The release of the first episode of Life Is Strange in January 2015 was met with astonishing success. After the commercial failure of their action-adventure game Remember Me in 2013, Life Is Strange was Dontnod Entertainment’s calculated efforts to be a recognizable force in the gaming world. Life Is Strange is centered around the rewind mechanic, giving players an immersive experience to rewind and alter time and choices.
Released in a time when most adventure games were created with defined story arcs and endings, Life Is Strange quickly stood out for its possible alternate endings based on in-game character choices. The first episode, Episode 1: Chrysalis, was followed by four other episodes released between March and October of the same 2015. Although initially released on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox 360, and Xbox One between 2016 and 2018, it was also released on OS X, Linux, iOS, and Android. With almost a decade since its initial release, and in no particular order of ratings, here are other 5 games like Life Is Strange to add to your game list.
Detroit: Become Human
Available On: PlayStation 4, Windows
Quantic Dream developed Detroit: Become Human in 2018, which, by January 2023, had become the developer’s best-selling game with over 8 million units sold. Like Life Is Strange, Detroit: Become Human gives players the immersive experience of choosing alternate endings. The game has three playable characters – Markus (the anti-hero dedicated to freeing other androids in servitude), Kara (an android who escaped servitude to explore her sentience), and Connor (an android dedicated to tracking and hunting down sentient androids). Also, like Life Is Strange, it has a great storyline that keeps players committed to making near-real-life choices, knowing they can affect possible outcomes. Two other Quantic Dream games to check out are Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls.
Until Dawn
Available On: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 (2024), and Windows (2024)
Game audiences who love horror games would definitely enjoy Supermassive Games Until Dawn. With a blend of the butterfly effect system, every game decision has a corresponding influence on the gameplay. Created in the slasher genre, Until Dawn also offers players third-person gameplay. It has an interesting and interactive storyline that will keep gamers glued. Until Dawn was initially only released on PlayStation 4 as far back as August 2015. You know a game is top-notch when it gets a reboot and remastering on other platforms nine years after its release. Until Dawn is one of the most anticipated games for horror genre gamers in 2024 on PlayStation 5 and Windows.
Quantum Break
Available On: Windows, Xbox One
If Life Is Strange‘s rewind mechanics and time manipulation arc were the motivating factor, Remedy Entertainment’s Quantum Break is another game to play. Quantum Break also has an impressive cast of popular Hollywood faces. Canadian actor Shawn Ashmore (The Rookie and The Boys) is Quantum Break’s protagonist, Jack Joyce. It also stars Aidan Gillen (Littlefinger in Game of Thrones) and the late Lance Reddick (John Wick film series). Although a single-player game, the gameplay is still from a third-person perspective. Unfortunately for PlayStation gamers, since its release in April 2016, Quantum Break has yet to have a release on the platform.
Alan Wake
Available On: Xbox 360, Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
While on Remedy Entertainment games, another one to try out is Alan Wake. It has an immersive storyline like Life Is Strange, and would leave gamers feeling like they’re in a television thriller series. Often considered a predecessor of Quantum Break, Alan Wake is a great way for PlayStation gamers to get a feel for one of Remedy Entertainment’s best-selling games. Although first released on Xbox 360 and then Windows, Alan Wake was remastered and released on other platforms in 2021, with the Nintendo Switch platform joining in 2022. Alan Wake 2 was released on October 27, 2023.
Mass Effect 2
Available On: Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3
Mass Effect 2 offers gamers a single-player third-person perspective like Life Is Strange. It is the second installment in the Mass Effect series. The game story is set in the 22nd century and puts the player (Commander Shepard) in a battle against an insectoid alien race. The game action takes place in the Milky Way, and like Life Is Strange, gamers’ choices ultimately affect the story arc. Although Mass Effect 2 is the game that makes the list, gamers can choose to start with the first installment, Mass Effect. With finger-crossed for a live adaptation of Life Is Strange, here are 9 best-selling games with a movie or TV Adaptation.
