Life is Strange: Double Exposure

Not what I expected from the game, but I have to say that it felt cozy, I liked the writing, the feling that it gave me, I reallly liked that the action takes place only in a few places, it feels so cozy, and the winter atmosphere, it amazong.

It not even close to the first Life Is Strange with Max, and it's a bit of a shame of that. But it was a kindfull reminder of the masterpice that we witnessed 10 years ago.

The graphics are great, and the characters are well made and they feel alive. But on the flow of the game there are a few things that do not make sense, like strange loading screens, or something the scene ends where you do not expected.

But I really enjoyed the whole experience, I get the hate, but it's one of the best games of 2024, and I am so glad that I got played it.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure is a mixed bag of emotions. Some of that plays into its strongsuits. Others leave you wondering why small changes weren't considered.

The game takes place a decade after the events of the first Life is Strange game. We're once again in the shoes of Max Caulfield, and once again, we're snooping around. The first game revolved around a mystery hidden in plain sight, hidden by issues of sexism, money, and power. At its core, the disappearance of a girl. I won't spoil Life is Strange 1 here, but it is the best in the series, and should be played before Double Exposure. Can you jump in without playing the first game? Yes. But it's not as fulfilling without experiencing the backstory firsthand.

We get to see just how far Max Caulfield has come. She's more expressive, more assure of herself than ever, and still a snoop. That comes in handy when her friend Safi is murdered. A case that grows stranger the longer Max looks at it, and her proximity to the case draws the unwanted attention of a detective.

More than even the first game, you'll do some more traditional detective work. Interviewing suspects and people close to the case, without letting them know you're on to them. Press too hard and you may lose a source, don't ask enough, and you may not get the full picture. I really like how this game felt more like a detective story than past mysteries in the series.

Max's new power presents some fun puzzles, but is largely underutilized. Even at times when jumping between realities could provide a challenging puzzle, we're practically handed the solution with hints from objectives and Max's inner monologue. This game could have used a difficulty slider, including an option that turns off all non-essential objectives and lets us fail a little more.

And perhaps that brings me to Double Exposure's greatest flaw: the developers just like us too much. It's clear they didn't want any emotional blow to land like a gut punch and instead feel like a glancing blow. Every chance they had to really deliver a strong, gut-wrenching emotional impact, they found a way to soften it. Whether it's panning away during intense moments, time skips, or only seeing people's first reactions through text messages.

The other drawback is an awkward eavesdropping feature. There are many interesting side stories in this game, from a student facing bias, an art student looking to upset the status quo, a student-ran game, and cryptid enthusiasts on the hunt. However, they're mostly told through standing still near a conversation to overhear it, including waiting multiple seconds between beats in the conversation. It's awkward, and would have been better handled with a few more direct interactions. It's clearly a cost-saving measure to keep mocap and development time down, but I feel like it hurt the exploratory angle when we only can talk to the core suspects and friend group of Max.

Overall, the story opens up more than it wraps up, still giving us both satisfying conclusions and a lot to look forward to in this series. The focus on Max's past, her grief and trauma over previous choices, and her attitude with dealing with these problems changing and growing is well-done and satisfying. Max's previous relationships and history aren't given the attention they deserve, for sure, but as a middle sequel, with Max finding her own footing, it works. Music is incredible and immersive, lending itself to each situation. The voice acting and motion capture brings these characters to life like never before. This is the best we've seen Max Caulfield, not only in her life, but in the performance as well. It's a must-play for fans of the series, and the kind of game that raises the bar for the rest of the industry. Games should have feeling, they should have impact, they should feature diverse voices. Life is Strange continues to push the industry towards better games with Double Exposure.

They tried to make a story full of plot twists but they failed miserably. They shocked me at first but the development of the ideas was awful. Good music and facial animations, but even if the game was not attached to the franchise, it would be a mediocre game. It felt silly at times, side conversations not funny, and all the action happens in like 3 places. Not many sets where the story happens. Voice acting is still in a high note though. I liked the new mechanics but after aome time it gets repetitive. After chapter 2 I just wanted to finish the game quickly. All I was asking was a well written story, but no, I didn't find it in this game.

I never post reviews, but I felt compelled to write this one because I really want to offer genuine advice to the developers.

Deck Nine has repeated the same mistakes here that we saw in Life is Strange: True Colors, and the Don't Nod made in Lost Records previously.

What's going wrong with these games?

• The game starts with a strong and promising setup.

• The early plot draws you in and builds excitement.

• Then things begin to stall: long, unnecessary dialogues, repetitive environments, and investigations that slow the pace.

• Player choices feel almost meaningless, the branching paths are barely noticeable.

• While the mid-story twist raises expectations, the narrative loses steam quickly after.

• It becomes predictable, emotionally flat, and repetitive.

• And the endings? Often underwhelming, overly simple, and lacking impact. It leaves you wondering: What was the point of all this?

Some serious advice:

Go back and revisit Life is Strange 1 and Life is Strange 2. Compare those with the newer titles, and you'll see the shift.

• We need "choices that matter". If every decision leads to the same result, it takes the power out of player agency.

• Avoid overloading the game with mini-games and unnecessary interactions, they should be optional extras, not core parts of the story.

• Build "diverse" environments that make us feel like we're exploring, not circling the same rooms. You guys are good at art then why so lazy?

• Keep the focus on a strong, emotionally driven story, we're not detectives, we're here for the characters and the narrative.

• Music, art, and dancing are lovely touches, but they should be the cherry on top of the story, not carry the game.

One frustrated point:

It genuinely feels like the second halves of these games are written by a different team. The narrative loses focus and emotional weight. I strongly recommend bringing in more writers with experience in character-driven storytelling and emotional depth. Endings should leave us either in tears, satisfied, or shocked, not indifferent.

Fan Service:

Please guys fans are the backbone of your game, but you guys do nothing such as fan service, people would love the games if you hear out their opinions and give them what they want even if not a lot, everyone wanted to see Chloe, but you guys didn't even give a glimpse on her. Fan service is important.

On representation:

I believe representation should feel organic and allow for choice. In recent titles, it feels like the relationship options are less about the player's freedom and more about checking boxes. I'd prefer if we were given more neutral ground to decide how our character connects with others, whether romantically or platonically, so everyone feels included and immersed. Forced diversity will not work for most of the people because you cant force people, give them a choice and let them decide.

Final Thought: We're asking for the soul of Life is Strange to return, the raw emotional storytelling, the difficult choices, the relationships that stay with you long after the game ends, the emotional and heart-warming endings. That's what made the original games unforgettable.

This game was absolutely amazing and truly doesn't deserve the hate it's received. Deck Nine did an outstanding job, crafting the story in the best way possible given their creative choices. Many players seem upset that Chloe isn't in the game, but Deck Nine does a fantastic job of exploring Max's emotions about everything that happened. Max is in deep pain and feels stuck in her past, and the way Deck Nine portrays her struggles is beautiful and authentic. It's a genuine and emotional depiction of grief and loss. Don't listen to the negativity-try the game yourself and experience the story's depth and impact. This game has so much to offer if you approach it with an open mind and a willingness to connect with Max's journey.