Life is Strange: Episode 1 - Chrysalis Reviews
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.
Worth a look for anyone seeking a unique, more grounded take on the adventure game.
Life Is Strange: Episode 1 - Chrysalis certainly is strange, but perhaps not in the way that DONTNOD intended. There's enough ground work laid here to pave the way for future instalments, but a lot of the good is undone by lip sync issues and some of the most mind-bogglingly bad dialogue that we've heard in recent memory. While some of this is inadvertently hilarious, it does end up hurting the product at points. There's definitely still hope for this season, but the jury's out right now.
Dontnod has done a fantastic job of not only introducing an interesting new world to explore in Life is Strange, but also an intriguing time-rewinding mechanic, and mysterious story that can only grow from here.
A fantastic first step on a journey I didn't see coming.
The calm before the storm, in other words, which (without giving spoilers) is also literally the case with Max's adventure. Dontnod though the badly underrated Remember Me and now Life Is Strange is quickly establishing itself as a premiere developer of arthouse games, and the only criticism I have of Life Is Strange is that I have to wait so long for the next episode.
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.
Life is Strange is an episodic adventure in the Telltale-style, placing you in the shoes of 18 year old Max Caulfield. Max can rewind time at will and has prophetic dreams of the future. Episode 1 is all intro, giving you a look at Max's powers and her supporting cast, but not much else. There's hints of bigger things on the horizon, but neither issue is immediate within Episode 1. I'm intrigued, but Episode 2 needs to give me a stronger reason to finish all five episodes.
Summary: An interesting opening to what will hopefully grow to be something quite special.
Donotnod venture into episodic territory with Life is Strange for it and produce one of the year's most promising titles in doing so.
With its unique story, impressive attention to detail, and cleverly implemented time-rewinding mechanic, Life is Strange is shaping up to be a great series.
Life is Strange is an interesting attempt to break into the cinematic genre. It's certainly unique, blending together gameplay elements of Telltale's and Quantic Dreams' productions with more "gamey" elements such as it's time rewinding mechanics. It shows a lot of promise as an episodic game, but there are certain mechanics that leave me feeling a bit skeptical for this franchise's future. I think Episode 1 is worth a play through, but whether or not this becomes a fantastic multi-episode game will depend on the choices the developers make from here on out. Considering the game's subject matter, that seems entirely appropriate.
Life is Strange has simplicity to it that is driven by a strong and intriguing storyline. It's one of those titles that demands your attention, but doesn't ask too much from your gaming skills. Gamers may not like the lack of control and variety of gameplay, but the freedom to dictate the character and story might be enough to warrant a go.
Life is Strange is full of so much squandered potential. What could have been a great coming-of-age tale is hindered by bad writing, characters, set pieces, and gameplay. Those willing to give it a shot are better off playing better-executed cinematic titles like The Walking Dead or Heavy Rain.
Life is Strange is, in a word, gorgeous to look at
Life Is Strange makes a strong start to its season, with the first episode introducing a number of interesting characters, and raising a number of questions that left me needing answers. The visuals paint a solid, and often beautiful world, and despite the occasional misstep in the dialogue or execution Dontnod have the beginnings of a worthy and memorable entry in the adventure game genre.
The first hour of Life Is Strange delivers a number of references suggesting that the development team at Dontnod aims to create an experience which can be compared to Catcher in the Rye or Twin Peaks in terms of core concepts.
Life is Strange starts out with a problematic first episode, but there's a lot of potential in this young-adult drama.
All in all, Life Is Strange was well... strange. While I found myself nitpicking characters and plot development, I still was drawn into what would happen next, what all my decisions would effect in the future, and just what in the world is happening in this town? Life is Strange is the kind of game where you don't have to fear imminent death or sweat the danger and fear of the world around you. Instead, it's a very humane take on the episodic genre, with some supernatural tendencies sprinkled in. I honestly am very interested to see where this strange journey ends up in the next episode, releasing March 2015.
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.