Life Is Strange reveals its True Colors in next game

Written by Jack Allin — March 18, 2021 at 13:30

French developer DONTNOD has been busy working on other properties (Tell Me Why, Twin Mirror) since their last foray into the universe for which they're best known. But that doesn't mean the Life Is Strange franchise has been neglected in the meantime; it's merely been handed off to Deck Nine Games for the next installment, True Colors. 

The new game stars a young woman named Alex Chen, who was forced to grow up in the foster care system and is only now returning to her home town of Haven Springs for the first time, hoping to reconnect with a brother she hasn't seen in eight years. But when her brother is killed, there is reason to suspect his death may not have been an accident. Now only Alex can discover the truth by using her psychic power of empathy, which enables to her to experience the emotions of others. It's a "volatile" ability, however, as the most powerful of hidden emotions can threaten to "infect" Alex and cause her to lose control, making it feel more like a curse than a gift.

Much of True Colors will be instantly familiar to series fans: third-person 3D presentation, beautiful scenic vistas, a small town populated by diverse characters, the importance of player choice in shaping the narrative, and of course a touch of the paranormal. So ends the similarities, though, as this game features an all-new (or at least mostly new) cast – including potential friends and love interests in Ryan and Steph – a new mountain setting, and a new supernatural ability to control, making it ideal for newcomers as well. Among the improvements over the previous games will be motion-captured performances for greater realism, and even a change of clothes with "up to 24 outfits in your wardrobe." 

Perhaps the best news for those who dislike the episodic format is that Life Is Strange: True Colors will be released all at once as a complete standalone adventure. It's not far off, either, as the game is due to arrive on Steam for PC on September 10th, along with console releases on PS4/5 and Xbox One and Series X|S, as well as Google Stadia.