Life is Strange: Episode 1 - Chrysalis Reviews
Life is Strange is presented in a package that, at first, might not seem like much, but once you delve into its world you'll see how much more it offers. With a $5 price tag, there's no reason to pass Life is Strange up. Unless, that is, you're aiming for the season's pass.
Life is Strange Episode 1: Crysalis is an excellent introduction to the series and it successfully manages to pull you into its wonderful world.I look forward in experiencing the rest of the episodes
Life Is Strange's opening episode is a slow burner that leaves you with far more questions than answers, but the most important factor here is that we want to know the answers and will return to the series to find them.
Life is Strange, Episode One: Chrysalis is a joyous, gripping adventure that has laid down a strong foundation for the rest of the series. Its time-travelling mechanic is a great spin on traditional narrative, choice-heavy video games of similar fashion, and is backed up by brilliant characterization and superb storytelling. It may not be perfect, but there's absolutely no way you'll want to miss out on Max's adventures.
A solid opening to what could be a genuinely interesting episodic adventure. The mystery seems compelling, the characters are largely likeable, and the presentation is impeccable - but the emphasis is on "could" and "seems". It's still just episode one.
Fans of the Telltale adventure games and people looking for something unique in terms of storytelling and mechanics should really give Life is Strange a shot. It sets up a decent premise and keeps the player invested for the 3 hour duration of the episode. I for one enjoyed what I played, even when the dialog became "too hip" for me. I say give it a shot. It most certainly is something very different.
The first episode of Life Is Strange is a mixed bag – the dialogue grates and inspecting items is a bore, but there is promise elsewhere. With the story's foundations laid down, the next episode could be a standout.
Overall, though, Life is Good is a good first attempt — pun so totally intended — that sets up the series for what could shape up to be a solid multi-episode run. Certain aspects of the game certainly could use a bit of polish. At the same time, it builds a nice foundation for its upcoming chapters, and I'm already nervously anxious about how the choices I've made will impact the next episode. Let's just say I'm now looking forward to the ways the series will delight or break my heart. Life is strange, indeed.
Life is Strange explores what it's like to be a teenage girl on the brink of escaping the clutches of high school, but with the ability to rewind time.
But, by the end of Episode 1 of Life is Strange, the game at the very least also proves that life is filled with rewarding challenges and beautiful moments, even if they fade like a weathered old photograph.
As the introductory episode of Life is Strange, Chrysalis exists as a great beginning, which is full of both intrigue and hints towards greatness. This is a game that feels like it exists in a living world, and it's one that we want to explore more.
Overall, Life is Strange Episode 1: Chrysalis is an outstandingly charming, albeit brief beginning to this beautiful, new world. DONTNOD Entertainment has laid out what is to come in stellar fashion and I can't wait for Episode 2 to arrive, though waiting until sometime in March is still a decision I seriously question.
In the end, the only thing I can truly say is that Life is Strange is a must-buy. With its artsy graphics and music, relatable and realistic characters, and numerous mysteries and choices, the episodic adventure easily sucked me in and had me wishing I could dive directly into Episode 2. If the future episodes are anything like this first one, then I think Life is Strange is set to be one of the best games of the year, if not the best one.
In one of the developer diaries released by Dontnod leading up to the release of Life is Strange, JMAX, co-founder of Dontnod, says, "I believe video games are the future of storytelling and I think this is just a pre-history of video games… We are just pioneers. This industry is just learning to walk on its feet…" If Life is Strange is any indication of the direction the storytelling of video games is heading, the evolution is one that should be highly admired.
After quite a bit of meandering, Life is Strange offers revelations, along with dialogue that isn't trying to ape how a teenager might sound. Or maybe the awkwardness is just drowned out by Chloe and Max's sincerity. And, in the tradition of all good TV pilots - it owes as much to TV and cinema as it does to other games - there's a cliffhanger that's going to force me to come back.
Life is Strange's debut episode starts off strong, showing just enough of what it has to offer while cementing its characters and story firmly in its world. Though the journey only lasted 2-3 hours, it did enough during that time to make me excited for the episodes to come and it left me guessing what the consequences of my actions will be.
A Telltale-esque title set in suburban America that hints at maturity.
Life is Strange Episode 1: Chrysalis is an engaging and enjoyable first instalment in what promises to be a compelling adventure series. If subsequent episodes can live up to what Dontnod has started, we're in for a treat.
So maybe life isn't strange, but at least the game tries.