During a showcase livestream, Square Enix introduced one of the next big titles it will publish, Life is Strange: True Colors. Developed by Deck Nine Games and currently slated for release on September 10, 2021, the game is planned for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, the Windows Store and even Google Stadia.
Previous titles in the Life is Strange series were episodic, but today's announcement reveals the next installment will all be available at once, without the customary drip feed.
Deck Nine Games is perhaps best known for its work on Life is Strange: Before the Storm, and thus has the necessary familiarity with the IP to helm this new installment. A remastered version of that game--as well as the first Life is Strange--is also in the works and will be available both as a standalone release and as a pack-in when consumers purchase the "Ultimate" edition of Life is Strange: True Colors. Ultimate indeed.
In Life is Strange: True Colors, players explore the town of Haven Springs as Alex Chen, who possesses the psychic power of Empathy and can experience, absorb, and manipulate the emotions of others. She embraces her power while searching answers to the matter of her brother's apparently suspicious death.
Music seems to be a big aspect of the upcoming game, with early screens showing Alex strumming a guitar. The soundtrack also features licensed tracks from Radiohead, Phoebe Bridgers, Gabrielle Aplin, and more. I recognize precisely one of those names, because I am ludicrously out of touch, as befits a 41-year-old man who likes "butt rock."
"It has been such an honor to return to the vibrant, emotive, and impactful world of Life is Strange," said Jeff Litchford, Vice President of Deck Nine Games. "We are delighted to share this new story with you: a story of empathy, human connection, and the struggle to find a place to call home. All of the advancements in storytelling, development technology, and premium voice acting that we have made since Life is Strange: Before the Storm will allow players to be more immersed in the compelling world of Life is Strange: True Colors than ever before."
The game will be offered in three editions: Standard, Deluxe and Ultimate. You can head to lifeisstrange.com to find details on each edition, and probably a sales pitch encouraging you to preorder so you can claim 4 additional in-game outfits for Alex. A person can never have too many of those!
