Life is Strange: Double Exposure Review – A Nostalgic Return for Max Caulfield or a Misstep?

Bringing back a beloved character from an old game isn’t easy. Certainly not if that character carries an emotional charge for many fans.

You have to have a good reason for someone to come back after so long. Do you have an important story to tell about the themes of that old game, without doing injustice to the original? Deck Nine brings back the lead actor Max Caulfield from the first part for the latest Life is Stange, and it only succeeds in giving him the right to be there. In any case, the studio will upset many fans.

Back in time

In the first Life is Strange from 2015, Max learns that she has the power to rewind time. She uses these powers to reverse the death of her best friend Chloe, but (SPOILERS) has an unexpected side effect: a supernatural tornado rages toward their Arcadia Bay town . The end of the game (SPOILERS) comes down to one choice: will you let Chloe’s death happen anyway, or will you save her and let the storm destroy Arcadia Bay?

It’s an iconic moment that is etched in the memories of many fans, especially since Max and Chloe are not only friends, but a romantic relationship can have them too. This is where the series finds its identity. For many players, this is not just a game, but a turning point for queer representation in games.

It’s also an ending designed to avoid a sequel, because that ending choice leads to two very different outcomes. The excellent series of comics – not included in this game cannons it turned out to be – find a way to continue on both timelines, but that’s a little more difficult in a game. But Deck Nine is trying to do that with Double Exposure. This sequel takes place ten years later, where Max has built a life without Chloe and works as an art school teacher.

For the fans

Wait a minute, no Chloe? This is where diehard Life is Strange fans are likely to start hanging up. The game starts with a simple choice: did Chloe die in the original version, or is she still alive? If you choose the latter option, she and Max have grown apart. A small explanation follows, but it doesn’t rhyme with the characters as we know them from the original. Of course, Deck Nine is free to tell its own story – we recommend that. But this is seriously ripping off one of gaming’s most beloved and influential couples without showing it.

When you bring back a beloved character like Max, you do it especially for the old fans. Anyway, Double Exposure doesn’t make much effort to keep new players on board. The events of Arcadia Bay are always described in ways that are incomprehensible to newcomers. Max is still struggling with Chloe’s death or the great destruction of her hometown ten years ago and has decided not to use her powers anymore. That in itself is an interesting fact, but Double Exposure doesn’t have much depth to say about it. Unfortunately, the hole in the shape of Chloe is mostly danced around, without going into depth.

And on

Despite Chloe’s absence, we’re thankful there’s a lot to be excited about. In Double Exposure, Max starts working at Caledon University, a prestigious art academy. There she befriends rebellious Safi, a poet who is very secretive about her past. It doesn’t matter, that’s Max himself, after all.

Soon Safi is killed under suspicious circumstances, after which Max’s supernatural powers resurface. This time she can’t travel through time, but enter another timeline where Safi is still alive. This way she can use both timelines to solve the murder, and hopefully keep the ‘new’ Safi alive.

It’s an interesting concept that clearly reflects the theme of the first Life is Strange. What big effects can small choices and changes have on your life? The alternate timeline is different in small ways, but these can have a big impact on the different characters you meet. For example, while one timeline is preparing for a big Christmas party, the other university is in mourning after Safi’s death and all celebrations have been cancelled.

This setup provides some light puzzle work, where you bring knowledge or items from one timeline to another. But Life is Strange is mostly a narrative game that won’t stress your brain too much. You have to think much longer about the difficult decisions you have to make sometimes. This game has some of those moments where you stare at your screen for minutes because both choices are terrible. Will you do what you can to solve the murder, even if it means stabbing a friend in the back? Life is Strange is at its best in moments like these.

New friends

It takes a while for Double Exposure to progress. After the murder there is much mourning and discussion. That’s definitely not a negative, because it gives you the chance to get to know some of Max’s colleagues and students. Much of the cast is superbly written and it’s always a pleasure to start a new conversation.

You meet people from all backgrounds, who are naturally woven into conversations. For example, the fact that one of your colleagues is a transgender woman is a completely normal detail. But when she is excluded from the story by colleagues, her wounds are exposed. The game has a rich cast of characters that bring unique perspectives to the story.

Safi herself is a layered, fascinating woman. The more you learn about her, the more questions you will have. Bartender Miranda is also a highlight in our opinion: with her fun torture she manages to bring the always reluctant Max out of his shell. And it’s particularly impressive how well Deck Nine stacks up against Max ten years older. The adult version of Max is more confident and straightforward, but her doubts and shyness are still visible beneath the surface.

Unfortunately, not everyone comes out so well. The astrologer Moses, Safi’s best friend, is a bit of a no-nonsense character who you will never catch giving an incomprehensible opinion. The writing is consistently flimsy: for example, the game really wants your assistant Vinh to like you, but instead of being charming, he’s an insufferable slimeball in the majority.

Gas it

Somewhere about a third of the way through the story, the game suddenly picks up speed with the unpredictable plot twists that Life is Strange is known for. The series is no longer published to some extent, but every chapter still ends with a cliffhanger so unexpected that you can’t press the button fast enough to continue. ‘play. Unfortunately, this rollercoaster ride doesn’t end as satisfyingly as the original, but the ride itself is definitely worth it. You never know exactly what turn the story will take and the emotions follow each other quickly.

It’s just a shame that the roller coaster is rickety and sometimes almost flies off the road. The tone of the game especially burns in all directions. For example, the day after Safi’s murder, everyone is sad and Max is thinking about her lost friend. But when you look at movie posters or other things in her house, she suddenly shows all kinds of funny one-liners. Max’s inner monologue often doesn’t match the tone of the situation she’s in, making her seem detached from the story.

We also noticed several technical tricks, such as dropping sound and objects floating in the air. Nothing that loading a save can’t fix, but it’s annoying.

Nice and comfortable

Double Exposure is full of interesting characters that you get to know better and better, also through their funny posts on the fictional social media channel Crosstalk and the messages they send you from time to time. It captures the comfortable feel of Life is Strange well: we would commit supernatural murder so we could study for a semester in snowy Caledon.

It’s a shame then that this sequel so easily oversteps the legacy of the original, and then doesn’t come up with a perfect script to ease that suffering. The story is certainly interesting and keeps you in suspense throughout the ten hours of play, but the writing is shaky and lacks tone. Characters sometimes make unwise choices – why run into danger alone when you can ask for help? – and several plot points are never properly resolved.

But it’s that amazing middle section that lives in, where the story suddenly throws out all the stops and leaves you in constant amazement. It might not be enough to justify a sequel ten years later, but it’s interesting.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure will be released on October 29 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch and PC. This review was played on PlayStation 5.