All Game Items
All Game Items Guide for Life is Strange (Original 2015)
Overview
Life is Strange is a narrative-driven adventure game without traditional RPG items like weapons, armor, or consumable buffs. Instead, "items" fall into three categories: Key Story Items, Collectibles (optional photos and journal entries), and Environmental Interactions that affect dialogue or the story. This guide covers every notable item you can pick up, photograph, or otherwise interact with across all five episodes.
1. Key Story Items
These items are essential to the plot and often trigger critical choices or unlock new areas.
| Item | Episode | How to Obtain | Use / Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max’s Camera | Episode 1 (always) | Given to Max by default at the start. | Used to take optional photographs; required for certain dialogue options and to complete the photo collectible list. Cannot be dropped or lost. |
| The Blue Butterfly | Episode 1 | In the bathroom, after Nathan shoots Chloe. Rewind to save Chloe, then you can photograph it. | A symbolic item; photographing it counts as a collectible. Not usable later. |
| Rachel’s Photo | Episode 1 | In Chloe’s room (on her desk) during “Out of Time.” | Shows a picture of Rachel; Max comments on it. Adds journal entry. No gameplay effect. |
| Nathan’s Gun | Episode 2 (alternate timeline) | In the alternate timeline, it’s in Nathan’s locker. | Used only in a dialogue scene with Chloe; can be taken or left. Affects story tone but not major branches. |
| Chloe’s Bracelet | Episode 3 | Given to Max by Chloe as a memento. | Worn by Max; appears in later cutscenes. Purely cosmetic and narrative. |
| The Photo of Max & Chloe at the Lighthouse | Episode 5 | Taken by Max during the nightmare sequence. | Used in the final choice to either stay or go back. Central to the ending. |
| Warren’s USB Drive | Episode 5 | Given to Max by Warren in the diner. | Contains a photo that can be used to rewind to the beginning of the week (final choice). |
2. Collectibles: Optional Photographs
Each episode has a list of optional photos Max can take with her camera. These are purely for achievement/trophy hunting and do not affect the story, but they add to your journal.
#### Episode 1: Chrysalis
| # | Photo Subject | Location | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Butterfly | Bathroom stall | After saving Chloe, approach the butterfly on the sink. |
| 2 | Alyssa (being hit by football) | Outside the school | Wait for Alyssa to walk near the football field, then photograph her getting hit. |
| 3 | Principal Wells | His office | During the principal conversation, zoom in on him while he talks. |
| 4 | Chloe (on the train tracks) | Near the railroad | After saving Chloe from the train, take her photo. |
| 5 | Selfie with Vortex Club sign | Girls’ bathroom | Use the mirror to take a selfie with the graffiti behind you. |
| # | Photo Subject | Location | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kate (on the roof) | Campus rooftop | During the scene with Kate, photograph her. |
| 2 | The Dead Doe | Forest clearing | After finding the dead doe, photograph it before leaving. |
| 3 | David Madsen (snooping) | Chloe’s house | Hide in the closet, then photograph David through the slats. |
| 4 | Pompidou (Frank’s dog) | Junkyard | Pet Pompidou and then take a photo. |
| 5 | Alyssa (getting hit by bucket) | Outside the diner | Wait for the bucket to fall on Alyssa’s head and snap a picture. |
| # | Photo Subject | Location | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chloe (in the pool) | Chloe’s house (pool) | After breaking into the pool, photograph Chloe swimming. |
| 2 | The Tornado photo | Outside Two Whales Diner | Look at the newspaper and photograph the tornado image. |
| 3 | Alyssa (hit by ball) | Outside the gym | Wait for Alyssa to be hit by a basketball. |
| 4 | Frank’s RV interior | Junkyard RV | Enter Frank’s RV and photograph the interior. |
| 5 | The “Zombie” costume | Vortex Club party | At the party, find the zombie costume and photograph it. |
| # | Photo Subject | Location | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chloe (hospital) | Hospital room | Photograph Chloe lying in the hospital bed (alternate timeline). |
| 2 | Alternate William | Alternate home | Photograph William in the kitchen. |
| 3 | Nathan Prescott | Prescott Dorm | Sneak into Nathan’s room and photograph him. |
| 4 | The Dark Room | Bunker | After discovering the dark room, photograph the setup. |
| 5 | Alyssa (hit by car) | Outside Two Whales Diner | After the diner scene, photograph Alyssa getting splashed by a car. |
| # | Photo Subject | Location | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Nightmare Max | Nightmare sequence | In the hallway of reflections, photograph your doppelgänger. |
| 2 | The Butterfly (again) | San Francisco | In the alternate timeline, find the butterfly on the windowsill. |
| 3 | Chloe (happy) | Final dream | Before the lighthouse, take a photo of Chloe smiling. |
| 4 | Warren (with his science project) | School corridor | During the nightmare school sequence, photograph Warren. |
| 5 | The Storm | Final scene | On the cliff, photograph the tornado approaching. |
3. Journal / Diary Entries (Collectibles)
Max’s journal automatically updates with entries based on actions, but some entries are missable. These act as collectibles that flesh out the narrative.
| Entry Type | How to Trigger | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Character Profiles | Interact with objects or people tied to a character. | Reading a note about Kate, looking at Chloe’s photos. |
| Environmental Notes | Examine posters, notes, or graffiti. | The “Prescott” poster, the “Whale” mural. |
| Text Messages | Check Max’s phone after receiving texts. | Reply to Chloe or Warren to unlock journal entries. |
| Drawings | Photograph certain subjects (see photo list above). | Each photo adds a drawing to the journal. |
| Story Summaries | Automatically at the end of each episode. | Always obtained. |
4. Key Equipment (Non-Collectible)
| Item | Description | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Max’s Camera | A classic Polaroid-style camera. | Taking optional photos. Also used in a few story moments (e.g., taking the lighthouse photo). |
| Max’s Phone | Basic smartphone. | Receives text messages from Chloe, Warren, Kate, etc. Used to reply and shape relationships. No gameplay function beyond narrative. |
| The Rewind Watch | An analog watch given to Max by Chloe? (Actually not an item – it’s a visual representation of her power). | Note: The rewind ability is not an inventory item. It’s a power accessed via the left trigger (or key). Max can rewind time at will except in specific scripted scenes. |
5. Consumables & Currency (None)
Life is Strange has no traditional currency, health items, or crafting materials. Max does not need to buy or scavenge anything. The only “consumable” is the photo you take with the camera, which is stored automatically.
6. Important Notes on Items
- Items cannot be dropped or sold. Once picked up, they remain in Max’s inventory (shown in the journal under “Evidence” or “Collectibles”).
- No upgrades exist. The camera stays the same throughout the game.
- Synergies: There are no item synergies. Your choices create narrative synergies (e.g., having taken a certain photo may unlock a different dialogue option later), but this is not item-based.
- Photo achievements/trophies are tied to completing each episode’s photo set. Missing even one can lock you out of the achievement, so save before each photo opportunity.
7. Checklist for Completionists
To get all collectibles, follow this order per episode:
1. Before advancing the main story, explore every room and examine all interactable objects.
2. Keep Max’s camera ready for every possible photo opportunity (listed above).
3. Check your phone after every major scene for new texts.
4. After finishing an episode, review the journal to ensure no entries are missing. If an entry is empty, reload a previous chapter save.
Platform-specific: On PC (Steam/Epic), achievements are tied to each photo set. On console (PS4/PS5/Xbox), trophies/achievements similarly list photo completion. There is no in-game reward for collecting all except the satisfaction of a complete journal.