Netflix’s just recently released a new series called Stranger Things. It’s a supernatural, horror series written and directed by Duffer Brothers (Matt and Ross Duffer). The series stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Cara Buono, and Matthew Modin, and it follows the sudden disappearance of young boy named Will Byers in a small town of Hawkins, Indiana. In the search of Will, his friends Mike, Dustin and Lucas met Eleven, a young girl with psychokinetic powers and she knows the whereabouts of Will.
Stranger Things received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, and they all love that the series paying homage to 80’s pop culture.
Stranger Things also draws inspiration with 70’s and 80’s movies such as Steven Spielberg’s E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, John Carpenter’s The Thing, The Goonies, Alien, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Poltergeist, Stand By Me, and many more.
The Duffer Brothers admitted about this movie references, however, after watching the whole season 1 of Stranger Things, there are some similarities between this show and the game – Life Is Strange like…
Both takes place in a small town
Stranger Things location is Hawkins, Indiana, while Life Is Strange is in Arcadia Bay, Oregon. Both are small towns and both are fictional places.
Both have female characters with special powers
Max Caulfield of Life Is Strange has the power to rewind time while Eleven of Stranger Things has a psychokinetic abilities. Oh, and did I mention that they both bleed from their nose (and ears for Eleven) every time they use their power?
There’s a missing person
Stranger Things’ plot revolves around the missing kid named Will Byers, while in Life Is Strange, Max and Chloe, the two protagonists of the game both investigate the mysterious disappearance of Rachel Adams who is believed to have a love interest to Chloe.
Bullies
No teenage or school story is complete without bullies. It’s a cliche in every school, and of course, Stranger Things and Life Is Strange have their fair shares of bullies. Though the bullies in Stranger Things didn’t have that much of a limelight, the bullies in Life Is Strange is the exact opposite. Victoria Chase and her crew and Nathan Prescott are the known bullies in this game.
It is also need to mention that the game developer Dontnot and publisher Square Enix has a nice anti-bullying campaign called “Everyday Heroes” wherein victims can share their stories in Twitter and use hashtag #EverydayHeroes. Every stories shared will add to the ongoing donation of Square Enix to National Bullying Prevention Center.
Characters who are into photography
Life Is Strange main protagonist Max Caulfield is a photography student of Blackwell Academy, while in Stranger Things, Jonathan Byers, Will’s brother are into photography.
Soundtrack
Both Life Is Strange and Stranger Things have a great soundtrack. Life Is Strange’s soundtrack is featured in Spotify and while the soundtrack of Stranger Things is inspired by 80’s music and who’ll hear songs in the series like “Africa” by Toto, “I Melt With You” by Modern English, and of course, the LSS feeling of “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash.
…and finally
Both Life Is Strange and Stranger Things are awesome!
If you’re a gamer, Life is Strange is a unique game for you and if you’re a TV series or Netflix fan, or simply someone who appreciate 80’s era, you should definitely watch Stranger Things.
Know any similarities that are not included in the article? Share it in comment section below.