I'm super glad I got this on sale because it's not really worth the full price, especially since I just finished Life Is Strange 2, cried about that game for weeks, immediately got this one a few weeks after and was... shocked at the stark differences. It's a character story first and second, and a choices-matter game third.
I know it's from two different studios but seeing the direction the new guys are taking with the Life Is Strange series? I am more than happy to have this be my last purchase of this series. I kinda wish I could refund it and have LIS2 be my last interaction with the series but 15 hours is 15 hours. I really wanted to give this a fair shot. The game is beautiful though and I'm happy they gave good representation (Alex and their family) to us Asians and about being in a broken family. The design of the town and its' multiple places? God, it's cozy and well-made.
At first, I thought Alex might not be great and that the story will not do well with this type of character but the moment I finished the game, I notice it wasn't Alex. I ended up loving her as much as I love Sean (LiS2). The game wanted to tell a town mystery, a story about empathy and belonging, a story about a girl suffering from a broken family and having to be independent so quickly, a story about having these powers that make life way too strange for her- I see what they're trying to do- and I love each of its' story beats and moments- but my God, the way it was all put together? Janky. Not as 'oomph' as I wished it was. It's handling very strong topics but it feels muted. Not gut-punching. I wondered why that is, and then it hit me. The choices I make and what happens after those choices- does not feel as impactful or memorable as LiS2's.
For True Colors, I feel like I was watching those 'pick your own adventure' Youtube videos where you choose what the next scene would be at the end of it. For LiS2, I feel like I was literally there, in that room as the character, as we go through the anxiety, the unknown, the high stakes or the calmness before a possible storm. I am in the game- meanwhile for True Colors, I can tell I was playing a game with choices. I'm not melting into the world, I'm just trying to finish scenes so that I can choose the next Youtube video option.
It's not a bad game by any means, which is why this is not a thumbs down review. I think there's something here and the last chapter with Alex's family member was very special to me, but I just wish it was more interactive and immersive. I wish the game's UI was better and I wish it was telling a story too, but it felt like I was literally looking at UI that was made to finish the job or fulfill the basic purpose of UI and not because "Oh, let's make it look like Alex's journal or music records because she loves music records."- there was no theme to its' UI, basically. So, when I went to look at my choices, I just felt muted and, "Oh, OK, it seems the majority don't know that was an option too."- Don't be afraid of making it look like the character is touching your world. We are literally playing the character and it would be nice to see rough and personalized edges of Alex rather than something so polished and minimalistic. I must say, I really appreciate Alex's journal a lot and it shows what type of person she is as she navigates her emotions.
But yes, I don't hate the game at all- I just felt like there were a lot of missed opportunities to make it gut-punching and stick with you. The sale is good, and I recommend just getting it on sale for what it is.
This is just my two cents when it comes to Alex being so independent and strong and how the story tells it. It's obvious she is struggling quietly but she keeps telling people she can handle it. What would be really cool is- what if, when we choose the "I'm not OK" options, she doesn't truly say that? But only after we learnt to accept our emotions, she finally listens to us and she finally says what we choose. It'll give so much immersion to what it's like, as someone that had to be strong her whole life and never being able to just say, "I am not OK."- maybe Alex can say it with either Steph or Ryan or someone else- Anyway, with how lackluster the choices feel, if they want to put less importance and stakes in our choices and more to character story, how about doing something like that?
Once again, I understand it's a different studio but that doesn't mean the studio should be less creative in telling their stories. Eraser dust on a sketchbook page that is a bit crumpled- can tell a story too. Don't be afraid of those touches.
I adore Alex, Sean and Daniel,.. and I'm sad we won't see more stories of random people trying to figure out their powers and how to navigate life with it. It is as they say- Max Caufield coming back sounds more like a threat than anything, haha. It's fine if they want to go down that route where they just tell Max's story. It's their choice. I'm just glad this means I can move on to Lost Records: Bloom and Rage and other stuff from Don't Nod Entertainment and hopefully other studios that might want to do choices-matter games!
