Confronting My Inner Demons in Life is Strange

Hello my little cherubs, and welcome back to my blog!

My inner demon also likes eating too many Oreos and spending money that I don't have on things I don't need

I’m proud to announce that I finally finished Life is Strange and I am wholly SHOOK. I’ve never played a game that made me look so deep into my soul and question my morality and entire reason for living. The ending of Life is Strange acted as an interactive Rorschach test for me; the final choice in the game felt like holding a mirror up to my psyche and forcing me to analyze every choice I’ve ever made and reconsider exactly who I am. Just a heads up, there WILL be SPOILERS in this post.

First of all, Life is Strange taught me a very important lesson about choices. Choices only give you the illusion of control. Life is Strange taught me that we can never truly predict the outcome of anything. Seemingly trivial choices can lead to deathly consequences, such as how taking pity on Victoria in the very first episode of the game can ultimately lead to Victoria’s murder. On the other hand, choices that seem like life or death don’t really make much difference in the long run. For example, whether or not Max chooses to shoot Frank in Episode 2. In fact, the ultimate lesson to be learned from Life is Strange, as can be scrawled across Chloe’s bedroom wall, is to let go. Life is not about making all the right choices, but about creating stories and relationships out of the choices we make, and being happy with ourselves at the end of the day. This is felt in the very last choice of the game. What would make you as a player feel better? Sacrificing Chloe or sacrificing Arcadia Bay. Neither choice is necessarily wrong.

Just Gotta Let Go

Life is Strange’s final decision really sent me into a spiral of self-contemplation. I had a very hard time deciding whether to sacrifice Chloe or Arcadia Bay. I think as people we are programmed to think sacrificing one person for the greater good is the morally correct choice, but this game really challenged that idea by placing us in a situation where the person to sacrifice is someone we love. I was forced to confront the selfish part of myself. Ultimately, I chose to sacrifice Arcadia Bay. I imagined my best friend standing in Chloe’s place, and I realized I couldn’t do it. And I was forced to recognize a part of myself that is willing to sacrifice anything for the people I love. But I also realized that that choice isn’t necessarily wrong. At least not to me.

As I said before, Life is Strange teaches us the art of letting go, to live life making decisions according to what will make us most content. I can live with myself saving Chloe and sacrificing the rest. (And let’s be honest, Arcadia Bay was a mess. It needed to go). And I’ve learned an invaluable lesson about not getting so caught up on the little details, and instead letting go and focusing on the journey.

Until next time, cuties! Mwah!

ricecakerabbit