I believe in the digital world and all the caveats that come along with it. There is a plethora of great stories told online, whether it’s through 140 characters or through a photoset on Tumblr. We can share emotions, thoughts, and ideas so long as they are in the grasps of our imagination — our most powerful tool.

The latest product of the digital world is a video game. Not just any game, however. Life is Strange is a beautiful video game, crafted carefully and delicately by DONTNOD Entertainment, a video game developer based in France. It is not their first title and definitely won’t be their last, but it is this indie title that has resonated loudly and clearly amidst our current collection of games that want to show off a visual mastery. This game is by no means perfect, but it is important and it is beautiful.

It took me a while to finally get the chance to play this game because I was not able to get a copy of it for my sad, limited, and depressing Mac OS. A good friend was kind enough to allow me into her home and sob incoherently as I finally dug right into this game with the fervor and desperation of a deprived soul.

Completely, totally worth the wait. Here are my thoughts about the game. Keep in mind that I am an English major whose only real gaming achievement is playing way too much Left 4 Dead 2.

The trailer for episode 1 of “Life is Strange.”

The gameplay is not extremely complicated. I was not forced to make supremely instinctive, on the spot decisions as per the usual FPS games I play. It did not try to present a particularly new concept in this kind of cinematic gaming — save for the ability to fiddle with time, which makes up the entirety of the game’s premise itself. Beyond that, if you’ve played any title from Telltale Games, you will see that Life is Strange is similar to playing The Walking Dead series — the good game series — where you have to complete certain tasks and make certain ethically and morally questionable decisions. The difference is that this game doesn’t force time-limits on some decisions, which already makes it infinitely less stressful than The Walking Dead, right?

Yes. In theory, a fantastically easy-going game. I have all the time in the world!

No. You do not have all the time in the world and you will be completely wrecked by the end of this game.

Welcome to Arcadia Bay, Oregon.

The game revolves around the lives of teenagers at a prestigious boarding preparatory school in the fictional town of Arcadia Bay, Oregon. As per usual with fictional teens, their lives are closely interwoven with danger, lies, and drama beyond an average person’s life. Despite it all, I found strange, virtual connections to these fictional characters, not unlike a book or a television show. Immersed in their lives, I was serious in my decisions and so thoroughly affected by how things would play out. It was difficult knowing that my decisions would “have consequences” as the game is prone to saying.

You play as Max Caulfield, an 18 year-old who has returned to her hometown of Arcadia Bay after living in Seattle for a few years. Arcadia Bay is apparently as quiet and the “same” as it always was. The only difference is, Max has suddenly gained the power to rewind time. The world is viewed through Max’s eyes and thoughts, with the occasional voice-over indicative of her thought process. There is something inherently striking about the relationships the player creates because the player is very heavily influenced by their own personal interpretation of Max Caulfield. The game is, of course, very encouraging towards serious thinking in some choices. However, the player is given insight (via the voice-overs) and forced to take on feelings from Max, meaning that it is possible they will create their own experience based on what they think is best for Max and how she sees things.

In one particular scene during my explorations, I caught a glimpse of something on a lonely tree stump, by the lighthouse (there’s always a lighthouse; there’s always a girl). It was a simple haiku carved into the tree:

Turn this way now or

face the lonely autumn tree

and never look back.

It was not until later that I was struck by the power of those words. I’m glad that I decided to write it down. Decision-making is a complex thing, so obviously the game developers and story-writers wanted to make it even more complicated. Consider the notion of alternate realities or alternate universes (there’s a great episode of Community — rest in peace — that shows how one action can create a multitude of outcomes). Life is Strange is beautifully crafted such that every action and repeated action matters. It imposes the importance of decisions and life-changing choices in making the player think carefully about how their actions can affect the present, past, or future timeline.

Get used to the idea of “moments.” I say “moments” because of a very important feature of the game: photography. What is photography? Max would probably be able to tell you more, being the photographer. The beauty of photography is the temporary moment captured indefinitely in a still image. I think of all the snapshots and moments of these characters’ lives — moments that were so finite and yet infinite because of the game’s unique function of allowing the player to rewind time and re-do certain decisions with newfound knowledge. Thematically, the “moments” of the game are captured within photography and art, something that is highly regarded and touted throughout the five episodes. They are achingly beautiful in how fleeting they appear to be, with the illusion of being infinitely long because of the capability to rewind and rewind and rewind…