Great write up!! This breakdown provides really interesting insight into why the game so successfully plays with the player's emotions. There are so many relatable parts of the game that make you reflect on your own life but also aspects that make you contemplate the greater universe we are living in. I truly feel like the game changed my outlook and approach of life. I actually listened to the soundtrack on repeat for weeks after playing, continuing to reflect on the thoughts that the game had provoked.

I played the game through a few different times, and certain parts made me cry every single time. For instance, finding Rachel and listening to Chloe sob always emotionally disturbed me. My first time playing I really did try to make decisions that I would make in real life. It shook me up when I didn't save Kate and it was really hard to decide to sacrifice Chloe... I cried even though I thought it was the right thing to do. The second time I followed a guide because I was invested in making decisions that would lead to the outcomes I wanted. In some ways I was even more emotional that play through. That time I sacrificed the bay and thought I would feel guilty, but the ending of Max and Chloe having only each other and that being all that truly mattered practically made me break down. I didn't realize I had become so invested in the destiny they shared together, the superpowers that were tied to their connection, and the trust that no matter what they had to face in life, they would face it together. It was a true bond between two souls. It might sound crazy, but it made me realize I had been taking my own relationship for granted. It made me appreciate on another level what it means to be a life partner to someone. My boyfriend watched me play some parts of the game and even started contemplating some of the decisions and giving me input.

I am really grateful that the writers and creators worked so hard to create a video game story that could emotionally impact me the way some books and films have. They really do become a part of you and shape you, and Life is Strange is one of them for me. I'm even been considering getting a LiS tattoo...