We know why you are here, you want Steph too, we see you! Of course, who wouldn't want to date Haven Springs resident super DJ and drummer Steph Gingrich? There are two love choices for Alex to ponder. Life is Strange: True Colors and today we're going to tell you how to make Steph swoon!
Note: Before you read on, be aware that there will be spoilers for the game's narrative, as some of the encounters are tied to important story events. Keep reading at the risk of discovering events on the following chapters.
Dating Steph
The first time you meet Steph is in the record store located in Haven Springs. There's not much interaction here, and choices made won't affect your standing with her. She will show you two vinyls which she will place on the recording booth window for you to choose from. Choose between:
- Unicorn Sandwich
- zombie parade
One or the other is fine here! She'll then play your chosen one on the radio and introduce you to Haven Springs as "Some chick," while having a cheeky look in her eye.
After the record store
The next encounter takes place in The Black Lantern bar when Alex is working for Jed. Steph will be sitting in the corner near the front door next to the Jukebox. Chat with her, then ask her questions when prompted. You'll have to:
- Ask him "Is this your shot?" about a shot glass filled with green liquid
- Say yes to Jukebox play with her
It doesn't matter whether you win or lose, just make sure you play along. After that, you'll resume your shift, but she'll be glad you played along with her.
Related: All Voice Actors In Life is Strange: True Colors
Champion de baby foot
The third important encounter with her will be when she comes to support you after Gabe wakes up. She will be in a state of sadness that you will need to get her out of. Examine the room for emotional clues, then ask him to play foosball with you.
Halfway through the foosball, she'll start to feel better and ask you about your partner's preferences and whether you like girls. You can either say that:
- you like girls
- You like guys and girls
- that you like guys
Choose the option saying you like girls just to be safe. She will flirt back indicating that she liked the answer.
An intriguing trio
Later in the game, Alex, Steph, and Ryan will find a way to get information about the incident with Gabe and Typhon. Ryan and Steph come up with the plan to flirt with Diane to distract her so one of them can steal her thumb drive.
They'll ask you to make the decision but precede it by asking who you think is the hottest, i.e. the most capable of getting Diane's attention. Pick Steph because she'll remember it, and later during the LARP you can read her emotions and she'll freak out about the fact that you basically said she's hot.
Related: How to Save in Life is Strange: True Colors
Finding the truth
After the LARP you will visit Charlotte. Things don't go well and she gets extremely angry. You can choose to take her anger out of her or leave it with her so she can deal with what she is going through on her own.
- If you choose to leave Charlotte alone, upon returning to your apartment, you will find Steph and Ryan there. Steph will stay and help you decipher the messages on Typhon's USB stick.
- If you choose to take Charlotte's wrath away from him, when he returns to the apartment, Steph and Ryan will still be there, but Alex will rage over Gabe's death. Steph will leave angry about the explosion and Ryan will follow her to make sure she's okay.
Luckily, the case that Steph broke in doesn't badly affect the situation between Alex and Steph. So pick whatever works best for you when it comes to the storyline, however, if you still want Steph to stick around, don't take Charlotte's wrath when given the chance beforehand.
The Flower Festival
At the flower festival, Steph and Alex will be fine or they will make amends regarding the explosion. They will be on good terms and Steph will return in a trailer to continue DJing. Go to the rose cart and pick up a rose. Take it to the trailer and hand it to Steph, cementing the idea that you have feelings for her.
She will ask you to meet her on the roof after a small concert on the festival stage. Go up to the roof where she will tell you about her future plans. Choose one of three postcards. After a conversation, a prompt to hug or kiss her will appear. Choose Kiss and it will reveal that Steph is practically begging you to kiss her in her mind.
And with that, you will have a romance with a Steph Gingrich! These events all take place between Chapters 1 and 4, so it takes a bit of time to get to the point where you can seal the deal.
Steph from before
You might recognize Steph from Deck Nine's other Life is Strange game, Before the Storm released in 2017. If you haven't played it with the original game, we highly recommend it! This gives you an overview of where Steph was before landing in Haven Springs.
Life is Strange has always had two love interests to choose from for the protagonist, but we think this one is the toughest yet! Both Steph and Ryan are so well written and have great acting that a second part is absolutely necessary to explore both options!
Looking for more content? Why not check out the details for the upcoming True Colors, Wavelengths DLC where you actually play as Steph?
