Best Adventure Game Of 2021: Life Is Strange: True Colors

I don’t cry easily. That isn’t a brag; I just know that I’m built in such a way that I often feel disconnected from my emotions. To put it another way, I need a strong piece of storytelling that can crack my emotional outer bark. True Colors: Life is Strange is such a piece of storytelling. Deck Nine’s affective adventure game didn’t just punch through my hard outer shell. I was slashed by it like a hot iron.

True Colors isn’t an action-packed thrill ride, but its narrative is incredibly engrossing and hard to put down nonetheless. After a time in foster care, Alex Chen is now a young girl who wants to reintegrate society. Alex, her brother, and their family move to Haven Springs in Colorado’s small mountain community. Alex’s friends are caught up in an explosion in the mining mine. This forces Alex into a bigger corporate conspiracy that threatens nearly all of town’s lives.

True Color’s story is well-told, and I loved getting to know the many residents of Haven Springs. True Colors is broken into five chapters like other Life is Strange titles. Every chapter finishes with an unexpected cliffhanger which made me want to know where the story was going next. True Colors has a unique quality that keeps you coming back for more. The incredible voice cast makes this possible. Erika Mori is a great choice for the role. She helps to make Alex a relatable protagonist that you care about by the end.

If you’re already familiar with the Life is Strange franchise, then you know this series has a hint of urban fantasy, and each new protagonist has their own superpower. Alex is able to see the emotions and feel them. Admittedly this doesn’t sound as rad as the ability to control time (as seen in the original Life is Strange) or even telekinesis (Life is Strange 2), still, developer Deck Nine does a phenomenal job thinking through the ramifications of this kind of talent. At points, Alex can manipulate other characters’ emotions, but doing so has significant consequences and shouldn’t be done lightly. Alex has other abilities that can be used to aid others. Watching her gain insight into the thoughts of an older man whose memory was deteriorating was a great experience. Alex takes part in an LARP, which brightens the spirits of a young boy who is emotionally vulnerable.

However, True Colors isn’t just a game for Life is Strange fans. This is what I am. I appreciated the first Life is Strange, but I haven’t touched the rest of the series. After finishing True Colors, however, I’m itching to dive into my back catalog and explore the rest of the franchise. Do it! Our Review | Our Review