A look back at Life is Strange
With Life is Strange: Double Exposure mere weeks away, we take a look back at Max’s first appearance - and the origins of the series itself!Happy Life is Strange Week everybody!
This is the week when the original Life is Strange’s story took place, starting on October 7 when protagonist Max Caulfield discovered her time-bending powers, and concluding with the dramatic climax to the tale on October 11!
With Max about to make her highly anticipated return as the lead role in Life is Strange: Double Exposure, it seems the perfect time to look back on the adventure that started it all!
The Story
Developed by DON’T NOD, the first Life is Strange put you in control of Max Caulfield - a young student enrolled at Arcadia Bay’s prestigious Blackwell Academy. She’s a quiet, introspective young woman, blessed with a photographer’s eye. Yet, despite that talent, she struggles with a lack of self-belief.
Her quiet school life changes dramatically when she witnesses an argument between a blue-haired girl and troubled rich kid Nathan Prescott - an altercation which leaves the girl dead and bleeding on a restroom floor. It’s here where Max discovers another unique talent - the ability to reverse time.
She uses this power to save the girl, who turns out to be her childhood friend, Chloe Price. Max’s enrolment in Blackwell is more than just an opportunity to study in a good school - it’s also a homecoming. Max grew up in Arcadia Bay and was good friends with Chloe. But when her family moved away, the pair drifted apart.
With her new powers, and a rekindled relationship with Chloe, Max sets about investigating the many mysteries that lie at the heart of Blackwell, particularly the disappearance of one of its most popular students: Rachel Amber.
As she peels away the layers of secrets, Max starts to learn more about darkness lurking in her hometown, her evolving relationship with Chloe and, most importantly, herself.
What made it so beloved?
So, what made this original game so fondly remembered? It’s comprised of so many different elements that stand out as strongly now as they did before. For example:
It had incredible characters
Max makes for a compellingly complex protagonist - talented and capable, yet unsure and vulnerable. Her growth over the story is immensely satisfying to experience, especially given that you’re the one guiding it.
Chloe is similarly complicated - aggressive and rebellious, but also with abandonment issues that reflect her deep-seated traumas. Just as she helps Max come out of her shell, Max helps Chloe come to terms with her life and who she is. The exact nature of the relationship depends on the player, it could be a strong friendship, or it could be overtly romantic, but what is always constant is that you’ll be rooting for them.
But while Max and Chloe are the headline act, the rest of Arcadia Bay’s residents are richly drawn and fully fleshed-out. From fellow students like the movie-loving Warren and sharp-tongued Victoria, to the authoritarian David and warm-hearted Joyce, every single character is fascinating to interact with. Even the game’s darker characters like Nathan Prescott are refreshingly authentic and multi-dimensional – every stereotype is hiding a more nuanced story underneath.
Basically, they’re all hella memorable.
It’s a very good mystery story...
The central tale at the heart of Life is Strange focuses on Max’s powers, and the disappearance of Rachel Amber - and it’s a mystery that keeps you guessing. Reveals are expertly delivered and the nature of some of these revelations will make your head spin.
The strong mystery story chops are only enhanced by Max’s time-bending powers. For example, by rewinding conversations, you can use the information learned the first-time through to coax more information out of that person - a great mechanic that plays into that feeling of being a talented teenage seeker of truth.
…and an even better coming-of-age drama.
There are some dramatic moments throughout the story of Life is Strange: terrible murders, deep-seated corruption, savage storms and more. But some of the most impactful moments are the quieter ones, where Max gets to spend time just being Max.
Whether it’s breaking into a swimming pool for a late-night swim or shooting the breeze (and bottles) with Chloe in a junkyard by the train tracks, these scenarios give Max an opportunity to bond, grow and even potentially find love.
It’s these moments that stick in the mind - they make you care about Max, build her character, and make the dramatic moments even more emotional. And also make some of the choices Max has to make feel all the more gut-wrenching.
The choices matter
There is no correct or ‘canonical’ path through a Life is Strange game - the decisions that you make, and the events you experience are just as legitimate as any other. Your game is canon to you.
That means that the decisions you make have real impact. While the central story of the game is fixed, the way it all plays out can be very different depending on what you choose. Even decisions that seem relatively unimportant, such as whether or not to take the opportunity to humiliate your bully or rub nasty messages off a classmate’s dorm board can have dramatic consequences in the longer-term.
It makes for a story that feels like your story.
It expertly balances the ordinary with the fantastical
One of the most consistent things about the Life is Strange series is how the series stays grounded. Rather than focus on the nuts and bolts of supernatural powers, the series uses them to explore the characters and their eternally relatable issues.
The settings are equally glorious in their ordinariness. Blackwell Academy is not a magical school of wonder, it’s a typical campus full of classrooms, dorms, faculty offices - everything you’d expect. Similarly, Arcadia Bay is a typical fishing town, with the same stores, diners, and homes that such a town would realistically have.
It means when dramatic events happen, they stand out all the more because they take place in believable, relatable settings.
It offers up moments of calm
The original Life is Strange introduced Moments of Calm - an opportunity for Max to sit down and unwind by listening to some of the greatest Indie bands on the planet. It’s a great way to take a breather, while also potentially being introduced to some incredible musical artists.
It’s become a signature of the series and appears in all the games, including the upcoming Life is Strange: Double Exposure, which has the likes of Tessa Rose Jackson, NewDad, and many more.
How can you play Life is Strange?
The original Life is Strange is still available to play today, through we recommend the Life is Strange Remastered Collection (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Steam) and the Life is Strange Arcadia Bay Collection (Nintendo Switch).
This updatedcollection includes two games. Life is Strange and prequel story Life is Strange: Before the Storm. These superb games have been enhanced with improved textures and lighting and new facial mocap for more expressive characters (Life is Strange only).
What’s next for Max Caulfield?
Life is Strange was a hugely memorable game, thanks in part to its incredible protagonist. Now, Max is back!
She’s the protagonist of the next entry in the series, Life is Strange: Double Exposure. This time, she’s joined the prestigious Caledon University as its photographer-in-residence. She has a new life, a new home, and new friends - but all that’s torn apart when her friend Safi is murdered.
It’s a seemingly impossible crime, but Max’s powers could just make her the one to solve it. But when she tries to tap into them for the first time in years, she discovers that they’ve evolved. Now, she has the ability to shift between two separate timelines - one where Safi is dead and another where the killer is yet to strike.
It’s up to Max to both solve and prevent the same murder! You can see how it all plays out on October 29, 2024, when Life is Strange: Double Exposure launches for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Windows and Steam.
In addition, if you preorder the Ultimate Edition of the game, you’ll be able to play the first two chapters from October 15, 2024!
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