’s perception of the world around her.

The player then explores this new emotional environment, looking for “emotional insights”. These emotional insights lead to hidden secrets about the character and give the player more information on the emotions that the character is going through. Alex can then use the secrets she learns from these insights to interact with the character and help them.

Visual Design

The development team worked hard on the visual design for the psychic power of Empathy to help players understand and feel immersed with Alex’s power.

Characters will shimmer with different colors of emotional auras, to help Alex identify which emotion they are feeling.

Blue auras symbolize Sadness; Purple auras symbolize Fear; Red auras symbolize Anger; Gold auras symbolize Joy. Each emotion has a unique UI icon, animation, and VFX to connect the visual design with the emotion. Characters where Alex can use her Empathy power will also feature unique “hotspot UI” with an animating circle dot next to their name to help indicate this is a special power interaction.

Emotional auras also feature different intensity levels depending on how strong of an emotion the character is feeling. Alex will come across various emotional intensity levels throughout the game - be prepared for surprises in store as the intensity of these emotions increases!

So that’s a brief explanation of how Alex’s powers work in gameplay, and some of the ways you’ll be able to use it to discover the secrets of Haven Springs.

You’ll be able to try it for yourselves in just a few months, when Life is Strange: True Colors releases for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC on September 10, 2021.

• Preorder Life is Strange: True Colors

We’ll have much more to share about the game in the coming months, so make sure you follow the team on social media for updates:

• Life is Strange on Facebook
• Life is Strange on Twitter
• Life is Strange on YouTube

Hi, this is Jonathan Zimmerman, Narrative Director for Life is Strange: True Colors.

The Life is Strange series is all about making decisions, and in Life is Strange: True Colors, we’ll present some of the most difficult and emotionally-complex choices yet.

The many residents of Haven Springs are fascinating and fully-rounded figures, each with their own strengths, desires and flaws. Using Alex Chen’s psychic power of Empathy, you won’t just get to know these people by what they say and do, but also by what they feel.

You’ll need to consider on this information when making decisions in the game, as many have lasting consequences that will shape the story and its characters dramatically. To give you a sense of what I mean, I thought I’d walk you through a choice from early in the game, and look at some of the outcomes that can result from it.

The decision

This decision focuses on three characters: Mac Loudon, Gabe Chen, and Riley Lethe.

Mac Loudon is the hot-headed, jealous boyfriend of Riley. Gabe Chen is the amiable bartender and transplant to Haven Springs. Gabe has become something of a confidant for Riley for a decision about her future that she hasn’t even shared with her boyfriend Mac.

This infuriates the hotheaded Mac, who has grown convinced that Riley is cheating on him with Gabe. These are all key pieces of information for the player to gather as Alex, as she moves through the Black Lantern and Haven Springs.

What’s more, a bruising encounter between Mac and Gabe acts as an unfortunate welcome for Alex on her first day in town, and neither she nor Mac are at all sure what to make of each other in its wake.

All of this tension remains unresolved as Alex begins her first shift as server at The Black Lantern, and runs into Mac, still licking his wounds in the back room. If they wish, the player can choose to use Alex’s power to empathically connect to Mac.

Through her power, Alex can feel Mac’s genuine love for Riley, his regret for the encounter with Gabe, and his fear that Riley is slipping away - and may even break up with him. Mustering the few scraps of humility of which he is capable, Mac makes a heartfelt plea to Alex. He begs her not to tell Riley how aggressive he was with Gabe.

Choice and consequence

Sure enough, Riley arrives on a warpath, laying into Mac and telling him that, unless he can give her a good explanation, they’re finished. Mac spins up a version that makes him and Gabe equally culpable - which is when Riley spots Alex. “Oh god, were you there too?” she asks, prompting Alex to choose how best to respond.

If Alex felt Mac’s true emotions, she may choose to let him off the hook, giving him the chance to save his relationship and hopefully do better in the future. Going forward, Alex could see Mac and Riley’s relationship blossom in unexpected ways, and may even be able to tap Mac for crucial information about Gabe’s death.

Alternatively, Alex may also choose to disregard Mac’s hidden emotions, or avoid engaging with them all together. Instead, she will call out Mac’s bull and tell Riley the truth, unvarnished and ugly. As a result, Mac and Riley’s relationship will be forever altered and Mac’s animosity toward Alex will grow ever stronger.

Neither decision is right and neither decision is wrong - it’s up to you to decide what the best course of action is. Either way, this is a choice made very early on in the game that has lasting consequences throughout. Mac and Riley’s status affects not just their relationship with each other and with Alex, but with the rest of Haven Springs’ expansive supporting cast.

That’s just one decision out of many you’ll have to make in Life is Strange: True Colors… but I’ll avoid saying more because I want you to discover them - and their outcomes - for yourselves.

Life is Strange: True Colors releases for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC on September 10, 2021. It’s available for pre-order now, and if you choose the Ultimate Edition, you’ll also get the Life is Strange Remastered Collection included!

• Preorder Life is Strange: True Colors

We’re excited to show you more about the game in the future, so make sure you follow Life is Strange on social media for updates:

• Life is Strange on Facebook
• Life is Strange on Twitter
• Life is Strange on YouTube

Hi - this is Jonathan Zimmerman, Narrative Director at Deck Nine Games.

During Square Enix Presents, we introduced you to Alex Chen and her astounding - and volatile - psychic power of Empathy. But she’s just one of the many fascinating people you’ll find in the town of Haven Springs.

Let me introduce you to them:

Alex Chen - 21

• DOB - July 10, 1997
• Performed by - Erika Mori

Long before her arrival in Haven Springs, Alex Chen has already faced far more than her share of adversity. Even her singular attribute, the supernatural power of empathy that allows her to feel and understand others’ emotions, preys on her like a curse rather than a gift. Only her music offers a respite. In accepting her brother’s offer to come to Haven Springs, Alex is performing an act of radical hope, believing that she may yet find the home and family she has been searching for. To do so, she will need to confront her past trauma and find the strength to withstand the roiling emotions both outside and inside of herself.

Gabe Chen - 25

• DOB - December 2, 1993
• Performed by - Han Soto

Beyond being Alex’s older brother, Gabe is also the perfect role model for her journey. After years adrift, Gabe finally found a home in the Rocky Mountain enclave of Haven Springs. More than anyone, Gabe has Jed Lucan to thank, the father figure who saw his potential and helped secure his place in the community as a beloved bartender and friend to so many. Now, with the support of his girlfriend Charlotte, Gabe hopes to extend the same generosity to his estranged sister Alex. But even with this newfound maturity, Gabe has never lost the playful wit and roguish charm that are his hallmarks.

Jed Lucan - 67

• DOB - February 29, 1952
• Performed by - Stephen F. Austin

A lifelong resident of Haven Springs, Jed is a stalwart member of the town and the owner of the Black Lantern bar and restaurant. Before opening his iconic watering hole, Jed spent decades working at the mine outside town and maintains strong connections to the mining community. While he can come across as gruff, those in the know praise his compassion and love for his son Ryan and the entire town of Haven. It is this same compassion that led Jed to help carve out a place for Gabe, and Alex hopes that she can similarly find her way into his good graces.

Ryan Lucan - 25

• DOB - September 14, 1993
• Performed by - Eric Emery

Ryan Lucan is Jed’s son and Gabe’s best friend. With his job as a park ranger, plus his plaid jacket and all-consuming love for nature, Ryan can seem like the quintessential Colorado outdoorsman. But Ryan possesses a sensitivity that belies his burly persona. Unlike his father, Ryan is a true introvert, preferring his own company and the quiet of nature to the bustle of the bar. But to his friends, Ryan is unfailingly loyal and kind. Gabe has been fortunate enough to find himself in that circle, impressing Ryan with his willingness to throw himself into outdoor activities and serve as the perfect companion. Despite their differences, Ryan and Gabe share a similar pain from their pasts that binds them together and creates the potential for Ryan to understand Alex better than most.

Steph Gingrich - 25

• DOB - December 17, 1993
• Performed by - Katy Bentz

Born in Oakland and raised in Arcadia Bay, Steph has taken a long and winding journey to find herself in Haven Springs. For many years, Steph was running from her past without any clear purpose or destination in mind. While nothing seemed to stick for long, Steph found something more surprising while passing through Colorado — a home. After an all-nighter with Gabe and Ryan, Steph made the impulsive decision to take the open job at the local record store and try her hand in the DJ booth. It is an ideal set up for Steph’s rare combination of talents and interests, but time will tell how long this moment of stasis can last.

Charlotte Harmon - 28

• DOB - February 13, 1991
• Performed by - Exzinia Scott

Like much of Haven, Charlotte arrived in town in search of new start. She is a woman who wears many hats - single mother, dispensary proprietor, visual artist - and has become beloved around town for her sensitivity and passion. Most recently, her relationship with Gabe has grown more serious, as Gabe has taken a more active role in her son Ethan’s life, and she has helped Gabe reconnect with Alex and bring her to Haven.

Ethan Lambert - 10

• DOB - November 10, 2008
• Performed by - Ignacio Garcia-Canteli

Ethan is a creative and energetic child, with a rebellious streak that sometimes gets him into trouble. He is a lover of comics, both reading them and drawing his own, and exploring the mountains around town. Despite Gabe’s awkwardness at trying to affect any kind of parental authority, or perhaps because of it, the two have grown very close as Gabe and Charlotte’s relationship has blossomed.

Eleanor Lethe - 54

• DOB - November 1, 1964
• Performed by - Karen Slack

Eleanor is a respected citizen of Haven, cherished for her curation of the Bridge of Flowers and the annual Spring Festival. She has an artistic eye and a sweetness that is sometimes offset by a sharp sense of humor. Eleanor took over as her granddaughter Riley’s sole guardian and has raised her for most of her life.

Riley Lethe - 20

• DOB - June 12, 1998
• Performed by - Danielle Renee Vivarttas

Riley was born and raised in Haven Springs and is well known in town as Eleanor’s granddaughter and her assistant at Lethe’s Flowers. Despite her strong ties to Haven, particularly her grandmother and her boyfriend Mac, Riley’s curiosity about the world has her considering what to do next.

Mac Loudon - 23

• DOB - August 2, 1995
• Performed by - Dwight Braswell

Another Haven lifer, Mac began working at the local mine straight out of high school and has risen quickly to the role of Safety Manager. He typifies the stout, competent, and sometimes brash culture of the local mining community. He can also be hot-headed and prone to conflict, particularly with Gabe. But despite his rough edges, Mac is known for being intensely loyal to his town and close relationships, most notably his girlfriend Riley and her grandmother Eleanor.

Diane Jacobs - 34

• DOB - April 8, 1985
• Performed by - Anastasia Davidson

Intelligent and savvy, with a mastery of both the core science and business of mining, Diane has risen quickly through the ranks at her job and become the chief liaison on the massively valuable Colorado mining project. While very much an outsider in Haven, Diane has done a good job fitting into the local culture and ingratiating herself to the community. She has also become a regular at The Black Lantern and can be found most nights bantering with Gabe or Jed.

You’ll meet this intriguing cast on September 10, when Life is Strange: True Colors launches for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Steam and Stadia.

You can preorder the game now:

• Preorder Life is Strange: True Colors

To stay up to date with news and updates about the game, make sure you follow the Life is Strange team on social media:

• Life is Strange on Facebook
• Life is Strange on Twitter
• Life is Strange on YouTube

Today, as part of SQUARE ENIX PRESENTS, the next major game in the award-winning Life is Strange series was revealed.

Featuring a brand-new cast, power, and story, it offers the perfect starting point for anyone new to the series, without any need to have played previous games. If you missed the show, here are 5 quick facts to get you up to speed.

1. You'll play as Alex Chen

In Life is Strange: True Colors, you’ll play as Alex Chen. At the age of 21, she travels to Haven Springs for a chance to reunite with her estranged brother.

Alex is sharp and witty, but initially keeps her distance from others, in the hopes of hiding her ‘curse’…

2. You'll wield the psychic power of Empathy

Alex has long suppressed her ‘curse’: the supernatural ability to experience, absorb and manipulate the strong emotions of others, which she sees as blazing, colored auras.

However, Alex must embrace her volatile power to solve the mystery that haunts Haven Springs.

3. You’ll solve a dark mystery

When Alex’s brother dies in a tragic so-called accident, Alex senses there’s a larger story behind what happened to him, and she sets out to discover the truth.

Only Alex – using her psychic power of empathy – can uncover what really happened. In doing so, she’ll uncover the dark secrets buried by the small town of Haven Springs.

4. You’ll find friendship – or possibly romance

Alex will need to build trust with the townsfolk to understand what happened to her brother. She’ll also meet two new friends who will support her through the investigation: Ryan, a kind-hearted, dorky park ranger, and Steph, a local radio DJ and LARP enthusiast.

Whether these friendships spark something more, is entirely up to you.

5. You'll choose your own path

Life is Strange games are all about making tough decisions, which impact your story and Alex’s future. Now, with a new level of freedom for the series, you can roam the streets, stores, and hidden spaces of Haven Springs, solving puzzles and helping the local townsfolk with your power.

You can also decide Alex’s style, with up to 24 outfits in your wardrobe to choose from – making your playthrough completely personal to you.

In the end, it will be down to your choices that will help Alex decide whether she can make this remote Colorado town somewhere she can finally call home.

Does this sound like your kind of game? If so, you should check out the trailer now:

Life is Strange: True Colors arrives on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Steam on September 10. Unlike previous titles, it’s releasing all at once, so you can either binge-play it or use the chapter breaks to take an emotional breather now and then.

The game’s available to preorder now, with some great bonuses, including exclusive outfits, and the Deluxe Edition bonus story ‘Wavelengths’.

What’s more, if you preorder the Life is Strange: True Colors Ultimate Edition, you’ll get the Life is Strange: Remastered Collection included. This new bundle features the original Life is Strange and Life is Strange: Before the Storm, both remastered with improved visuals and animation.

• Preorder Life is Strange: True Colors

Finally, to stay up to date with news and information about Life is Strange: True Colors, make sure to follow the team on social media:

• Life is Strange on Facebook
• Life is Strange on Twitter
• Life is Strange on YouTube