GameTimeline

Release & story order

Life is Strange games in order

This page maps Life is Strange games in order—from Dontnod’s Arcadia Bay original through Deck Nine’s Double Exposure. Release follows US ship dates so you can see how the anthology grew. Story prioritizes Max Caulfield’s arc (Before the Storm → Life is Strange → Double Exposure) while parking Life is Strange 2 and True Colors as parallel standalone casts. Essentials covers Max-only, first-game-only, and full mainline release. Choice-heavy horror cousins sit nearby on Until Dawn; cinematic branching neighbors also appear under Quantic Dream.

Updated September 2026

Pick your path:

Max arc First game only All mainline release Full release list Story order

Where to start

Pick Max arc for Chloe/Max continuity into Double Exposure, First game only if you just want Arcadia Bay, or All mainline release to play every numbered/subtitled main game in ship order.

  • Newcomers → Life is Strange first; BTS optional but enriching
  • Max fans → finish Double Exposure after LIS1 endings context
  • LIS2 / True Colors → safe palate cleansers between Max chapters

Release order

When each main Life is Strange title shipped in the US—from Life is Strange Episode 1 (January 2015) through Double Exposure (October 2024), including Before the Storm, Life is Strange 2, and True Colors. Remastered collections and free prologues stay FAQ-side unless you need every SKU.

  • First taste → original Life is Strange (or Remastered) before any sequel branding
  • Max completionists → add Before the Storm before or after LIS1, then Double Exposure
  • Anthology mood → Life is Strange 2 and True Colors anytime as standalones
  • Skip pressure → nothing requires finishing every mainline title in release order
Story order tips

Max Caulfield’s arc runs Before the Storm → original Life is Strange → Double Exposure. Life is Strange 2 (Sean and Daniel) and True Colors (Alex Chen) are parallel standalone stories—same series brand, different casts. Story tab orders Max first, then the standalones, so you do not treat LIS2 as Max’s sequel.

  • Max arc → Before the Storm → Life is Strange → Double Exposure
  • LIS2 is Sean/Daniel—not Max’s direct sequel
  • True Colors is Alex Chen in Haven Springs—standalone
  • Captain Spirit (free) soft-introduces LIS2; Wavelengths expands True Colors

Timeline

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When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. Life is Strange

    Life is Strange

    PCPS4Xbox OneAdventureMainlineChoice

    Life is Strange follows Max Caulfield in Arcadia Bay as rewind powers collide with Chloe Price’s chaos across five episodes. Dontnod’s 2015 breakout defined the series’ photo-diary tone, branching guilt, and soundtrack-led coming-of-age drama.

    Overview
    Episode adventure with time-rewind puzzles, intimate high-school stakes, and choices that linger across chapters. It proved narrative games could lead with character mood instead of combat loops.
    In-game setting
    Max/Chloe Arcadia Bay core. Story-wise, Before the Storm is a Chloe-focused prequel; Double Exposure continues Max years later. Remastered (2022) updates visuals—FAQ covers original vs Remastered.
    Should you play it?
    Best series starting point. Play before Double Exposure. Before the Storm is optional enrichment, not a hard gate. If you only ever play one LIS game, make it this one.
    Release date
    US Episode 1 launch January 30, 2015 (PC/consoles followed the episodic schedule; complete season widely sold later).
  2. Life is Strange: Before the Storm

    Life is Strange: Before the Storm

    PCPS4Xbox OneAdventurePrequelChoice

    Before the Storm is Deck Nine’s Chloe-and-Rachel prequel set about three years before Max’s Arcadia Bay week. Three episodes (plus optional Farewell) deepen relationships that Life is Strange assumes you feel—without Max’s rewind powers.

    Overview
    Deck Nine’s first main LIS outing shifts the camera onto Chloe’s voice, stage-crew intimacy, and dialogue-driven “backtalk” confrontations. It proves the brand can survive without Max as player avatar.
    In-game setting
    Fiction prequel to Life is Strange. On Story tab it opens the Max-adjacent arc before LIS1. Not required to understand LIS1’s plot, but emotional payoff for Rachel/Chloe rises sharply if you play it.
    Should you play it?
    Optional but recommended for Max/Chloe fans. Play before LIS1 for chronological fiction, or after LIS1 if you prefer zero prequel spoilers about relationships. Skip-safe for LIS2/True Colors-only players.
    Release date
    US launch August 31, 2017 (Episode 1); season completed the same year. Included in some Remastered bundles—check storefront SKUs.
  3. Life is Strange 2

    Life is Strange 2

    PCPS4Xbox OneAdventureMainlineChoice

    Life is Strange 2 follows brothers Sean and Daniel Diaz on a road-trip after a violent incident—new cast, new powers, new moral ledger. Despite the “2,” it is not Max Caulfield’s direct sequel; treat it as a parallel mainline story.

    Overview
    Dontnod rebuilds the formula around brotherhood, education vs freedom choices, and a longer continental journey. Powers shift to Daniel while Sean parents under pressure—different emotional math than Arcadia Bay.
    In-game setting
    Standalone Diaz arc. Optional free prologue The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit soft-introduces the neighborhood (FAQ). Cameo threads exist for fans, but you can play LIS2 without finishing Max’s games.
    Should you play it?
    Play anytime as a standalone. Do not expect Max’s storyline to continue here—that waits for Double Exposure. Great if you liked LIS tone but want a fresh cast.
    Release date
    US Episode 1 launch September 27, 2018; full season episodic through 2019.
  4. Life is Strange: True Colors

    Life is Strange: True Colors

    PCPS4PS5Xbox OneXbox SeriesSwitchAdventureMainlineChoice

    True Colors stars Alex Chen in Haven Springs, Colorado, reading emotions as colorful auras after a family tragedy. Deck Nine’s polished single-drop adventure is another standalone—warm small-town vibes with sharper late mysteries.

    Overview
    Empathy-as-power presentation, denser hub exploration, and a more filmic single-release structure than early episodic LIS. Soundtrack and side characters lean cozy before the town’s secrets tighten.
    In-game setting
    Alex Chen standalone. Optional Wavelengths DLC follows Steph (FAQ). Not a sequel to LIS2’s ending requirements; series branding only. Max returns later in Double Exposure, not here.
    Should you play it?
    Excellent mid-series palate cleanser. Play anytime. Required only if you want every mainline subtitle; skip-safe for a pure Max arc (BTS → LIS1 → Double Exposure).
    Release date
    US launch September 10, 2021 on major platforms (Switch versions followed by region/storefront).
  5. Life is Strange: Double Exposure

    Life is Strange: Double Exposure

    PCPS5Xbox SeriesAdventureMainlineChoice

    Double Exposure is Max Caulfield’s sequel—new school, new timeline-adjacent powers, and consequences that assume you know Arcadia Bay. Deck Nine’s 2024 mainline returns the series’ original protagonist after years of anthology side stories.

    Overview
    Max’s toolkit evolves beyond simple rewind into dual-reality investigation fantasy. It recenters the franchise on the character who made LIS famous while keeping Deck Nine’s production sheen.
    In-game setting
    Story placement: after Before the Storm and Life is Strange for Max’s arc. LIS2 and True Colors remain parallel standalones—helpful tone practice, not hard plot gates. Expect ending-aware references to LIS1.
    Should you play it?
    Play after Life is Strange (Remastered fine). Before the Storm recommended for Chloe/Rachel context, not strictly mandatory. Highest priority for Max fans; skip only if you never want Arcadia Bay spoilers revisited.
    Release date
    US launch October 29, 2024 (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series).

FAQ

Play order, whether Before the Storm is required, LIS2 sequel status, Double Exposure placement, remasters, and Wavelengths / Captain Spirit extras.

Play order

No. LIS1 works alone. Before the Storm deepens Chloe and Rachel and is ideal before Double Exposure if you care about that circle, but it is not a mechanical gate. Play BTS after LIS1 if you want the original twists untouched.

Story arcs

It continues Max Caulfield after the original game. On the Story tab it sits after Before the Storm and Life is Strange. LIS2 and True Colors are parallel—nice to play, not required plot homework.

Cinematic branching cousins: Quantic Dream.

Editions & DLC

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.