About 7 years ago, the first of five episodes of Life Is Strange was released onto an unsuspecting world. The creators, Dontnod, had previously produced an okay but unremarkable game called Remember Me- it was pretty forgettable-so the episodic tale of an introverted photography student with the power to rewind time did not garner much excitement. However, it ended up being one of the most talked about games of the year, garnering strong reviews and approval from the video games community at large. Since then we have had the prequel Before the Storm, and a whole new storyline with new characters in Life is Strange 2.

What appeals with these games is the mumblecore movie like vibe; authentic sounding dialogue delivered well with only a occasional clunky pieces of dialogue. The games are usually shot with an eye for cinematography, a great central mystery that pulls you in and likeable or relatable characters.

I played the latest entry, True Colours and loved getting to know Alex Chen and see the effect her empathic powers had on her. There were the usual moments of wonder, surprise and tenderness that will stay with you long after the game is over but it's the characters portrayed with depth and personality that are the real triumph here- I like the portrayal of strong women in videogames who don't need rescuing.

The game was a great palette cleanser from the open world fatigue I've suffered from after playing Elden Ring and Horizon Zero Dawn: Forbidden West for over 200 hours.

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