Games Like Life is Strange - Episode 1

Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a new three part standalone story adventure set three years before the events of the first game. This time play as Chloe Price, a rebel who forms an unlikely friendship with Rachel Amber in a dramatic new story in the BAFTA award winning franchise.

Why similar: Episodic 24.9% ★, Great Soundtrack 21.4%, Choices Matter 15.3%, Story Rich 13.4%, Female Protagonist 9.3%

Why You'll Like It: This prequel is the closest match on Steam, delivering the same Arcadia Bay atmosphere, character-driven choices, and emotionally messy teen relationships from Chloe's perspective.

When Max Caulfield finds her friend Safi dead in the snow, she tears open the way to a parallel timeline. Here, Safi is still alive - and still in danger! With her new power to Shift between two timelines – can Max solve and prevent the same murder?

Why similar: Choices Matter 28%, Female Protagonist 17.9%, Story Rich 17.3%, Great Soundtrack 8%, Mystery 6.8%

Why You'll Like It: It brings Max Caulfield back into another choice-heavy supernatural mystery, making it one of the most direct follow-ups to the original game's tone and themes.

Alex Chen hides her 'curse': the psychic power of Empathy, the ability to absorb the emotions of others. When her brother dies in a so-called accident, Alex must embrace her power to find the truth.

Why similar: Choices Matter 28.9%, Story Rich 18.5%, Female Protagonist 17.2%, Multiple Endings 10.8%, Mystery 5.7%

Why You'll Like It: It captures the same cinematic, music-rich, choice-driven formula with a heartfelt small-town mystery and a female protagonist with supernatural powers.

Embark on a new narrative journey by the creators of Life is Strange. Film your summer of 1995 and create memories of a lifetime with your new friends. 27 years later, confront the dark secrets that made you all promise to never speak again after that fateful summer.

Why similar: Episodic 26.4% ★, Choices Matter 18.7%, Story Rich 12.9%, Female Protagonist 12.7%, Multiple Endings 7.8%

Why You'll Like It: From the original Life is Strange creators, it closely mirrors the coming-of-age friendship drama, nostalgic atmosphere, and mystery-focused narrative feel.

Tell Me Why is the multi-award winning episodic adventure game from Dontnod Entertainment in which twins use their supernatural bond to discover the truth of their troubled past.

Why similar: Episodic 40% ★, Choices Matter 21.6%, Story Rich 14.2%, Multiple Endings 4.8%, Mystery 3.9%

Why You'll Like It: DONTNOD's supernatural sibling drama offers similarly reflective pacing, dialogue choices, and an emotionally grounded mystery shaped by player decisions.

After a tragic incident, brothers Sean and Daniel Diaz run away from home. Fearing the police, and dealing with Daniel's new telekinetic power, the boys head to Mexico. Each stop on their journey brings new friends and new challenges.

Why similar: Episodic 24.5% ★, Choices Matter 24.2%, Great Soundtrack 18.8%, Story Rich 17.4%, Atmospheric 4%

Why You'll Like It: Although it follows new characters, it keeps the series' road-trip storytelling, moral choices, strong soundtrack, and emotionally reactive narrative style.

Have you ever dreamt of being a superhero? Meet Chris, a creative and imaginative 9 year old boy who escapes reality with fantastical adventures as his alter ego, the Awesome Captain Spirit! Captain Spirit is a free demo set in the Life is Strange universe. Contains links to Life is Strange 2

Why similar: Great Soundtrack 27.7%, Choices Matter 27.6%, Story Rich 23.6%, Atmospheric 8%, Adventure 4.5%

Why You'll Like It: This free narrative adventure shares the Life is Strange universe and delivers the same tender, choice-driven, character-first storytelling in a smaller package.

Oxenfree is a supernatural thriller about a group of friends who unwittingly open a ghostly rift. You are Alex, and you’ve just brought your new stepbrother Jonas to an overnight island party gone horribly wrong.

Why similar: Choices Matter 21.5%, Story Rich 20.2%, Great Soundtrack 18.6%, Female Protagonist 12.8%, Mystery 7.7%

Why You'll Like It: Its teen cast, supernatural mystery, naturalistic dialogue system, and moody coastal atmosphere make it one of the best non-LiS matches.

A unique psychological action thriller delivered by A-list Hollywood performances by Elliot Page and Willem Dafoe, Beyond: Two Souls takes you on a thrilling journey across the globe as you play out the remarkable life of Jodie Holmes.

Why similar: Choices Matter 33.3%, Story Rich 23.3%, Female Protagonist 19.4%, Great Soundtrack 11%, Adventure 4.7%

Why You'll Like It: This cinematic supernatural drama pairs a female lead with major moral choices and an emotional, power-driven story about fate and relationships.

A deep, interactive adventure about love and loss, beautifully depicted and offering an intense cinematic experience. What would you do to save the one you love?

Why similar: Great Soundtrack 24%, Time Travel 20% ★, Story Rich 17.7%, Choices Matter 17%, Atmospheric 9.4%

Why You'll Like It: Its heartbreaking story and time-manipulation structure echo Life is Strange's focus on changing events to protect the people you care about.

Detroit: Become Human puts the destiny of both mankind and androids in your hands, taking you to a near future where machines have become more intelligent than humans. Every choice you make affects the outcome of the game, with one of the most intricately branching narratives ever created.

Why similar: Choices Matter 35.9%, Story Rich 23.4%, Multiple Endings 14.7%, Great Soundtrack 13.1%, Female Protagonist 3.6%

Why You'll Like It: Its branching narrative and high-stakes consequences are ideal if your favorite part of Life is Strange was shaping a story through difficult decisions.

NIGHT IN THE WOODS is an adventure game focused on exploration, story, and character, featuring dozens of characters to meet and lots to do across a lush, vibrant world.

Why similar: Choices Matter 31.7%, Story Rich 31.2%, Mystery 14.7%, Atmospheric 13%, Adventure 5.9%

Why You'll Like It: It nails the same blend of youth angst, small-town melancholy, intimate friendships, and creeping mystery, even if it's less branching.

Explore the entangled lives of two families across thirty years in an original interactive drama from INTERIOR/NIGHT. Starting in 1998 with a robbery-gone-wrong, the character's lives depend on the choices you make.

Why similar: Choices Matter 38.4%, Story Rich 27.1%, Multiple Endings 14.3%, Mystery 12.8%, Adventure 4.7%

Why You'll Like It: If you want the choices-matter side of Life is Strange most, this is a gripping narrative drama built around relationships, branching consequences, and emotional tension.

From the makers of the 2012 Game of the Year: The Walking Dead, comes a thriller based on the award-winning Fables comic books. As Bigby Wolf you will discover that a brutal, bloody murder is just a taste of things to come in a game series where your every decision can have enormous consequences.

Why similar: Episodic 42.5% ★, Choices Matter 16.4%, Story Rich 14.1%, Multiple Endings 9%, Point & Click 4.8%

Why You'll Like It: It shares Life is Strange's episodic, dialogue-heavy, choices-matter storytelling, but filters it through a darker mystery tone.

Firewatch is a single-player first-person mystery set in the Wyoming wilderness, where your only emotional lifeline is the person on the other end of a handheld radio.

Why similar: Story Rich 27.6%, Great Soundtrack 25.9%, Atmospheric 14%, Mystery 13.5%, Walking Simulator 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: It trades teen drama for adult introspection, but its first-person exploration, strong dialogue, and lonely, atmospheric mystery feel very familiar.

The small town of Basswood will be changed forever by ex-investigative journalist Sam Higgs in this thrilling narrative experience from award-winning studio DON'T NOD. Will you find the truth – no matter the cost?

Why similar: Choices Matter 37.9%, Story Rich 28.2%, Mystery 14.3%, Third Person 10.4%, Adventure 5%

Why You'll Like It: Another DONTNOD narrative adventure, it offers investigative storytelling, psychological themes, and decision-driven scenes with a similarly cinematic feel.

Hitchhike your way to freedom in this crazy procedurally generated road trip. No one's road is the same!

Why similar: Choices Matter 36.3%, Story Rich 27.1%, Multiple Endings 15.3%, Atmospheric 11.9%, Adventure 5.6%

Why You'll Like It: Its road-trip structure, youth-centered themes, stylized soundtrack, and decision-driven encounters make it a strong fit for fans of narrative journeys.

A five-part adventure horror series set in the same universe as Robert Kirkman’s award-winning comic book series.

Why similar: Episodic 49.1% ★, Story Rich 18.2%, Choices Matter 16.3%, Point & Click 6%, Adventure 3.6%

Why You'll Like It: This is one of the strongest alternatives if you mainly want episodic storytelling, tough choices, and characters you grow deeply attached to.

June 7th, 1995. 1:15 AM. You arrive home after a year abroad. You expect your family to greet you, but the house is empty. Something's not right. Where is everyone? And what's happened here? Unravel the mystery for yourself in Gone Home, a story exploration game from The Fullbright Company.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 22.4%, Story Rich 19.6%, Great Soundtrack 16.1%, Female Protagonist 15.1%, Atmospheric 11.7%

Why You'll Like It: This intimate exploration mystery captures a similar emotional realism, queer coming-of-age undercurrent, and quiet Pacific Northwest mood.

From Remedy Entertainment, the masters of cinematic action games, comes Quantum Break, a time-amplified suspenseful blockbuster. The Quantum Break experience is part game, part live action show—where decisions in one dramatically affect the other.

Why similar: Time Manipulation 22.5% ★, Episodic 20.1% ★, Time Travel 17.6% ★, Story Rich 13.5%, Choices Matter 9%

Why You'll Like It: It's more action-heavy, but the time-manipulation theme and story-focused presentation make it a worthwhile pick if Max's rewind power was your favorite part.

What Remains of Edith Finch is a collection of strange tales about a family in Washington state. As Edith, you’ll explore the colossal Finch house, searching for stories as she explores her family history and tries to figure out why she's the last one in her family left alive.

Why similar: Story Rich 32.3%, Great Soundtrack 21.9%, Female Protagonist 11.8%, Atmospheric 11.6%, Mystery 9.9%

Why You'll Like It: While less choice-focused, it delivers the same kind of melancholic, beautifully told mystery with a deeply emotional sense of place.

Elsinore is a time-looping adventure game set in the world of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Elsinore combines strong social simulation elements, a dynamic story that reacts immediately to player decisions, and a world full of diverse characters with secrets to uncover.

Why similar: Time Travel 29.2% ★, Choices Matter 13.5%, Great Soundtrack 12.3%, Story Rich 10.1%, Female Protagonist 9.8%

Why You'll Like It: Its female-led time-loop structure and emphasis on replaying moments to alter outcomes closely align with Life is Strange's rewind-and-reshape appeal.

Developed by 5pb. and Nitroplus, STEINS;GATE was awarded Famitsu magazine's coveted annual Game of Excellence award and was voted one of the most emotionally charged “tear-inducing games” ever made, in a Famitsu poll. It is a gripping and moving Visual Novel, which has already spawned manga and anime adaptations.

Why similar: Time Travel 40.7% ★, Great Soundtrack 20.3%, Story Rich 15.3%, Choices Matter 9.1%, Multiple Endings 6.4%

Why You'll Like It: If you're most interested in emotionally charged time-travel storytelling and changing the future through painful choices, this is a great fit despite its visual-novel format.

Five years after the events of OXENFREE, Riley returns to her hometown of Camena to investigate mysterious radio signals. What she finds is more than she bargained for.

Why similar: Choices Matter 21.8%, Story Rich 18.7%, Female Protagonist 17.5%, Mystery 11.9%, Multiple Endings 10.8%

Why You'll Like It: This sequel continues the supernatural, dialogue-driven formula with eerie atmosphere and relationship choices that should click with Life is Strange fans.

The saga of Max and Chloe, and the fate of Caledon, is yours to decide! Play as both Max and Chloe as an all-new story builds towards an epic climax. The fire will force Max and Chloe to make devastating decisions. Can they find a future together… Before everything burns?

Why similar: Choices Matter 27.4%, Female Protagonist 16.6%, Story Rich 12.4%, Mystery 8.1%, Atmospheric 7%

Beacon Pines is a cute and creepy adventure set within a mysterious book. Sneak out late, make new friends, uncover hidden truths, and collect words that will change the course of fate!

Why similar: Story Rich 44.3%, Mystery 17.3%, Atmospheric 14%, Point & Click 11%, Singleplayer 6%

Why You'll Like It: Its small-town mystery, youthful cast, branching narrative, and supernatural undertones evoke a gentler but very recognizable Life is Strange energy.

The Final Cut is the ultimate collector's edition of Dreamfall Chapters, a story-driven 3D adventure about choice and consequence, set in parallel worlds: a cyberpunk vision of the future and a magical fantasy realm.

Why similar: Story Rich 26.5%, Choices Matter 25.6%, Female Protagonist 19%, Atmospheric 9.9%, Adventure 5.7%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a slower, more classic adventure take on choice-driven storytelling, with strong character focus, female leads, and a dreamlike atmosphere.

Goodbye Volcano High is a cinematic narrative adventure about love, change, and the end of the world. Guide Fang through their final year of high school as they try to make things right before time is up.

Why similar: Choices Matter 37.4%, Story Rich 34.7%, Point & Click 9.2%, LGBTQ+ 8.8%, Adventure 5.2%

Why You'll Like It: This choice-driven coming-of-age story captures the same adolescent emotional intensity, relationship focus, and music-forward presentation.

A story-driven experience about two doctors traversing backwards through a dying man's memories to artificially fulfill his last wish.

Why similar: Great Soundtrack 56.4%, Story Rich 35.2%, Adventure 2.7%, Female Protagonist 2.1%, Singleplayer 1.8%

Why You'll Like It: It lacks major branching, but its emotional storytelling, bittersweet tone, and memorable soundtrack hit a similar heartstring-pulling register.

Last Stop is a single-player third-person adventure set in present day London, where you play as three separate characters whose worlds collide in the midst of a supernatural crisis.

Why similar: Story Rich 33.3%, Great Soundtrack 25.6%, Adventure 14.6%, Mystery 13%, Atmospheric 6.8%

Why You'll Like It: This narrative adventure mixes supernatural events, dialogue choices, and episodic storytelling in a way that feels adjacent to Life is Strange's format.

In this 3D visual novel, follow failed screenwriter Junon as she attempts to make it through the most pivotal day in her life. Relive the past, alter the present, and embrace the future, or without your help, Junon’s story might end in a wreck.

Why similar: Choices Matter 27.4%, Story Rich 17.2%, Female Protagonist 12.8%, Multiple Endings 10.3%, Mystery 9.5%

Why You'll Like It: Its introspective writing, female protagonist, and emotionally charged interactive storytelling make it a good match for the more personal side of Life is Strange.

Experience the BAFTA award-winning story of Life is Strange now beautifully remastered with enhanced visuals and vastly improved animation using mocap technology.

Why similar: Choices Matter 28%, Story Rich 19.3%, Female Protagonist 16.4%, Multiple Endings 10.8%, Great Soundtrack 7.7%

Life is Strange: Before the Storm returns with remastered visuals across characters & environments.

Why similar: Choices Matter 28.2%, Female Protagonist 20%, Story Rich 18.4%, Multiple Endings 11.6%, Mystery 6.6%

Tales from the Borderlands is a five-part episodic game set on the unforgiving world of Pandora between the events of Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3. This is a story full of Borderlands' trademark humor, following two adventurers on their quest for greatness.

Why similar: Episodic 37% ★, Choices Matter 17.6%, Story Rich 14.3%, Great Soundtrack 13.4%, Point & Click 4%

Marie's Room is a short story exploration game about an unconventional friendship between two classmates. You play as Kelsey, remembering Marie's room as it was twenty years ago. But something’s off. What happened to Marie?

Why similar: Story Rich 27%, Great Soundtrack 26.4%, Female Protagonist 13.5%, Atmospheric 10.1%, Mystery 6.7%

„The Lion's Song: Episode 1 – Silence" draws the player into the life of a talented young composer, Wilma, preparing for her breakthrough concert, the defining moment of her career. Searching for inspiration she escapes from the pressure for success to the solitude of the Austrian Alps.

Why similar: Episodic 35.7% ★, Great Soundtrack 18.1%, Choices Matter 15.2%, Story Rich 11.1%, Female Protagonist 6.4%

A secluded school might finally be Clementine’s chance for a home, but protecting it will mean sacrifice.

Why similar: Choices Matter 27.3%, Episodic 25% ★, Story Rich 22.3%, Female Protagonist 12.2%, Atmospheric 5.1%

A Dark Presence stalks the small town of Bright Falls, pushing Alan Wake to the brink of sanity in his fight to unravel the mystery and save his love.

Why similar: Episodic 27.2% ★, Story Rich 21%, Great Soundtrack 20.3%, Atmospheric 9.1%, Third Person 9%

An interactive thriller about a man trapped in a time loop. Featuring James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe.

Why similar: Time Travel 37% ★, Time Manipulation 18.7% ★, Story Rich 13%, Mystery 9.4%, Great Soundtrack 8%

The Walking Dead: Michonne - A Telltale Miniseries stars the iconic, blade-wielding character from Robert Kirkman's best-selling comic books.

Why similar: Episodic 32.9% ★, Choices Matter 18.7%, Story Rich 14.3%, Female Protagonist 12.9%, Great Soundtrack 6.7%

Featuring a beautiful, detailed open-world and a haunting soundtrack, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture is non-linear storytelling at its best.

Why similar: Great Soundtrack 44%, Story Rich 16.3%, Walking Simulator 13.7%, Atmospheric 12.5%, Mystery 4.1%

Visual novel loved by many – Everlasting Summer – now on Steam!

Why similar: Great Soundtrack 38.8%, Story Rich 23.6%, Choices Matter 21.6%, Multiple Endings 7.7%, Mystery 4.5%

Fahrenheit (known as Indigo Prophecy in North America) was a breakthrough in interactive narrative. This newly remastered edition features updated textures in HD, expanded controller support, and is based on the uncut and uncensored international version of the game.

Why similar: Story Rich 32%, Choices Matter 22.3%, Great Soundtrack 13.7%, Atmospheric 10.7%, Mystery 10.6%

After society was ripped apart by undead hands, pockets of civilization emerge from the chaos. But at what cost? Can the living be trusted on this new frontier?

Why similar: Episodic 40.2% ★, Choices Matter 22.8%, Story Rich 18.9%, Atmospheric 6.2%, Female Protagonist 3.8%

UNDERTALE! The RPG game where you don't have to destroy anyone.

Why similar: Great Soundtrack 42.8%, Choices Matter 22.4%, Story Rich 18.9%, Multiple Endings 11%, Singleplayer 2.1%

Eternal Threads is a single-player, first-person story-driven puzzle game of time manipulation, choice and consequence.

Why similar: Time Travel 30.5% ★, Time Manipulation 22.3% ★, Choices Matter 14.9%, Story Rich 11.4%, Multiple Endings 6.6%

Discover the world of Transistor, a sci-fi-themed action RPG from the creators of Bastion.

Why similar: Great Soundtrack 55.4%, Female Protagonist 19%, Story Rich 15.6%, Atmospheric 5.4%, Singleplayer 1.8%

PROZE: Prologue is a free opening chapter for the PROZE series. It’s a story-based VR-adventure with puzzle and horror elements.

Why similar: Episodic 33.5% ★, Time Travel 28% ★, Great Soundtrack 15.4%, Story Rich 8.1%, Adventure 5.1%

The Walking Dead: Season Two continues the story of Clementine, a young girl orphaned by the undead apocalypse. Left to fend for herself, she has been forced to learn how to survive in a world gone mad.

Why similar: Episodic 46.8% ★, Story Rich 16.5%, Choices Matter 11.8%, Female Protagonist 9.5%, Point & Click 5.3%

The prequel to Road 96. Play Zoe and Kaito where it all started. Change their destinies!

Why similar: Choices Matter 37%, Story Rich 26.2%, Multiple Endings 17.9%, Walking Simulator 10.3%, Adventure 4.2%

The Longest Journey is an amazing graphical adventure, where the player controls the protagonist, April Ryan, on her journey between parallel universes.

Why similar: Story Rich 30.1%, Female Protagonist 26.9%, Point & Click 16.9%, Great Soundtrack 13.3%, Adventure 8.5%

Join Kate Walker as she travels to remote locations and time periods in this timeless voyage to discover her true destiny.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 21.7%, Story Rich 17.1%, Point & Click 14.6%, Great Soundtrack 11.9%, Adventure 11%

Led by her new friend, Mr. Voice, Misfortune ventures into the woods, where mysteries are unraveled and a little bad luck unfolds.

Why similar: Choices Matter 26.9%, Story Rich 21.7%, Female Protagonist 15.7%, Great Soundtrack 13%, Point & Click 9.3%

Follow the grim tale of young Amicia and her little brother Hugo, in a heartrending journey through the darkest hours of history.

Why similar: Story Rich 31.8%, Great Soundtrack 21.9%, Female Protagonist 20.9%, Atmospheric 9.6%, Third Person 6.1%

Run, jump, rewind, and avoid a time paradox? A time-traveling gal changes the past where she drank tapioca to prevent the extinction of humanity in this time-loop action puzzle game!

Why similar: Time Travel 61.1% ★, Time Manipulation 33.6% ★, Singleplayer 1.9%, Action 1.3%, Indie 1%

A woman is interviewed seven times by the police. Search the video database and explore hundreds of authentic clips to discover her story in this groundbreaking and award winning narrative game.

Why similar: Female Protagonist 38.5%, Story Rich 37.7%, Point & Click 17.1%, Singleplayer 4.7%, Casual 2%

Play as a witch living in secret among villagers in this hand-drawn narrative puzzle adventure. An attempt to change fate traps her in a time loop. Help the witch and her cat escape without getting caught by the inquisition. Your choices shape the outcome.

Why similar: Time Manipulation 24% ★, Time Travel 21.4% ★, Choices Matter 14.6%, Story Rich 12.1%, Female Protagonist 11.4%

The Red Strings Club is a cyberpunk narrative experience about fate and happiness featuring the extensive use of pottery, bartending and impersonating people on the phone to take down a corporate conspiracy.

Why similar: Great Soundtrack 32.8%, Choices Matter 24.7%, Story Rich 22.7%, Atmospheric 7.9%, Point & Click 4.6%