To me , lifetime Is Strange ’s trance has n’t been its gameplay . Interacting with objects in the various suburban towns the series has taken us to , engaging in conversation with a coloured cast of characters , and making ever - tough decisions is fun enough , but it ’s the hipster , edgy style the serial radiate that help it stand out in the genre . pen this reappraisal three days after finishing the game , the soundtrack ’s still endlessly playing in my head as I recall epic moments and beautiful cinematic shots from those quiet moments Max soaks in throughout her disruptive time at Caledon University . And yes , I ’m still deliberating whether I made the right decision on about seven different occasion .
The Characters of Caledon
doubled Exposure reunites histrion with the middling socially awkward Max Caulfield , the profligate lensman from Arcadia Bay , a few years later on . Settling into her life as a lensman - in - residence at the prestigious Caledon University , she ’s trying — and failing — to put the events of her past behind her . She ’s made some new friends in the shape of the spritely , ever - confident Safi — a writer with a ton of potency — and an insanely thinking , affectionateness - on - his - arm astrologist , Moses . The three are apparently inseparable , get the best out of one another , jest around , and seemingly tell each otheralmosteverything . Safi , supportive of Max ’s efforts to get some new shot for the next Caulfield Collection , come with her to an abandoned bowling alley in the opening night scene of the secret plan , beleaguer Max about her photography philosophy , and making quippy comment about the entire excursion . Their kinship feels actual , and also a little too familiar . The same sort of friendly relationship Max and a sure blue - hirsute badass may have had back in Arcadia Bay .
After avoiding almost sure death , the two return to campus and fulfill up with Moses to watch a meteor cascade , and that ’s when affair start acquire a little odd . uncanny pains in the brain for Max , a mysterious hooter , and oh , yeah , Safi dies , apparently polish off under circumstances almost as mysterious as the aforementioned owl .
Distraught and refusing to permit another person she cares deeply about meet an unseasonable demise , Max set about essay to identify the culprit , only to finally recognize she ’s charge her way into a parallel timeline . A timeline where Safi is still alive . With this power to shift between timeline , Max sets out to not only unravel the enigma of Safi ’s execution , but also prevent it from happening all over again .
Without diving into too many narrative spoilers — two-fold Exposure , like the rest of the series is comfortably experienced as spoiler - costless as possible — the late chapter in the Max Caulfield epos continues to twist , wrench , surprise , shock , and charge up . Each conversation had me hooked , every choice pondering . interact with items was n’t a task , it was an opportunity to learn more about the traditional knowledge of the world . To engross myself within the anteroom of Caledon itself .
That being said , I did get a sense of deja vu on a few occasions . Not needs like - for - like replications of past events from the series , but some that felt perhaps a small too familiar that it read away from Double Exposure ’s individuality . It was never enough to detract from my enjoyment of the game , and your issues with this will in all likelihood vary depending on how conversant you are with the rest of the serial , but it definitely took me out of the experience once or twice .
There are also some love stake that you’re able to pursue if you find they ’re a good match for your interlingual rendition of Max . They assist to inveigle Max further out of her bunglesome shell and provide some reprieve from the heavy source textile in even separation throughout the narrative . These interactions also aid to provide a suitable amount of teenage angst that the serial publication has always used as a drive force in its tale and interactions with the character you meet along the way .
Image by Square Enix
Other character do bulge out up , and while some like Vinh or Professor Hunter will become immediate favorites with fan , others did n’t palpate like they were utilized or explore enough . Reggie , a bookman of Max ’s with disabling self - confidence yield , for deterrent example , is used as a airscrew to tug the narration forward , but aside from a fleeting conversation towards the end of the game and the odd text message , his personal struggles are rarely research in a way that would get Reggie to leave behind as lasting an impression as other side character from the serial ' past tense .
Decisions, Decisions
Speaking of intimate , this is still your typical Life Is Strange gameplay . You ’ll interact with aim , talk with the various professor and students at Caledon , make tough decisions that will ascertain the manner succeeding consequence in the narrative wager out , and seize some shape of payable — this time in the kind of Max taking her own photos , as well as picking up polaroids hide out throughout the world — along the mode . What ’s new this time is the power to use Max ’s supernatural powers .
Rather than plainly rewinding time , Max can now tilt between two timelines , allowing her to ask questions of a quality in one world where they might be a little more cheery , or where an issue that ’s led them to suspect those around them has yet to happen . She can also ' pulse ' into the alternate realism , leave her to listen to conversations happening in the other timeline without totally shifting into it . It ’s the perfect king for a hawkshaw detective and help oneself to keep things feeling overbold . Max ca n’t just dislodge between timeline whenever she wants , though . She needs to find a scintillating smudge somewhere in the nearby neck of the woods to jump over .
This , combined with moments where you have to switch back and forth multiple time in agile ecological succession can make thing finger a footling tedious . You ’ll have a conversation with someone , pass 20 - 30 seconds running to the nearest geological fault point in time , and then return to the same character or sphere in the raw timeline , before shlep back and returning there again in theoriginaltimeline . It ’s a lot of back and forth that make sense from a story perspective but adds a bit of bloat to the overall experience .
Image by Square Enix
A life story Is unusual staple at this point is the decisions you ’ll be thrust to make . Some are easy , some will have you sitting , staring at your filmdom , occasionally flicking from one choice to the other as you weigh up the pros and cons . dual Exposure continues to deliver here , with some of the toughest choices I ’ve had to make in the series since that fatal first secret plan . Unfortunately , some finger a little underbaked . While they can have an immediate impact in a following conversation , they did n’t seem to influence other decisions with a sure character in later episodes . These are few and far between among a myriad of far more herculean , heavy decisions , and did n’t number to mind as I was playing . It ’s only now as I excogitate on my 10 - time of day experience more profoundly that I can see some of the wrinkle of such a complex , tale experience .
Despite this , there are enough determination that feel impactful enough that I ’m already working my way through more playthroughs , mixing and gibe those I ’ve already done to explore every leg of the Caulfield timeline at Caledon . The terminal decision , in particular , feels just as eventful as those that have come before it , with a slender twist that I really appreciate but wo n’t delve deeper into here .
Hella Stylish
One flavour ( and heed ) of Double Exposure and you ’ll know it ’s a Life Is unusual game . The visuals , while sure the most telling with naturalistic facial animations that accurately portray expressions and add more depth to the grapheme you meet , still have that playful look the series has always had . Intense scenes are often punctuated with an indie banger that ’ll straightaway obtain its way onto your Spotify playlist , and the cinematic camera when Max indulges in a second to take a breather die hired man - in - hand with them , too .
The trend and presentment go beyond the artistic creation stylus , cinematography , and soundtrack though . Deck Nine has put time into the public around it , providing plenty of fun small titbit and surprises to hear as you go . These advance you to venture off the beat itinerary from one principal objective to the next and soak up everything Caledon has to offer . This does require a long playthrough clock time , and give the comparatively slow pace of gameplay already , this approach path is n’t rifle to invoke to everyone . But for those who simply ca n’t get enough , find a Polaroid to further lucubrate the story , or eavesdropping on conversations between students allow a perfect opportunity to eke out that little scrap more sentence in the world .
Final Verdict
treble Exposure is just another STD of the stylish , uptight , narration - aim goodness that devotee have come to know and love from the Life Is unknown serial . In preceding games in the series , I ’ve played through once and had no burning desire to start another playthrough now after . To its credit rating , I ’ve already started my second playthrough in Double Exposure . That should be a clear barometer of how much I enjoyed the game and how it compares to others in the series . That ’s thanks to a combination of a riveting plot line , appealing characters , and top dog - spinning determination . I was n’t ready for my clip at Caledon to be over nor with the series . If there was any doubt about Deck Nine ’s capabilities to take the serial forward , fear not . Life Is Strange is in preternaturally safe hands .
[ Disclosure : A liberal copy of the game was provided to PGG by the publishing firm for review determination . ]
Image by Square Enix
Image by Square Enix
