The last time I sat down to read Life is Strange was six years ago. But six years later, returning to Haven Springs with Life is Strange: True Colors was like reuniting with a long-lost friend. It was oddly similar to our hero’s narrative. The picturesque town of Colorado is where Alex Chen meets her brother, who she hasn’t seen for years. Both parties feel deeply connected, but years of tumultuous foster care have changed them. It felt like a far more mature version of a Life is Strange game. Perhaps my time apart from the franchise has allowed me to see how far it has come.
I really need to focus on the visuals of Life is Strange: True Colors, as they cement a lot of what makes the game work. On PS5, the characters had twinkles in their eyes, sparkles in their teeth, and shine on their hair thanks to real-time ray tracing. True Colors achieves its authentic feel with more dynamic facial animations and mo-capped performances. There are compromises to the experience, as certain areas of the game ran so poorly that it was almost nauseating. It’s unfortunate, but it doesn’t apply to every character, since visual quality varies from character to character.
Life is Strange wouldn’t be complete without calming sunset cinematography, and Deck Nine throws you one before you can complain about frame rate too much. The cosy town vibes of True Colors immediately made me feel like I was in a place I wanted to stay, unlike Arcadia Bay. Local flower shops, relaxed record stores, and a friendly bar where the owner knows everyone’s name. Haven immediately puts you at ease, and it is supported by a brilliant cast of likeable characters. But at the heart of the game lies Alex’s relationship with her brother.
There aren’t quite as many twists and turns in True Colors’ storyline as in their predecessors. Alex is gifted with a power (or cursed with one). It contributes to Haven Springs’ central mystery, but it serves more as a catalyst to empathize with the characters that surround you. This quieter, character-driven approach to Life is Strange: True Colors genuinely moved me to tears at several points. I found that I didn’t mind it because it was released as one complete season rather than serialized over a long period of time. The more I played, the more I liked it.
I believe True Colors’ linearity will disappoint some fans of the series. The results of my actions only really came to a head in a single scene at the end of the game. Also, the game answers many questions that seemed out of the blue in its last act. The film spends most of its runtime concentrating on Alex, abandoning all of the other characters, but there were few clues along the way. However, by and large, it didn’t negate my overall experience.
It is a cosy experience that focuses much more on its themes and characters than on its actual narrative. You get swept up in its mountainous setting. Drawn in by its likeable characters, and left with a deep sense of sadness in your heart. Its superb visual overhaul transforms the characters into real people along with the great performances and character development. I took so many screenshots of Alex and the game’s beautiful setting. It sadly falters in the final stretch with some awkward choice-based design and a more contained episode. However, I’ll always treasure my little escape to Haven Springs.
