Life is Strange (2015): runs on Windows 11, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck?

Gamicality score 86 / 100

Playability today ★★★★★ 5

Runs today5 / 5
Design today4.5 / 5
See the checks

Steam user reviews Overwhelmingly Positive

169,201 reviews96% positive
Steam store page

Released: 2015
Developer: DONTNOD Entertainment, Feral Interactive (Mac)
Genre: Action, Adventure
Best version today: This 2015 original is a fine choice: the 2022 Remastered version adds new facial capture but critics found its visuals plasticky and its bugs unfixed, so the original is no downgrade.
Runs on: Windows, macOS, Linux, Steam Deck
Last checked: October 31, 2026

Does Life is Strange run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11	Expected to work. It is sold for Windows today and no problem is on record. SourceNo player reports yet
Mac (Apple Silicon)	Steam sells a Mac version. Not yet confirmed on Apple Silicon. SourceNo player reports yet
Linux	Yes, there is a native Linux version. SourceNo player reports yet
Steam Deck	Playable, as rated by Valve: it works, but may need some manual configuration. SourceNo player reports yet

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Synopsis

An episodic story adventure about Max Caulfield, a photography student who returns to her Oregon hometown and discovers she can rewind time. You explore the school and town, talk to students, reunite with your old friend Chloe and make choices whose effects carry through all five episodes. Episode 1 is free; the other four are sold as add-ons on the same store page.

What people say

Critics praised the season for its characters, its handling of heavy themes and its choice system built around the rewind power, while some found the opening episode slow and later episodes uneven. Players rate it even more warmly, and many still count it among the best story games of its era. Common criticisms are teen dialogue that can feel stilted or cringeworthy, stiff facial animation and simple chore-like puzzles that underuse the time powers.

Playability today

Playability runs from 1 to 5. It is the average of two parts. Each part starts at 1 and climbs to 5 as more of its checks pass. Read the method.

Runs today: 5 / 5

✓Sold today from an official store
✓Runs on Windows 11 without fan patches
–Single-player works without an internet connection
–All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
–Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
✓Full controller support or remappable controls
✓Steam Deck Verified or Playable
✓No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
✓No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
–No known game-breaking bugs in the current version

Filled in from the Steam store and Valve’s Steam Deck rating. Checks marked – are unknown and do not count until someone checks them.

Design today: 4.5 / 5

✓Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboardSimple walk-and-interact controls with full controller support work well on a gamepad or mouse and keyboard. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
✓Menus, text and interface are clear on today's screensChoices and interaction prompts are clear, though dialogue cannot be skipped until you have heard it. Source: rpgfan.com.
✓Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progressFrequent autosave checkpoints and the rewind power mean little progress is ever lost; evidence on this point is thin. Source: rpgfan.com.
✓It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progressThe rewind power is introduced gradually through conversations and small puzzles, so no guide is needed. Source: rpgfan.com.
✗Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtrackingThe slow opening and chores like the junkyard bottle hunt in Episode 2 are common complaints that stall the story. Source: rpgfan.com, opencritic.com.
✓Camera and movement never fight the playerThe third-person camera is unobtrusive in small, slow-paced spaces, and reviewers raise no complaints about it; evidence is thin. Source: rpgfan.com.

Judged against games made today, from complaints that recur in recent Steam reviews and discussions, forums, PCGamingWiki and community wikis. Each reason links to where it comes from.