#don’t nod

[clementineslawyer]

Episode 3 Chloe price icons

[fallenrosepettals]

Bae over Bay

[tiredlakes]

[flibbleynova]

I won't always be there to save you...

[nicole-ashwood]

I’m going to say something, and I need to make it clear that I am in no way some kind of genius or snob, or that all of my own interpretations that I make, have made, or will make should be taken as gospel.

But with that said, not a lot of people get the first Life is Strange and why the story is so important and impactful.

Especially a lot of the fans who think the story is only about choices, consequences, the characters and their personalities, or that it doesn’t have a lot to say about our world and what is going on.

Don’t even get me started about the people who think Max and Chloe shouldn’t be together, that sacrificing Chloe OR Arcadia Bay has some form of moral justification, or that there is no happy ending that lets Max and Chloe be together.

And if you think it’s stupid or unrealistic to say that true love doesn’t exist and that if Max saves Chloe they still might break up in the end, then all I can ask is: who hurt you? And why haven’t you been able to heal yet?

And don’t think this critique is levied at just the fans, reviewers, or players in general. There’s plenty of evidence that Don’t Nod themselves never realized what they actually managed to say, or that they did but had to bury it in order to try and tell the story in a way they wanted.

Life is Strange is a very different kind of story/game than what we’re used to. It’s messy, has things in it that are superfluous, go nowhere, or contradict everything that came before. Remember, Don’t Nod was actively taking in player feedback and tweaking the story while it was being released. To say that every part of the game had intention behind it is rather delusional.

But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to understand, or that it’s, to be frank, first draft approach can easily be boiled down to one or two buzzwords.

Now, this game has enough meat in it to legitimately write a dissertation on, and I quite literally don’t have the mental will right now to even attempt such a comprehensive analysis. But there is something I need to point out that I have NEVER seen someone mention before, even though it’s a core part of why the game worked as well as it did.

Who has power in Life is Strange? Who actively makes the real decisions? Who, in the end, can actually make a choice that will affect the WORLD around them?

ANY understanding of the game and series needs to address this question. Because if you can answer this question, you have the ability to capture the lightning in a bottle all over again.

[satoshi-mochida]

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 launches February 18, 2025; Tape 2 launches March 18 - Gematsu

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 will launch digitally for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam on February 18, 2025, followed by Tape 2 on March 18, 2025, developer DON’T NOD announced. A physical edition distributed by Maxium Entertainment is also planned for PlayStation 5, with a release date to be announced in due course.

Get the latest details below.

The first look gameplay trailer offers a look into the gameplay of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, including the navigation between the dual timelines of 1995 and 2022, using Swann’s camcorder to film her summer, and of course, making dialogue choices in the game. We see the dynamic dialogue system, which promises another level of immersion: it can change based on where you look and what you say, and players can choose to ignore and interrupt other characters, which makes conversations feel more real and choices more important than ever.

DON’T NOD at Gamescom 2024

As well as our participation in Gamescom 2024: Opening Night Live, DON’T NOD is excited to have a space not only in the B2B area but also the B2C space, with a themed photo installation booth in Hall 5.1’s Cosplay Village. Fans anticipating the game, or who just want to take cool pictures in a ’90s garage, can come along and take home a memorable keepsake from the universe of Lost Records. Several activities will be ongoing throughout Gamescom 2024, such as a meet and greet with the development team and special giveaways.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is due out for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam in early 2025.

Watch a new trailer below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.

First Look Gameplay Trailer

[asm5129]

So I just finished DE.

I did like this game quite a bit. I think it was very interesting and a worthwhile story to tell.

I also don’t believe it should be the future of LiS.

To me, Life is Strange is about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. DE put a lot of focus on the extraordinary circumstances, and less focus than usual on the ordinary people.

Full spoilers to follow:

I like that Max in particular was the one who had to come face to face with another powered person because her own trauma is so deeply connected to her powers, but the focus just can’t be on the powers quite so much. That will inevitably lose the LiS DNA.

I also definitely prefer LiS as an anthology series. I’d prefer returning characters to exist in supporting roles to new characters rather than keep them as the center of the story, or for previous supporting characters to become the player character (ex. Telling a story about the aftermath of the first game with Victoria rather than Max)

Even if Max returns as said in the credits, I want a different player character. Make her a supporting character or a deuteragonist like Chloe was originally. Make Diamond the PoV character or something.

I also feel that it would be a mistake to continue Max’s story beyond this point without bringing in Chloe as more than a memory. Perhaps this new combined timeline also combined the Bay and Bae endings. Or Max could talk to a Chloe that isn’t really there, taking inspiration from William in BtS.

If D9 is dedicated to Max, it needs to be its own sub-franchise rather than the direction the whole series goes. True Colors was the right direction for LiS, this type of thing shouldn’t be the norm.

Point is this felt like a good place to end Max’s story and picking it up at all beyond this is even more risky than bringing her back in the first place.

Be careful D9–you don’t want to lose the LiS audience. There’s quite a bit of variation that can be done with the DNA established in LiS, LiS2 and True Colors, it doesn’t have to be (and shouldn’t be imo) the Max Caulfield Superhero Story. I think you’ll lose most of your audience if that’s the direction you go.

[danieesketches]

had a lot of fun creating this piece. I don’t know who she is but the game looks cool even though I watched the trailer half asleep lol

(timelapse included below)

[o0owolfwrit3ro0o]

Hey there! You've sent me a ton of thoughtful asks in the past, so do you have any thoughts on Double Exposure?

👋 Heya.

Honestly, I never would’ve thought we’d ever get to see another Life is Strange adventure featuring Max Caulfield. After the first game and the comics series, I thought that her story was complete. But… Wowser. 🦌

I have to admit, I am looking forward to playing this, and seeing how her new powers work while meeting other characters and how Max’s life has been after 10 years. I do wish Max had a deer pin on her jacket, not an owl pin. I also wanna add, it's kinda weird to see Max to use a regular digital camera instead of her iconic Polaroid camera. But the one thing I was really hoping for to see, or at least hear, in the new trailer involves a certain blue-haired rebel. 🦋

Seriously, I really wish they still had Chloe Price (voiced once more by Ashly Burch) in the upcoming game, and it just won’t be the same without the partners in time together again.

My first thought for the Save Chloe alternative; Chloe leaves town for a few days, and Max sees her off right before the start of the adventure. Maybe get a few texts and calls here and there. And when everything is said and done, Chloe comes back and when she sees Max, she realizes she’s missed out on a lot.

I could be wrong about that. But, in hindsight, maybe they shouldn’t have ended the first game deciding between Chloe and Arcadia Bay. Don’t Nod did kind of wrote themselves into a corner with that tornado.

In any case, that’s how I feel and am looking forward to it. Now how about you? What do you think about this return of Max Caulfield?

[punkasspricefield]

Don’t nod; take my money

[clementineslawyer]

Episode 3 Max caulfield icons

[savingcontent]

gamescom 2024: Koira announced for PlayStation 5, to release alongside PC on April 17th

Continue reading gamescom 2024: Koira announced for PlayStation 5, to release alongside PC on April 17th

[chloesimaginationthings]

Vanny can’t explain everything in the FNAF pizzaplex..

[flibbleynova]

📸- UUU Camera Tools by Frans Bouma + Commands 🎨- Lightroom Classic

[colbyheartland]

So I love Dandadan actually because through those first seven episodes I couldn’t stop repeating to myself “Wow Momo is so fucking cool” like she’s such a genuine badass. My shounen senses were primed for her to just get saved over and over again, maybe just helping out every now and then but no SHE’S the one doing the majority of the saving. She and Okarun both feel like real people and they’re setting up a sweet and genuine romance that doesn’t feel creepy. The voice acting is also so good like she is SCREAMING out here.

Usually when an anime has two protagonists and one is a female she feels like a passive observer just getting swept along for the ride even when they’re supposed to be “tough” it fades away or they are made lesser to make the male lead look better. But Momo and Okarun actually work together!!! They both act like human people!!!! Including the ugly parts with Okarun’s avoidance tendencies and Momo regretting when she does lash out because she knows she’s in the wrong. And they talk about it after she does!! It comes with a healthy dose of “teenagers are kind of mean because they’re still maturing” which is normal and amazing to see.

This anime is healing something I didn’t even realize was broken when I found myself not having to cringe away from little moments that make me uncomfortable. There is a bit of fanservice going on (thanks grandma) and yes I get episode 1 starting off as a bit much for people but honestly, genuinely, did you think aliens WEREN’T going to try and probe someone in the Alien Ghosts Anime TM. Kidnapping humans and cows for experimentation is what they’re most famously known for. You are meant to be uncomfortable and weirded out by this episode. An episode that ends when she unlocks fucking psychic powers and blasts that alien through the wall of a SPACESHIP like hello??

Momo Ayase is that character you give a gun to if you want to shorten the book by half and the author gave her one in the form of psychic powers.

[satoshi-mochida]

Koira launches April 17, 2025 for PS5, PC - Gematsu

Musical adventure game Koira will launch for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam on Aprpil 17, 2025, publisher DON’T NOD and developer Studio Tolima announced. The PlayStation 5 version is newly announced. A demo is available now for PC.

Here is an overview of the game, via its Steam page:

About

You wake far from the heart of the forest—from home. Somewhere in the distance, the sound of a puppy’s bark echoes through the trees. It sounds like it needs help. You get to your feet… Koira is a wholesome tale of friendship where you and your new puppy traverse a musical forest, solve ancient puzzles, befriend woodland creatures, and try to find your way home. Avoid danger along the way, as hunters lurk in the shadows…

Key Features

Befriend a Puppy – Bond with your new friend: feed it, take care of it, and play with it!

Journey Through a Mysterious Forest – Traverse shaded groves, snowy hills, dark caves, and more.

Escape the Hunters, Protect Your Companion – Outsmart the relentless hunters using stealth and bravery.

Solve Puzzles – Support each other to restore an ancient forest and activate its mysterious monuments.

Make New Friends – Meet and help the animals of the forest.

Watch a new trailer below.

Gameplay Trailer