March Community Playthrough - Life is Strange

[Shadow Kisuragi]

I have to admit, this is likely the most discussion I've seen on a game in the Community Playthrough, and we're just halfway through the game...
Definitely enjoyable to see everyone's progress and reactions.

[singlebanana]

I did go out of my way to prevent Wiliam's death, though I wasn't under the impression that was a choice.

Same here Pam, they try to through you off a bit. I kept unplugging the home phone and trying to find a way to steal the cell.  That was the part that I was referring to earlier regarding rewinding. I made the mark on the edge of the fireplace and took a photo (bird I think), but apparently I hit the rewind too far and these actions didn't show up at the end table.  Kind of irritating in that for some things you do an action and you can't rewind past them, but some things you can. Anyway, minor gripe.

I'm actually finding that I don't mind the music anymore either.  It fits the atmosphere very well.  In the scene when you wake up next to Chloe and the view just pans around the serene and beautiful morning bedroom I just sat there and enjoyed the music and the calmness of morning much the same way I do when I wake up and don't want to get out of bed because everything is so peaceful.  I also really appreciated that the game didn't prompt me to press a button to get it.  Would have been obnoxious and ruined the moment.

Yeah, I'm with you Bil. I actually enjoy the music in this game and the way it plays over your actions. It's typically at the beginning or end of a scene and isn't bothersome to the development of the plot.  I actually think that it works very well in that it's like a movie soundtrack.  If indeed we are playing a game that is essentially like playing a movie, then I think this indeed works very well.  I listen to a good deal of indie music and it's been neat seeing how some of the songs I recognize have been integrated.

[Fleach]

I did go out of my way to prevent Wiliam's death, though I wasn't under the impression that was a choice.

[/quote]

I guess I was so invested in saving William I tricked myself into thinking it was one of "this choice will have consequences" moment. Didn't know it was mandatory to the plot.

Bil mentioned enjoying the moment where Max and Chloe lie in bed soaked in the morning sun... That was my favourite moment in the game. So peaceful. I didn't want it to end.

[Pam]

I love those peaceful moments of the game too and I found quite a few of them. Besides the places where Max can just lay in bed (whether with Chloe, or earlier by herself) there are also places you can sit down while the music plays and we hear some of Max's thoughts. I loved those little relaxing breaks.

[singlebanana]

I pushed through and finished Life is Strange last night.  I have mixed feelings on Chapter 5, which I will save until the end of the month.  Overall, glad I played this game and worth the price of admission.

[GrayGhost81]

https://www.insertcoinclo...hing.com/life-is-strange/

[Fleach]

That merch site reminded me of something I noticed in the time. Max begins the game with her Jane Doe shirt (the doe is her spirit animal), and ends the game with the black moth shirt. It's a symbol of her not being a nobody any more.

[Crabmaster2000]

Plenty of people here kept saying that the rewind mechanic of the game would become more interesting and significant and they weren't kidding.  It turns out out that the first 2 chapters were spending a lot of time on character development and plot exposition.  It wasn't until Chapter 3 until I felt like I was really in Max's shoes experiencing the world and reacting to it as opposed to playing a game. 

I had the exact opposite feeling. Felt like there were so many moments and "decisions" that I was forced to experience that keep pulling me out of the story and reminded me I was playing a game in Chapters 3 and 4. They were all optional for me in the first 2 chapters so I felt free to play the game as Max, and just felt like I was along for the ride with little to no control over the events in 3 and 4.

[singlebanana]

Wait until you get to Chapter 5 Crabby. Basically a zero control nose dive to the end.

[Crabmaster2000]

Wait until you get to Chapter 5 Crabby. Basically a zero control nose dive to the end.

I couldn't wait to play when I first started and now I've been procrastinating to start the final chapter. I'll still finish, but I'm losing my drive to play quickly.

[Fleach]

Wait until you get to Chapter 5 Crabby. Basically a zero control nose dive to the end.

Yeah, I felt the same. I think there were times were I was putting the controller down for 5 to 10 minutes and watching the scene play out.

[Untrod Tripod]

Plenty of people here kept saying that the rewind mechanic of the game would become more interesting and significant and they weren't kidding.  It turns out out that the first 2 chapters were spending a lot of time on character development and plot exposition.  It wasn't until Chapter 3 until I felt like I was really in Max's shoes experiencing the world and reacting to it as opposed to playing a game.  

I had the exact opposite feeling. Felt like there were so many moments and "decisions" that I was forced to experience that keep pulling me out of the story and reminded me I was playing a game in Chapters 3 and 4. They were all optional for me in the first 2 chapters so I felt free to play the game as Max, and just felt like I was along for the ride with little to no control over the events in 3 and 4.

this was my feeling as well. I thought this game was an enjoyable experience that was hamstrung by being initially presented as a game in which the gift of choice is the central mechanic when in fact the BURDEN of choice is the central mechanic. additionally, there was a lot of railroading and choices made for you towards the end so it seemed to me like (possibly due to releasing the game in chapters) it was not a mechanically cohesive game from beginning to end. could have used more time travel puzzle solving and less half-crying-emotional-pep-talks.

one could argue that this is a feature rather than a bug, but I think it's probably more that they had a story they wanted to tell and they found it impossible to really give you choices.

[Fleach]

Great point about the burden of choice! I did some research and watched some developer commentaries where they say that making a decision will involve sacrifices. It's something we deal with everyday and they wanted to translate that into a game. They also mentioned that towards the end choices become more limited because they set players up to know how they would react well before the conclusion.

[singlebanana]

Also, I just wanted to point out that there are smaller choices in the game that are noted on the end of chapter docket.  I'm at a loss as to whether these affect the game in any way, or if they are just their for stats.

[Untrod Tripod]

Great point about the burden of choice! I did some research and watched some developer commentaries where they say that making a decision will involve sacrifices. It's something we deal with everyday and they wanted to translate that into a game. They also mentioned that towards the end choices become more limited because they set players up to know how they would react well before the conclusion.

"we wrote less things because we already knew what people would think"

>_>

seems good

for the record, most of the choices I would make if possible weren't even available or explored so I can say anecdotally that they DON'T know how players will react. I realize that it's not possible to program in everything and space is limited, but come on that's such a cop out!
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so mechanically speaking I thought the game controlled pretty well. I wasn't running into walls or searching vainly for interactable objects. I really liked the amount of flavor that went into the game and how cohesive it made the overall world. it really felt to me like I was part of a school rather than a film set of a school.

I wasn't a fan of the point-click interface because I would miss the button for a choice and have to go back and click it again, taking me out of the game mentally. that's a pretty minor concern though and just me being bad at the controls.  

the smaller choices were fun, and after seeing how many things I missed in the first chapter it really made me dig deeper into the world. I think it makes you more invested in exploration than you would be otherwise because any of those small actions could have consequences later in the game.