When the firstLife Is Strangegame was released in 2015, few gamers realized just how popular the series would become. Some ofthe best games developed by Don’t Nod, theLife Is Strangegames are celebrated for their compelling stories, great writing, and casts of deep, well-written characters.
Over the course of three main entries and several bonus episodes, the franchise has given fans six awesome playable characters to fall in love with. Which character is “best” is obviously a matter of opinion, so we’ve ranked them based on how well-written and fleshed out they are when compared to each other.
Chris first appeared in the prelude toLife Is Strange 2,The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit.Designed as a taster episode for the main equal game, it introduced us to the immensely lovable Chris. He’s a bright, imaginative, and sensitive child who lives with his alcoholic father and is dealing with the tragic death of his mother. To cope with the terrible hand life has dealt him, Chris imagines his life and the challenges he faces as a superhero story, with him as the hero Captain Spirit.
The only reason Chris gets the bottom ranking is that fans don’t get to spend all that much time with him. His episode is set over the course of a Saturday morning and only lasts around 2 hours. It’s stilla great choose-your-own-adventure game, but Chris doesn’t experience the same level of growth as the franchise’s other protagonists. The little players do see is great, but in the end, Chris is more of a supporting character to the Diaz brothers than a true protagonist. Giving him the bottom ranking feels mean, but it’s the least of poor Chris’s problems.
5Steph Gingrich - Wavelengths
A Geek And A Rocker
Much like Chris, Steph is a supporting character given her own story through DLC.Wavelengthspicks up one year after the original game’s ending and tells Steph’s story before her life is changed by meeting Alex Chen, the protagonist ofTrue Colors. Steph is portrayed as the “Queen of the Nerds”. She’s a total music geek who also lovesDungeons and Dragonsand who challenges the usual “geek stereotype” by being lively and outgoing.Wavelengthsfocuses on her feelings of loneliness following the events of the first game as she struggles to maintain in-person relationships.
The originalLife Is Strangeisfull of hard choices, and Steph’s story inWavelengthsvaries a lot depending on which ending players choose. Compared to Chris, players spend a lot more time with Steph. Her story inWavelengthscovers a year, and the DLC itself is about twice as long, meaning she feels much more fleshed out. From her geekiness to her feisty attitude and proud declaration that “she’s into girls, and she doesn’t give a **** what anyone else thinks about it” there’s a lot to love about Steph. She comes in at number 5 purely because not that much time is spent with her. Plus, she doesn’t have any cool powers.
Initially, Alex Chen comes across as a blend of Chloe and Max. She has Max’s shyness but also some of Chloe’s edge. Seeing as Alex grew up in foster care, a system where children have to grow a hardened shell to survive, this makes sense. However, the more time players spend with Alex, the more obvious it is that she’s a character in her own right, very different fromLife Is Strange’sother protagonists. For a start, Alex is one ofthe best bisexual characters in a video game. Rather than something added to her in a box-ticking exercise, Alex’s queerness is an important part of her character.
Alex’s special power is enhanced empathy, which makes her highly observant of both her surroundings and the needs of others. Her powers also mean she has a habit of putting others ahead of herself and neglecting her own problems. Despite her initial shyness, Alex is a friendly, open person who cares deeply about others, especially her brother. If that wasn’t enough, she’s also a pretty talented amateur detective. All in all, she’s a great character, and Deck Nine did an awesome job with her. The only reason she gets a middling ranking is that compared to bending time and using telekinesis, wielding the power of empathy can feel a little underwhelming.
At the beginning ofLife Is Strange 2, Sean Diaz is a creative and sensitive 16-year-old defined by his loyalty to and protectiveness towards his little brother. The moment in episode 1 when Sean first steps in to protect Daniel is the one in which many players fall in love with his character. When the two brothers' lives take a turn and they’re forced to trek across the country to escape the authorities, Sean really steps up. He’s forced to leave his childhood behind him and grow up fast.
Life Is Strange 2has some ofthefranchise’s most dangerous charactersand Sean has to protect his brother without having any powers himself. Unfortunately, no matter what decisions the player makes, all of Sean’s endings are at least somewhat tragic. Ranking him as a character is difficult. His loyalty, compassion, and commitment to his brother naturally endear him to players, and he’s one of the franchise’s most likable protagonists. However, his actual personality isn’t that striking and doesn’t have as much depth as some other characters. He’s basically just a nice guy. For his sheer likability, Sean steals third place from Alex Chen.
As the franchise’s original protagonist, many fans have a soft spot for Max. A shy, socially awkward geek who loves photography and struggles to connect with others, Max is a brilliantly vulnerable character. Watching her grow throughout the game and become stronger as she learned from Chloe was a real joy to watch. The moment in episode 5 when she truly starts to stand up for herself and Chloe was a major turning point in the game.
Max is also incredibly powerful, having the ability to wind back time. The originalLife Is Strangeis one ofthe best games with time control mechanicspartly down to the way Max considers the moral implications of using her powers. Well-written, flawed, and easy to sympathize with, Max is easily one of the franchise’s best characters. The only reason she isn’t number one is because of her best friend, Chloe Price.
1Chloe Price - Before The Storm
More Layers Than An Onion
Examining Chloe’s character and what makes her so special is like peeling back the layers of an onion. With her punk style, standoffish attitude, and iconic hairstyle, Chloe initially comes across as just another angsty teenage stereotype. In reality, she is one ofthe best angsty teenagers in a video game. Chloe’s appearance isn’t just for show; she has serious issues, including depression, and her scaly exterior is how she copes with her need for acceptance.
She has a heart of gold and is fiercely loyal to her family and friends, even if at times she has a habit of pushing them away. Her life has been marked by tragedy, and Chloe constantly puts walls up around herself. One of the most interesting things about her is that she takes a piece of everyone she meets. Her mannerisms, attitude, way of speaking, and even her dress sense are all taken from people who meant something to her. This depth of character was first shown inLife Is Strange, butBefore The Stormcemented it by really focusing on Chloe. While she started out as just Max’s best friend, Chloe has grown into the franchise’s most beloved character.
