Life is Strange: Double Exposure Reviews
Life is Strange: Double Exposure certainly pleased me, though. Returning to the series’ original star and following up on a choice that fans have spent a decade debating was always going to be a challenge. Still, by focusing on the genuine emotions such a choice would leave behind, the team at Deck Nine has created a story that hit me like a ton of bricks. This may be the best Life is Strange yet and sits comfortably among the best games of 2024.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure starts off with a strange story, which quickly turns into a perplexing one and ends up being slightly bizarre and worrying. If you wanted to continue Max's story from the original Life is Strange, this should satisfy that desire. The original game is referenced quite heavily throughout, so if you haven't played the original Life is Strange, I recommend you do so before playing Double Exposure to get a full grasp of everything mentioned. If you don't fancy playing the first game, then Double Exposure does explain some of the events that take place so you can get by. You just might not fully appreciate everything mentioned. The gameplay is pretty middling. There's nothing particularly interesting going on here, and Max's powers of going between timelines, while novel, are on the basic side, and you use them for the same thing over and over again. The story more than makes up for this, though, and as the game progresses, it takes over more and more from the gameplay. As for Steam Deck performance, it isn't quite as performant as I'd like. You will have to accept some frame rate drops from 30 FPS to make the game look "OK," but I played the entire game through on my Steam Deck, so while I would recommend you use a more powerful device to play this if you have one available, don't hold off on buying Life is Strange: Double Exposure if all you have to it play on is a Steam Deck.
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Review in German | Read full review
Life is Strange: Double Exposure isn’t as nearly as charming as Max Caulfield’s first adventure, nor is it as well-written as Deck Nine’s prior game, True Colors. Instead, it’s in an awkward middle ground of being a charming yet ultimately disappointing experience.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure offers not only a wonderful opportunity to follow Max's story as an adult but also hints at a broader expansion of the universe. However, it’s uncertain if this will align with what fans have been hoping for. Like a double-exposed photograph, excitement and apprehension intertwine.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Life is Strange: Double Exposure will certainly not be able to please either camp of Chloe Ultras, but it simply finds the best and most adult middle ground, supported by another great soundtrack. The new characters are believable, superbly voiced and graphically realized and the story also knows where to set exciting cliffhangers. Perhaps a little too easy to escape fate at the end, but the many positive aspects outweigh the negative ones all the time.
Review in German | Read full review
Life Is Strange: Double Exposure is an episodic adventure developed by Deck Nine Games and published by Square Enix — it’s also one of my favourite games I’ve played this year... As someone who graduated high school the same year as the original game’s release, returning to Max’s world felt like reconnecting with an old friend.
I cannot be completely objective, Life is Strange: Double Exposure for me is a masterpiece, graphically, in its story, in the things that it stirs you inside. It's not a game for everyone, but for those it's aimed at, it's simply perfect.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Life is Strange: Double Exposure has some strong points and features thought-provoking storytelling the series is known for, but it ultimately feels like a roll of film needing some development.
A staggering achievement of narrative, artistic, and emotional weight, Life: Is Strange: Double Exposure is an art piece that rivals the best in its genre for poignancy and style.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure is an incredibly beautiful game with interesting time mechanics and strong narrative hooks that eventually lead to a dissatisfying ending.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure revives Max Caulfield’s story, but the introduction of a convoluted dual-timeline mechanic and an uninspiring cast make it a less memorable entry in the series. While Max’s iconic wit shines through environmental interactions, technical bugs and disjointed pacing detract from the experience. Despite some nostalgic moments, this return to Life is Strange’s world struggles to capture the charm that made the original special.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure continues the success of the original with enhancements, featuring Max as a compelling lead investigating her friend’s murder; her evolved powers add depth as she navigates saving Safi in one timeline and preventing future murders in another, making for a captivating experience despite minor pacing and variation issues.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Life is Strange: Double Exposure is a journey I'm thrilled I got to go on... Great characters, a wonderfully crafted world, and a twisting narrative all help elevate the game over what holds it back.
Life Is Strange Double Exposure is definitely more adventuring & choice-making for existing fans of the franchise, especially those who loved the first game and missed spending more time with Max Caulfield. That being said, this is probably one of the better games in the franchise despite the bugs & weak climax.
This is a preliminary judgment about the game, since only the first two chapters were played. In Life, Strange is: Double Exposure returns Max Caulfield as a twenties studying at the University of Caledon. She leads a quiet life without using her time -manipulating forces, until her girlfriend Safi is murdered by an unknown shooter. This triggers a new power with which Max can switch between two realities: one in which Safi is dead and one in which she is still alive. Max uses this power to investigate the murder and prevent more victims from falling, while balancing between emotional dilemmas in both realities. The first two chapters are very strong and contain strong visual elements and expressive characters. The gameplay builds on well -known elements from the series, but the slow structure can discourage some players. However, the price for early access is not entirely worth it. Waiting for the official release date for the entire game seems better to be in place.
Review in Dutch | Read full review