Life is Strange True Color was first teased during the Square Enix Presents showcase in March 2021. After four years of development and three years since Life is Strange 2, the previous game’s release in the series. On September 9th, Life is Strange: True Colors came to PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Stadia, with the Nintendo Switch version coming later this year.
This game is rated M for mature audiences.
Life is Strange: True Colors is the fourth continuation of the Life is Strange universe. Rather than the game being released episodically like the previous games, this game was released in full and consisted of five chapters: Side A, Lanterns, Monster or Mortal, Flicker, and Side B.
When players start the game, they are greeted by the peaceful scenery of Haven Springs. At the beginning of the game, the protagonist and therapist, Dr. Lynn, conducts a final session before the protagonist leaves the Helping Hand’s Group Home in Portland, Oregon, to Haven Springs, Colorado, an old mining town.
The facial expressions and the movements of the characters look organic and natural, “For the first time, they are rendered using full performance capture technology captured and animated here in house at Deck Nine,” said Game Director, Zak Garriss
Erika Mori, the voice of Alex Chen, said at the SE Presents showcase. “What I love most about Alex is she’s this smart, resilient young woman who at the start of the game has already weathered a really difficult life in the foster care system, but she still has this hope for the future that somewhere she can find a place to call home.”
Alex was greeted by her older brother, Gabe, who invited her to live with him after being apart for eight years. As she and Gabe see one another, a blue aura outlines Gabe. The thought of seeing Alex grown up and knowing he missed it made Gabe’s sad blue aura glow.
Four different colors of auras appear throughout: red for anger, yellow for joy, purple for fear, and blue for sadness. Alex can hear what someone is thinking to cause the aura and enter the person’s aura to see a distorted version of reality. She has the choice to calm the person down or to take away their harmful aura. However, the harmful auras cause Alex to lose control and lash out at others or herself.
As the game progress, gamers meet two friends of Gabe- Ryan Lucan, a Colorado Park Ranger and, Steph Gingrich, DJ and LARP queen of the Haven Falls. These characters help players solve the mystery of Gabe’s death and fall in love with them.
After playing True Colors, fans and players can play the remastered version of the first Life is Strange game and the prequel Life is Strange: Before the Storm with better visuals and environments. In addition, as a part of the deluxe and ultimate version of True Colors, fans can play a DLC story called Life is Strange Wavelength. This prequel is about how Steph made it to Haven Springs, worked as a DJ for KRCT radio, and managed Rocky Mountain Record Exchange. The DLC was released on September 30th, while the Remastered version is releasing in early 2022 due to delays.
Overall, the game feels like you’re walking in Alex’s shoes with the openness of the world and the ability to choose what Alex will do. This game receives a 4/5 due to the game’s interesting story, smooth animations, and open-world map.
