Life Is Strange has always been a standout video game series when it comes to emotional storytelling. From the release of the first game in 2015 players have fallen in love with the episodic adventure series, and this year’s Life Is Strange: True Colors has kept that trend going. Developer Deck Nine had to delay the Nintendo Switch version of the game, but now the title has finally released for the platform.

Life Is Strange: True Colors is the story of Alex Chen, a young woman who has finally been reunited with her estranged brother after many years apart. After a sudden tragedy in the town of Haven Springs, Alex must use a supernatural power that she has kept hidden for many years. Alex is able to see into the emotions of others, and must utilize this to try and solve a mystery that has long plagued the town and its inhabitants.

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This central plot is excellently told, with Life Is Strange: True Colors more than living up to the reputation of the series. It’s fair to say that the game has perhaps the best video game story of the year, interweaving character relationships with a sleepy town’s dark history. Aside from one plot point late in the narrative that feels a little too clean for its own good, the story of Life Is Strange: True Colors is an absolute triumph.

A lot of this weight is maintained by a cast of characters that are extremely likeable, helping to build out Haven Springs into a realistic small town hub in a way that Dontnod’s Twin Mirror failed to do. Alex’s power here plays a part (or at least her main one, not her hidden power to make a bass guitar riff appear from nowhere when playing acoustic guitar), allowing the player to delve into the minds of others, but it’s written in such a way that this never feels melodramatic. Life Is Strange: True Colors is a story about the complexity of emotion, and it works incredibly well.

That said, this version of Life Is Strange: True Colors is at a disadvantage to its siblings on other platforms, because the Nintendo Switch does lack the sheer power of a PC, PS5, or Xbox Series X. The technical limitations of the console are clear enough, with visuals that appear rudimentary in comparison to other versions of the game. Everything is a little basic, its textures are a little slow to load, and general load times are a bit on the long side.

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Since the Switch isn’t the most powerful console to develop for, considerations have needed to be made. Life Is Strange: True Colors on Switch does not have the graphical fidelity of other versions, but it’s clear that the extra time put into its Switch release was beneficial. In spite of the load times, Life Is Strange: True Colors runs smoothly enough from an FPS perspective, but it does run smoothly, unlike certain other recent Switch ports.

Life Is Strange: True Colors also works well enough in handheld mode. Again, it hardly has the graphical punch of playing the title on PC, but it works well enough for a portable version of a new release game. Switch fans by now are used to handheld mode resulting in textures that are a little on the tetchy side, and so for players on the go it’s a good choice for something impactful.

Overall, Life Is Strange: True Colors is such a good quality story that its technical shortcomings can be forgiven. This isn’t the best platform for the game, and players who really care about a top quality graphical experience will likely want to turn to another device. However, for Switch owners who don’t have access to a PS5, Xbox Series X, or high end PC this is a must-play.

Life Is Strange: True Colors is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia and Nintendo Switch. Screen Rant was provided with a Switch download code for the purposes of this review.

Our Rating:

4 out of 5 (Excellent)
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About The Author


Rob Gordon
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Rob Gordon is a writer and musician from Brighton, United Kingdom. A Creative Writing Masters graduate from the University of Exeter, Rob has his roots in fiction writing but also has extensive experience writing about video games and the video game industry. As well as this, Rob is at home with a focus on film and television, particularly when it comes to the realms of horror. Alongside his writing, Rob plays in two UK-based musical acts, the electro-pop band Palomino Club and rock band Titans & Kings, and also lends his vocal talents to the Big Boys Don’t Cry podcast, which reviews and discusses romantic comedies. The bands and the podcast can be found on all good digital distribution platforms, and Rob can also be found on Twitter.

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