u/Only_Entrepreneur_84

Flower Kat :)

Which Kat did you get?

Link to the Instagram Reel (thank you u/RocktheNashtah )

- List explanation

Favorite game: Because it has the best mix of story, gameplay and world building for me personally.

Best story: This will be confusing for some people but let me tell you - AC1 has a very deep and intricate story. There are a lot of philosophical & moral questions throughout game and the conversations between Al Mualim and Altair are very interesting.

Favorite Art Style: The original art style of LIS was and still is very unique.

Biggest Personal Impact: Maybe my first narrative heavy game. It opened my eyes for how video games can tell cinematic stories and I love Gangster movies in general.

Best Combat: I did not play it that much but being a Samurai has never been better in my opinion. I love it.

Overhated: Most of you will probably know what happened as long as you did not live under a rock at that time. The game really did not deserve it.

Underrated: I like it. It's the most unique Dark Souls in my opinion.

Overrated: Story is lame, there are better open worlds, I don't like the characters, this game got carried by its multiplayer.

Needs a Remake: I don't need to explain myself.

Criminally Overlooked: This has become one of my favorite games ever. It's made by the same developers as Life Is Strange 1. Emotional story, great characters, perfect setting.

Favorite Protagonist: Female Vi is just so cool. Her English voice actress is maybe my favorite voice actress now.

Favorite Antagonist: Because all factions are just so well written and they do have some valid points.

Best soundtrack: Hey Siri, play "To all of you" by Syd Matters.

Best multiplayer: Because I played this the most. It was a love-hate relationship.

Not usually my thing but...: It's fun. I like to cook in real life so why not.

Turn my brain off: Create your own sim, decorate your flat/house and let it all play out while listening to music. It's cozy.

Best with friends: You can probably guess where I am from by this.

Best retro game: This is retro for me. Some of my oldest gaming memories.

Nostalgic childhood game: I played the Demo of Halo CE so much back then and I was always scared of the Aliens but I loved it.

Game everyone should play: There is so much to say about this game. It's the game of a whole generation. A window into another time. The pinnacle of choice based games.

Reminder: This whole list is my personal opinion.

So hold on a minute:

At the end, Kat appears as a spirit—aka a ghost—for the first time in the game, and as we know the abyss is open again—all of this after we open the box and get the camcorder back. And Kat, as a “ghost,” also perceives the others (for example, in one end, where everyone stays in the bar and sings “See You in Hell”: she touches Autumn and Nora on the shoulder).

Another point is that Kat has a somewhat bluish glow in all endings. Nora and Autumn (when they aren’t present) have a strong purple glow. BUT here’s the thing: Swann also has a blue glow in the “Swann is alone” ending. We know that Swann jumped into the abyss—and it’s also the only ending in which Swann appears as a “ghost.”

So is everyone who has a deeper connection to the abyss depicted with a bluish glow?

Ultimately, though, the question arises: Is Kat liberated to a certain extent after opening the box, and is that why she can perceive the others but not vice versa?

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Does anyone have a theory or more insight into this? Maybe I’m overthinking it or I am just missing something, but I find it really intriguing.

I prefer this over the original version.

Which soundtrack/song from the game is your favorite?

Ich persönlich finde es sehr schick. Das beste Heimtrikot seit langem.

Bin aber auch gespannt wieder auf die Heimtrikots der anderen Vereine.

First off: Spoilers!

I finished the game today with what I consider a "good" ending. Most of you will probably be able to tell from my first screenshot which ending I got. (If I’m right that the menu changes depending on the ending)

First of all, it’s funny that I just recently finished LIS: Reunion, so of course i compared Reunion a lot with Bloom & Rage during my playtime. Reunion (and Double Exposure), were okay games for me, but they lacked a lot of “substance” and detail. And detail is exactly what Don’t Nod knows how to deliver.

Don't Nod are still masters at creating a world brimming with stunning vistas, vibrant life, and diverse characters, paired with a solid soundtrack that, while not quite matching Life Is Strange 1, effectively complements the story and the ’90s setting.

Add to that the various social and societal issues that Don’t Nod loves to incorporate into their games, and you have...what many of us have probably been wishing for a long time.

- But now, about *Bloom & Rage*:

For me, it was an interesting and emotional experience, especially because of the four distinct main characters, each with their own quirks and struggles. But you realize right away, by Tape 2 at the latest, that Kat is the focus. Which makes sense, because I think it’s only natural that a group of friends would be shaken up by an illness like that, especially if it had been kept secret until then. So the twist with her illness is okay, even if it’s perhaps a bit predictable that something isn’t right with her.

Kat wants to be free and goes “to hell” to achieve it. Is she right to drag the others into it too? Maybe not, maybe she’s acting selfishly—but somehow you can’t really blame her either.

Speaking of “hell”:

I don’t know how to make sense of the “Abyss.” I get that Don’t Nod wanted to incorporate a supernatural element again—but whereas time manipulation in LiS 1 really had thematic depth, the “Abyss” is more of a means to an end. It’s also just questionable why Kat becomes a “Force Ghost” at the end. Sorry for the pun. But seriously now.

At first I thought it might be meant to be a metaphor for cancer—how it just takes a person out of life, makes a person disappear—but I think I’m reading too much into it, and Don’t Nod was probably just trying to set up a potential sequel...

- "But it all means nothing...without you"

But that all sounds pretty negative now, which isn’t what this post is meant to be, since I loved Bloom & Rage and the game entertained me throughout. And despite everything, Kat is also my favorite character (guess who I romanced), especially thanks to her distinctive voice actress.

I just wanted to put all my thoughts down on “paper” and I’m interested in what you people think about this game!

Thank's for reading!

(Screenshot Nr. 2: I love this reference to Radiohead "Creep" together with Kat)

*Sorry for spelling mistakes, English is not my native language*

First things first: This isn’t a post meant to bash *Life Is Strange* 1. I’ve played it myself and I’m a huge fan. It just strikes me time and again that when you look at certain forums, comment sections, or of course the reactions to new *Life Is Strange* games (from the new developer) and games in a similar genre, *Life Is Strange* 1 is often used as the benchmark. Generally speaking, Life Is Strange 1 didn’t do anything groundbreaking back then and was technically limited, but that didn’t stop it from becoming a… well, almost a “generational game.”

From what I’ve noticed, there are a few factors that are often mentioned:

1. A non-US developer who perfectly captured small-town life in the US.

2. The “indie” charm.

3. A well-chosen synergy of music, scenery, and dialogue.

4. The game was released at a time (2015) that marked a personal turning point in many people’s lives, so many could identify with the issues addressed in the game.

So for those who played LiS 1 (especially in 2015): What’s your take on it? How would you evaluate the game in retrospect?

(sorry for spelling mistakes, english is not my native language)