The sound of rushing water and birds singing fills the air as Alex Chen ( Erika Mori ) anxiously walks across the bridge to the close-knit midwestern town of Haven Springs. There, her long-lost brother, Gabe Chen ( Han Soto ), nervously awaits her arrival. Alex stops halfway, admiring the wildlife around her and fantasizing about her highly anticipated fresh start in this quiet Colorado town. Little did she know, her “fresh start” would be anything but quiet, and her reunion would be dramatically cut short. Join Alex as she uncovers secrets around the not-so-cozy town of Haven Springs in Life is Strange: True Colors.
True Colors, the third installment of the Life is Strange series, is centered around Alex as she uncovers the mysterious circumstances around her brother’s disappearance using her powers to see and manipulate the emotions of others. Gather information and make new friends ( or enemies, looking at you, Mac ) while exploring the not-quite-right Haven Springs.
While some players enjoyed Alex’s empathetic powers, I sometimes found them boring. In the first Life is Strange game, Max Caufield ( Hannah Telle ) can go back in time, which gives players the option to redo potentially life-changing events. This fits the game’s overall message to live in the moment and less in the past as we see Max’s consequences of rewinding time too many times in the final episode. However, Alex’s gave me little room for choice, and so far, I haven’t faced many consequences. If you see someone’s colorful glowing outline, all you have to do is press a button and the work is pretty much done. The small puzzles where her powers are used, such as the scene where you try to cheer up Steph ( Katy Bentz ) or help Eleanor ( Karen Slack ) retrace her steps, aren’t challenging and don’t have much of a fallout for choosing the “wrong” answers. But, I am only talking about the first two episodes here, so as the story progresses, there might be more interesting uses for her powers.
Of course, no Life is Strange game would be complete without that awkward sarcastic commentary. I found myself cringing at a few of Alex’s one-liners, especially when they were of the self-deprecating variety. Still, nothing could compare to the secondhand embarrassment I felt while watching that unskippable acoustic version of “Creep” by Radiohead Alex plays on her guitar. Not because the singing was bad, but because the song choice was… a choice. Despite the awkward comments, I still found some of it charming and laughed at her jokes. Just like Max, Alex’s awkwardness made her easier to relate to as a high school student. But I’d still keep a remote with a mute button nearby in case she decides to practice more Radiohead ( No hate to the band, but that was quite possibly the most awkward song choice for that moment they could’ve picked ).
With all that negative stuff out of the way, I did enjoy the small mini-games that also happen to be a staple in the Life is Strange series. Steph’s “guess the album” game on the old jukebox was enjoyable and a nice break from the boring laundry list of tasks you have to complete at the bar. I also wasted a considerable amount of time on the Arcade Mine Haunt game in Gabe’s apartment.
Life is Strange’s painting-like animation style was ionic, but I enjoyed the updated graphics for True Colors. They didn’t do away with it completely; I felt like they kept the more cartoonish style but made the character's features and background elements more defined. The wildlife and greenery surrounding Haven Springs were especially well done.
Overall, I enjoyed the first couple of chapters in True Colors but felt as though it lacked that edge that the previous Life is Strange games had. Many players complained about its more “positive” conclusion, one even comparing it to a “Disney movie”. However, not every game has to have a depressing ending. Sure, it’s different from its predecessors, but True Colors has its charm. If you’re looking for a more low-key Life is Strange game to play and you’re not afraid of yet another “Creep” cover, Alex and her adventures are a perfect fit for you. Download the game now on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch!