From the looks of the first 13 minutes of gameplay we’ve seen so far, Life is Strange: True Colors is right at home in the world of its namesake.
Life is Strange has become synonymous with modern Americana — a factious small town stuck in its own ways, giving change to a protagonist who is unsure of themselves and the power they possess.
Now, Life is Strange has always used indie music with a persuasive power of its own creation — yet another staple of the best Americana. However, this gameplay trailer introduces us to major setting locations, Rocky Mountain Record Traders, and its radio station. It really highlights just how important real-life artists and bands have been to the overall narratives Dontnod tells in each stand-alone story.
The Player character, Alex, and her brother used music as a way to connect, and it would now appear to be a means for Alex to connect with the people of Haven Springs in order to grow in tune with them.
We’ve also been introduced to Steph, a spunky DJ at KRCT: Haven Springs’ best–and only—radio station. The station in the record store will serve as a sort of minigame of choice that will have a larger impact on the overall story. By this point, it’s no secret that every single choice you make in the world of Life is Strange changes it for the better or for worse. It’s clear that Steph and Alex will be growing quite close as the seasons change both the record shop and the town.
Life is Strange would not be itself without an emotional waking up to the spiritual powers of the player character. For Alex, it comes in the form of an accident that kills Gabe, the brother she longed to reconnect with. If Alex wants to learn more about Gabe’s deaths and the secrets of the town of Haven, she’s going to have to grow into her “curse” — the ability to absorb and manipulate people’s emotions using auras that she sees around them.
Life is Strange: True Colors is out across platforms on September 10th.
