Life is Strange hit the marketplace with incredible success. The first installment told the story of Maxine Caulfield who mysteriously finds herself with a supernatural ability in which she can rewind time. As a result, Max and her best friend make use of the power to unearth dark crimes that the town of Arcadia Bay seems to be tainted by. Most of the game is centered around the narrative with gameplay mainly focused on solving puzzles and dialogue choices.
May 8, 2019 - This game in particular also has a supernatural element to it much like the Life is Strange franchise. Players take on the character Jodie Holmes.
Depending on the choices will alter the narrative storyline and potentially give you an even harder time to solve problems later on in the narrative. With the sequel now out and future episodes in the works to release throughout the coming months, players may want to enjoy another emotionally tolling video game or choice based titles that to tie over the gaps between episodes.
If you enjoy Life is Strange then check out these great titles well worth picking up and enjoying today.
#15 Game of Thrones
- Developer: Telltale Games
- Publisher: Telltale Games
- Platforms: PC, PS4, PS3, XBO, X360, Android, iOS
- Release: December 2, 2014
Game of Thrones has been popular in a few mediums now after it first started out as a novel series that is still going on today. However, since its television adaptation, Telltale Games was able to dive into the world and deliver fans a video game journey.
Taking place across six episodes, players will be following the journey surrounded by northern House Forrester. Players will take control of a few different characters that were spread across different areas and while the television series doesn’t feature the House, it was made mention about briefly in the novels. Ultimately, this gave Telltale Games a bit of freedom in how to steer the story where it takes place after the third season and wraps up prior to the events of the fifth season.
Despite the game focusing on new characters, there were a few different series favorite characters that showed up throughout the game. While the game wasn’t as highly regarded as some of the other Telltale Games, it did capture a following. A sequel was in the works but because the studio was closed down the sequel was scrapped.
#14 Remember Me
- Developer: Dontnod Entertainment
- Publisher: Capcom
- Platforms: PC, PS3, X360
- Release: June 3, 2013
Dontnod Entertainment is best known for their Life is Strange franchise. The video game development studio, however, got their start with Remember Me which released back in 2013. This first developed game is an action-adventure title that follows a protagonist named Nilin. Overall the game takes place in the future where Nilin is a memory hunter but has been stripped from all of her memories by a megacorporation named Memorize.
Players are then on a goal to track down and stop Memorize while also saving her memories. Gameplay is a bit more action-oriented compared to the Life is Strange franchise, but there is also a number of puzzles that must be solved along with a unique mechanic which features tapping into different NPC memories and make slight modifications that will cause the character to remember a memory differently.
#13 Beyond: Two Souls
- Developer: Quantic Dream
- Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
- Platforms: PS3, PS4
- Release: October 8, 2013
Beyond Two Souls is another Quantic Dream video game title and if you ever played a Quantic Dream video game then you should have a good idea on how this game will play out mechanically. The center focus on these games is narrative where players must go through gameplay in a series of picking up clues, QTE’s, and choices. This game in particular also has a supernatural element to it much like the Life is Strange franchise.
Players take on the character Jodie Holmes who is connected to an invisible supernatural being called Aiden. With the help of Aiden, Jodie can defeat hostilities or interact with objective out of reach but as those realize there is something unique to Jodie, she ends up being taken under the care of the government, doing their bidding.
This narrative follows Jodie’s journey throughout her life and paints a picture of the struggles and joys our protagonist has had because of Aiden.
#12 Firewatch
- Developer: Camp Santo
- Publisher: Panic, Campo Santo
- Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO, NS
- Release: February 9, 2016
Firewatch is the debut title for development studio’s Campo Santo. Within the game, players take on the role of a forest fire lookout named Henry. Set back in 1989, Henry’s only form of communication is through a walkie-talkie to another nearby forest fire lookout named Delilah.
Overall, Henry is tasked with maintaining the safety of the forest and preventing forest fires if possible. However, there seems to be something more going out in the woods leading to potential sabotage. During this narrative adventure title, players will discover the reason behind Henry taking a job that essentially secludes him from the outside world.
#11 Spec Ops: The Line
- Developer: Yager Development
- Publisher: 2K Games
- Platforms: PC, PS3, X360
- Release: June 25, 2012
Spec Ops: The Line may be drastically different from Life is Strange in terms of gameplay mechanics, but the narrative journey is incredibly deep. If you enjoy third-person shooters then this game may be easy for you to go through and it has even received a pretty positive reception over the various gameplay mechanic aspects. However, what really puts this game on the list is the story.
This is a deep narrative that has players looking at war through a different angle. When players go through the journey, it will show something quite depressing and real, but as another means to give players a bit more control of the story, there are different endings. Depending on the actions players make will determine when and how the journey ends and despite this game being popular with gamers, it failed to surpass other shooters at the time. As a result, developers will not be moving on to create a sequel likewise, some developers were not interested in going through another game with a dark narrative story.
#10 Heavy Rain
- Developer: Quantic Dream
- Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
- Platforms: PS3, PS4
- Release: February 23, 2010
Quantic Dream specializes in video games that focus more on the narrative journey than other gameplay mechanics similar to the Life is Strange franchise. Most often the video games are more like walking simulators that are littered with QTEs. We’re looking at Heavy Rain, one of the more critical hits from the development studo.
The game follows a mystery surrounding a serial killer known as the Origami Killer. This killer targets young children where they all end up dying by drowning of rainwater. Throughout this story, you’ll be presented with a cast of characters all in search to find out just who the killer is and each seem to have their own backstory that relates to the case.
When Ethan Mars finds his son kidnapped the hunt begins. You’ll take the role of several characters all of which are looking to save Ethan’s child before its too late. Most of the game is surrounded by investigating characters and areas for clues in attempt to save a child along with finding the true identity of the killer.
#9 Detroit: Become Human
- Developer: Quantic Dream
- Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Platforms: PS4
- Release: May 25, 2018
Set in Detroit, Michigan, and developed by Quantic Dream, gamers who enjoy choice-driven narratives will want to pick up Detroit: Become Human. This is a futuristic neo-noir thriller that’s based off an old 2012 tech demo from Quantic Dream that became viral online.
Players will take control of three different characters, all of which are androids. You will have Kara, a female android that has escaped the factory from where she was made. There’s also Connor, who is a male android that is tasked with hunting down deviant androids. Lastly, there is Markus, another male android who has begun an android revolution against the human race.
This video game is all about choices and it certainly seems that there will be a ton of them to choose through within the game. In fact, there are so many choices that each will alter the narrative storyline and can have grave consequences with your characters.
#8 Until Dawn
- Developer: Supermassive Games
- Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
- Platforms: PS4
- Release: August 25, 2015
Until Dawn is a PlayStation 4 exclusive and a horror adventure title. Developed by Supermassive Games, Until Dawn follows a group of eight characters who decide to hold a holiday retreat at a cabin within a fictional mountain resort in western Canada.
However, their holiday retreat quickly turns sour as they learn a psycho killer is on the loose forcing our group of eight to survive until sunrise. If you enjoy choice-based video games then this title will be a must play.
While this game centers around horror, there is a massive emphasis on choices. Much like Life is Strange, choices will make a difference throughout the narrative and in this particular, it may cost certain characters lives.
#7 Oxenfree
- Developer: Night School Studio
- Publisher: Night School Studio
- Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO, NS, Android, iOS
- Release: January 15, 2016
Developed as their first debut title, Night School Studio released Oxenfree. This is a supernatural adventure video game that puts players into the role of a teenage girl named Alex. It’s within her weekend trip to a local island that events turn for worse leaving her and a group of friends stranded with a mysterious being.
Most of the game is revolved around choices when speaking to the other cast of characters while you explore the island in search for a means to escape. There will also be a few puzzles to solve as well, though the main center of focus is the story. Speaking of the story, the game will give players the ability to go back and replay the narrative a few times as there will be multiple endings available depending on the choices that you make.
#6 To The Moon
- Developer: Freebird Games
- Publisher: Freebird Games
- Platforms: PC, Android, Ios
- Release: November 1, 2011
Chances are, you already played To The Moon. It was a massive video game since its release and circulated online for fans who enjoyed the more emotionally depth video game titles like Life is Strange. To The Moon is set in the future where players follow a company that is able to give the dying a special treatment. With this treatment, the company is able to tap into the ill’s mind and give them a final fake memory of their choosing, essentially making them believe that they accomplished something they’ve always wanted.
Not only does this story already set up an emotional journey, but the patient you encounter makes for a truly heartfelt journey. Players will be meeting Johnny Wyles, an elderly dying man who has a wish to go to the moon. However, finding out who Johnny was previously as a younger man and his reasons for wanting to reach the moon will likely make you teary-eyed.
#5 Broken Age
- Developer: Double Fine Productions
- Publisher: Double Fine Productions
- Platforms: PC, Ouya, iOS, Android, PS4, PSV, XBO, NS
- Release: April 28, 2015
Broken Age was Tim Schafer’s return to a graphic adventure in over a decade. This adventure story tells the tale of two individuals that live completely different lives but, strangely enough, similar. Vella Tartine was chosen to be sacrificed towards the village monster, as is tradition within this village, though, before the day of execution, she escapes. However, out of this world we have Shay Volta who resides in space where he has a computer monitoring and taking care of ever need imaginable. Desiring to leave his prison and go on a grand adventure, Shay makes the leap of faith and escapes as well.
If you enjoyed Life is Strange for its story and relatively easy gameplay mechanics then moving on to Broken Age will make for an easy transition. There’s a focus on the narrative and being a point-and-click style adventure, most gameplay elements will center around solving puzzles.
#4 The Wolf Among Us
- Developer: Telltale Games
- Publisher: Telltale Games
- Platforms: iOS, Android, PC, PS3, PS4, PSV, X360, XBO
- Release: October 14, 2013
Based on the Fables comic book series, The Wolf Among Us is another hit from developers Telltale Games. Overall, the game is set within an American town that features outcasts from your beloved fairy tale stories. Now hiding in the human world, players take on the role of Bigby Wolf, once known as the Big Bad Wolf, who must keep the fables in check in order to avoid unwanted attention.
That’s easier said than done when a new string of murders has occurred to various fairy tale characters. Since these chosen few can only be killed by another fairy tale character it seems that this investigation will lead Bigby to meet with past friends in order to learn who the real murderer is.
#3 Gone Home
- Developer: The Fullbright Company
- Publisher: The Fullbright Company, Majescco EEntertainment, Annpurna Interactive
- Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO, NS
- Release: August 15, 2013
Gone Home plays out like a first-person adventure title where players take on the role of a young girl who returns home on break. However, once players arrive home they find it empty. This journey is based around finding where your mother, father and sister has vanished too.
Gameplay is more or less a walking simulator where you roam from room to room in order to find enough clues that you’ll figure out just what happened prior to your arrival. While this title looks to be filled with jump scares just waiting to pop out, it’s actually a deep narrative journey that’s relaxed. You won’t find yourself running from a supernatural being or invader. Of course with that said, this is still a mature story that plays out through clues and messages you find throughout the home.
#2 Night in the Woods
- Developer: Infinite Fall, Secret Lab, 22nd Century Toys
- Publisher: Finji
- Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO, NS, iOS, Android
- Release: February 21, 2017
Night in the Woods is another title that has become a favorite for fans of the adventure genre. Within the game, players take on the role of a young character by the name of Mae who dropped out of college.
Now back at her hometown and living with her parents, Mae discovers how much time has passed which changed not only her hometown but the friends that she grew up with. This adventure title quickly takes Mae into the woods where she begins to uncover a hidden secret that the town kept long ago.
Digging deeper into the history of Possum Springs, Mae will learn of the reason the coal mines were officially shutdown and the disappearance of her childhood friend.
#1 The Walking Dead
- Developer: Telltale Games
- Publisher: Telltale Games
- Platforms: PC, PS3, PS4, PSV, X360, XBO, Mobile, Ouya
- Release: August 22, 2013
Telltale Games takes real precious care when it comes to their video game releases. Oftentimes they will handle other IPs such as Batman and Game of Thrones though they add their own unique twist to it. This usually results in an adventure narrative that relies heavily on player choices in order to alter the story and the characters within it.
The Walking Dead takes place in the popular comic and AMC TV series universe where you may even see a familiar face. However, predominately, the game is centered around unique characters within The Walking Dead universe.
This first season follows Lee Everett, a man that is on his way to prison until the zombie apocalypse actually ends up freeing him from the law enforcement. Now free in a chaotic world, Lee stumbles upon a young child by the name of Clementine who is all alone. Quickly Lee takes on the role of Clementine’s guardian and protects her from the harsh new realities of the world.
Bonus Life is Strange 2
- Developer: Dontnod Entertainment
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
- Release: September 27, 2018
We put down this title as a bonus for a couple reasons. Naturally you’re likely already playing or planning on picking up the sequel to the franchise, Life is Strange 2. However, the game at the moment is not fully out and as a result you won’t get the full story. Players will still be in store for an emotional storyline with multiple choices and consequences throughout. Dontnod Entertainment is taking plenty of time to get the game out so we can’t really dive too deep into what you can expect. As of right now, the game has a total of two out of the five episodes out in the market.