Life is Unusual has at all times been about feelings and dealing with life’s challenges. By way of the sequence, we’ve skilled totally different views and a mess of complicated conditions, from the perils of despair to the ugliness of racism. Getting into a personality’s footwear, we get to know their world and the individuals round them, typically discovering issues usually are not at all times what they appear and utilizing a superpower to alter issues for good measure. Whereas Life is Unusual: True Colours has all of the hallmarks of previous entries, like having a particular energy and penalties on your actions, it’s far more fueled by its emotional moments and practical dilemmas. That is when the sport is at its greatest, bringing a unbelievable, well-written protagonist in Alex Chen, who you wish to get to know and see succeed.
You’ll be able to consider Alex as the brand new child on the block. The journey begins with Alex leaving the group residence she’s stayed at for the final eight years to reside together with her brother Gabe in Haven Springs. It’s a heartwarming and generally awkward reunion, however her and Gabe’s bond and love for one another are evident from the get-go. Sadly, an accident occurs and Gabe dies. From right here on out, Alex is on a mission to make sense of his dying. Might it have been prevented?
The story has some good twists and is particularly sturdy in the way it explores Alex’s previous within the foster care system and her household points. The narrative is emotional, coping with grief, abandonment, and self-worth, but it surely’s additionally simply as a lot about discovering your personal path in life. The latter actually comes collectively properly within the closing moments, letting you could have a substantial affect on what Alex’s future holds. I loved the narrative’s suspense and heartwarming moments, but it surely’s the characters that really make the expertise.
Alex Chen is without doubt one of the greatest protagonists I’ve encountered in years, and it comes all the way down to her resilience and timeless hope for the higher. Being thrown into the foster system, she has led a special life, however she hasn’t let it take away her humorousness or her need to assist individuals in want. Voice actress Erika Mori provides Alex an emotional depth that can not be overstated: her supply is spot-on for Alex’s charming sarcasm, and when Alex is at her most weak throughout emotional scenes, Mori by no means overacts, holding you proper within the second and feeling for Alex and her circumstances.
The individuals round Alex additionally made me really feel related to the city and her journey. All of the denizens of Haven Springs are like a protecting household, from father determine Jed who provides Alex a spot to remain rent-free to the grandmotherly and overly affectionate Eleanor who simply desires to see everybody comfortable. All of the residents have their points that you could select to uncover extra about, however what’s so touching is that they’d do something for a fellow. It really works properly as a distinction to Alex’s earlier life, the place she needed to fend for herself and by no means felt a real belonging. Alex’s rising friendships with Steph and Ryan (both is romanceable if you happen to like) are a spotlight. Ryan is extra laidback and a giant dork at coronary heart, whereas Steph is extra sassy and unbiased. The three’s interactions grew to become my favourite as their dialogue actually showcases their bond, whether or not it’s taking foolish photos or joking round about who can be higher at seducing a middle-aged woman.
The vast majority of Alex’s journey is story-based, supplying you with dialogue choices as you discover the city and attempt to piece collectively sure clues about individuals and locations. The sport provides a whole lot of exploration, so that you’re greatest to go off the crushed path to get essentially the most out of it. I used to be comfortable that it didn’t really feel like there have been filler puzzles, like discovering some variety of bottles to maneuver on to the subsequent scene. Every thing you do matches properly into the plot, together with a enjoyable LARP romp via city, a Spring Competition, and even simply taking a job as a waiter. Studying concerning the individuals is a part of the enjoyable, and making selections about how you can play scenes or deal with conditions retains you concerned within the plot.
Some selections are primarily role-playing choices, however a whole lot of the choices are large and don’t come simple. Typically it comes down to selecting whether or not to disclose private info to a different celebration that might assist the particular person but additionally jeopardizes their belief. Different instances, you’ll need to determine how and if you wish to help a specific character. Nevertheless, the difficult choices include Alex’s energy. Alex understands the feelings of others on a really totally different degree. She has a supernatural potential to expertise, take in, or manipulate emotions. It’s an influence of empathy, but it surely’s not precisely what I used to be anticipating, and I discovered the ability a bit disappointing in its effort to be extra supernatural.
Alex can straight-up learn individuals’s minds to be taught if one thing deeper is occurring; she will be able to additionally see coloured auras round them that symbolize their emotions, equivalent to blue for unhappiness and pink for anger. Problems with consent apart, utilizing her energy felt like dishonest and avoiding the troublesome work of attempting to get somebody to divulge heart’s contents to you about their issues. I struggled essentially the most with cases the place you’ll be able to determine whether or not to take emotions away from others. For instance, if concern prevents somebody from standing up for themselves, must you take it away? Or is that work they should do for themselves?
Doing this takes a toll on Alex as a consequence, and it’s an fascinating conundrum, however the potential to remove feelings feels unsuitable. In a single case, a girl is clearly going via the levels of grief; if you happen to take away a step in that course of, aren’t you denying her the room to heal as she wants? My greatest concern is that the sport provides you such an enormous duty however shies away from taking a tough stance on the emotional ramifications at play. I tapped into the ability to remove a sense as soon as and felt rewarded for it. It felt further bizarre as a result of I used it for Alex’s private achieve, however the recreation by no means made me really feel any large penalties for it. The entire energy simply feels muddy in its execution, and I want it was represented with a bit extra depth.
True Colours’ writing is so sturdy that it didn’t want a supernatural potential to inform this story. I laughed, I cried, and the issues that keep on with me are the moments the place Alex is examined and comes into her personal. And there’s one thing particular in how True Colours provides you the ability to determine her future and what her life wants, making for a memorable ending with a spotlight reel of what you envision for the character. As a consequence of all branching selection variations, you’ll be able to most likely get in a number of totally different playthroughs, however the total message by no means modifications: Don’t quit. It might be a well-worn saying, but it surely means lots in Alex Chen’s pained life.
