Life is Strangeis a series that has gathered itself a bit of a cult following despite having no combat and unimpressive visuals until more recent years. Instead, what keeps players coming back to the series is the great soundtrack and powerful narratives contained in each game. The popularity of theLife is Strangeseries has been further amplified by therelease ofLife is Strange: True Colorswhich proves that the series is still capable of reaching emotional highs.
Although players can look forward to the upcomingLife is Strange Remastered Collectionwhich features remastered versions ofLife is Strangeand the prequel,Life is Strange: Before the Storm, there is still no telling when players will be graced with a newLife is Strangestory. For those eager for a narrative-heavy game that brings all the nostalgia thatLife is Strangedoes, it is worth keeping an eye onGoodbye Volcano High.
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Get Ready for Volcano High School
Goodbye Volcano Highis an upcoming gamedeveloped by KO_OP, which is a studio based in Montreal. Gamers got their first glimpse of it during Sony’s Future of Gaming event in 2020. It was scheduled for a 2021 release but, like many other games, it has faced delays and is now slated for a 2022 release.
Goodbye Volcano Highis set in a world populated by anthropomorphic dinosaurs. The game focuses on a group of dinosaurs who are in their last year of high school. As they sit on the edge of adulthood, they must decide who they are and what they should do with their lives. The game looks gorgeous thanks to the hand-painted backgrounds filled with vibrant colors. On PS5, the game will make good use ofthe DualSense controller. By taking advantage of the controller’s haptic feedback, players will be able to feel the pressure in their hands as they make choices.
Goodbye Volcano Has Many Life is Strange Elements
InLife is Strangegames, players are often faced with choices that will affect the game’s narrative. Some of the choices presented to players can be nail-biting because it is not always obvious how choices made in the present will affect the future. Putting forward these choices that test the player’s morality creates some very tense moments. It also makes replays of the games interesting, because players can choose to follow a different narrative branch by making different choices.
It seems thatGoodbye Volcano Highwill be making use of player agency in a similar manner. According to KO-OP,Goodbye Volcano Highis a cinematic, choice-based game. The protagonist is a non-binary dinosaur named Fang. In their final year of school, they must choose whether they want to play it safe or to dare to take risks. The studio wants “playingGoodbye Volcano High to bring you the satisfaction of binging your favorite TV shows. But, unlike with TV, you’ll have the power and the emotion in your hands as you guide our characters through a branching narrative.“Goodbye Volcano Highwill be focused on choices rather than intense, button-mashing gameplay.For fans ofLife is Strange, this is perfect.
Life is Strangegames have a knackfor crafting scenarios that are relatable to a lot of players. In the first game, Max Caulfield’s time in Blackwell Academy reminds many players of the emotional tumultuousness of adolescence and the painful awkwardness of high school. Whether Max is putting her neck on the line for a friend or is too afraid to act when she sees injustice, much of what she goes through will be familiar to a lot of players.
Goodbye Volcano Highseems ready to evoke strong emotions through presenting relatable scenarios, even if they are played out by dinosaurs. The game features a group of teens who are unsure of what comes next in their lives. The studio hopes the story will resonate with players who are “feeling a little lost and scared, and not sure what happens next.”
Released screenshots and trailers ofGoodbye Volcano Highillustrate thatit will be a gorgeous, colorful game, although the inclusion of dinosaurs suggests it might have a quirkier side to it. For fans of games with a heavy focus on narrative,Goodbye Volcano Highmay be the game that scratches that itch.
Goodbye Volcano Highis scheduled to release in 2022 for PC, PS4, and PS5.
