Life Is Strange Developers ‘Can’t Imagine’ Going Back to an Episodic Release Model
Life is Strange: True Colors was the first game in the series to be released as a full package, avoiding the episodic releases on which the franchise was built. Now developers can’t imagine going back.
during an interview with rock paper scissors shotgunsenior narrative designer Philip Lawrence, explained why the team wanted to try something new with the Life is Strange sequel.
“I doubt we’ll go back to the episodic model,” Lawrence said. “The response has been very positive. I think we were careful to keep that episodic structure because it looks engaging for players. It’s all part of the DNA of Life is Strange. It was a decision that was debated and suffered quite a bit, but looking back, I think it was the right decision.”
Life is Strange: True Colors, released in 2021, tells the story of Alex Chen, a young girl who develops supernatural empathy. This was the first complete Her Life Is Strange game by developer Deck Nine, who took over development duties from series creator Dontnod (after creating her spin-off Life Is Strange: Before the Storm).
Although the game has moved away from a temporary release, it still retains its TV storytelling qualities, revealing plot in a structured way.
“It’s partly about player choice,” Lawrence said. “I was careful to structure the story around five chapters, so structurally Life Is He feels very much in line with his previous Strange titles.”
Structured more like a limited series than a video game, Life is Strange: True Colors gives players the chance to binge the entire game or go at their own pace. “So if players want to step back, reflect, and have a water cooler moment with the community, they can,” Lawrence added. “But for those frustrated by the temporary release pattern, we save them from those frustration.”
Think of it this way – Life is Strange: True Colors is more like a box set than a weekly episode. Doing it this way was clearly a freewheeling experience where the structure of the narrative became secondary to the story itself, and it was the developer’s deck that his nine could focus on getting the plot right meant
“From a creative standpoint, I think we were able to focus on developing the story, optimizing the script, and making the game,” he explained. “So we rushed the production of the scripted content for the first episode and then moved on to the next episode. I think it’s natural and organic.”
Whether or not we’ll find another Life is Strange game in the works remains to be seen. But it seems unlikely, if at all, to return to the old episodic format.
Want to read more about Life is Strange? If you’re stuck, check out the Life is Strange: True Colors walkthrough to find out where all the game’s collections are located.
Ryan Leston is IGN’s entertainment journalist and film critic.you can follow him twitter.
