The Life is Strange 3 rumor mill seems to have hit another high this week, with more insight on what the next game could be about. This new piece of information builds upon what notable leaker Navtra mentioned earlier last month. Navtra, who has accurately predicted information regarding other Square Enix games in the past, including the Marvel's Avengers' Spider-Man DLC, stated that the next Life is Strange game won't be a numbered sequel. Instead, its name would be in context to the game's theme.
The latest rumor suggests that Life is Strange 3 is called Life is Strange: True Colors and features an Asian-American woman named Alex, who can read minds. The leak also mentioned that this next Life is Strange game won't take place in the Pacific Northwest setting of the first game but somewhere in the Midwest or the South. Of course, it should be taken with a grain of salt, but even if it's not true, the very premise sounds like an interesting game.
An Interesting Premise
Aside from Life is Strange: Before the Storm, Life is Strange and Life is Strange 2 featured supernatural abilities that had huge implications to the game's narrative. As most would recall, Life is Strange protagonist Max Caulfield gains the ability to reverse time through unknown means, whereas in Life is Strange 2, Daniel Diaz gains the ability to manipulate objects. If the above Life is Strange 3 rumors are true, this new supernatural ability fits right at home.
Life is Strange games have always been keen on representations. It never shied away from giving the spotlight to complex and believable LGBT characters, tackling subjects such as racism, drug abuse, and so forth. Moreover, these games are centered around teenage characters who are struggling to put meaning into their lives, all the while trying to understand and empathize with the people around them. In Life is Strange: Before the Storm, Chloe's mother Joyce says, "The whole world is not out to get you," to which Chloe replies, "Tell that to the world." Such a statement indicates how confusing it can be for teenagers to understand themselves and the world around them.
The ability to read minds in Life is Strange 3 could open up a new door and gracefully tackle this problem. It could give players a glimpse of the most deeply rooted emotions of the characters the game's protagonist interacts with. Earlier games in the series have discussed mental health issues diligently, and this new ability could shed even more light on the game's intricately crafted characters. Life is Strange's biggest strength has been its diverse cast of characters that fans either love or hate. If there is any truth to these leaks, Life is Strange 3 looks to be evolving upon its biggest strength by giving its characters another layer of personality via this new power.
Room for Social Commentary
While there wasn't any mention of how this mind-reading ability would function, it did say that different characters in the game would have different colors surrounding them that accurately represent their emotions. If it's true, this could turn out to be quite a commentary on the 21st-century digital world where some people tend to suppress their true feelings and play by a gimmick that's not representative of their real personalities. With the help of some big narrative decisions and this incredible new power, Life is Strange 3 could reflect on this ever-growing issue that surrounds both adults and teenagers. As the graffiti in Before the Storm says, "I see humans but no humanity. Everybody is somebody but no one wants to be themselves."
Earlier Life is Strange games have never delved into the origin of these supernatural powers the characters suddenly get hold of, though they do focused on their consequences. It's possible that Life is Strange 3 would also refrain from explaining how and why the game's protagonist gains the ability to read minds though it would be interesting to see how it ends up altering her and the world around her.