Life is Strange is a series of video games that ease up on intense gameplay to instead focus on gripping narratives and light exploration. Rather than tell epic tales of dragons, monsters, and valiant heroes, the games instead put a microscope on everyday issues that affect most people. The strengths of the games come from their ability to evoke powerful emotions by sharing relatable stories and featuring a cast of characters that are easy to fall in love with and care about. With every Life is Strange release, gamers are introduced to different communities composed of folks from all walks of life.
Many players adore Max Caulfield because she is a girl-next-door who cares about her friends, and when she finds out she has supernatural abilities, she uses her powers to help those around her. Some players relate more to Chloe Price, a blue-haired rebel who is not afraid to speak her mind, even if it lands her in trouble. For others, the most memorable character in the series is Steph Gingrich, a music fan who is popular enough among gamers to have found herself in multiple Life is Strange games. Despite not having any amazing powers, she has played an important role in the series, and if Life is Strange should receive more games, Steph is one character that should not be left behind.
Who is Steph Gingrich?
Steph makes her first appearance in Life is Strange: Before the Storm, which is a prequel to the first Life is Strange game. She is a nerdy musician who attends Blackwell Academy. Her friends include Chloe as well as Mikey North. She and Mikey are big fans of tabletop games, which appear to be the in-game equivalent of Dungeons & Dragons. As Chloe reveals in her journal, Steph has been heavily involved in doing the backstage technical work for the school plays.
When she is done with Blackwell Academy and the rest of Arcadia Bay, she heads to Seattle where she forms a punk band with a girl named Izzie. The band, named Drugstore Makeup, is the perfect creative outlet for Steph since she is a talented drummer. When the band travels to Colorado, they perform at the Black Lantern, which is located in Haven Springs. This ends up spelling the end for the band when Steph decides to stay in Haven Springs. Though this results in her splitting with Izzie, she does end up meeting plenty of interesting people, including an empath named Alex Chen.
In Haven Springs, Steph manages a record that also happens to house the town's only local radio station. When she takes up the role of DJ, she instantly falls in love with it. This is fortunate because the store's dated music roster benefits greatly from Steph's presence.
Steph Injects a Good Dose of Pride Into the Series
Steph brings something unique to the Life is Strange series - the acknowledgment and celebration of LGBT relationships. LGBT themes have been a constant in the Life is Strange series. However, if one is not paying attention or if one makes certain in-game choices, they are quite easy to miss. In the first game, the relationship between Max and Chloe could be seen as an LGBT relationship, as there is an option for the two to share a kiss. However, players can also avoid this scene entirely depending on what choices they make. Similarly, in Life is Strange: Before the Storm, it is heavily suggested that Chloe has romantic feelings for Rachel, but there is a heap of ambiguity regarding the entire situation and whether Rachel reciprocates Chloe's feelings.
Things are quite different in Life is Strange: True Colors thanks to Steph. The Wavelengths DLC for True Colors takes place entirely in Steph's record store, which allows the game to focus squarely on her. Players have access to Steph's phone where they can go on a dating app and try to find the perfect girl for her. During June, Steph decides to spruce up the store with a colorful Pride Month theme. This is to be expected from Steph because, as Chloe writes in Before the Storm, Steph is into girls and she does not care "what anyone else thinks about it." When Pride Month comes to end and Steph has to take down all the decorations, she reminisces about her first Pride march. Her time in Haven Springs highlights experiences that will be relatable to some players, including the loneliness of being gay in a small town.
Whether it is music or melodrama, Steph brings a lot to the Life is Strange series. As an openly gay character, Steph plays an important role in both Life is Strange and gaming as a whole. A character as complex as her should not be abandoned and instead should be expanded on more, allowing gamers to discover if she ever finds true love or gets her band back together.
Life is Strange: True Colors is available now on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.