Life is Strange: True Colors | Xbox Review

I’ve been a huge fan of the Life is Strange series ever since the first installment graced consoles. These games are known for their dark, prescient subject matter, difficult decisions, and complex characters. Deck Nine Games’ latest entry has all of these ingredients as well, but there’s a strong undercurrent of hope and positivity in True Colors’ narrative. I can easily say this is one of my favorite games of the year so far, and my favorite title in the series since the first Life is Strange.

A Light in the Darkness

In True Colors, you play as Alex Chen, a young woman who has been in the foster care system for the last several years. Her brother Gabe reaches out to her and offers her a place to stay in the idyllic small town of Haven Springs, Colorado. She takes him up on his offer and quickly finds herself at home among the friendly citizens and the cute local businesses. Of course, tragedy strikes and Alex has to come to terms with what this means for not only her, but for her friends and family and their life in Haven Springs as well.

As I mentioned before, there is a powerful theme of hope in this game, and it’s extremely welcome. It shows that no matter how powerful your grief and pain is, there are better things waiting ahead. The characters are all either extremely likable or at least relatable. I adored pretty much everyone and wanted to help them to the best of my abilities.

Empathy Is Strength

Like in the previous games, Alex has a mysterious superpower. She can see people’s auras and feel their emotions if they are strong enough. Alex can tap into their feelings and discover exactly why they feel this way through their memories that are associated with certain objects. This is an absolutely wonderful mechanic and I felt closer to her friends and acquaintances through it. The message that being an empath is a gift was absolutely wonderful.

The decisions are also all incredibly important and impact your game and interactions. None feel superfluous, and they also seem like natural reactions with clear cut emotions behind them. Another addition that should be applauded is the choice of two romance options for Alex. Ryan and Steph are both wonderful, healthy choices, and it was actually difficult to pick which one I wanted to woo. They’re multidimensional and have their own individual pros and cons.

The Perfect Additions

The graphics are stunning and the colors are vibrant, making True Colors pop and adding to the emotional nature of the story. The attention to detail is absolutely astounding. So many of the scenes made me hit the Share button on my controller because they were so beautiful. I did encounter some occasional texture pop-in, but nothing that was too distracting. 

The voice acting is absolutely superb, with the entire cast imbuing their individual characters with incredible amounts of emotion. Everyone bounces off of each other in such a natural way, and the character’s emotions are portrayed wonderfully. The soundtrack is perfect as well, with the indie folk/rock tracks setting each scene beautifully. 

The Final Verdict

Life is Strange: True Colors is a truly exceptional game with a layered story, fantastic characters, meaningful choices, and hard-hitting themes that are underscored with hope for the future. The voice acting, soundtrack, and gorgeous visuals only add to this incredible experience. This is a must-play title and one of the best entries in the franchise to date. Just don’t be surprised if you end up binging it in a couple of gaming sessions.

This review is based on a purchased copy of Life is Strange: True Colors for Xbox. It is also available on PlayStation, PC via Steam, and Stadia.