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Life Is Strange: True Colors

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Life Is Strange: True Colors
Developer(s)Deck Nine
Publisher(s)Square Enix
Director(s)Zak Garriss[1]
Producer(s)
  • David Lawrence Hein
Designer(s)
  • Christopher Sica[2]
  • Chris Floyd
Programmer(s)Todd Bowlinger
Artist(s)Andrew Weatherl
Writer(s)
  • Felice Kuan[3]
  • Ryan Clements
  • Mallory Littleton
  • Deandra Fallon Warwick
Composer(s)
SeriesLife Is Strange
EngineUnreal Engine 4
Platform(s)
Release
  • 10 September 2021
Genre(s)Graphic adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Life Is Strange: True Colors is a graphic adventure video game developed by Deck Nine and published by Square Enix's European subsidiary. It was released in its entirety on 10 September 2021 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, and will be released at a later date for Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the Life Is Strange series, and the third mainline game, succeeding Life Is Strange 2. The plot focuses on Alex Chen, a young woman who can experience the emotions of others, as she tries to solve the mystery behind her brother's death.

Gameplay

Life Is Strange: True Colors is a graphic adventure played from a third-person view. The player controls the protagonist, Alex Chen, to explore various locations in the fictional setting of Haven Springs and communicate with non-playable characters through the conversation system based on dialogue trees. Alex has psychic empathy power that allows her to read and manipulate the emotions, which she perceives as colorful auras, to physically see how others feel around her at the cost of being "infected" by their emotions.[4] Some of the non-player characters will have more intense auras indicating trauma or hardship they may be going through. When Alex interacts with them, this creates a "nova" that appears to transform the world around Alex and the character to reflect elements of this trauma, giving the opportunity for the player to figure out what exactly is wrong and to opt to guide Alex in helping to comfort the character.[5]

Plot

Alex Chen, a young Asian-American woman who has grown up in a foster family and has had a troubled childhood, reunites with her brother Gabe eight years later when he encourages her to return. After Gabe is killed in a mysterious accident, Alex investigates the truth behind the accident by using her empathy powers. Along the way, Alex meets many citizens of Colorado's picturesque mountain town of Haven Springs, including two potential love interests, Ryan and Steph, the latter of whom appeared in Life Is Strange: Before the Storm.[4][6][7]

Development

Deck Nine, which had previously developed the first game's prequel Before the Storm, began work on True Colors in 2017.[8] On 18 March 2021, Square Enix revealed the game as part of a live digital presentation, along the announcement of remastered versions of the original Life Is Strange and Before the Storm, as part of Life Is Strange: Remastered Collection, to be released later in 2021.[9][10][11] A Nintendo Switch version of the game along with Life Is Strange Remastered Collection for Switch was announced during the Nintendo Direct E3 2021 presentation.[12] On 11 August, the DLC Wavelengths was announced to release on 30 September, alongside a delay of the Remastered Collection to early 2022.[13] The next day, the Switch version was said to be delayed to later in 2021.[14] On 20 August 2021, the game's original soundtrack was revealed to be composed by Australian duo Angus & Julia Stone.[15] A crowd vote extension for Twitch was released for the game's before launch.[16] On 5 September, a partnership with Critical Role was announced for Wavelengths with references to the webseries' merch and its tabletop RPG's players.[17]

A common theme of the Life Is Strange series has been based on characters with a type of super-human ability, though not like superheroes, that the developers can then provide "meditations on real experiences that regular people go through", according to Felice Kuan, senior writer at Deck Nine.[3] For True Colors, they had determined early on they wanted their protagonist to be based on a power of empathy, not only to be able to sense what others were experiencing but to be vulnerable herself and would be able to grow past this as the story progressed, "giving her a path to greater self-acceptance and greater trust in her own abilities" according to Kuan.[3] This led to creating the story around Alex losing her brother early in the game as a driver for her to explore her empathy powers and reveal more about her past as she uses them.[3] Erika Mori portrays Alex through full performance capture, which Mori said was "instrumental in successfully creating this game about empathy because it allowed us to get really high-fidelity facial expressions that were organically connected to whatever was going on with my voice and body in a particular scene."[18]

In a 2019 interview, Dontnod Entertainment, the developer of the previous two main games in the series, expressed interest in the future of the franchise while noting they would opt for new characters again, but explained that the rights belong to Square Enix and that decisions on the future of the franchise lay with them.[19] With the announcement of True Colors, Eurogamer claimed that Dontnod's time with the franchise was over and that the Life Is Strange series have been passed to Deck Nine.[8]

Release

True Colors was released on 10 September 2021 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Google Stadia, and will be released later in 2021 for Nintendo Switch. Unlike the prior mainline games in the series which have had an episodic release schedule, the game was released in its entirety at once. The game is structured in five chapters so that the player may experience the game in smaller segments.[8] An exclusive story called Wavelengths starring Steph will be available as part of a Deluxe Edition on 30 September.[6] A bundled Ultimate Edition version, with access to the remastered versions of Life Is Strange and Before the Storm, is also available.[8]

Music

The original soundtrack album by Angus & Julia Stone, which is titled Life Is Strange and features 12 songs, was released on 20 August 2021.[20][21][22] A original song by Novo Amor called Haven was used.[23] In addition, the game contains a cover of Radiohead's "Creep" by mxmtoon, who also provides the singing voice of Alex. Other featured artists include Novo Amor, Phoebe Bridgers, and Gabrielle Aplin.[24][6][25] Girl in Red, Alt-J, Portugal. The Man, Foals, Hayley Kiyoko, and Maribou State contributed to Wavelengths with their music.[26]

Reception

Life Is Strange: True Colors received "generally favorable reviews" according to review aggregator Metacritic.[27][28][29][30]

Audience response

Chinese players review bombed the game on release due to the inclusion of the flag of Tibet on the basis of the Tibet's sovereignty from China.[44][45]


References

  1. ^ "Deep dive into #LifeisStrange: True Colors with @deckninegames Game Director Zak Garriss, and @the_erika_mori – the actor behind Alex Chen". Twitter. 19 March 2021. Archived from the original on 19 March 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Life is Strange: True Colors - how powers work in gameplay | Square Enix Blog". square-enix-games.com. 15 June 2021. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Webster, Andrew (21 April 2021). "How the team behind Life is Strange: True Colors created its empathetic new lead". The Verge. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b Skrebels, Joe (18 March 2021). "Life Is Strange: True Colors Coming in September, No Episodic Release". IGN. Archived from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  5. ^ Carpenter, Nicole (13 June 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors shows the power of Alex's empathy". Polygon. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  6. ^ a b c McWhertor, Michael (18 March 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors stars an Asian American lead in an all-new adventure". Polygon. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Life is Strange 3 drops this September". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d Phillips, Tom (18 March 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors is a gorgeous new chapter which ditches the series' episodic model". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Square Enix will debut the next Life is Strange game on March 18th". Engadget. Archived from the original on 12 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  10. ^ Wales, Matt (11 March 2021). "Square Enix showing off new Life is Strange next week as part of spring showcase". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 11 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  11. ^ McWhertor, Michael (11 March 2021). "Square Enix to reveal new Life Is Strange and more in March 18 livestream". Polygon. Archived from the original on 11 March 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  12. ^ Carpenter, Nicole (15 June 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors, remastered collection coming to Nintendo Switch". Polygon. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  13. ^ Gerblick, Jordan (11 August 2021). "Life is Strange: Remastered Collection delayed to 2022, Wavelengths DLC due in September". gamesradar. Archived from the original on 11 August 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  14. ^ Lyles, Taylor (12 August 2021). "Life is Strange: Remastered Collection Delayed to 2022 [Update: True Colors on Switch Also Delayed]". IGN. Archived from the original on 12 August 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  15. ^ "LIFE IS STRANGE: TRUE COLORS REVEALS ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK BY ANGUS & JULIA STONE". press.na.square-enix.com. Square Enix, Ltd. 20 August 2021. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  16. ^ Phillips, Tom (3 September 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors has a Twitch crowd vote plug-in". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 5 September 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  17. ^ Bishop, Rollin (5 September 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors Partners With Critical Role for DLC". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  18. ^ Talbot, Carrie (21 April 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors' mocap was "instrumental in successfully creating this game about empathy"". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  19. ^ McDonnell, Jess (17 December 2019). "Life Is Strange 2 Devs Want New Story For Third Game, Switch Ports For Series". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  20. ^ "Stone-cold reality: life is a video game". The Australian. 15 August 2021.
  21. ^ Triscari, Caleb (15 August 2021). "Angus & Julia Stone announce soundtrack album for 'Life Is Strange: True Colors'". NME. Archived from the original on 21 August 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  22. ^ Newstead, Al (16 August 2021). "Angus & Julia Stone's surprise new album is a videogame soundtrack". triple j. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  23. ^ "Novo Amor Develops Bespoke New Track for Latest Instalment of 'Life Is Strange' | LBBOnline". lbbonline.com. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  24. ^ Webb, Dan (8 September 2021). "Here's your definitive Life Is Strange: True Colors tracklist". VideoGamer. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  25. ^ Matas, Fran G. (21 April 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors - Hablamos con la actriz de Alex y la guionista principal". Vandal (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  26. ^ Marshall, Cass (12 August 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors' prequel DLC looks super cozy". Polygon. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
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  28. ^ a b "Life is Strange: True Colors for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  29. ^ a b "Life is Strange: True Colors for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  30. ^ a b "Life is Strange: True Colors for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Archived from the original on 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  31. ^ Wallace, Kimberley (8 September 2021). "Life Is Strange: True Colors Review – More Powerful In Life Lessons Than Supernatural Talents". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  32. ^ Clark, Justin (8 September 2021). "Life Is Strange: True Colors Review -- More Than A Feeling". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  33. ^ Wald, Heather (8 September 2021). "LIFE IS STRANGE: TRUE COLORS REVIEW – "SHOWS OFF WHAT THE NEXT-GENERATION OF THE SERIES CAN DELIVER"". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  34. ^ Lyles, Taylor (8 September 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  35. ^ Watts, Rachel (8 September 2021). "LIFE IS STRANGE: TRUE COLORS REVIEW". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  36. ^ Phillips, Tom (8 September 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors review - a beautiful return to small-town mystery and young adult drama". Eurogamer. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
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  38. ^ "Life Is Strange: True Colours review – an earnest drama about a psychic empath | Aces high". The Guardian. 11 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  39. ^ Warner, Noelle (11 September 2021). "Review: Life is Strange: True Colors". Destructoid. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  40. ^ Irwin, Dave (11 September 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors review – search your feelings". PCGamesN. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  41. ^ "Life Is Strange: True Colors review | Aces high". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 11 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  42. ^ Madsen, Hayes (11 September 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors (PC) Review". Computer Games Magazine. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  43. ^ Mejia, Ozzie (11 September 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors review - A bright aura". Shacknews. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  44. ^ Capel, Chris (11 September 2021). "Life is Strange: True Colors is getting review-bombed thanks to a flag". PCGamesN. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  45. ^ Macgregor, Jody (11 September 2021). "Chinese players start review-bombing Life is Strange: True Colors over Tibetan flag". PC Gamer. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
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