Is it worth playing Life is Strange in 2025?

Life is Strange is a single-player adventure game featuring Max Caulfield and her unique ability to rewind time. The game is nearly a decade old and was released on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and other mobile devices. Despite its age, it is an experience worth revisiting in 2025.

Square Enix struck gold with this episodic adventure, which allows the players to rewrite the story however they see fit. With endless possibilities, the gaming community must make a few hard decisions about how the story ends.

Disclaimer: The author has shared their personal and subjective opinions about the game.

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Life is Strange is a story about what could have been

Life is Strange will force players to make tough decisions (Image via Square Enix)

The cutesy art style could not have prepared players for the story they were about to experience. The story follows Max Caulfield, a young photography student who discovers her power to go back in time and change history. While the idea of being able to undo terrible events is inspiring, Max realizes that she can't have it all and sacrifices must be made.

Square Enix opted for a more linear structure to keep players invested in the narrative. Every time a player goes back in time to prevent something terrible from happening, it will start a cascade of uncontrollable events leading to a butterfly effect.

As Max begins to understand the extent of her powers, she and her friend, Chloe, will be thrown into the deep end as they slowly unravel the truth behind Arcadia Bay. Throughout the story, Chloe and Max's friendship is tested as they try to save lives and learn more about the truth behind certain secrets.

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Embark on a trippy adventure across space and time

Max's curiosity will be her undoing in Life is Strange (Image via Square Enix)

Max learns that there are consequences to meddling with the rules of time. At one point, she went back in time through a photograph. During her brief field trip to the past, she thought she could prevent terrible things from happening. While she was successful in averting one catastrophe, the universe demanded an alternative, which was a cost too great for her.

Max can technically create alternate branches of reality as she goes back to change certain details in the past. However, she can also take a peek into the not-so-distant future. Being burdened with the power to witness countless possibilities where one choice can lead to endless possibilities, Max must weigh her options carefully.

Square Enix designed Life is Strange as a unique tale of friendship and how one with the power to rewrite reality would use this gift. There is no outcome where everyone comes out at the top happy and as winners, which is a good and accurate depiction of real life.

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Conclusion

Life is Strange is a story about second chances and venturing into the unknown beyond the confines of time. Max Caulfield could change the world and improve lives with her gifts; however, it comes at a cost. Players can see how the alternate timelines and endings will play out, and this entry is only the first of many more unique stories worth experiencing.