The Life is Strange order has become increasingly convoluted over the years. Ever since the success of the first game, the series has grown explosively with the addition of both numbered and unnumbered sequels, a prequel, and even a comic series. It can be quite overwhelming, so we’ve compiled a complete Life is Strange timeline and put all games and media in order for you.
We’ll begin with an overview of all Life is Strange games in order of release, which is also our recommended play order:
- Life is Strange (2015, Life is Strange: Remastered in 2022)
The first Life is Strange game tells the story of Max Caulfield and Chloe Price in Arcadia Bay. An enhanced version is available as part of the Life is Strange: Remastered Collection. - Life is Strange: Before the Storm (2017, Life is Strange: Remastered in 2022)
This game takes place before the events of Life is Strange and tells the story of Chloe Price and Rachel Amber in Arcadia Bay. An enhanced version is available as part of the Life is Strange: Remastered Collection. - The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit (2019)
This short game is freely available as a download bonus episode and takes place directly before the second chapter of Life is Strange 2. - Life is Strange 2 (2019)
Tells the story of Sean Diaz and his brother Daniel Diaz as they escape from Seattle. - Life is Strange: True Colors (2021)
Tells the story of Alex Chen and her new life in Haven Springs. - Life is Strange: Double Exposure (2024)
Features an older Max Caulfield.
Are you new to the series or do you want to explore more media within the Life is Strange universe, but don’t know where to start? Then make sure you keep reading.
Now that we have put all Life is Strange games in order, it’s time to put all the games along with all additional media in a chronological Life is Strange timeline.
The Life is Strange universe can be broadly divided into four main games, each with their own main character(s) and a unique superpower at the center of them. Then there are additional games and comics that fill in the gaps of those main stories. Our timeline is split up between these four main games, those being:
- Life is Strange (Set in 2010 and 2014)
- Life is Strange 2 (Set in 2016)
- Life is Strange: True Colors (Set in 2019)
- Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Set in 2023)
Life is Strange (Set in 2010 and 2014)
The first chapter in the Life is Strange series takes place almost exclusively in Arcadia Bay, a fictional town in Oregon, North America. This picturesque coastal town hides some dark secrets. Both Life is Strange as well as Life is Strange: Before the Storm delve deeper into these mysteries.
Max Caulfield is the protagonist in the first Life is Strange game from 2015. The game takes place in the year 2014. Max returns to her hometown Arcadia Bay, where she runs into her childhood friend Chloe Price at a critical moment and discovers that she can time travel. Max and Chloe rekindle their friendship, while Max deals with her newfound powers.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm takes place in 2010, four years before the events in Life is Strange, and puts the player in control of Chloe Price, who is close friends with Amber Price at that time. Since Life is Strange: Before the Storm spoils some of the biggest surprises of Life is Strange, we recommend new players to play the games in order of release, instead of in chronological order.
There is also an ongoing comic series that takes place directly after the ending of Life is Strange, but this comic is treated as being non-canon. The comic consists of 22 issues, which are bundled by four into collected paperback volumes, except for volume 5 which consists of two longer issues. We will only list the paperback volumes in the timeline below.
The freely distributed comic Life is Strange FCBD 2021 (in commemoration of Free Comic Book Day) takes place between volume 5 and volume 6. This comic recaps the events of the comic so far and leads into the newest chapter called Settling Dust.
Life is Strange 2 (Set in 2016)
Although the sequel to Life is Strange takes place after the events of the first game, it is not a direct sequel. Life is Strange 2 revolves around the brothers Sean and Daniel Diaz, who decide to flee from their hometown Seattle after a terrible accident. As is trademark in a Life is Strange game, one of the brothers is found to possess exceptional telekinetic powers.
Although it is not possible to import a Life is Strange save file into Life is Strange 2, upon starting the game, the player is asked which ending they chose in Life is Strange. Since this spoils the ending of the first game, we recommend new players to play Life is Strange before starting Life is Strange 2.
The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit is a free standalone chapter that seamlessly connects to Episode 2 of Life is Strange 2. In this bonus episode, players control a young boy called Chris, who has an exceptional imagination. The decisions you make during this game can be imported into Life is Strange 2: Episode 2 and will affect the story. Be aware that The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit was released as a PS4 demo and is therefore not playable on PS5. Update: We’re happy to report that backwards compatibility has been fixed by Square-Enix, which means The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit can now also be played on PS5.
Life is Strange: True Colors (Set in 2019)
True Colors tells the story of Alex Chen, who is invited by her brother to start a new life in the town of Haven Springs, Colorado. Alex also possesses a gift: she can absorb the emotions of others. Life is Strange: True Colors can be seen as the third title within the Life is Strange series and takes place in May 2019, about six years after the events of Life is Strange and two years after the ending of Life is Strange 2.
Alex Chen made her comic debut in Life is Strange FCBD 2021, a free comic distributed in commemoration of Free Comic Book Day. This short comic takes place right before the events of Life is Strange: True Colors, when Alex Chen takes the bus to New Haven. The exact same comic was republished in the back of Settling Dust, the sixth volume of the Life is Strange comic, with a total of 12 additional pages added to the start and end of the Free Comic Book Day comic.
There is no further connection between True Colors and the other games within the series, with the exception of the character Steph Gingrich, who had a minor role in Life is Strange: Beyond the Storm and returns as a main character in True Colors. The events of previous Life is Strange games are not discussed in True Colors, making this an excellent spoiler-free entry point for newcomers to the franchise.
In “Wavelengths”, a downloadable bonus episode for Life is Strange: True Colors that can be purchased separately, the player controls Steph and can learn more about her background and character. This bonus episode takes place before the events of True Colors, but can only be played if you have completed the main game. Wavelengths also deals with the fallout of the ending of Life is Strange, and therefore spoils the conclusion of that game.
In March 2023, the novel “Life is Strange: Steph’s Story” was released. Written from Steph Gingrich’s perspective, it covers the events that led her to come to live in Haven Springs, going back as far as 2016 when Steph decides to move to Seattle to live with her father, all the way until 2018, when Steph arrives in Haven Springs and meets Gabe, Ryan and other characters from Life is Strange: True Colors. Steph’s Story also features characters from the Life is Strange comic book series, such as Pixie and the band The High Seas.
Life is Strange: Wavelengths picks up almost immediately after the end of the Steph’s Story.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Set in 2023)
Life Is Strange: Double Exposure is the newest entry in the Life Is Strange franchise. It features the return of the original protagonist, Max Caulfield. The game is set 10 years after the events of Arcadia Bay, and Max has discovered a new ability: she can experience two parallel timelines simultaneously. In one timeline, a close friend has been murdered, while in the other, that friend is still alive. Max must use her powers to solve both murders and reunite the disparate timelines.
Life is Strange tv series
A live-action tv show of Life is Strange has been planned since 2016, but it is still unknown when it will be released. The rights of the tv series are with Legendary. In September 2021 it was announced that Shawn Mendes will be responsible for the music of the show, while production company Anonymous Content, known for 13 Reasons Why, is also involved in the project.
When the tv show was announced, the original Life is Strange was still the only game in the series, but since then the series has grown exponentially. It is still unclear which Life is Strange story will be the inspiration for the tv series.
This Life is Strange Timeline has been compiled with as much care as possible. Nevertheless, an error may have crept into our chronological order. Are you an even bigger Life is Strange fan than we are? Please contact us and tell us what we got wrong!
4 Responses
I love how you’ve put this timeline together! It’s so helpful to have a visual representation of the order of events in the game.
Great job with the Life is Strange video game order.
Thanks to you, I’ll be buying LIS 2, and True Colors.
I’ll also keep an eye out for anything else you might be posting.
Thanks Again.
What about the other one. Tell me why I think it’s called
tell me why is similar to LiS but not connected