Square Enix and developer Deck Nine Games (Life Is Strange: Before the Storm) have released Life Is Strange: True Colors, featuring a new narrative-driven adventure sans episodic format. It’s available now on PC (Steam, Windows Store), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
True Colors stars Alex Chen, a young woman who has teemed up with her estranged brother to search the town of Haven Springs for her missing father. During the opening moments (apparently, as it’s listed in the press release), Chen’s brother dies in a mysterious accident, leaving her alone with her supernatural powers: psychic empathy.
Chen has the ability to see others’ emotions as colorful auras (the true colors, if you will). She can absorb and experience them, and even influence them.
Chen is motion captured and voiced by Erika Mori. Licensed music includes Gabrielle Aplin, Phoebe Bridgers and Fenne Lilly, with original pieces by Angus & Julia Stone, Mxmtoon and Novo Amor.
“This game was born out of a question that fascinated us during the development of Before the Storm—how can video games act as tools for exploring empathy?” said Jonathan Zimmerman, narrative director, Deck Nine Games. “Today, this question grips us and beguiles us as much as ever. After 17 months, and counting, of global trauma, isolation, and loneliness, we are deeply humbled to be offering up a story about connection and hope against all odds. Much as Alex’s power allows her to feel the emotional truths of others, we hope players will feel the love we poured into the game as an expression of the immense gratitude that we share for each other, and our Life is Strange community.”
Life Is Strange: True Colors is available now on PC, PlayStation, Stadia, and Xbox, and launching later this year on Nintendo Switch. It’s rated M for Mature.
