Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Captivating Characters
Solid Foundation
Occasionally Poor Pacing
The first episode of Life is Strange 2 sets up the season for success, with two brother as protagonists that hook players early. However, not all narrative statements land; the politics can feel forced, and the the pacing can feel off.
Life is Strange 2 Launch Trailer [ESRB]
Meet Daniel ¦ Life is Strange 2
Meet Sean ¦ Life is Strange 2
The first episode of Dontnod's Life is Strange 2 promises a bigger, more complex story than told by its predecessor, charting a cross-country road trip across Donald Trump's America. Though its social criticisms feel broad and rather clumsy so far, its core story of brotherhood and fraternity between two believable characters is already enormously touching. Like the original, Life is Strange 2 Episode 1 makes time for small details and quiet moments, and when it does it's capable of a beauty we rarely see in video games.
A well-written story that doesn't quite gel together properly and a lack of actual things to do make this a sub-par start to this potentially great sequel.
The relationship between the two brothers feels genuine and meaningful, and their uncertain circumstances make for a gripping story
Life Is Strange 2 kicks off with a diverse cast of strongly-defined characters, a narrative shaped by real-world sociopolitical issues, and the love between two brothers at the root of it all.
Episode 1: Roads is a shining example of a developer that has built on the success of the first title and only continued to improve with the experience it has under its belt in episodic gaming.
I found there was plenty of emotion, story, and action to keep me interested in what happens next. I'm not a fan of the episodic nature of the game, as I would rather play it all at once. But I look forward to the rest of it.
It's not going to be known quite yet if Life is Strange is essential, but early signs are that this sequel is going to be as good as season one was.
While this is just one small moment in the whole of the first episode, to me it demonstrated just how far that Dontnod has come in delivering a story that truly speaks to the emotional and human drama that Life is Strange explores at its best.
