Life is Strange: Double Exposure Reviews
I'm a huge fan of the series, but unfortunately Life is Strange: Double Exposure didn't quite hit the spot for me. On the one hand, too little has happened for me in terms of gameplay. Secondly, Max's powers and their development seem too forced and exaggerated. The parallel timelines are a good approach, but the repetitive patterns quickly lead to impatience and confusion. On the other hand, the sequel convinces me again with many of the things I love about Life is Strange: a great soundtrack, intense atmosphere, beautiful locations and a certain melancholy. Because of this Life is Strange feeling, I can overlook the weaknesses, even though I think there have been stronger sequels in recent times.
Review in German | Read full review
In a way, Life is Strange: Double Exposure felt like returning home. While it doesn’t quite overshadow the original, it delivers more of what made the series so special in the first place while having its own identity.
“Life is Strange: Double Exposure” kept me glued to the screen until the very end. Unfortunately, some small bugs, together some immersion-breaking moments, kept tearing me out of the experience. Still, fans of the series can pick it up without hesitation. But newcomers will also be sufficiently taken in by the new murder mystery.
Review in German | Read full review
Life is Strange: Double Exposure might not have the same emotional impact as the original title, but it's still a worthwhile journey you shouldn't pass up on.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure is the return of an excellent protagonist to a franchise still capable of stirring up great emotions. Although the story addresses important themes through a development that may seem confusing and controversial at times, the end result points to something bigger for the future of the series.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Life is Strange: Double Exposure fails to achieve the emotional impact that the series delivered, especially in the first title. With a narrative that paves the way for future games more than it closes narrative arcs, the title feels incomplete.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Another solid entry in the series, Life is Strange: Double Exposure brings back a fan-favorite for a time-bending adventure that mostly delivers on the human side of things, too. It’s a welcome addition and a great excuse to play as Max again.
After more than 8 hours and the 5 chapters behind me, with a relatively satisfying and interesting ending, it is clear that the story is well put together. It becomes a bit more 'mystical' and 'woolly' from chapter 4 and then you also fly to the end, but in the end I could look back on my experience with reasonable satisfaction. It is a pity that the locations are so much of the same and that the conversations sometimes have to be digested very slowly. The main character, Max, also comes across as a bit boring and too sweet and could have had a bit more experience. Her soft voice is therefore not convincing enough. The extra clothing that you can apply to your character also feels very unnecessary, just like the social media and messages that you can follow on your mobile. Life is Strange: Double Exposure is however a fine game if you like an entertaining story and do not have too high expectations in terms of gameplay.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
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.