Life is Strange - but not shallow

It would be easy to dismiss "Life is Strange" as a lazy, teenage-angst fueled piece of programming by creators Dotnod and an quick, inattentive session of play might even compound such a theory. But such a quick conclusion would be lazy in itself, for a longer play session will reveal a game with more to offer for players of any age group.

Yes, protagonist Max Caulfield is a cursing, confused student who (sort of) witnesses a potentially drug-related shooting in the washroom of her high-school. She then discovers she has some form of super-power which propels her on a journey, accompanied by a punk-rock rebel friend.

But this is not some "woe is me" session of putting the world to rights for Max. She is as thoughtful and insightful as she is confused. Her cursing isn't gratuitous, it's a manifestation of her own fears and stress. She displays empathy towards everyone, even her enemies and strictest teachers. She dwells on and ponders every experience and comment before arriving at her own conclusion, often expressing her ideas in photo-journalism or her paper diary that acts as a sort of "story so far" for the gamer. Max is switched on to her world and its people, not just a smartphone.

The well-made characters are not the only point of credit for the designers , however. Life is Strange has a deliberate ambiance of nostalgia, created by the visual and audio artistry that sit remarkably well with the underlying tones of tension, fear and lack of control over one's world. Supported by Max's own reminiscing (another factor that makes her different from the stereotype teen) the sentiment of deep calm and relaxation is thoughtfully crafted by a design crew that could have escaped with far less effort if they wanted.

There are other clues laid down for older players, Max's discovery of graffiti saying "Fire Walk with Me" is no mistake. The whole plot of LIS a missing teenage girl in a beautiful, secluded town full of different characters, each with their own dark secrets and a dashing of the supernatural will sound wholly familiar to David Lynch fans, this is almost a video game spin-off from Twin Peaks at times, and it's no bad thing.

Life is Strange may lack the emotional attachment or scope of Shenmue, it may lack the incredible visual power and cast of Mass Effect or the exquisite quality of voice acting found in Red Dead Redemption, yet it contains elements of all these classics and holds its own in each area. Given that this achievement was reached by a small studio who clearly strive for great things, it's no small feat. Life is Strange is well worth a try for gamers of any age and I look forward t seeing what Dotnod will throw at us next.