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this action will have consequences
I watched Aoife and Johnny play Life is Strange because I was all, "I don't think this game will affect me as much as it has other people!"
Partly because I know some of the people who work(ed) for Eurogamer/Oxboxtra are into the game, and honestly, I didn't really get what the fuss was about. And I didn't even know EG had done a let's play (because they make SO MANY videos, I've never gone back through the archive unless I've had something recced to me by the almighty algorithm or I've been looking through the Late to the Party playlist). But the first video for the first game got recced to me and I was like, okay, I have nothing else to watch, let's try it out.
I will put my thoughts under a cut to avoid spoilers (including some rogue ones for Madoka Magica)! content warning for mention of suicide.
I don't buy Max and Chloe's Epic Friendship, which is terrible, because I have a childhood BFF who I feel the same about (but in this instance, I am Chloe and she is Max, except I moved away and then back, but she's still the one who eventually stopped contacting me. Funnily enough, she is also super into photography, which I only found out fairly recently). And it's the main point of the game. So doubly terrible that I don't buy it.
I just think it feels too condensed, although I absolutely get the reasons why it's so condensed and, I think, had it been over a longer time period, it wouldn't have worked as effectively.
I don't like Chloe. I get why she's the way she is. It doesn't mean I have to like her, though.
I also don't like Max, but I get she's meant to be more of a blank slate so the player can put themselves in her shoes.
This is possibly part of the reason I don't buy their friendship. I dunno. Maybe I'm looking too deeply into it.
My favourite character is Kate, and I was FULLY unprepared for what happens to her. Like. I did NOT actually think they'd show her suicide, and I was glad Aoife was able to save her, because it's absolutely possible not to, depending on what actions you (have) take(n).
On a related note, I knew there was the part with Chloe in a wheelchair, but I was unprepared for how much that would upset me.
I also knew Jefferson was the bad guy from the get go, so I wasn't surprised by how events unfolded. I kind of wish I hadn't known about it, but this is my own fault for reading the TVT page years ago.
OBVIOUSLY I love all the timey-wimey stuff, because it is ABSOLUTELY my jam! And the implication(?) that every time Max changes something, she's actually hopping to an alternate universe where that happened. (Sucks that Rachel dies in every version, however, although I guess that's necessary for the plot).
I knew if I had been playing, I'd choose to sacrifice Chloe, because the narrative pretty much says she's meant to die anyway (which is a horrible thought, but look what happens when you try to save her dad). I know it then undoes everything, but honestly, I'd rather that than sacrifice a whole town just for one person, even if it was someone I loved that much.
ALSO: after I stopped and thought about it, I realised that the story is similar in some ways to Madoka Magica. Which is not to say I think it's a rip off, but it is kind of similar. And I like it. I mean, obviously Max didn't spend as much time trying to save Chloe as Homura did with Madoka, but even so. Also possibly why I lean towards the Sacrifice Chloe ending - because no matter what Homura does, Madoka is going to die anyway. Which is one thing I did like about that story, even though it's heartbreaking.
I don't know how to end this, so I'm just going to say that I'm glad I finally experienced it, even though it wasn't through playing it myself (I did mean to, the first episode is still collecting dust on my 360's HD and it's been there for years. I just never got to it). I do wish video games would stop making me ugly cry, though.
tl;dr version: wtf do I know about anything, this game made me cry. A LOT.
Partly because I know some of the people who work(ed) for Eurogamer/Oxboxtra are into the game, and honestly, I didn't really get what the fuss was about. And I didn't even know EG had done a let's play (because they make SO MANY videos, I've never gone back through the archive unless I've had something recced to me by the almighty algorithm or I've been looking through the Late to the Party playlist). But the first video for the first game got recced to me and I was like, okay, I have nothing else to watch, let's try it out.
I will put my thoughts under a cut to avoid spoilers (including some rogue ones for Madoka Magica)! content warning for mention of suicide.
I don't buy Max and Chloe's Epic Friendship, which is terrible, because I have a childhood BFF who I feel the same about (but in this instance, I am Chloe and she is Max, except I moved away and then back, but she's still the one who eventually stopped contacting me. Funnily enough, she is also super into photography, which I only found out fairly recently). And it's the main point of the game. So doubly terrible that I don't buy it.
I just think it feels too condensed, although I absolutely get the reasons why it's so condensed and, I think, had it been over a longer time period, it wouldn't have worked as effectively.
I don't like Chloe. I get why she's the way she is. It doesn't mean I have to like her, though.
I also don't like Max, but I get she's meant to be more of a blank slate so the player can put themselves in her shoes.
This is possibly part of the reason I don't buy their friendship. I dunno. Maybe I'm looking too deeply into it.
My favourite character is Kate, and I was FULLY unprepared for what happens to her. Like. I did NOT actually think they'd show her suicide, and I was glad Aoife was able to save her, because it's absolutely possible not to, depending on what actions you (have) take(n).
On a related note, I knew there was the part with Chloe in a wheelchair, but I was unprepared for how much that would upset me.
I also knew Jefferson was the bad guy from the get go, so I wasn't surprised by how events unfolded. I kind of wish I hadn't known about it, but this is my own fault for reading the TVT page years ago.
OBVIOUSLY I love all the timey-wimey stuff, because it is ABSOLUTELY my jam! And the implication(?) that every time Max changes something, she's actually hopping to an alternate universe where that happened. (Sucks that Rachel dies in every version, however, although I guess that's necessary for the plot).
I knew if I had been playing, I'd choose to sacrifice Chloe, because the narrative pretty much says she's meant to die anyway (which is a horrible thought, but look what happens when you try to save her dad). I know it then undoes everything, but honestly, I'd rather that than sacrifice a whole town just for one person, even if it was someone I loved that much.
ALSO: after I stopped and thought about it, I realised that the story is similar in some ways to Madoka Magica. Which is not to say I think it's a rip off, but it is kind of similar. And I like it. I mean, obviously Max didn't spend as much time trying to save Chloe as Homura did with Madoka, but even so. Also possibly why I lean towards the Sacrifice Chloe ending - because no matter what Homura does, Madoka is going to die anyway. Which is one thing I did like about that story, even though it's heartbreaking.
I don't know how to end this, so I'm just going to say that I'm glad I finally experienced it, even though it wasn't through playing it myself (I did mean to, the first episode is still collecting dust on my 360's HD and it's been there for years. I just never got to it). I do wish video games would stop making me ugly cry, though.
tl;dr version: wtf do I know about anything, this game made me cry. A LOT.
no subject
A while back, I saw a YouTube video on Life Is Strange that concluded, 'I can't say if this is a good game. I can't even say if I liked it. But I think I loved it?' I think that's a pretty strong summary of the Life Is Strange experience.
Life Is Strange 2 is pretty controversial within the fandom - it's very different from the original - but I think it's worth at least trying out if you get the chance; it's my personal favourite game in the series.
no subject
I started watching LiS 2, but I'm just not in the right mindset for it now. I spoilt myself a little bit about what's going to happen, and it seems a lot grimmer than the original game, and I don't know if I can deal with that.