History VideoGame / LifeIsStrange

* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: The weird lady seen at the Two Whales in Episode 2 is a tourist who speaks with a stereotypical Canadian accent.

* CourteousCanadian: The "weird lady" seen at the Two Whales in Episode 2 is a tourist who speaks with a stereotypical Canadian accent.

* CanadaEh: The "weird lady" seen at the Two Whales in Episode 2 is a tourist who speaks with a stereotypical Canadian accent.

* AnAesop:
** Bullying and UsefulNotes/{{victim blaming}} is wrong.
** Helping people with depression is important, even if all you can offer is a kind word, your time and attention, and a nice cup of tea.
** Sometimes, when bad things happen, there isn't anyone to blame. They just happen.
** Mental illness is a serious problem that could have disastrous consequences if left untreated.
** Not everyone who makes bad decisions is a bad person. Figuring out the why is important.

* FantasticAesop: Max suddenly manifests time travel powers after seeing Chloe shot. She discovers a lot of clever ways to use it, [[spoiler:but no matter what she does, it never seems to make anything better in the end, and it's ultimately revealed that her use of the time travel is what's causing the coming [[ClockRoaches apocalyptic storm]], and the only way to stop it is to go back to the first time she used her powers and let the girl get shot. In other words, you shouldn't use time travel powers that are miraculously given to you after a terrible event, because the universe might have arbitrary rules that make time travel a bad idea to use.]][[note]]This also overlaps with SpaceWhaleAesop, because the implied mundane message of "accept what happened in the past and move on" is only delivered through arbitrary and fantastic consequences. That, in turn, creates a BrokenAesop, because the only reason Max didn't learn to accept what happened early on is because the universe decided to grant her time travel powers to begin with, thanks again to the arbitrary rules of the fantastic element.[[/note]]

-->'''Max:''' [[IncrediblyLamePun I'm good to flow, thanks]].

** Justified with [[HairTriggerTemper Nathan]] [[AmbiguousDisorder Prescott]]; there are indeed therapists available who are more than willing to help him. Unfortunately, his father considers allowing him to see them a sign of weakness, forcing him to self medicate with illegally purchased drugs.

Season 1 consists of five episodes, which were released roughly eight weeks apart throughout 2015. It is available for download on [=iOS=], UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/Xbox360, UsefulNotes/XboxOne, Mac, Linux, and PC (the last three through Steam), [[http://lifeisstrange.com/free and you can download the entire first episode for free to try it out if you're on the fence]]. It's available for disc retail (with an optional limited edition) only on the [=PlayStation=] 4, Xbox One, and PC. The limited edition featured the game's licensed soundtrack on CD, a 32-page art book in the style of Max's journal, and a director's commentary which was released to all players. You can find launch trailers, developer videos, and other such context at the official [[https://www.youtube.com/user/lifeisstrange YouTube channel.]]

* RuleOfSymbolism: In Episode 4, there are two moons in the sky. Just before a certain scene, one moon fades. [[spoiler: In the next scene, Chloe dies.]]
** The fictional town of Arcadia Bay is named after {{Arcadia}}, a historic region of the Greek Peloponnesus which symbolises unspoiled, harmonious utopia of the wilderness of an out-of-the-way area closed off by the mountains. Arcadia Bay is an old-fashioned rural town located in the mountains of Oregon that has a lot of reverence for the GoodOldWays and seems to be stuck in the past century. Both in this game and the ''Before the Storm'' prequel, the town and its economy are suffering from the parasitic influence of the Prescott Foundation, which aims to take over the town and rebuild it in their image. Ironically, one of their latest developments, Pan Estates (which is rumored to be built on native americans' sacred tribal land), is named after a Greek god of wilderness, flocks and shepherds.

** The fictional town of Arcadia Bay is named after {{Arcadia}}, a historic region of the Greek Peloponnesus which symbolises unspoiled, harmonious utopia of the wilderness of an out-of-the-way area closed off by the mountains. Arcadia Bay is an old-fashioned rural town located in the mountains of Oregon which has a lot of reverence for the GoodOldWays and seems to be stuck in the past century. Both in this game and the ''Before the Storm'' prequel, the town and its economy are suffering from the parasitic influence of the Prescott Foundation, which aims to take over the town and rebuild it in their image. Ironically, one of their latest developments, Pan Estates (which is rumored to be built on native americans' sacred tribal land), is named after a Greek god of wilderness, flocks and shepherds.

* IllPretendIDidntHearThat: Mr. Jefferson says this three times. The first two are to Victoria in Episode 3, first for [[spoiler:coming on to him]] and second for [[spoiler:trying to blackmail him]]. Strangely, in Episode 4, [[spoiler:Jefferson declares her the "Everyday Heroes" contest winner anyway, the contest being one of the main reasons she kept coming on to him, although it's heavily implied that she only won by default because Max, Jefferson's favorite, didn't enter.]]. The third time being to Max in Episode 5, where she can snark him out in the middle of his lesson [[spoiler:after she finds out that he helped cover up Rachel's murder, he helped Nathan kidnap Kate, and he murdered Chloe and Nathan.]]

** In the first three episodes, there are four choices involving Chloe: her pot in Episode 1, Kate's call at the diner and the confrontation with Frank in Episode 2, and taking the money for the handicapped fund in Episode 3. If at least three of these are resolved in a way that she approves of, examining Chloe's phone in her bedroom shows that she has changed her background to a picture of Max. Otherwise, it's a picture of Rachel. The relationship with Chloe is complicated in further episodes, with the argument between David and Chloe thrown into the mix. If Max sided with Chloe three times and [[spoiler:kissed her]] in Episode 3, then [[spoiler:she and Max will share a passionate kiss before Max travels back for the last time in the Sacrifice Chloe ending. Otherwise, they have an emotional hug instead]].
*** Even interactions with Warren can affect the Sacrifice Chloe ending; Max can fail to get Chloe to "replace" Rachel on her phone, but also do the other actions in favour of her [[spoiler: kiss Chloe and side with her in the argument with David]], but if she [[spoiler: kisses Warren (after said previous decisions), she won't kiss Chloe]].

* IllPretendIDidntHearThat: Mr. Jefferson says this three times. The first two are to Victoria in Episode 3, first for [[spoiler:coming on to him]] and second for [[spoiler:trying to blackmail him]]. Strangely, in Episode 4, [[spoiler:Jefferson declares her the "Everyday Heroes" contest winner anyway, the contest being one of the main reasons she kept coming on to him]]. The third time being to Max in Episode 5, where she can snark him out in the middle of his lesson [[spoiler:after she finds out that he helped cover up Rachel's murder, he helped Nathan kidnap Kate, and he murdered Chloe and Nathan.]]

It's October 2013, and [[HumbleHero Maxine "Max" Caulfield]] (Creator/HannahTelle) is an 18-year-old HighSchool [[OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent senior]] who just recently moved back to her hometown of Arcadia Bay, Oregon, [[StrangerInAFamiliarLand after an absence of five years]]. When she sees a girl get shot by a fellow student, Max discovers she can [[TimeRewindMechanic rewind time]], allowing her to change what happened and save the girl. The girl is later revealed to be [[TheLancer Chloe Price]] (Creator/AshlyBurch), Max's former best friend, and the two have a rather [[JustForPun strange]] but heartfelt reunion.

* HairpinLockpick: In Episode 3, Chloe and Max break into the school to steal some files. When trying to get into the principal's office, Chloe tries to pick the lock with hairpins (claiming she learned how to from [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Frank]]). This is {{subverted|Trope}} in that she'll never succeed; Max, [[spoiler:[[CuttingTheKnot texts Warren how to build a pipe bomb, does so, blasts the door open]], and then rewinds time so she can unlock the door from the inside]].

* NeverTrustATrailer: The trailer for Episode 4 was an JustForFun/{{egregious}} offender. Not only was [[SirNotAppearingInThisTrailer Chloe edited out of every scene]], but Max's exploration of Chloe's house was narrated with the line "there's no sign of life," which was taken from Max looking into the forest in an entirely different scene.

* NewPowersAsThePlotDemands: Every new episode, Max gains new abilities that help her when she needs it. [[spoiler:In Episode 2, she manages to stop time long enough to get to the rooftop before Kate jumps when she can't outright reverse it, and in Episode 3, she learns how to time travel with a picture just so she can prevent the death of Chloe's dad]]. It is implied that these are all different applications of the same power. She has no idea how it works, after all.

** If you water Max's houseplant Lisa in both Episodes 1 and 2, [[spoiler:it drowns]]. Due to a scripting error which prevented a text from Max's mother warning about this, most players didn't know any better until Episode 3, where it was patched.

* RoadsideWave: At one point, Alyssa gets splashed with puddle water by the road side which you can warn her of.

* SearchingTheStalls: In the bathroom early on, Chloe checks the stalls to see if anybody was there to overhear her talk with Nathan. However, she FailedASpotCheck and missed Max hiding in the janitor space at the end.

* SawItInAMovieOnce: Max mentions this when she successfully [[spoiler:gains access to the Dark Room by trying only the faded numbers on the keypad]]:
-->'''Max:''' Yes! I thought that only worked in the movies.

* ShipperOnDeck: If you convince Daniel to go to the End of the World Party, then you can find him and Brooke happily chatting together, with the implication that the two of them are about to become a couple. This is a bit downplayed if you turned Warren down on his offer of a drive-in date, which Brooke takes him up on instead.

* OnceMoreWithClarity: The catalyzing incident of the plot is when Max watches a "punk girl" attempt to blackmail fellow student Nathan for some past indiscretion. Without context, Nathan comes across fairly sympathetically. At the end of the game, we can see the scene play out again knowing the full circumstances behind it, and it comes across very differently.

* PoolScene: The End of the World Party in Episode 4 takes place in Blackwell's indoor swimming pool, with the bars and dance floors set up around the pool and [[WalkingSwimsuitScene lots of beautiful young bodies on display]].

** Chloe's friendship with Rachel with quite close. She calls Rachel her "angel", and the creators have remained ambiguous as to if the two were romantically involved. In Episode 3, Chloe admits she [[spoiler:"crushed" on Rachel, though she did not think she was perfect]]. Chloe also does ''not'' take it well when she learns that [[spoiler:Rachel was apparently in a full relationship with Frank]]. In the confrontation with Frank in Episode 4, Chloe can state after specific dialogue choices that [[spoiler:she and Rachel loved each other. Alternatively, Frank speaks of Rachel and their relationship as something he deeply valued, and through specific dialogue choices he will tell Chloe that Rachel blamed her for the problems she and Frank had in their own relationship. Regardless, Chloe becomes absolutely distraught and bursts into tears]] when she and Max [[spoiler:discover Rachel's corpse]].

** [[spoiler:The Prescotts.]] Other than being indirectly responsible for Nathan's unstable and dangerous behavior, they're ultimately irrelevant to the larger plot, despite their talk of Nathan inheriting his "legacy" and a number of conspicuous references to the Pan Estates in Episode 4.
** [[spoiler:The Vortex Club.]] They're heavily implied throughout the game to be a conspiracy with some connection to the apocalyptic storm, but in the end, they really are just an exclusive group of rich kids.
** Nathan and his role in the [[spoiler:drugging and photographing of young women against their will. While he's far from innocent, he isn't actually the BigBad. Mr. Jefferson is.]]

* BettyAndVeronica: Max has two possible love interests: the friendly, down-to-earth Warren who she's known for a while (the Betty), or the outgoing, adventurous Chloe who she's just reunited with (the Veronica). Depending on the player's choices, Max can date Warren, Chloe, neither or ''both'' at once.

* ExtremelyShortTimespan: The entire game takes place over the course of five days. It seems longer because of Max's rewind abilities and [[spoiler:the alternate timeline]].

** [[spoiler:Not warning Victoria about the Dark Room at the End of the World Party initially seems to end up saving her life, since she goes to Jefferson for help, and he's the one behind it. The sequel reveals that in the Sacrifice Arcadia Bay ending, getting captured saves her life (as it means she's safely in the bunker when the storm hits and David rescues her and Max).]]

*** The sequel explicitly confirms [[spoiler: Joyce died as David is now a widower living on his own. This likely means Warren and Frank were killed too, since they were in the same building as her.]]