Life Is Strange: Top 5 Favorite Characters

[Chase]

Godot - if this is an out of bounds thread, I'm sorry. I read the database thread and found that the official thread for Life is Strange is indeed existent - but also relatively outdated and didn't feel comfortable about possibly starting a hi-jacking in a dead thread for a different purpose. If this needs to be warned.....I guess you can say I deserved it or something.

As for the rest of you - Hi. I'm Hunter - and I just experienced this game after everyone else did because #Late. The intent of this thread is to specifically, however (because I needed something to justify making another thread for Life is Strange for one, and because I'm genuinely interested.), to tell me who your top five favorite characters are in the game - and why. This happens to matter to me because this semester I am delving into a lot of fictional writing for the first time in a long time as part of educational pursuits - and I wanted to see some different prose other than my own to compare against. Essentially - this is extremely basic character analysis, and Life is Strange has ...well......lots of Characters. Tell me yours in response, but in the meantime, here's mine.

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#5 - Frank Bowers

Frank, the local 'dealer', is a book often judged by his cover. The man is already a "shady" character according to the police in the area and yet somehow doesn't have probable cause because..."reasons". He's also disliked by Chloe, Max, and the Blackwell populace due to his strange proximity to the missing Rachel Amber before she vanished - leading 'Pricefield' to believe he was somehow involved initially. Frank however drops subtle hints to Max at the Two Whales of his genuine relationship to Rachel. Frank and Rachel may be the only instance where an older guy hitting on a younger woman seemed somewhat acceptable. The two characters seemed to stabilize each other. Frank is a character who finds redemption if the cards fall right - and as a guy who believes in second chances, it was touching to see Frank get his, along with realizing what his occupation wrought upon Arcadia Bay.

Drugs guys. They do stuff to you.

#4 - Nathan Prescott

If you have ever played the horror-cliche recent release 'Until Dawn' - Nathan drew a lot of parallels to Josh, the game's antagonist. His artistic style and erratic behavior seemed to give off another striking resemblance though - Edgar Allen Poe. The poet and Nathan share a distinct knack for the macabre. Nathan's photography subjects are often of the dead birds Chaos Theory brings upon the area - and he seems to appreciate his mentor's 'tortured' works' style. Josh's connection seems to come from schizophrenia or depression, as seen by the pills Nathan relies on personally in conjunction to Frank's wares. His condition alone - to observant people' would be enough to forgive and nearly exonerate him of wrongdoing. In a way, Nathan seemed to relate to the subjects of Mr. Jefferson's muse. The pressure to succeed and the deteriorating state of mind had him just as trapped.

#3 David Madsen

Mr. Madsen is a very clear sufferer of Post-Tramatic-Stress disorder right out of the gate. He errs on the side of caution to the point where science teachers hold petitions to take down his surveillance rig and his own stepchild is out to cause him grief. Her best friend even ends up blowing up his relationship with his family in a spurt of rage after she wasn't even invited in the house the morning after Chloe's mischief. In other words - the security guy can't seem to catch a break in the week 'Life is Strange' takes place in. Madsen was the first character that drew contrasting feelings for me. The things he did - even to the point of slapping Chloe in the event Max doesn't take the fall for a stray marijuana cigarette - seemed like things a father normally did to me. David reminded me a bit of my father - a hothead who wasn't cool or collected even when he was safely at home. He's also one that gets redeemed ... I'm starting to see a theme here.

#2 Max Caulfield

Max is the protagonist of the game - but she's one that forces you to take yourself out of her shoes to understand her positions on things throughout the story - presenting a unique sense of doubt no matter -what- choice you make at any given moment. It causes a very irritating conflict of 'What would Max have done?" vs. "What would I have done?" That being said, she's presented with the coolest ability ever. That ability would be to answer the generations-old question. "If you could turn back time, what would you do?". The entire game is centered around Max doing what anyone who would were they to catch the blessing she did - or not. Her powers do come with a price (no pun intended) and as she continues to manipulate time to create ideal to necessary situations in order to reach her goals, she begins to question if what she was doing was morally sound and appropriate, along with feeling the toll of her actions herself in the form of pain and dizziness. This character doesn't let you insert who you are in the story - at least, not without making you tear yourself up over it....and in this game, destruction -is- beauty.

#1 Kate Marsh

How original - Hunter picks the "Christian" character as his favorite. Well - the theme that most caught my eye in this game sort of mirrors the Christian message of being redeemed. Most of the characters further down the list experience a form of "redemption" in some way (Frank assisting Pricefield in their investigation, Nathan sending a genuine apology to Max before he is slain, David willing to better himself for the sake of his family, Max -possibly- willing to go back in time to the point before she had even used her re-wind ability in order to save Arcadia Bay.) - but Kate's is the embodiment of the Christian narrative. She's perceived as innocent - another crucial theme of the story - until it's revealed that Kate's starring in a viral party video and that innocence turns into the most literal guilt seen in the game. It's later revealed that Kate's innocence was robbed, but it doesn't undo the fact that Kate herself was inebriated and willing to go to the party. In other words - she's a sinner just like the rest of Blackwell - and one that almost succumbed to it in her suicide. Max sort of serves as Kate's "Christ figure" in the story - and Kate resembles the forgiven one who is redeemed by Max's actions.

[Guest]

I've recently just finished watching a full playthrough of Life is Strange and I really enjoyed the experience, but the cast of characters are really quite diverse for me. But, anywho..

• 5.) Nathan Prescott

- While I still vehemently disapprove of what Nathan did, such as drugging innocent girls, in some cases, possibly sexually abusing them, and in case of Rachel, accidental overdose, leading to the latter's death. Despite that, it's revealed more and more in the episodes that Nathan is going through some issues, while his mental condition doesn't justify his actions, it definitely makes him more sympathetic. It's clear that Jefferson and his father kept on manipulating him, and his final voicemail towards Max at the end shows he's truly regretful. While I truly don't like Nathan, the game really showed him in a more sympathetic light in the end, and I fell for it.

• 4.) Samuel Taylor

- Samuel always provided the role of a somehow cryptic advisor towards Max, always treating the latter with kindness, as much as Max treats him as well. There's something truly mystical about him, and it's somehow implied through his words that he knows something that's going on with Max.

• 3.) Warren Graham

- Okay, how can I not like Warren. He's a geek, and he's cute. He's also quite nice to Max, if not a little bit too devoted, but his reason for doing so is personally heartwarming. "Because you were nice to me." He's always there for Max, supporting her from the sidelines, even though I feel that he feels that he's being left out, what with Max and Chloe being the main duo. It's even more heartwarming if Max decides to pursue Chloe instead, with Warren texting her, and being accepting of Max's decision, in the lines of "I want my beloved to be happy.", clearly showing that even though he's always pursuing Max and wants to be with her, he still thinks of Max's happiness. He's again, pretty cute.

• 2.) Kate Marsh

- Who can't like Kate? It should be obvious as to why Kate is so likeable. She's a prime example of a good character in the game. Despite her struggles, such as her viral video, and the negative backlash she receives not just from her peers but also from her mother and aunt. This combined really shook Kate's faith, as shown in one of her drawings when analyzed, a noose attached to a tree with a pool of blood below. In spite of this, when Kate's photo submission is analyzed, Max comments that she still tries to see the good in everything, even after what happened to her, making her suicide much more heart-breaking because she was truly pushed beyond the edge. (No pun intended.)

• 1.) Victoria Chase

- I usually dislike Alpha Bitch characters. Victoria being one of them when I first saw her. Bullying Max, bullying Kate, being responsible for that drama with Juliet and Zachary.. blocking the way to the dorm.. just to say a few. As time goes on, more and more light is shed upon Victoria's character. Notably, in Episode 2, Victoria is shown to be bawling after Kate's suicide, despite being there to film the whole scene, showing that she does regret what she did. Another tidbit of this kindness from her is seen in Episode 1 if Max chooses to comfort her instead, even thanking Max. Episode 3 shows that in the alternate timeline, Victoria is one of Max's best friends, even if the latter seems a little bit more jerkish in that timeline. Finally, in Episode 4, Victoria reveals that she's very insecure of her talents as a photographer, and she feels that acting cold is the only way to truly become successful in her career, after this, Max has the option of burying the hatchet with her for good. She's not evil, just very very very insecure. This kind of side to her character made her really quite likeable to me, personally.