Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

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Screenwise Verdict

Life is Strange is critically acclaimed for good reason—it's a genuinely innovative narrative game that treats its teenage characters with respect and tackles difficult topics with nuance. The time-rewind mechanic is clever, and the moral choices feel weighty in ways most games don't achieve.

But let's be crystal clear: this is NOT a game for young teens. The suicide content is explicit and central to the plot. There's drug use, violence, and themes around sexual predation. This is heavy, emotionally draining material that requires significant maturity to process.

For older teens (16-17+) who are in a good mental health space and ready for serious content, this can be genuinely enriching—a chance to explore empathy, consequences, and complex moral questions through an interactive medium. The lack of predatory monetization is a plus, and the single-player nature means no toxic chat to worry about.

The 2015 dialogue can feel cringey now ('hella' overload), and the pacing drags in places, but it mostly holds up. Just make sure you know exactly what you're getting into before letting your teen play this one. Have the conversation first.

Age Fit

This is firmly 16+ territory, maybe even 17-18+ depending on your teen's emotional maturity and mental health. The suicide content alone makes it inappropriate for younger teens, and even older teens should be in a good headspace before playing.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

55

Life is Strange tackles serious teen issues including bullying, depression, suicide, and toxic relationships. While it models friendship and empathy through Max and Chloe's bond, the tone is often dark and emotionally heavy. The game doesn't shy away from showing realistic teen struggles, which can be valuable but isn't consistently 'wholesome' in the traditional sense. The time-rewind mechanic does encourage thinking through consequences of actions.

Imaginative

82

The time-rewind mechanic is genuinely innovative for narrative games, letting players explore branching consequences and puzzle-solving in creative ways. The episodic structure and photography theme encourage observation and curiosity. Players must think critically about cause-and-effect, and the game invites emotional and ethical imagination as choices ripple through the story. The Pacific Northwest art style and indie aesthetic are distinctive.

Safe

42

This game contains multiple serious safety concerns for younger players: explicit discussions and depictions of suicide, drug use, bullying, violence including gun violence and potential school shooting scenarios, and mature themes around sexual assault and predatory behavior. The game earned its reputation for tackling heavy content head-on. No predatory monetization (no IAP, no loot boxes), and no online chat keeps the platform side clean, but the content itself requires significant maturity.

Enriching

78

Life is Strange excels at building empathy and exploring complex moral choices with real consequences. It tackles mental health, consent, friendship loyalty, and the butterfly effect in meaningful ways. The game encourages critical thinking about decisions and their impacts. The photography elements and environmental storytelling add cultural enrichment. However, the heavy subject matter means the 'lessons' come with significant emotional weight that not all teens are ready to process.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Genuinely innovative time-rewind mechanic that makes choices feel meaningful and lets you explore consequences
Tackles mental health, friendship, and tough ethical dilemmas with nuance rarely seen in games
Strong female friendship at the center without being preachy about it
Encourages critical thinking about cause-and-effect and the ripple effects of our decisions
The episodic format creates natural stopping points for reflection and discussion

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What to Watch For

Heavy suicide content including explicit depictions—this is the big one that requires serious consideration
Drug use, violence, gun violence, and school shooting scenarios that can be triggering
Themes of sexual assault and predatory adult behavior toward teens
Emotionally intense throughout—this isn't a 'chill' gaming experience
Some dialogue feels dated even for 2015 ('hella' every other sentence gets old fast)

Conversation Starters

"If you could rewind time like Max, what's one decision you'd want to rethink? What would you change?"
"The game shows how small choices can have big consequences. Have you experienced that in real life?"
"Max struggles with whether to use her power or let things happen naturally. When is it right to intervene vs. let things play out?"
"How does the game portray friendship between Max and Chloe? What makes their relationship complicated?"
"The game deals with some really heavy stuff. What was hardest to see or think about?"

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