In 2015, I picked up Life is Strange on a whim. I was a humongous Telltale fan, and was fascinated by the trailer’s artistic approach and unique presence. All it took was one episode for me to fall in love. The emphasis on artistry, environmental design, and interactivity set it apart from the rest of the adventure genre, which saw a massive resurgence this decade. From its usage of indie music, to photorealistic environments, Life is Strange is a prime example of gaming as an art form.

While 2017 brought a prequel, 2018 saw the release of The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, an in-universe game by Dontnod, then radio silence until October, when, finally, Life is Strange got its sequel announced. While Max and Chloe’s story was over, Sean and Daniel Diaz’s was just about to begin. The game released episodically throughout the year of 2019, much like the first game did in 2015. Instead of waiting with baited breath for each episode to release, though, I decided to wait until December to binge the game as a whole.

I will say, my standards were set quite high for this title after obsessing over the series for half a decade. When the time came for me to boot this up, I dove in and was not disappointed. Episode 1 starts off with a bang (literally), and tough choices are present from the get-go. In this game, choices, whether they be a freeze-frame split decision or a conversational implication, have much more far-reaching effects than in LiS1. As Sean, you are Daniel’s role model; if you choose to steal, Daniel won’t hesitate to; if you scold Daniel for something, he will be less inclined to do that in the future.

While Max in Life is Strange had the power of rewinding time at will, Sean’s brother, Daniel, has telekinesis. This is first unleashed during a scuffle between Sean and his neighbors that leads to tragedy. As his guide, you must direct how he uses his power, help him train it, and have him abstain or utilize it in key moments. Not having control of the power in this game, but dictating its usage, still gives the player enough reassurance to truly have control of most situations.

Much like the first game, you will be treated to a truly gorgeous setting; while the wolf brothers are on the road; you get to see some of the best of the West, including the Grand Canyon, a California Redwood forest, and more. The lingering shots of these beautiful locales are much more diverse than Life is Strange, which took place only within Arcadia Bay, even though that game captured its area wonderfully.

This time around, you will encounter more than just a bunch of high school kids. Between your grandparents, a sketchy group of hippies on a weed farm, and the aforementioned Captain Spirit, the diversity in settings is matched by the wide variety of people you will come in contact with. Since you are frequently on the move, you may only see some characters for an episode or so, but some decisions may lead to the state of their health, and even their survival.

What put some people off of the original Life is Strange was the cringeworthy dialogue. To that, I beg the question: what came out of your mouth when you were an angsty high-schooler? The answer is absolute drivel, and that game captured those formative emotions and reactions perfectly. Life is Strange 2 has much more serious subject matter throughout the game, and doesn’t refrain from using slurs to alienate Sean. How you choose to react to the vitriolic verbage is up to you.

Another big point of contention in LiS1 was its ambiguous ending. A lot of players felt that all of the choices made in that game end up not mattering, since the endings were so finite. Life is Strange 2 throws that worry out with SEVEN possible endings. To top it off, your overall morality within the game decides these wildly different endings. One thing to note is, once you lock in a major decision, the game autosaves and you are absolutely stuck with that choice. While I did regret a decision or two, they did not ruin my playthrough. I was wholly satisfied with my ending, and my final choice was just as nerve-wracking and worrisome as the first game’s.

Life is Strange 2 is truly an experience. Switching to this game after blowing off some steam in Rainbow Six Siege had me change mindsets and enjoy a completely different kind of game. This is a game that never fails to miss its mark, and deserves all the credit in the world, as it nails storytelling in every aspect. I sure hope that this isn’t the last we see of the wolf brothers, as their story is one for the ages.

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Life is Strange 2

$39.99 USD

10

Score

10.0/10

Pros

• Divine storytelling
• Likeable characters
• Terrific music
• Unbelievable environments
• Strong voice-acting

Cons

• Wonky motion-capture