Dear Esther vs Life is Strange
Dear Esther
Dear Esther is one of the few rare games that managed to evoke strong powerful emotions simply with beautiful visuals, euphonious instrumentals, and an immersive and narrated story filled with love, loss, guilt and redemption. Previously a cult mod, the game sends you on a journey of exploration and self-reflection as you explore a remote and uninhabited island in the outskirts of Hebrides where apparently a mysterious Esther has summoned you here.The best part about all of this though is that the game is, unlike most heavily story-driven games, very replayable. Every play-through will give you a new experience as the audio, visuals and even the events that happen are all randomly generated. So, if you enjoy story rich games, Dear Esther is a game that will unequivocally captivate you.
Life is Strange
Life is Strange is an episodic graphic adventure game where you'll get to follow the story of Max Caulfield, a photography student at Blackwell Academy who accidentally discovers she can rewind time when she stumbled upon a murder scene in the academy's bathroom. Soon after, she hooked up with her new friend, Chloe Price, in an attempt to use her gift to solve a string of disappearances around the town of Arcadia Bay.Featuring an incredibly engaging story that has multiple endings depending on the choices you make, the game doesn't only perfectly presents its characters' personalities, but also touches on the so-called butterfly effect that time reversals will cause. The game is also filled with brilliant indie soundtracks that enhance the overall game experience, further immersing you into its story.
Life is Strange can be purchased on Steam and is available in 5 episodes in total. There is also another expansion, Life is Strange: Before the Storm, that's coming soon. You can try its First Episode demo for free as well!