Life is Strange: Double Exposure Reviews
In Life is Strange: Double Exposure, Max Caulfield returns as good as ever. The storyline follows on seamlessly from what we experienced in Arcadia Bay and will delight newcomers and fans of its predecessor in equal measure. In around ten hours, you have the opportunity to explore the university campus, have many conversations and take a moment or two to relax. You can once again listen to the wonderful soundtrack and follow the journey of protagonist Max's thoughts. Only the lightness of the puzzles and the one or other display error slightly spoil the fun of the game. However, this is easily compensated for by the otherwise spot-on production and plot twists.
Review in German | Read full review
Some plot points end with interesting sequel hooks that are still intriguing, and I am curious where the story intends to go, even if many of the story elements were not paid off in Double Exposure. Hardcore Life Is Strange fans likely won’t find Double Exposure to be as strong as they hoped, but there is promise here, even in its messy interior.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure brings back Max Caulfield with new time-manipulation powers, but struggles to capture the original’s emotional weight. While the dual-timeline mechanic is engaging, the story’s weak twists, forgettable characters, and technical issues hold it back. A nostalgic revisit, but not a standout entry in the series.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure is true to the standards of its predecessors, with a highly engaging story and well-written characters, but also a beautiful world.
Review in Greek | Read full review
While Max Caufield’s return to the series has been long awaited, it seems like Life is Strange: Double Exposure might be a bit too ambitious for its frame. With new powers and another dead girl to save, she’s back but with two timelines to balance as she snoops around. It does feel like the episodic structure could be given more time to breathe so as to fully realise what the game seeks to achieve. Players will enjoy returning to the series but may find this entry to be a bit too ambitious at the cost of fully developing the characters and narrative.
Failing to capture the original's essence or offer meaningful choices, this attempt to emulate Life is Strange wastes its potential. Fans and story-game enthusiasts should look elsewhere.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Life is Strange: Double Exposure is the sequel that fans have longed for, and it's worth the almost-10 year wait. Max is still a great protagonist, and watching her try to figure out Safi's murder provides some intense moments. The new powers provided excellent gameplay and choices, even if some puzzles were too easy. While the art was stunning, the issues with the sound were a little distracting. Not helping were some instances of lousy lip-syncing and low audio levels. That said, these are minor bumps along the way. If any player wants to see Max again, they'll be happy with Life is Strange: Double Exposure.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure may not be the continuation of Max’s story we imagined after finishing the first title in the series, but it is certainly a return as unexpected as it is welcome. Deck Nine and Square Enix have managed to bring to life a story with darker, more mature tones.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Reconciling with the past while reaching those same highs, Life is Strange: Double Exposure achieves telling an irresistible page-turner of a mystery that does not let up. Structuring a big reveal at the end of each chapter is not an easy task, yet it is done here masterfully. This thrilling whodunit is wrapped in thoughtful conversations, silly puns, and one of the best gaming soundtracks in recent years, making it a delight to play from beginning to end.
Despite its incredibly beautiful characters, the unique puzzles, and weaving the tale of a truly engaging murder mystery, Double Exposure severely misses the landing and falls completely flat in its final act.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
On one side, we visit a campus that is in a pessimistic mood due to the murder, while on the other side, a colorful campus and energetic people preparing for New Year's events await us.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Life is Strange: Double Exposure brings back Max Caulfield as an adult who faces both personal and supernatural challenges. Although her new powers hold promise, the gameplay tends to feel overly linear, and the pacing is inconsistent. Overall, Double Exposure is an engaging yet flawed continuation of Max’s journey, but it falls short of the series' best moments.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure, took us back to the origins of the Life is Strange franchise. Our iconic protagonist, Max, returns more mature, even as she continues to have overtones of what happened in Arcadia Bay, but definitely more aware of herself and what she needs to do. Her powers have evolved and allow her to live with them and examine the ripple effects that ensue while the new cast of characters, along with the outstanding soundtrack, support a narrative plot rather well, certainly not perfect but one that manages to convince by dealing with important themes even if less impactful than the original. In our opinion, Double Exposure is a compelling adventure that represents something of a potential turning point for further expansion of the LIS universe, and we look forward to its continuation.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Life is Strange: Double Exposure is a good story, full of interesting characters and nostalgic callbacks to the game that started the franchise. While this continuation of Max Caulfield’s story doesn’t hit quite the same way as the original, it’s still worth experiencing and should satisfy fans.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure is a wonderful return to Max Caulfield’s story, balancing suspense, nostalgia, and emotional depth with some clever dual-timeline puzzling. The game explores Max’s new chapter in life whilst still honouring her emotional turmoil in the past, giving players a gripping mystery to solve that’ll have them fully invested right until the very end. It’s all complemented by the creative dual-timeline elements of the game, which make for some genuinely clever scenarios that’ll have players feeling like they’re doing some real detective work. I’d be lying if I said certain story elements didn’t feel a bit too exaggerated for my liking, but with the game’s engaging storytelling, creative puzzling, and wonderfully crafted world, it’s easy to find yourself wholly invested in this brilliant new chapter in the Life is Strange universe.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure is the sequel that nobody expected or really wanted, and yet it is exactly what the fans of the franchise deserved.
This installment impresses with a compelling narrative and engaging characters, though some awkward dialogue detracts from the experience. It's a worthy continuation for both fans and newcomers.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure brings Max back with a mystery full of twists and new superpowers that add a new layer to investigation but lacks the emotional punch the franchise is known for.
Life Is Strange: Double Exposure incorporates many elements that made the original Life Is Strange a modern classic. On paper, it promises a winning formula with the return of Max Caulfield, an interconnected universe, and engaging cliffhangers. However, the execution falls short of elevating the overall experience. Like Life Is Strange: True Colors, I had high hopes for this game. The setup is excellent, featuring likable characters, an intriguing premise, and a fantastic soundtrack. The journey is quite enjoyable up to the midpoint, but it seems Deck Nine struggles to deliver a satisfying conclusion for Double Exposure, unlike True Colors.
‘Life is Strange: Double Exposure’ is a direct sequel to the first game that continues Max’s personal growth while providing a solid cast of new characters. However, the pacing feels rushed towards the latter half of the game and gameplay mechanics aren’t as interesting as previous entries.