Narrative adventure games are sometimes given a bad rap as “playable movies,” butLife is Strangehelped change that conversation significantly back in 2015.The story of Max and Chloeresonated with fans the world over and the game truly emphasized player choice, setting the bar for many games in the genre, including its sequels. Fans haven’t played Max since the original game’s iconic entry, but now she’s back.Life is Strange: Double Exposuretells a new story with Max that might take away the nostalgia goggles in the best way possible and remind players just how many things have changed since Arcadia Bay’s heyday.
MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD
Game Rant recently playedLife is Strange: Double Exposure’s first two chapters on Steam. From our time with the game, it’s fair to say that at least some community hesitation surrounding Max’s return are of no concern, and the game is filled with meaningful messages and choices that will impress and shock players. At the very least, olderLife is Strangefans who walk intoDouble Exposurewith an open mind and an adoration for Max will likely be in for a treat.
Those who have stayed kept up with the game’s news cycle will find the opening bittersweet, with the game immediately showcasing Max’s friendship with new character Safi. Deck Nine does a great job at making Max’s new best friend likable in ways both like and unlike Chloe Price, and she’s a strong start to the realistic and likable characters that Max meets. These interactions are highlighted by how the years have allowed theLife is Strangeseries to evolve important elements, such as its facial expressions and realistic dialogue, which look incredible compared to what the original title was capable of before.
Compared to the first game, the writing has most certainly improved. There were no immersion-breaking lines of dialogue that we encountered, and characters were still witty and charming in unique ways, especially Max and her lovably dorky inner dialogue being in full force.
Max, as a university instructor now, carries a newfound confidence as she traverses the world around her the best she can. She still feels like the original Max, and a huge factor in that is no doubtHannah Telle returning as her actor. Beneath the confidence, of course, is her trademark awkwardness. Players encounter it plenty when the main narrative fully kicks off, with Max’s personality doing a lot of heavy lifting, and her awkwardness and relatable fear take center stage when her new powers awaken.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure Keeps Players Grounded in Reality Even When Things Get Weird
In the face of yet another close friend dying right in front of Max’s eyes, there is still plenty of comedic relief inLife is Strange: Double Exposure. This genuinely goes a long way in keeping things organic and grounded when discussions of superpowers, timelines, and a murder mystery all come to the fore. Some of these moments even come with small little choices that don’t seemingly bite players, like stealing a plush toy to calm Max down a few choices later.
As expected, players have tons of minorchoices to make throughoutLife is Strange:Double Exposure’s chapters, with the important ones naturally leading to time slowing down as the screen takes different hues to represent each choice. Players are then reminded that their selection has consequences with a butterfly. Not every choice that the game offers will be easy for players to make, especially not the first big choice: whether Max saved Arcadia Bay or saved Chloe.
The way that this tough question only has the answers of “Chloe died” or “Chloe and Max broke up” might not sit well with long-term players considering everything the two characters went through before, but there’s weight behind why they separated—if the break-up path is picked—that is real, raw, and ultimately true to their characters and trauma. If players are concerned about Max’s newest adventure being as hesitantabout its LGBTQ+ themesas the first game was 10 years ago, they will be pleasantly surprised. Without going into spoilers, it’s a glowing tribute to how much representation has evolved since the first game.
The way that the characters around Max feel like real people, from all walks of life, fits extremely well with the exploration and investigative aspects that the series has made its name around. Longtime fans of the franchise will likely enjoy references to the past game but also seeing how the game is more than that. Max’s bonds with these new characters, the biggest choices throughout the game, and the smallest moments, even the text messages, go a long way in fleshing out the world of Caledon University.
Experiencing Max’s Strange Life Once More With Feeling
Players might not get to rewind on choices they regret inDouble Exposure, but traversing two timelines leads to having two areas to explore instead of one. This means double the secrets to find, trickier puzzles to solve, and plenty of rewards for taking the time to see everything that can be interacted with.The originalLife is Strangetoyed with having specific choices affecting the long-term environment over minor interactive branches, and that returns inDouble Exposure.Players will definitely need to choose whether they want Max to keep up with or kill her plants again, for instance, while also keeping their eyes peeled for choices they can only unlock by interacting with the correct objects in one or both timelines.
The usual mechanics and the nature ofLife is Strange: Double Exposureas a narrative adventure feel great and immersive. But, at least for the build of Chapters 1 and 2 we previewed, there was some notable input lag whenthe Shift and Pulse abilities were introduced. It was quite noticeable, but these issues were never anything that ruined the experience as much as they were a few bumps in the road.
These issues may be ironed out by the timeDouble Exposurereleases, but players should still be aware that not everything runs smoothly when jumping timelines.
Ultimately, it remains to be seen just how much the new title truly can carry itself, as the references to the original title are indeed everywhere, especially when Chloe and Victoria Chase pop up in Max’s texts and social media feeds. The importance ofLife is Strange 1isn’t at all unwelcome in the game, though, and it makes all of its improvements feel all the more prominent. If nothing else, it’s clear those invested inLife is Strange: Double Exposure’s murder mysterywill need to buckle up because the plot thickens shockingly and believably every time players get a lead.
Game Rant was provided a Steam code for the purposes of this preview.
