More information on Life is Strange: True Colors has been revealed at the Future Games Show: Spring Showcase.
In a new interview, game director Zak Garriss offers a little more insight into the life of new protagonist Alex Chen, a young woman who has spent much of her life in the foster care system, but at the start of the game is being reunited with her brother, Gabe, in the town of Haven Springs. This is, however, a Life is Strange game, and Alex is more than meets the eye.
Garriss explains that "Alex has a supernatural sensitivity to the emotional states of others," allowing her to feel what they feel. "It's not just the ability to read, or be aware of, other peoples' emotions," Garriss points out. "If people around her are feeling rage, or grief, or terror, the emotion overwhelms Alex and she feels it too. It gives her an empathic connection with that person, it gives her insight into what's motivating whatever that person might be going through." Alex has felt cursed by her powers, but Garriss says that True Colors is the story of her learning "to take this curse and do something good with it."
Later on, Garriss explains that developer Deck Nine - creators of Life is Strange: Before the Storm - wanted to give players more control over where they go and who they interact with within Haven Springs. The result is a much bigger space than what Life is Strange fans might be used to seeing elsewhere in the series.
Finally, the developer explains some of the ways in which True Colors alludes to, and changes, the rest of the series. Returning character Steph is a reminder that all of the Life is Strange games are part of one shared universe, but Garriss also says that Deck Nine decided on the name True Colors "rather than order the titles sequentially when they're not actually sequels."
Square Enix and Deck Nine unveiled Life is Strange: True Colors earlier this month, ahead of its release on September 10 on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S. And if you're keen to revisit the original, a Remastered Collection of Life is Strange and Before the Storm is also set to arrive this autumn.
For a full list of all the other games scheduled to launch at some point later this year, head over to our new games 2021 guide for more.
