Life is Strange

I didn't see a topic for it and I looked around for a bit so I thought I'd start one.

It feels almost like a Stephen King Novel. Kind of Carrie-ish as well. And I really like the concept of it considering we have a lot of games that take place on big war battle fields and fantasy landscapes and not many that are more in an every day environment as an every day kind of person.

The only thing that bothers me is that I think they need to play with the Time Travel Mechanic further. It feels too much like 'Made a mistake? Just go back in time!' and a lot of things lose tension that way.

There are also a couple of plot holes here and there, but that's kind of going to happen when time travel is a bit less defined and more as the plot needs.

edited 7th Feb '15 3:06:18 PM by InkDagger

The dialogue is pretty cringeworthy at times, but it still feels kinda... charming?

I really like the game. And I'm really glad they seem to have a specific schedule for release, even if it is only down to the month, unlike some other companies. *glares at Telltale*

Tell me how does this compare to The Longest Journey?

Is Max (that is her name correct?) going to save the world armed with only her wits, quick thinking, and a bit of time manipulation?

Also you say that the dialogue is cringeworthy at times?

Dialogue is one of the key components of a point and click game, (yes I am classifying this game as point and click) and if the dialogue isn't good, then the game suffers for it.

edited 7th Feb '15 3:33:23 PM by Worlder

The dialogue is a bit strange in some places, but its Narm Charm in my book.

I do find it nice that you could skip a ton of the chapter by just walking to your objective and ignoring everything else. Makes it feel less linear than Telltale's style.

I think they should have more moments where reversing time at all has consequences. Maybe Alex starts saying things before other's say the dialogue to prompt the reply and it could have ramifications later.

I feel like the scene where you Go through Chloe's dad's files and they get grease on them isn't much of a 'choice'. Its obvious that you can just reverse time and keep the information you gathered. There's no logical reason NOT to reverse time.

I think that particular part is less of a "choice" and more of a question of whether you remember to reverse time.

Or it would be if the "this action will have consequences" thing didn't flash.

x2 To your first question, it certainly looks that way. Though I'd compare this game more to Dreamfall than the first Longest Journey.

As for the dialogue... maybe cringeworthy isn't right. I never actually cringed while playing. But a lot of it feels very... Totally Radical. Like, it's maybe trying a bit too hard at points, but it's still fun. Like I said, there's a certain charm to it.

edited 7th Feb '15 3:51:45 PM by Mukora

Yeah. Though, considering even the characters seem very aware of it ('Haven't heard that one in awhile') I think its intentional rather than trying to be 'cool' or 'trendy'.

I dunno. It's definitely aware that the way Max talks isn't exactly natural, but Chloe?

The way she uses "Hella" doesn't seem right.

It's a really minor issue, either way.

edited 7th Feb '15 4:45:12 PM by Mukora

I have to say seeing the promotional material and trailers for this game makes me want to play a point and click sitcom.

I'm just starting playing Dreamfall.

I'll have to say, any point and click game worth its salt must have good dialogue.

Unless it has no dialogue to begin with.

Again, the dialogue isn't bad. Don't fixate on that so much.

I got used to it pretty fast. Anyway, I enjoyed the first episode.

What about puzzles?

What taking stuff and mashing it with other stuff? How well does this game fair on that aspect?

Not that many puzzles. The first episode has like one or two, and they're trial and error at most. No combining items, either.

This game has more in common with Telltale stuff than older adventure games. It's less about the puzzles and more about the narrative.

Well, in that case, I'll probably stick with Dreamfall for now.

Also, can Max be described as "clever" and "quick thinking"?

The protagonists of many point and click adventure games solve virtually all their problems using brains (with a little help from amusing awkward excuses).

I don't understand your weird fixation on this being like all other adventure games.

It's not.

But... yes? I don't know, only one episode is out and I don't think I have the best grasp of Max's personality, but I'd say she's definitely not the dullest tool in the shed.

I would say that she's clever at times (Washing Machine), but not TOO clever. Namely, as soon as the bathroom thing was going on, my first thought was to take a photo THEN help Chloe because I technically have all the time in the world and that's also the moment the game mentions that anything I take (items, photos) are unaffected by the time travel. Have a photo and that idiot would be doomed.

But, no.

This also becomes a plot hole when you're given a choice to take a photo of David harassing the Marsh girl (can't remember her name) or standing up for her, but, for unknown reasons, taking the photo and then standing up for her deletes the photo from existence.

Its also very clear that NO ONE seemingly knows when to report people for doing stupid shit.

Calling it now. The shot of a VHS Case reading 'Rachel' is Nathan's. David is the red herring with the whole 'Surveillance obsession', but Nathan apparently crawled towards Chloe with a camera in the date-rape scene. I'm calling it now.

Also, I'm guessing Rachel had the same powers as Max does considering EVERYONE had a seemingly good opinion of her and my guess is she did the same as the player; reversing time to help people and thus become popular. Any one would be described as an 'angel' if they did that. She could get perfect test scores no problem.

Third theory. David knows something about the Tornado. He's stocked on EVERYTHING from food to guns, but he can't pay his bills??? He's getting ready for SOMETHING.

I'm willing to accept the "Make one choice- reverse- everything from last choice is gone" thing as pure Gameplay and Story Segregation.

Considering you only find out Chloe has a gun if you help her with David, I doubt if you reverse and choose not to help her, Max will still know about it.

Its still a plot hole. I caught it as gameplay story stuff, but it doesn't make it any less of an illogical thing. Especially since there's nothing to tell you that you DON'T still have the photo. It suggests to me that it wasn't thought through as well as it should have. But, hey, first episode. Early Installment Weirdness. Its not unusual.

I was just about to ask about the Gun. I noticed it as the only thing from the trailers I couldn't make happen. What gets her to pull it on him??? And why does she have it?

I won't dispute that it's a plot hole, but it's one I'm willing to overlook, personally.

Chloe didn't pull it on David in my game. I stepped out of the closet and claimed the weed was mine, and Chloe decided I was "badass" enough to let me in on her secret once he left.

Her exact logic for having it is, essentially, insurance. "If anyone should have guns, it should be women."

edited 9th Feb '15 1:01:13 AM by Mukora

I wasn't sure if she was pulling it on David or not. I couldn't tell. Its funny because, if I remember, she answers him with some line about believing in gun control if he accuses her of taking the gun.

I'm actually surprised because I was kind of wondering if the missing gun could somehow have been the gun Nathan pulled on her, but nope. Chloe has the gun.

Max is still aware of David's "files" on students even if you reverse time to clean up the mess. I'm thinking the photo being effected was just a mistake.

edited 9th Feb '15 8:20:20 AM by SilentColossus

Well, yes. It is a mistake. We also keep the hammer in the bathroom even though we reversed time, keep the knowledge of the Camera Drone, Juliet's name, the what's his name question to look through his portfolio, the optional photo of Victoria's photos as a middle finger even if we reversed time to before they were moved around, and other things.

There is no reason we can't have BOTH the photo of David harassing Kate as well as defend her from him, but the devs decided that they're mutually exclusive. I suppose its better to defend her from him because there are other ways of proving that David is harassing her.

Like I said, I think it's only the major choices that aren't going to be affected by time travel shenanigans. Which is silly, but there's definitely an obvious, if arbitrary, line being drawn.

I just think the devs need to not make such a choice in the future, or at least not without telling the player that their previously abstract but logical thinking will not work in that situation 'because'. I'm less bother by the plot hole of it all and more the lack of actually informing you of it not working that way.

Because, well, anyone who DOESN'T realize it doesn't work that way can likely go about the game blissfully unaware because none of the scenes read as 'Oh darn. A photo of David harassing Kate would be really nice right now. Too bad no one has one'.