Life is Strange
This article will have minimal spoilers for Life is Strange and Before the Storm.
If you know me as a person you know that I have a few pastimes that truly keep my attention. Whether it be movies, television, or gaming; I'm always indulging in one of these different areas. What has kept me coming back to these worlds and characters over the years? The stories they have to tell and the experiences that they provide me as a player. I've always felt the best kinds of art are those that can touch me as a person and make me create change within my own life. I can count the number of experiences that manage to grab true visceral emotion from me on one hand, and I was starting to worry that perhaps that era of gaming had passed. Thankfully, DONTNOD and Deck Nine stepped in and created a world that I never want to leave in Life is Strange and Life is Strange: Before the Storm. These are stories that break the boundaries of gaming as a medium, and with that, have made a profound impact on me as a person. With that, I want to take some time to talk about Life is Strange, and just why you should the dive into the incredible world of Arcadia Bay.
Life is Strange
Starting at the beginning, we have Life is Strange, developed by DONTNOD. The player takes over the shoes of Max Caulfield, a teenage girl returning to her childhood home of Arcadia Bay. Years ago, she left here with her family for Seattle; leaving behind a life that she loved. While this may have impacted her greatly, there's someone who was hurt even more than her by her leaving: Chloe Price. Chloe is who I would consider to be the true main character of this entire first arc of Life is Strange. Chloe lost Max at a critical moment in her life, and after years of not writing one another; it seems that the once great friendship they had had washed away with time. But, through the work of fate, Max manages to save Chloe from a precarious situation, and upon doing so discovers you she has the ability to rewind time. This ability allows Max to see the reactions of people and consider her best choice on how to impact every conversation, but when you need it most, it isn't available. This means that the biggest decisions cannot be changed.
Dealing with loss is something that we all handle in different ways, whether it be the loss of a loved one who has passed on or even a relationship with a significant other that has faded with time and broken hearts; we've all grieved loss in our own way. Chloe Price lost her father in a car accident, and just shortly after, Max left for Seattle. Upon her return, their relationship is frail and breaking at the seams. Chloe doesn't know how to trust anymore due to the events of her past, and she's scared of letting Max back in. It's these human emotions that you don't often see in gaming that show just how far DONTNOD was willing to go to connect with it's audience. Chloe's story is a harsh reality that many have faced in some form or another, and although she's not the character we play as, her story is the crux of all that is Life is Strange. Seeing Max and Chloe come back together through the events unfolding around them is emotional and rewarding for the player. This ability to capture and present a story of loss and finding hope in those we truly care about is just what makes Life is Strange so mystifying and enjoyable.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm
Throughout the course of Life is Strange, there's a major macguffin that comes into play immediately: a girl by the name of Rachel Amber. Through the course of the original game, she's never actually seen but her name is spread through Max's world in the form of Missing Person posters, and those who remember her. One of the most important people to remember Rachel is of course Chloe. At one point in Life is Strange Chloe mentions Rachel Amber as being "her angel," and the one person who truly mattered to her upon Max leaving her behind. Rachel's story comes to a head by the end of Life is Strange, and it felt like we were only scratching the surface of the potential that Rachel presented as a character.
Before the Storm takes us back to just after Chloe has lost Max and her father. She's rebelling against a world that's wronged her, and seeing this different version of Chloe is both interesting and concerning all at once. Immediately though, we're introduced to the all important character of Rachel. She sees something special in Chloe, and finds an interest in her. I loved the development of the relationship between Chloe and Max in the original game, but Rachel and Chloe's story feels even more important to tell in the grand scheme of the narrative. Rachel is struggling with issues within her family, and in Chloe she sees a chance to have a different lot in life than the one she's been dealt. In some ways, her story is the most heartbreaking of all. Chloe and Rachel's relationship is more apparent than Max and Chloe, and in some ways that makes it that much more interesting. They have an emotional connection that helps them both at this critical point in their lives. In some ways I would consider them both each others' angels. As their story hits its narrative peak, we are given perhaps one of my favorite moments in all of Life is Strange and all I'll say about is: The Tempest.
Where Life is Strange was more focused on surviving loss and rebuilding lost relationships, Before the Storm is more focused on building new relationships and finding hope in the smallest of places. Rachel and Chloe both see hope in one another, and it's what drives them closer and closer together. They fit together like two pieces of a puzzle, and as the player experiences all of this, you can't help but feel your heart being tugged at the seams.
Life is Strange: Farewell
You may have noticed that throughout all of this, there was one major moment in the lives of Chloe and Max that has been most left untouched. That moment is their final goodbye before Max moves away to Seattle. After the dust settles in Before the Storm, we are treated to one last final bonus episode, that doesn't feel like a bonus but more a necessity.
Farewell tells the story of that fateful day where they say goodbye, and we see just what caused their relationship to fall apart. It takes all of the supernatural elements of Life is Strange, and throws them out the window. It's the story of these two young girls, at a critical point in both of their lives. Max and Chloe are what makes Life is Strange just so special. Over the course of this episode, Max struggles with saying goodbye, and as Chloe is being forced to clean her room, they decide to take a trip through their past and explore their years of friendship. As the episode hits the crescendo, we are given an ending that perfectly fits with the story and takes everything we know about these characters, and adds one last wrinkle. It's a perfect ending to what I consider the best episode of this entire franchise. Farewell to me epitomizes all that makes this series just so incredible: the human moments.
In Conclusion
Art, to me, has never just been a still painting on a wall. It's anything that can create a true emotional reaction from the beholder. It's for that reason that I believe Life is Strange is truly a work of art. I've never played or seen anything that hits the right tone with me as much as the story of Max and Chloe did. It's heartbreaking and magical all at once. It's something that even the most casual of gamers can enjoy, and find something that they connect with. I can't wait to see where DONTNOD and Deck Nine go next with the next chapter of Life is Strange, and while this may be a goodbye to Max and Chloe, this certainly isn't the end of the road for this world. With The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit releasing a few months ago, we see that Life is Strange is just as beautiful as ever.
