I went into “Life is Strange” without knowing much about it, and honestly, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. The game is focused almost entirely on its story and characters, and even though the gameplay is very simple, I think it works really well for what the game is trying to do.
The main mechanic is Max's ability to rewind time. You can use it to change your decisions, solve some puzzles, and see how different choices affect the conversations around you. The mechanic is really interesting at first, but after a while, it can feel a little repetitive. Still, I think it is a great way to make the player feel like their choices actually matter.
The game also has a really good atmosphere. The soundtrack is probably one of my favorite parts of the game, and it fits the game's emotional moments really well. The environments are also really nice to explore, especially because there are a lot of small details and optional interactions that make the world feel more alive.
As for the story, I really enjoyed it. The characters are probably the strongest part of the game, and I liked seeing their relationships develop throughout the episodes. The game deals with some pretty heavy themes, and there are several moments where your choices actually made me stop and think about what I wanted to do. Some parts of the story are a little predictable, but there were still several moments that surprised me.
For the 100% achievements, there isn't much to worry about. Most of the achievements are related to finding optional photos throughout the game. Some of them are easy to miss if you don't explore everything, but there is no grinding or anything particularly difficult. If you follow a guide, getting 100% is very easy.
In the end, “Life is Strange” is a great story-driven game with memorable characters, a really good soundtrack, and an interesting time-rewind mechanic. If you like games that focus on story and characters, I definitely recommend it.
