Life Is Strange 2 - Episode 2: Rules Reviews
Life is Strange 2: Episode 2 is easily one of the best episodes in the franchise, a beautiful continuation of the story and an improvement on the first episode in almost every way.
Rules is not a bad game but instead lies in the shadow of a cracker opening episode in Roads that it struggles to live up to. I think the importance of Rules will rear its head in later episodes as decisions begin to compound further and players are made to face the consequences of their choices in unexpected ways.
Second Installment Syndrome further infects the Second Episode of this Second Installment of Life is Strange.
While Life Is Strange: Episode 2 has a lot of much-needed character-building, it suffers from some significant pacing issues and occasional technical trouble. It’s by no means a major failure, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes next, but after the four months we’ve anticipated seeing the brotherly companions return, it’s not quite worth the wait.
Despite a lack of clear narrative direction, LiS 2 Episode 2 nonetheless brings back the quality storytelling of Season 1, complete with new faces, tough decisions, and gut wrenching consequences that will impact the rest of the season.
The second episode seems to be dissuaded from the intense political connotation, the despair and the stupefying events of the former, letting the protagonists feel again like children for a little while.
Review in Greek | Read full review
Besides some boring fetch quests, Rules continues to head in a good direction. Thanks to a strong cast of characters, and the bond between Sean and Daniel, players can rest assured that Rules will take care of their Life Is Strange needs. There are those memorable moments that will linger in the mind of fans upon the credits rolling, keeping them anticipating what’s to come next.
Nonetheless, “Rules” can be called a mostly successful entry in the Life is Strange catalog. The plot uses the newly introduced characters very well, each of them fulfilling an important role in Sean and Daniel’s adventure. No moment feels wasted, with every action leading to major changes in the story. Above all, after I finished the episode, I knew I immediately wanted more from Dontnod. It’s just a shame that it could take another four months.
Rules might be one of the saddest and most profound episodes I’ve ever played in an episodic video game, and that’s a testament to the job Dontnod has been doing with Life is Strange 2.
Episode 2 doesn’t compare to the excitement I felt with Episode 1—mainly due to its lull in action (and suspicious amount of calmness) and feeling like I had little control over certain events as a player.
In its second episode, we delve deeper into the Díaz brothers backstory. We see more details regarding Daniel powers and finally makes the connection with The Adventures of Captain Spirit, the game doesn't need to improve its mechanics but keeps the story compelling and making us want more.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The second episode of Life is Strange 2 delivers on the return of Chris, a beautiful soundtrack and some great art. It's a shame the facial expressions suffer due to the art style though. It's a great nostalgic trip nonetheless.
Review in Dutch | Read full review