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Life is Strangeis an episodic-style game franchise where players control a series of protagonists who have, or are linked to others who have, unique, supernatural powers. These powers range per title, including time manipulation, telekinesis, immense empath capabilities/reading emotional auras, and more. In every LiS game, players will need to use their powers to aid them in making choices that impact moments throughout the overall story, therefore creating different possibilities and final outcomes for each individual during their playthrough.
With multiple entries in the franchise, players who are looking to jump in and try them out may be wondering if the best approach is to follow release order or to play them in chronological story order. If you’re looking for an answer regarding this question, a detailed explanation has been outlined in the guide below, giving you all the information you’ll need to jump intotheLife is Strangefranchiseas a new or returning player.
Should You Play the Life is Strange Games in Release or Chronological Order? Explained
When it comes to theLife is Strangeseries, there areeight stories for players to experienceover six different titles (not including the remasters, as they are the same stories). However, as many of these stories have Easter eggs or a slight overlap in terms of continuing timelines, recurring characters, and Easter eggs based on big decisions you have made in other titles, choosing the right story progression can make all of the difference in your experience, especially if you are planning to play each game immediately after the other.
Is Release Order the Best Start For New Life is Strange Players?
Fornew players,following the release order forLife is Strangegames is generally a solid way to jump into the franchise. While this will take you back and forth between the past and future, the approach that the games take tends to make up for this. Essentially, you will meet and get to learn about some secondary/side characters in LiS 1, and then gain more context, background, and a general deeper understanding of them in Before the Storm, despite it being set before LiS 1. This is particularly true for the likes of Nathan Prescott and even Rachel Amber herself.
Similarly, the same occurs inBefore the Storm,where you will meet some characters who appear much further down the line inLiS: True Colors. Captain Spirit is set within the same timeline asLiS 2, andLiS 2has some easter eggs and potentially minor character interactions based on the decisions you made inLiS 1, despite featuring a whole new primary cast of characters.
The remastered titles (purchased separately or via Arcadia Bay collection) can be played in place of the original titles if preferred, as they are the exact same story with updated graphics, which will likely add to your experience.
Here is the release date play order for the Life is Strange games:
Life is Strange Game Play Order By Release Date:
Alternatively, playing theLife is Strangegames in chronological story order is a brilliant narrative experience for those looking to return to the franchise, as well as new players who insist on completing the timeline from the perspective of the characters they are playing as.
The Best Chronological Story Order For Life is Strange, Explained
By starting withBefore the Storm’s Farewell(set when Max & Chloe are still kids),players will jump into a heartbreaking experience and really gain some deep understanding of Chloe’s relationship with Max, and how suddenly things changed. This helps bring a lot of insight into Chloe’s drastic change when they reunite years later, and also why she latched onto her friendship with Rachel in Max’s absence.
By immediately following withBefore the Storm(set in 2010), primary story, players will witness the severity ofChloe’sinner turmoil (which hits so much deeper following the events of Farewell) and also get to see Rachel through Chloe’s eyes, before her disappearance inLiS 1.
Following on fromLife is Strange(set in 2013), you will then jump into Max’s return to Arcadia Bay, the discovery of her powers, and the mystery of Rachel’s disappearance. Max and Chloe have quite a bit of development again during this story, and the final decisions that you make are also references/carried over as Easter eggs and potential cameos in following games.
AfterLife is Strange 1, most would recommend heading straight intoCaptain SpiritandLiS 2, as they are set in 2016. However, while this works, players can choose to swap these two titles out forLife is Strange: True Colors. While the latter is set in 2019, it features Steph Gingrich fromLiS Before the Stormas a primary love interest.
As Steph is the same age as Chloe Price, it may make more sense to follow this timeline while her character is still somewhat fresh in your mind, as she has grown up quite a lot and carries memories/interactions with other characters from theLiS BtSera. Specifically, players should play theWavelengths DLCfirst, as this features Steph prior to the events ofTrue Colors, feeling a bit lost and trying to find her feet again as she navigates the past and settles into her new job.
Following this, they can jump right intoTrue Colors, which is set one year afterthe events of Wavelengths. AsCaptain Spirit/Lis 2features a brand new cast of characters, and only cameos/Easter eggs compared to more involved roles, it’s easy to pick them right up afterwards.
When it comes toCaptain Spirit, it’s recommended to play only the first episode ofLife is Strange 2beforehand, andthen playCaptain Spirit, before resuming with the rest of theLiS 2story. This is because the two stories are interlinked - essentially,Chris' story is going on at the same time as Sean and Daniels, and they end up crossing paths for a while duringLiS 2gameplay.
Lastly, players can end their experience onLife is Strange: Double Exposure. This game is set in late 2023 and features the return of Max Caulfield in the protagonist role, but this time all grown up, much like Steph’s appearance in True Colors. However, as this is both the most recent entry in the LiS franchise, and it takes things in quite a different and new direction over the course of the story, it is definitely recommended as the last game played.
Life is Strange Best Chronological Game Order:
As mentioned earlier, the placement ofWavelengths andLiS 2 EP1 can technically be interchanged. While they work well in either order,True Colorshas been prioritized first in the list below due to the involvement of Steph.
