Critique Life is Strange: Double Exposure Review

Life is Strange: Double Exposure faces significant challenges in honoring its predecessor. The handling of Chloe's storyline is particularly disappointing; her character is given an off-screen farewell in a way that feels lazy and dismissive of her importance. The developers’ attempt to “honor both endings” seems to boil down to the notion that "Chloe is alive, so that's good enough," which ultimately leaves a bad taste. While the initial premise is intriguing, the narrative quickly draws unflattering parallels to the first game, giving it the feel of a cheap reboot. The ending of Chapter 5 is especially disappointing, offering a non-committal promise of superpowered adventures that diverge from the series' core themes of personal growth and consequence. The game shifts focus from strong character dynamics to an overemphasis on superpowers, which previously served more as narrative tools rather than the focus of narrative itself. This change raises questions about the decisions made in the first game: could players have always chosen to walk into the storm to save both Chloe and Arcadia Bay? This shift creates inconsistencies, particularly regarding Max's character arc, as she seems coaxed back into a world of powers and regrets without much hesitation, undermining her previous growth. Decision-making in Double Exposure feels largely linear and lacks the impactful choices that defined the original series. This linearity seems to serve the game’s attempt to set up a sequel rather than provide a meaningful experience. The romantic interests are also disappointing, with Vinh coming across as a sleazeball and Max behaving poorly in her interactions with Amanda. It’s hard to reconcile this version of Max with the character who had strong beliefs against such behaviors in the first game. The writing seems to resort to immature humor, making me wonder if the narrative team at D9 consider making jokes and sexual advances in poor-taste to be the essence of adulthood. Technical issues further detract from the experience, with poor optimization and the inclusion of Denuvo likely affecting performance on PC. While the graphics have been updated, they lose the unique and iconic style established by DONTNOD, further distancing the game from its roots. On a positive note, the soundtrack features an excellent selection of artists, and Max retains her goofy and quirky personality, which I appreciated. The animations and motion capture are also very impressive, and the voice actors deliver solid performances. In conclusion, Life is Strange: Double Exposure fails to capture the essence of what made the series beloved, opting for a superpower-first direction that feels disconnected from Max's original story. Given these shortcomings, I cannot recommend this game—ultimately, both Max and her fans deserve better.