12 Best Games Like Life is Strange But For Linux
If you're searching for games like Life is Strange, you're looking for more than just a game; you're seeking an emotional journey. The hunt for similar games to Life is Strange is a desire for interactive stories that prioritize character development, impactful choices, and a powerful, often bittersweet, atmosphere. These are experiences that wrap you in a compelling mystery, present you with tough moral dilemmas, and often introduce a subtle supernatural twist that makes the ordinary feel extraordinary.
They are games that stay with you long after you've finished, not because of the action, but because of the connections you've made and the consequences you've faced.
This focus on narrative and the weight of your decisions has been perfected in other genres, including modern interactive horror movies.
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12 Games Like Life is Strange But For Linux
1. Life is Strange 2
Life is Strange 2 is a bold and ambitious entry that takes the series' themes on the road. You play as Sean Diaz, who must protect and raise his younger brother Daniel, who has telekinetic powers, as they flee towards Mexico after a tragic accident.
While it features a new cast, the core DNA is pure Life is Strange. The game is entirely about choice and consequence, but here, your decisions not only affect the plot but also shape the morality and personality of your younger brother. Itβs a powerful, emotional, and often heartbreaking journey that explores the bonds of family in the face of immense hardship.
2. Oxenfree
Oxenfree is a fantastic indie title that perfectly captures the "teenagers dealing with a supernatural mystery" vibe. The game follows a group of friends who accidentally open a ghostly rift on an old military island. The gameplay is driven by a unique and natural-feeling dialogue system where every conversation choice shapes your relationships and the story's outcome.
It excels at building an eerie atmosphere and a compelling supernatural mystery, and the witty, realistic dialogue between the teenage cast will feel very familiar to fans of the Arcadia Bay crew.
3. The Walking Dead
Telltale's The Walking Dead is a foundational game in the modern narrative adventure genre. The game is famous for its gut-wrenching moral dilemmas, forcing you to make impossible choices under extreme pressure. Your decisions directly impact your relationships and determine the fate of the characters around you.
The focus on the relationship between protagonist Lee and the young girl Clementine is one of the most powerful in all of gaming. If you are looking for a game where your choices truly matter and will leave you emotionally devastated, this is essential playing.
4. Firewatch
For players who were captivated by the character relationships and the central mystery of Life is Strange, Firewatch is an essential experience. You play as Henry, a man who has taken a job as a fire lookout in the Wyoming wilderness to escape his past. The gameplay is driven by your conversations with your supervisor, Delilah, through a walkie-talkie.
The dialogue choices you make directly shape your relationship with her and color your perception of the game's events. It excels at creating a powerful sense of isolation and suspense, wrapping you in a compelling mystery that unfolds at your own pace.
5. Night in the Woods
Night in the Woods is a beautiful and poignant game that perfectly captures the feeling of returning to your struggling hometown after being away. You play as Mae Borowski, a college dropout who comes home to find that things have changed and her friends have grown up without her.
The game explores mature themes of mental health, economic anxiety, and the pains of growing up. It shares Life is Strange's focus on young adult angst, witty dialogue, a cast of memorable characters, and a slow-burn mystery that lurks beneath the surface of the town.
6. Gone Home
Gone Home is a landmark title in the "walking simulator" genre and a huge inspiration for the exploration elements of Life is Strange. You arrive home after a year abroad to find your family's new house empty. Your goal is to explore the house and piece together what happened by examining objects and reading notes.
It tells a deeply personal and emotional story about family, identity, and love. While it lacks player choice, the feeling of uncovering a personal mystery by exploring a lived-in space is something it shares directly with Life is Strange.
7. Tacoma
From the creators of Gone Home, Tacoma is a narrative exploration game set on an abandoned space station. You use an augmented reality system to watch holographic recordings of the crew's final days, allowing you to follow their stories and piece together the mystery of what happened on the station.
Like Gone Home, it's about uncovering a story by exploring a space. Its unique storytelling mechanic and focus on the personal lives and relationships of the crew make it a great choice for fans of environmental narrative.
8. Florence
Florence is a short, beautiful, and interactive storybook for mobile devices and PC. It tells the story of a young woman's first love through a series of simple but clever mini-games that simulate the feeling of being in a relationship, from flirting and moving in together to fighting and growing apart.
It's a powerful, wordless story that perfectly captures the emotional rollercoaster of a relationship. For those who love the character-focused, emotional core of Life is Strange, this is a must-play that will only take an hour of your time.
9. Kentucky Route Zero
Kentucky Route Zero is a surreal and highly acclaimed point-and-click adventure game about a secret highway in the caves beneath Kentucky. The story is mysterious, poetic, and often strange, focusing more on atmosphere and character vignettes than a traditional plot.
For players who appreciate the more artistic, ambiguous, and atmospheric elements of Life is Strange, this is a masterpiece of interactive storytelling.
10. The Beginner's Guide
From the creator of The Stanley Parable, The Beginner's Guide is a very unique and personal "walking simulator." The game is narrated by the creator, who walks you through a collection of small, unfinished games made by his friend. What starts as a showcase of game design ideas slowly turns into a powerful and moving story about art, depression, and the nature of creativity.
It's a short, linear, but deeply thought-provoking experience for those who enjoy unconventional narratives.
11. Before I Forget
Before I Forget is a short narrative exploration game where you play as a woman with early-onset dementia. You explore her home, and by interacting with objects, you piece together fragments of her memories to uncover the story of her life.
It's a powerful and empathetic game that explores themes of memory and loss. It's a fantastic, short experience for fans of emotional, character-driven stories.
12. Dear Esther
A pioneer of the "walking simulator" genre, Dear Esther is a purely narrative experience. You explore a desolate Hebridean island while a narrator reads fragments of a letter to his deceased wife, Esther. The story is ambiguous and poetic, focusing entirely on atmosphere and environmental storytelling.
This is a game for players who want a short, beautiful, and melancholic story without any complex gameplay.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of game is Life is Strange?
Life is Strange is a narrative-driven graphic adventure game, often referred to as an "interactive drama." The gameplay is less about action and more about exploration, conversation, and making choices. The core of the experience is its branching story, where the decisions you make and the dialogue you choose directly impact the plot, your relationships with other characters, and the final outcome. It's a game style that prioritizes story, character development, and atmosphere above all else.
If what you loved most about Life is Strange was its powerful and emotional main story, you can find similarly unforgettable character-driven journeys in the world of open-world action games.
Is Life is Strange a LGBTQ+ game?
Yes, the Life is Strange series is widely celebrated for its prominent and meaningful LGBTQ+ representation. The central relationship in the first game between Max and Chloe is a cornerstone of the series and can be romantic. Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a love story between Chloe and Rachel Amber, and Life is Strange: True Colors features a bisexual protagonist, Alex Chen, with both male and female romance options. Queer themes and characters are integral to the series' identity.
Can a 12-year-old play Life is Strange?
It is generally not recommended for a 12-year-old. The games are officially rated M for Mature (or PEGI 16), and for good reason. The stories deal with very heavy and complex themes, including profanity, violence, drug and alcohol use, suicide, and death. The content is aimed at an older teen and adult audience that can better navigate its mature subject matter. We recommend following the official age ratings provided.
Is Life is Strange indie or AAA?
Life is Strange sits in a middle ground, often referred to as a "AA" game. The series was created by DONTNOD Entertainment, an independent studio, but it is funded and published by a major AAA publisher, Square Enix. This gives the games the creative, focused, and often experimental feel of an indie title, but with the higher production values, polish, and marketing reach of a major release. Itβs the best of both worlds.
Do I need to play the Life is Strange games in order?
Not necessarily, as most of the main games are standalone stories. Life is Strange, Life is Strange 2, and Life is Strange: True Colors all feature different protagonists and self-contained plots, so you can jump in with whichever one interests you most. The one exception is Life is Strange: Before the Storm, which is a prequel to the first game and should be played *after* completing the original to avoid major spoilers.
Are all games like Life is Strange about superpowers?
No, not at all. While a supernatural ability is a signature of the Life is Strange franchise itself, it's not a requirement for the broader genre. Many recommended games like Life is Strange, such as Firewatch, As Dusk Falls, Night in the Woods, and Telltale's The Walking Dead, feature no superpowers. The true similarity lies in the deep focus on character-driven stories, impactful player choice, emotional themes, and often a central mystery to unravel.
About the Author
Miguel (austernotus) is a game developer and pixel artist who believes the best recommendations come from understanding a game's core systems. With a background that spans from high-level MMO PVP (2100+ in WoW) to professional SEO, his analysis goes beyond the surface to find the games you'll actually love.