The narrative component in video games has reached a very high level of complexity in recent years. Indeed, meticulous attention to all other elements has become necessary in creating a video game product . In some cases, however, digital architecture has proven to be a sufficient, but not necessary, element for creating an emotional connection with the player. Sociology has been taking a more in-depth interest in video games in recent years. Life is Strange is an excellent example of a 360-degree video game experience. One could even call it an experience with cinematic-interactive characteristics.
The youth universe, between sociology and video game interaction
Life is Strange is an interactive drama video game with adolescent themes. In particular, this gaming experience proves to be a journey into existence. A journey that Dontnod Entertainment has been offering us for several years now with Life is Strange (2015) and Life is strange: Before the Storm (2017). The Life is Strange saga has a particular characteristic. It presents itself as a game where decisions have strong repercussions on the narrative. This is the leitmotif that players of the saga have been accustomed to since the first episode. This has made the saga so famous that it earned it the Best Story award at the 2017 BAFTA Game Awards. Beyond the decision-making component that comes to light from the first vicissitudes of the protagonists in question is the restless universe of youth . With its emotional dramas and its excesses such as drugs, alcohol and bullying, adolescence is (re)discovered.
To keep in mind in this regard, is the image of the young protagonists of the saga as timeless youth (Canevacci, 1993), that is, young people without a clearly defined "generational category." In other words, what's in crisis is the very concept of generation as a fixed, fixed idea: it's impossible to pigeonhole today's youth—well represented in video games—into a homogeneous group, with specific consumption patterns and in constant structural opposition to adults. Certainly, some of these recurring elements exist, but the personalization of growth and one's own experience sociologicamente understood (think of the relationship with the opposite sex, with pain, with the peer group, etc.) makes the universe of today's youth even more complex than in the past.
Life is strange: an opera sociologicamente romance
Life is Strange is a romantic work that explores humanity's struggle against the cruelty of fate. Above all, it is a story of friendship, courage, rebellion, and creativity. It breaks convention, unveils monstrosities, and shatters taboos, yet is never superficial, never banal. It is a search for one's place in the world, a constant struggle with loneliness. Empathy and love reign supreme: mutual recognition—and acceptance—of one another in the world, through a sort of emotional apprenticeship (Pieper, 2012), characterizes the girls' evolving social relationships alongside their inner development.
This specific aspect is evident throughout the series. Through the protagonists Chloe and Max in the first episode and Chloe and Rachel in the second, we are presented with the need to establish pure relationships. These are created through interactions that inevitably clash with the harsh reality of the world. We soon find ourselves faced with a particular connection between the two protagonists. It fascinates, moves, and disrupts the relationship between them and the player himself. The empathy created through the screen unravels and reconstructs friendship in different forms . Based on our decisions, this friendship can become something else, true love. Here, the taboo of homosexuality is weakened, gently retold to defeat it.
Life is strange: the story of the brothers
In Life is Strange 2, the characters change, as do the main themes surrounding them. The protagonists are Daniel and Sean Diaz , two brothers of Mexican origin. A misunderstanding with the police and the death of their father force them to flee, effectively embarking on a journey of learning and discovery. By reading their thoughts and developing a more or less coherent character based on the answers we choose to give them, this adolescent adventure becomes something more. Like its predecessors, it carries very serious messages. Think of racism—which will lead them to choose extremely wrong paths, effectively fueling the immigrant/criminal stereotype they can be saddled with—and the lack of support for children who lose their parents. The Life is Strange saga , therefore, is not just a gamer-only product, but a media experience for reflecting on the issues of our time.
References
- Canevacci M., Timeless Boys: Images, Music, and Youth Culture Conflicts, Costa & Nolan, Genoa, 1993;
- Pieper J., On Love, Morcelliana publisher, Brescia, 2012;
Lecturer in Communications and HR Management. Journalist with a degree in Sociology (cum laude). Editor-in-Chief of Sociologicamente.it.
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