Life is Strange Limited Edition (PS4) by Koch International

one best games ever

I've been gaming for years now, and never have I experienced anything like Life is Strange.Before I talk about the game let me talk about what you're getting in this edition. As well as the game you get an art book showing the amazing skills of the artists who worked on the game, a directors commentary (which I have yet to utilize, perhaps on my second play through), and a CD version of the soundtrack/original score, which I'll talk about in more detail.On to the game it self. To put it bluntly it is phenomenal. Dontnod Entertainment have crafted an amazing story that will make you laugh, cry, feel tense and unsettled, all without rarely leaving the perspective of the main character. The location of the story 'Arcadia Bay' feel lived in and alive. From Blackwell to the junkyard and beyond you'll want to explore this town, which is a good thing given the insane amount of detail the developers have put into each location. Of course there wouldn't be a world without characters. Everyone from the main characters to minor ones feel like they have some story to tell, and if you listen, you may just learn a thing or two about them or the location. To complement this is an amazing soundtrack and original score that fits the mood perfectly. The OS, composed by Jonathan Morali helps to set the scene, whether it be waking up in the morning or being chased at night. Coupled with this are 14 licensed tracks from artists such as Alt-J, José González and Bright Eyes. Their use has to be some of the best examples of licensed music used in games. My only gripe from an artistic standpoint is that there a a few flat looking textures and a choice in the game which I thought disregarded some of the previous ones made, non of which were deal-breakers.There's not much to say about gameplay; it plays like most episodic graphic adventure games with one interesting alteration. The main character has the ability to rewind time. This is interesting as it acts as an almost safety net, allowing the player to reverse and change some decisions, like doing a puzzle in a different set of steps, or trying a different dialogue approach because the previous one went badly wrong. There are a few times when you wont be able to reverse your decision, helping with replayability, but these decisions are few and far between (there's a few per episode). The only thing I can say against the gameplay is that sometimes it crawls to a snails pace, especially when you don't know where to go or what to look for. There's also a few problems with lip syncing but again, nothing deal breaking.Any small problem I have with this game is minor and is outweighed by the many things Dontnod Entertainment did right. From the unique gameplay angle to the beautiful setting, soundtrack, story and character, Life is Strange excels in these.If you, like believe that games can be an art, then this is a must have for your collection.

Players, this game is important. Original, refreshing, relevant and long-lasting, Life Is Strange is one of those rare gems in games nowadays: one that exists to tell a story. Or perhaps, to let you, the player, tell a story.I should probably apologise for such a lengthy, gushing review, but sometimes a title has that magic; that invisible substance that manages to fuse with your being and never let go, a kind of feeling that...But first things first, Life Is Strange is the second game from Paris-based developer Dontnod Entertainment. You play the part of Maxine Caulfield - a photography student at the prestigious Blackwell Academy in Arcadia Bay, Oregon, USA - whose life becomes paradoxically unstable when she realises she can rewind time. Before she can even fathom why this ‘gift’ has been bestowed upon her she is called to use it when an old friend is murdered in front of her eyes. And so we begin...In the crudest possible way, you could say Life Is Strange is a Narrative Choice game, for want of a better term, popularised in recent times by Heavy Rain; Beyond: Two Souls and the brilliant Until Dawn amongst others. As you progress through the story your decisions shape the past, present and future. As the game itself says; choose wisely.But this is only half the story: While the ‘choice’ element of the game does indeed echo the aforementioned titles, what Life Is Strange really is is an adventure: a world that you live in; not conquer. The controls are contextual, but as per, for example, the Broken Sword series, you have one button for ‘look’ (at an object or person etc.); and one button for ‘interact’ (use/talk etc.). In-game conversations also consist of multiple choice answers - similar to the days of The Secret of Monkey Island et al. - so while the emphasis is absolutely on choice; this is not another Heavy Rain. There are no QTEs here. Think story; not action. As such it puts me in mind of classic ‘point ‘n’ click’ games or the more recent open-world rough diamond that is Deadly Premonition.So, a story-led adventure in a butterfly-effect dressing. But the aspect that endears you to Life is Strange is ... a kind of feeling that you get from the world - Arcadia Bay itself - that you call home for 10+ hours or so. The foundation that lies underneath this wonderful, horrific little town, is unabashed in-game nods from the developers that include references to The X Files, Twin Peaks, The Twilight Zone, Scream and many more, which gives you an idea of the feel of Life Is Strange and, above all else, that is the one word you’d need to remember to appreciate this game: feel.The strange thing however, is that I wasn’t even sure if I liked the game on my first session with it. It ... felt, wrong. The opening 1 or 2 hours of the game are very pedestrian whereby nothing much is really happening other than opening a few doors and learning the controls. Furthermore, the colloquial language and idiosyncrasies of the lead characters - particularly Chloe ‘You got hella cash!’ Price - are so jarring (apologies, I’m not 18 any more), that at first I thought the developers were actually taking the Michael. But, the pace, firstly, is something you imprint on as it lets you live in - not play through - Life Is Strange and, dare I say it, a tempo you end up craving as the intense and dramatic proceedings unfold over the next few chapters. And it turns out the language system is actually very extensively researched and intricately implemented to reflect the desired mood and personality of Arcadia Bay. This devolved speech actually ends up being endearing traits of the characters that you come to love them for - and wouldn’t want them to be different.And so back to the critical point - the feel(ings). There are characters herein that you could actually love - and not in a lustful way either. Life Is Strange has that magic that doesn’t let you go. Before you’ve even registered that you like the game, you’re already emotionally attached.In addition to this mysterious pull, it’s also got a pretty triumphant secret weapon too - the secret ingredient to any good game: the soundtrack. Brilliantly compiled and structured by Dontnod, it is arguably the best example in gaming to date in how to set a desired mood. Also, the musicality of some of the tracks and set-pieces are absolutely unforgettable (if you’re a gamer that has had their music collection swell over the years through the purchase of artists that you’ve learnt of through a video game soundtrack, be prepared to buy at least 3 albums after playing this game).All of which, then, propels a tangible story to places that you didn’t think it would go, and overall is something truly new in gaming. And it’s not a one-layer tale either. There are at least 6 prominent strands of story going on here that all interlope and intertwine with each other. How each strand curtails or flourishes depends on your actions. However this is a double (multiple)-edged sword: I have to admit I preferred one of the other strands of the story to the main one of Max and Chloe, and I would have liked to have had the option of exploring that as well as the main plot. While this magnetism, this feel that Life Is Strange exudes is something to behold, it is far from perfect, and this is perhaps the best way that I can qualify this review...Life Is Strange is so new and unprecedented, that you often don’t know how to react to it. There are ‘pieces’ missing from the narrative, pacing is erratic, some of the conversations go on for way too long, certain sections are extremely slow and sometimes you want to do things in the story that are simply not included in the game. The last episode is also the weakest part of the whole adventure and lip-synching can at times be awful. If you were to look at it technically, this may ‘only’ be an 8/10 title, but Life is Strange is more than the sum of its parts. Sometimes a 6 or 7 out of 10 game can have a stronger impression or a greater connection than that of a triple-A blockbuster. In truth, the scenarios and emotional struggles and hidden layers of human interaction on display here would easily be enough to write a whole dissertation on - (for which the offcuts of this review could easily have constituted), and ultimately you are left again with that one key word: feel.If you like games that fill the odd 20 minutes, or ones that you can use to ‘de-brain’ after a long day, this might not be your best choice, indeed some people will not like it at all because of its slow pace. But if you are a gamer that feeds off a good story this is unmissable.As an aside, Life Is Strange was originally released as 5 no. episodes on the Playstation Network throughout 2015. This Limited Edition is the subsequent and only physical release of the game. All 5 episodes are here in their entirety, and you also get a nice little art book (don’t look at it till you’ve finished the game - spoilers(ish)), and a frankly superb soundtrack CD with case (yes, an actual proper CD!). As I’ve already mentioned, this soundtrack is a bit of a gaming-music landmark, and features licensed tracks by Jose Gonzalez; Mogwai etc., but also comes with an 8 track score composed by Jonathan Morali; lead singer of the full band Syd Matters, who also have two tracks on the soundtrack itself, written especially for this game. It’s a well-balanced folk/indie/ambient ride with a few other tracks that you’ll spot from the game too.And if all this wasn’t enough, it sounds as if a sequel is already in the works - although unconfirmed by Dontnod at time of writing. You will however, for the avoidance of spoilers, have to find details about this potential title out for yourself!It only remains for me to give credit to Dontnod Entertainment (and publisher Square Enix), who have not only had the mettle to make what they want to make against the grain, but also make one of the biggest sleeper hits ever (check out the creative diversity of Dontnod’s first three games - pretty impressive).To conclude, there are some ‘lifer’ gamers out there (affectionate term), who may remember certain things from the last 25 years or so. I know who we are - you may well have jumped off your chair when you first saw Kraid; your first true love may well have been Tifa Lockheart or Aeris Gainsborough; you tell yourself you didn’t cry for a True Patriot and you believe that Rapture still lies somewhere under the Atlantic Ocean. If you know that games are for your heart and not your dexterity or eyes, please play this game. Don’t put it on the ‘To Buy’ pile or leave it on the shelf for a couple of years; play it now. It’s that important.This is why I play games.(The best) 8/10 (game ever).

I have finished Life is Strange in just two - very long and intense - gaming sessions and well, if I could find a flaw, is that it left me wanting for more.People who are looking for a dynamic gameplay might as well look elsewhere. This is all about storytelling and how choices affect what happens with the storyline. You might say it's something between a movie and a game.If you enjoyed games like Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, you'll probably like this game too, as the gameplay is not that different.The attention to detail in the game is impressive. Lots of easter eggs (references to movies and tv shows, symbols, etc), lots of things to read, discover, characters to interact with. The envorinments, the characters, the music, at the beginning might not seem very special or original, but the more you play the more they feel real. You really feel part of a microcosm. And by the time it's over you know you're gonna miss it!It's hard to speak about it without giving too much away, but suffice it say I'm sure to replay this game some time in a not so distant future and that is something I rarely do.The book and cd that come with this edition are quite nice, especially because the soundrack is beautiful and worth listening to!P.s. for those complaining about the graphics not being very sharp, the developers wanted to make the game look stylised and not too realistic, it's an aesthetic choice and I think it works well with the mood of the game.

Life is Strange is an Episodic story game brought to you by Dontnod Entertainment a game developer based in France and published by Square-Enix. The game relies on decision making much like Heavy Rain or Telltale's The Walking Dead series where your choices make a huge difference to how the game is played out.Easy to control and friendly to those who are not used to fast paced video games that quick button pressing is needed, Life is Strange relies on a strong story narrative to see it through.The story follows a young girl by the name of Max how finds out she has the ability to rewind time. This opens up a world of possibilities as you progress through the story and adds something new to tough choices that are presented to you. Those of you who are used to games like Heavy Rain where you have to make a decision and stick with it Life is Strange gives you the option to see the immediate effect for your choices and after lets you rewind time to choose another response so you can make up your mind about which decision to prefer to take. While this may be great for short team choices the game has a way of making the decisions you make have a bigger impact later in the story. I love this because some of the situations the story presents to you really makes you think about what you want to do or how you want to proceed with the story and will always make you ponder about what will happen later in the game after a choice you just made.I must admit I love a game with a great story, while game play and graphics are what some people look for in a video game for me it's all about the storytelling. A great story from start to finish will always keep me playing and this game really lives up to the hype it has been awarded while looking good to boot!The LE pack comes with a disk with all of the great music you hear throughout the game and a lovely art-book which is worth the £5 extra I paid over the downloaded version on the PSN.Life is Strange was originally a 5 part episodic game that has now been placed onto one disk, You can play through the whole game than go back and play any episode or chapters in any order you like however this will not affect the later game choices and can be used to find collectables or just see what other choices may have lead to.This game has replay value and is one of the hidden gems of 2015. An emotional journey which I couldn't stop playing from start to finish. 5* game no problemI hope my review has been helpful, any questions you may have please ask and I will get back to you.

I'm not the biggest of gamers, normally I will play something with the other half, rather than by myself - however he suggested this game might be right up my street and so I thought, hey might as well give it a whirl.I started the game not really knowing what I was to be facing, it was originally a 5 part PC game, that has been put together realised on console, with this edition coming with a lovely art book - featuring many of the characters you will meet along your journey in this game.Life is Strange is a butterfly effect game - many of the choices you make along your path will change the outcomes of the past / present and future. Meaning unless you choice exactly the same choices every time you play the game you are going to find the story taking a slightly different route.You play the game through Max Caulfield eyes, a student at Blackwell High, who suddenly finds herself with the power to rewind time and change the outcomes of certain situations, yet this power might just have more implications than those she creates herself, when it comes to the world around her.For those who like trophy hunting there are a number of different ones to pick up, each of which is rated 1 - 10 in difficulty, with many of them being for taking pictures with Max's camera at just the right moment.This game is perfect for those who like story and enjoy the unpredictability of choice, as you might just be surprised by the outcomes of some choices.This game is the perfect addition to any collectors, collection and a must play for 2016.

This game is by far one of the best episodic adventure games I have ever played. The characters are really well developed and the voice acting is spectacular (you will absolutely fall in love with Max and Chloe). The game explores key concepts of the life of a teenager at school and the experience was definitely immersive enough to make me care and feel as if I was there. The time travel mechanic is also very well utilised as it does its job of making you feel powerful and in control of the short term situation whilst never knowing the long term effects.The physical edition is well made and I love the fact that the developers gave us Max's art book, which makes this edition all the more special.The game does have its flaws but they are definitely outweighed by the excellent narrative offered by the story. Many times the lip-syncing was not up to scratch with what should be expected of a modern game and there was a particular 'bottle sequence' which was too complicated for its own good (you'll know once you've played it). However, these are not fatal flaws but mere problems which can easily be rectified through patches or in a sequel (which I'll definitely buy if there is one).Life is Strange demonstrates how story based decision making video games are starting to thrive and take off as their own genre. The game is a must have for any fan of story based video games.

One of my favourite games of all time. I can't recommend it enough,The story and characters are breathed to life in one of the most original and simplistic stories ever told in video games.The 5 episodes take about 7-10 hours to finish and like a movie they will keep you hooked every minute of it. Multiple twists and memorable moments set to a great soundtrack make this a must play that will have you reaching for tissues by the end.The soundtrack is fantastic,and now you own it on CD too!The art book is a nice touch. if you liked the game as much as me, you'll enjoy looking through it after finishing the game and seeing the characters thoughts brought to life in this small journal.Season 2 is in development in France and will (hopefully) be released in 2018.

I found this game so addictive it only took me 4 days to complete, and have just finished a second play this time choosing different options which has affected how the game finishes. I like the fact that picking different options even though they may seem small can make all the difference in the story, I think this is a game that can be played again and again. For me upon hearing the music whilst playing the game buying the limited edition is worth it as it comes with a CD of the soundtrack, it means if i get the songs stuck in my head ( which I often do) I can simply play them, I also love the book which comes with the game it gives you greater chance to take in the details of the characters events and environments.

Life is Strange (Limited Edition) - is it worth it the price? An outstanding yes and more!What's the story like? Phenomenal! You're placed into the shoes of eighteen-year-old Max, aspiring photographer. Waking up from a horrifying premonition of Arcadia Bay's destruction, she discovers that she possesses the power of time-travel and uses it to immediately save someone's life. She sets about with the aid of an old friend and her new-found powers to uncover the truth behind a mysterious disappearance, only to discover a dark underbelly to her school and town, and hopefully prevent the looming disaster. With each twist and turn the story makes you become more and more enraptured until you simply can't look away. This kind of storytelling is rare in a game. It all comes to a close in one of the best closing episodes that episodic gaming has to offer.Each character you meet makes an impact on you. You'll be sad to see them go.This is definitely one for my all-time favorites list!

I adore this game, and (most) characters in it. Especially Victoria. There is something incredible about the the way most characters ar given an initial judgement and later given a chance to peel back the layer of insecurity to see their raw fears and ambitions. This game builds an emotional journey that leaves the player torn.I've paid for the episodes in PlayStation but I gladly bought the game for the soundtrack and the art book. It's stunning and as a big fan, I'm more than happy to own this item.Definitely recommend the game for players who like storytelling told (almost) flawlessly, and want an emotional connection with the key characters.

I completed all 5 episodes, and wow I am blown away. One of the best stories in gaming history.The story of 'Life is Strange' is just on a different level. I have completed the game and I am just left in awe after watching the ending. It is an emotional rollercoaster and the depth of this story is truly incredible, especially how everything comes together by the last episode. If you found episode 1 a bit slow, I urge you to push on as after episode 2 the game is just so captivating. The storyline and character development is masterful. Personally, I haven't felt as emotionally struck by a video game story arch since 'The Last of Us'. This I would say matches upto 'The Last of Us' level or maybe is even better. The outstanding soundtrack perfectly complements this game.However, the only reason I would not give it a 5/5 is due to the gameplay. The gameplay is just based on you walking around and interacting with different objects and people, solving puzzles, searching for clues, which I personally find to be a bit slow for my taste. That is the only reason I wouldn't give the game a perfect score.If you truly appreciate an excellent story, there is no doubt that you should buy this game.Additional Note: there is a different version of this game which is slightly cheaper on Amazon and PS store which is just the 'Season Pass'. If you are not into all the additional stuff you should get the 'Limited Edition' (i.e. soundtrack CD, art booklet etc..) as that is a cheaper option. Only reason I went for limited addition is I do not want to download games and prefer having them on a disc as it takes up less memory on the PS4.

A rare and precious gem. The story topics and issues have the power to genuinely move you. All round excellent narrative. Characters totally relatable. Outstanding voice performances. Suburb Indie Soundtrack. In a medium oversaturated with the likes of Killzone, Halo, Farcry this game is a breath of fresh air, unique, full of substance, for thinking people. Nice chill out game too. Quantic dream should take heed, learn lessons.

I really enjoyed Life is Strange. I'm enjoying these type of games, where there is no violence but the game is effected by your choices and actions. I notice some people have said they did not like the graphics, whereas I think they are cute and cartoony and not meant to depict realism. The rewind time feature is a nice touch.Life is Strange has an intriguing story which will stick with you upon completion. The Limited edition is nice as you get the soundtrack and a nice mini art book. Recommended to anyone who likes games a little different and great story experiences.

This is an amazing game. It starts off a bit clunky, but then you start to get to know the characters and the way that they think. Overall, it is delightful and fascinating with an unexpected and surreal finish.Sometimes the puzzles seem too difficult but a little bit of persistence always pays off. I will miss Max and Chloe and I thoroughly recommend this interesting and quirky game to anyone who wants some relaxation and entertainment.

I must admit I never actually heard of this game before Amazon suggested I look at it. So yes quids in for you Amazon! So I took the plunge and ordered it. Thank you, that's all I can say I've played it right through. Nothing like any game I've ever played before and I've been playing games since the original PlayStation. Not going to say much more as I don't want to ruin the story.