Life is Strange: True Colors

Many people feel nostalgic about the first Life is Strange or even Before the Storm. For me, there is no game that comes even close to True Colours. There's something profoundly cosy and comforting about it, even when the narrative takes darker turns, and I can deeply relate to Alex Chen. True Colours is a game about connection, community, and emotional resonance — but it doesn't shy away from trauma either.
Every inch of Haven Springs feels lived-in and like a place you want to linger in — read every text message, examine every object, eavesdrop on every conversation — a feeling I didn't quite have with the other entries within the series, where I had to force myself to read through notebooks and text messages. Alex Chen is by far my favourite protagonist within the series. She finally feels like a character that is real and authentic: observant, thoughtful, kind, but also uncertain and struggling with grief, growth, and self-discovery — and, not to forget, her empathic powers.
On paper, empathy looks pretty bland in comparison to Max's time rewind and timeline shifting powers or Daniel's telekinesis. However, the way they integrated Alex's powers makes them feel like they fit the setting of Life is Strange better than any other power ever could. She can literally sense and absorb the emotions of others, allowing her to understand their pain, joy, fear, regret, hopes... in a surprisingly nuanced way. Some of the most powerful moments in the game are when you simply sit with someone else's feelings and decide how to respond — or even influence and change their emotions. In fact, Alex can get so absorbed in someone else's emotions that the world around her shifts and a simple LARP can turn into her getting isekai'd for a short period of time.
Using empathy to influence dialogue, unravel mysteries, and build relationships gave every decision more weight, and made me pause and consider everything in a way I otherwise might not have. It's incredibly immersive watching a small community respond to grief and healing in real time, and I've never felt more connected to a setting in the Life is Strange universe than I have in True Colours. The supporting cast is amazing, too, by the way.
Ryan is a park ranger and Gabe Chen's best friend who spent most of his life in Haven Spring. He is a gentle and kind man that feels stable and emotionally open — perfect for Alex, who can feel overwhelmed by other's emotions due to her emotionally sensitive nature. He is loyal and morally complex, especially in handling family conflicts, which adds depth to him and makes his relationship feel earned in spite of the immediate connection due to Alex's brother. He is adorkable and the sort of dependable partner, romantic or not, that anyone can appreciate — which likely already tells you that he is the only "straight" Life is Strange option that I enjoy, and that he is, once again, by far my favourite romance option overall.
Steph is still a fan favourite: A returning character from Before the Storm that is charismatic, witty, and creative — and, of course, a D&D and Critical Role fan. While I love Steph, I personally do not enjoy her as a romance option, especially after the "Wavelengths" DLC, as it feels superficial and lacking in depth to me. The basic gist is that she makes me feel like she simply wants to date any woman, as opposed to Alex in particular. Sadly, there is no proper option to be just friends with both Ryan and Steph, as the game pretty heavily pushes you towards romance — though I am more than happy with Ryan, and many others simply adore Steph (just look at the community page that seems to forget about Ryan altogether, or the points shop items that practically scream "sapphics").
The story itself is slower paced and driven more by emotion than high-stakes action, which works perfectly for this kind of character-focused narrative. I often found myself delaying the main story just to explore more, read old messages, and see how the town was changing, and visually, the game has improved in every way. Bonus points for dialogue that finally doesn't feel extremely awkward and unnatural, and a phenomenal soundtrack that is tailored marvellously to the game's emotional beats. It creates that unmistakable, moody-yet-warm vibe the series is known for.
If you liked my review, feel free to check out
my Steam curator page or my other steam reviews.

Turns out, it really isn’t bad. Moreover, it’s actually pretty good.
Deck Nine really did manage to stir into the right direction just as everyone, myself included, decided that the ship is as good as sunken.
You are greeted by the colorful, vibrant visuals; both the breathtaking opened landscapes and the cute little streets of a small suburban town. Honestly, all the love, care, and attention to detail that went into creating Haven Springs are visible from the very first hour of the game; the usually moderately boring choir of exploring every single interactable thing (don’t lie to yourself, it is somewhat dull sometimes) is actually pleasant in this game for the very reason of how aesthetic, welcoming, and satisfying the visuals are, including the interior design, where everything is exactly where it belongs and every single little thing seems to have its place.
Once you’ve somewhat accustomed to how incredibly pretty the town is, you’ll see that the facial animations are completely on par with it: sometimes a character will express their emotions by simply making a face and you will have no issues understanding what they meant. There is also an awful lot of looking: awkward glancing, confused blinking, eye darting, and trust me when I say this, you will read into it all perfectly because it is that good.
Characters in this game are also so incredibly compelling, simply by being carefully well-written and therefore easy to relate to. They are simple, but in a good way; understandable, with clear intentions and reasons for their actions, even the ‘bad’ ones. This is achieved, no matter by design or not, through Alex, who is supernaturally (duh) empathetic. However, it is not just a game mechanic - to explore other’s emotions - but an actual tool to understand and unravel the characters as Alex does so, together with her. And you only understand how much you as a player were in tandem with the main character after the end credits roll since while playing it was so seamless and natural.
The romance plotline is nothing but endearing, both available characters having their own, special chemistry with Alex. Ryan ended up being the only guy in so very long that I’ve actually considered romancing. With no luck though, since Steph. Nuff said.
There’s not much I can tell about the story without spoiling it. It is slow-paced, focused heavily on emotion rather than action. But, with characters such as this game has, it was honestly more of an advantage; it was an absolute delight to explore them. There is a customary plot twist at the end, however, and to me it wasn’t obvious till the very last moment.
Music is, as always, woven into the story flawlessly, creating that same unique LIS universe atmosphere that was still present even in the second game. As usual, I will save the entire playlist and enjoy it long after I’ve finished the game.
You know what, I will even dare to tell you that this (in some instances) is a better game than the original LIS. There it is, I said it, sue me. Actually, wait, don’t sue me, just go give it a try.
It’s worth it, I promise.

Came for the superpower, stayed for the feelings. Alex can literally feel your emotions — which is great until everyone in town starts trauma-dumping XD

I love all the LiS games (we don't talk about DE), and True Colors is no exception.
Alex is a fun and complex character that feels very in line with LiS protagonists; you get to be nerdy, make horrible puns/jokes, attend a LARP, all while also feeling some intense emotions and navigating some heavy topics. Going through Alex's backstory is one of my favorite parts of the game, as I relate to her in many ways and also feel for her.
The ability to read people's emotions was well thought-out and fun to utilize, though nothing really tops Max's ability to rewind time from the first LiS. I enjoyed it more than the telekinesis in Lis2.
I will admit, I wasn't a huge fan of this game the first time I played it, but I have now played it three times (100%'d it on PS4 and PS5 before now 100%ing on Steam) and it's grown on me, now deep-rooted as a favorite. The other characters are enjoyable to get to know, the scenery is gorgeous, the mystery of the story (trying not to give spoilers) will hit you hard, etc.
Overall, I'd recommend this game - even if it isn't on sale, and I rarely say that.

This is my favourite ever Life is Strange game. I love the story telling, I love how they made Alex and Steph the people they are. It's honestly a good buy!

Life is Strange: True Colors is an emotional, beautifully written narrative adventure that hooked me from the first scene. Alex Chen is one of the most relatable and well-developed protagonists I’ve seen in the series. Her power—feeling and interpreting others’ emotions—adds a unique twist to both gameplay and storytelling, making every choice feel meaningful.

Haven Springs is gorgeous and full of charm, with a cast of characters that actually feel alive. Exploring the town, uncovering secrets, and forming relationships made the game feel warm and immersive. The soundtrack is outstanding as always—calm, emotional, and perfectly matched to the story’s atmosphere.

Gameplay is simple but effective: dialogue choices, exploration, and emotional decision-making all work together without ever feeling tedious. The story pacing is smooth, with an excellent balance of heartwarming moments, mystery, and heavier emotional scenes.

Overall, True Colors delivers a heartfelt story, memorable characters, and an atmosphere that stays with you long after the credits roll. If you enjoy narrative-driven games, emotional storytelling, or the Life is Strange series, this one is absolutely worth playing.

9/10 – A beautiful and emotional journey.

Well, I have to give it a weak thumbs up, because it is a decent game, but at the same time this is still by far the weakest entry in the series for me (haven't played Double Exposure yet). The Life is Strange DNA is kind of there. The art style, the music, some of the characters, but only some. The story is way too avarage, with writing that ranges from how is this even allowed in a LiS game kind of bad, to good. Just good. Not fantastic or exceptional, just good. It's one of those games, where you don't feel like you've wasted your time by playing it, but you also haven't gained anything, and you'll probably forget about it in a week or less.
7/10