Life is Strange

Your general gaming entertainment thread.
From Mario to Sonic, Zelda to Final Fantasy. Talk about it here.
User avatar
Ardent Fox
Blue Dragon Ninja
Posts: 639
jedwabna poszewka na poduszkę 70x80
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 6:18 am
Location: Columbia, SC
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Ardent Fox »

Kiz...dude. We played it Tuesday on our stream. Get your body ready for this one.

User avatar
Kizyr
Keeper of Knowledge (probationary)
Posts: 8315
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2002 7:36 am
Location: Marius Zone
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Kizyr »

Ardent Fox wrote:Kiz...dude. We played it Tuesday on our stream. Get your body ready for this one.
Huh... I'm not sure how I feel now. That was so much to process in those last 5 minutes that I still need time to recover and figure myself out.

First, non-spoiler-related comments... I'm definitely changing in how I play the game -- as Chloe ended up saying, I'm taking way more chances and using my power more than I thought I would, for even minor things sometimes that, two days ago, I wouldn't've done. I feel more for the other people in Arcadia Bay (with the one obvious exception) but I also feel more of a determination that I can maybe do something about all this (a lot like what Max said when she woke up Wednesday morning). So above all, the most fascinating aspect in Episode 3 is how they develop Max, even though you're the one making her choices.

Second, the other fascinating elements require me to discuss spoilers, so here goes:
{I just knew that significantly altering history would have some ramifications, but once I was back in 2008 seeing William there again... I figured damn the consequences, he needs to stay alive. (If you're ever read Jack Finney's "Time and Again", at one point the protagonist there goes through the same change, where he switches over from avoiding any alterations whatsoever to going, "screw it, I'm going to do the best I can here". Same idea...) So in those last few minutes, it started out with confusion, then relief, then, when seeing Chloe... ...I just don't know. I mean, knowing what I know now, would I go back and undo it? Probably not -- I hope Chloe and her family are much better off now than they were before, even if before Max and Chloe were definitely developing feelings for one another -- but it still doesn't help me avoid having mixed feelings about all this. So I suppose in summation, the next best thing about Episode 3 is how complex the choices and their aftereffects are getting, and how it's not settling into every choice being black-and-white, clearly good or clearly bad.}

I'll admit that this episode didn't end as tense as the last one, but it is still getting better and better with each scene. Now to just wait another 1-2 months until Episode 4 is out... KF
~Kizyr (they|them)
Image

User avatar
Ardent Fox
Blue Dragon Ninja
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 6:18 am
Location: Columbia, SC
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Ardent Fox »

Real talk, episode 4 needs to be out. Like, now.

User avatar
Kizyr
Keeper of Knowledge (probationary)
Posts: 8315
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2002 7:36 am
Location: Marius Zone
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Kizyr »

Episode 4 is out!!!

And I don't have time to play it until next week {..}. KF
~Kizyr (they|them)
Image

User avatar
Ardent Fox
Blue Dragon Ninja
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 6:18 am
Location: Columbia, SC
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Ardent Fox »

Well, this is going to be fun on top of the Windows 10 update. Hope all my streaming stuff works come tomorrow!

User avatar
Ardent Fox
Blue Dragon Ninja
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 6:18 am
Location: Columbia, SC
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Ardent Fox »

Thankfully I got my dates mixed up it seems with the update. So hooray. With that said and without giving anything away I have to say this is one of those games where I deeply care for the characters. This latest episode cemented the fact that I cared. We make a lot of jokes on our stream about the characters and about the things that are happening, but this is one of the few times a game has actually left an impact on me. I saw a lot of people saying this game jumped the shark. If anything, it gave that shark a laser beam.

User avatar
Kizyr
Keeper of Knowledge (probationary)
Posts: 8315
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2002 7:36 am
Location: Marius Zone
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Kizyr »

Still haven't had time to play the latest episode yet... Hopefully I will this Saturday (at least one play-through).

Oh, and on Episode 3, my "mean girl" run was incredibly difficult to go through, especially dealing with the consequences of the previous few days. I may end up putting that run off even longer this time. It just... feels so unnatural to "act" so uncaring and petty as Max.

Anyway, I'll comment later (with spoiler tags) on Episode 4 once I'm able to finally play it. KF
~Kizyr (they|them)
Image

User avatar
Kizyr
Keeper of Knowledge (probationary)
Posts: 8315
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2002 7:36 am
Location: Marius Zone
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Kizyr »

I finally played Episode 4 last weekend.

... ... ...all my reactions are going to be in spoilers here, since there's no way I can talk about it without mentioning many plot details.

{Oh my God...

I'll start at the beginning. I had a sinking feeling that fate wouldn't let this be a better outcome. Even though it forced you into reverting the past, I can't say that I wouldn't do the same if given the choice -- in contrast to what I said at the end of the last episode. ...I suppose I need to accept that some things are just going to be beyond my control.

Back to the present-day, though... I must say that I did at least enjoy the heavy detective-work throughout most of the middle of the game. And I'm glad I got through without having to sacrifice anything else -- from myself, or from others (even if Nathan did deserve those few kicks to the head). Speaking of Nathan, though, I have to admit that I'm impressed that they managed to provide him with even more depth -- in contrast to what I said at the end of the first episode. Mind you, he is still an evil -Fatal Hopper-, but he's not some two-dimensional shell of a person here.

Those other scenes investigating the Dark Room, though... damn... I had to take a break there because the utter revulsion at seeing some of the photographs was too much.

And the end... ...-Dragon Diamond-, I just feel so betrayed, angry, and scared. I mean, Jenner apparently saw this coming, but I didn't want to believe it. Now I don't know what's going to happen.
}

I still have two more play-throughs to go for Episode 4, though. That first one was my "canonical" run, behaving as I naturally feel while going through it. I still have my "completionist" run (where I fear what more information I'll find) and my "mean girls" run (where I fear the consequences of what I did earlier). KF
~Kizyr (they|them)
Image

User avatar
Ardent Fox
Blue Dragon Ninja
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 6:18 am
Location: Columbia, SC
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Ardent Fox »

I'm going to speak in spoiler code as well, because this deserves a reply.

No lie, we totally called the Jefferson thing on our stream since the first game. Granted, we did some flip flopping, but after the second episode, we were dead set on Jefferson. He was always too nice, too shifty, too...something. We had him pegged and we called Chloe not making it out of this timeline alive also. It didn't stop the shock of both events, however. We were rocked to the core to be certain.

Also, that choice at the beginning with Chloe when she asks you to kill her? The feels chart spiked heavily.

User avatar
Kizyr
Keeper of Knowledge (probationary)
Posts: 8315
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2002 7:36 am
Location: Marius Zone
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Kizyr »

More hidden replies!

{Jenner first had her suspicions based on something Mr. Jefferson said in Monday's class, about being able to capture anyone at their moment of vulnerability. I just... really liked him (and yeah, he's cute and all) so my suspicions weren't triggered so easily. Now that I'm on my second play-through of Episode 4, though, the little flirtation with Chloe when you bump into him outside the dorms was just so... ...skin-crawly.

Also, I felt more tears during the first half of my second play-through of this episode than the first (I'm not done with it yet, though... got back to the barn and decided to take a break). Those scenes with Chloe paralyzed and her lungs failing, and then coming back to the present knowing what happened in that alternate series of events, was a bit more hard-hitting.

And finally... I can't believe Chloe is dead. I want to believe she'll make it through this. I don't know, but I'm holding onto that belief.
}

Oh, and one last thing to sum up my feelings and anxiety about the latest episode here:
Life Is Strange - No Rewind.jpg
Life Is Strange - No Rewind.jpg (4.95 KiB) Viewed 33189 times
{..}... ... ... KF
~Kizyr (they|them)
Image

User avatar
Ηiro
Lostest Boy
Posts: 51
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 1:29 am

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Ηiro »

Stream?! Is it a twitch stream?? I'd love to follow along.
Avatar by Brit! :3

User avatar
Ardent Fox
Blue Dragon Ninja
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 6:18 am
Location: Columbia, SC
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Ardent Fox »

Ηiro wrote:Stream?! Is it a twitch stream?? I'd love to follow along.
There's a thread in General Gaming titled "Pure Unadulterated Shameless Advertising" where I post events and links. Feel free to follow!

More on topic. I have a bad feeling we're not going to see Episode 5 until much later than they anticipated. Which makes me cry. So far Dontnod, while putting out a stellar product, haven't been the best at keeping dates.

User avatar
Kizyr
Keeper of Knowledge (probationary)
Posts: 8315
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2002 7:36 am
Location: Marius Zone
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Kizyr »

"Delays are temporary. Mediocrity is forever!"
...even if DLCs are an option.

I'm ok waiting for another month, honestly, given the number of other games on my roster. As long as it's released in 2015 actually I think I'll be satisfied. But I'm likely in the minority here. KF
~Kizyr (they|them)
Image

User avatar
Ardent Fox
Blue Dragon Ninja
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 6:18 am
Location: Columbia, SC
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Ardent Fox »

Kizyr wrote:I'm ok waiting for another month, honestly, given the number of other games on my roster. As long as it's released in 2015 actually I think I'll be satisfied. But I'm likely in the minority here. KF
I'm okay with waiting, but I just hope there aren't any delays with it coming out.

User avatar
Kizyr
Keeper of Knowledge (probationary)
Posts: 8315
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2002 7:36 am
Location: Marius Zone
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Kizyr »

Ardent Fox wrote:
Kizyr wrote:I'm ok waiting for another month, honestly, given the number of other games on my roster. As long as it's released in 2015 actually I think I'll be satisfied. But I'm likely in the minority here. KF
I'm okay with waiting, but I just hope there aren't any delays with it coming out.
Absolutely agreed. Though it's one reason I try to ignore the scheduled release dates until it's actually out. If I don't know it's delayed, then the anticipation doesn't get to me as much. (And especially after the end of the last episode...) KF
~Kizyr (they|them)
Image

User avatar
Ardent Fox
Blue Dragon Ninja
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 6:18 am
Location: Columbia, SC
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Ardent Fox »

Kizyr wrote:Absolutely agreed. Though it's one reason I try to ignore the scheduled release dates until it's actually out. If I don't know it's delayed, then the anticipation doesn't get to me as much. (And especially after the end of the last episode...) KF
I envy that. I have to watch out for it since we try to broadcast it same day. Chasing that elusive dragon of views for a fresh game.

User avatar
Kizyr
Keeper of Knowledge (probationary)
Posts: 8315
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2002 7:36 am
Location: Marius Zone
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Kizyr »

Episode 5, the last episode, has just been released today (Tuesday, 10/20, at Midnight EDT).

I'm not playing it now since I don't want to risk falling asleep in the middle. But, I did take the day off specifically so that I could play this. Because forget about waiting 'til this weekend. KF
~Kizyr (they|them)
Image

User avatar
Kizyr
Keeper of Knowledge (probationary)
Posts: 8315
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2002 7:36 am
Location: Marius Zone
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Kizyr »

Ok, so now that I'm done with the game, thrice through, I want to offer my final commentary.

First, Life Is Strange is my favorite game I've played this year (and, this year, I've played several outstanding games -- Undertale, Okami, Portal 2, and Transistor, to name a few). There are highs and lows, but overall this was an incredible experience. The emotional ride, characterization that made you care for the people in the game, use of the game and its mechanics to drive the story, and overall theme of actions and consequences, all contribute to making it my favorite game of the year and one of my favorites ever.

Those are my overall thoughts. If you enjoy story-driven games and want a different pace than the more action-oriented ones, I can't recommend Life Is Strange enough.

Second, about Episode 5 in particular... To start, Episodes 1-4 set up a strong story and... scary... events by the end. The consequences of your actions on future events and on Max herself were more apparent. Unfortunately, Episode 5 had the unenviable task of wrapping things up -- and since it's impossible to have 64 trillion endings, it had to coalesce everything into only a handful (Mass Effect 3 had the same task). This is bound to upset some fans, but I still maintain that they ended the series as best as they realistically could. Not every choice branches you off into a different ending, but they still mean something.

Third, for spoiler-based comments:
{To start, one constant thing I was thinking throughout that final Nightmare sequence was: man, my subconscious is an -Albino Baboon-. Gee, thanks for making me feel miserable about every time I tried to fix things...

In my first run (my "canonical" one), that nightmare got to me. Couple that with how Max had fell in love with Chloe in that run and, well, by the end I couldn't bring myself to sacrifice her. So in that final choice... farewell, Arcadia Bay.

In my second run (my "idealized" one), I'd grown close to both Chloe and Warren, and was thinking more utilitarian. So... as difficult as it was, I sacrificed Chloe.

Lastly, my one final comment... I couldn't help but think of the question Ghaleon poses to Alex in Silver Star Story, in the final moments of the game:
http://www.lunar-net.com/sssc/screens/1 ... 421.17.jpg
Well, how would you choose?
} KF
~Kizyr (they|them)
Image

User avatar
Ardent Fox
Blue Dragon Ninja
Posts: 639
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 6:18 am
Location: Columbia, SC
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Ardent Fox »

It's been a long while since the episode was out. But I only just recently got the opportunity to play it. There's nothing much to say. So I'll let Jim Morrison say it for me.


User avatar
Kizyr
Keeper of Knowledge (probationary)
Posts: 8315
Joined: Wed Dec 25, 2002 7:36 am
Location: Marius Zone
Contact:

Re: Life is Strange

Post by Kizyr »

BTW I'm still planning on replaying this one last time, trying for as "perfect" a run as I can. I want to nab some screenshots and try to promote the game a little (same thing I did with Undertale and Read Only Memories -- though the former doesn't really need any promotion at this poi). KF
~Kizyr (they|them)
Image

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 29 guests