Platform(s): PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Genre: Narrative Adventure, Visual Novel, Episodic

The Life Is Strange franchise is almost a decade old as of 2024, but even with several sequels and spinoffs ever since then, none of them have managed to capture the same magic and attention as the original 2015 game did. Life Is Strange Double Exposure seeks to remedy that, as it’s a direct sequel to the first game in the series with the return of protagonist Max Caulfield.

Stranger Than Fiction

Life Is Strange Double Exposure feels more mature than the first few games in the franchise. Those games featured young protagonists who were teenagers still in school. Life Is Strange Double Exposure is a breath of fresh air because the game features an adult Max Caulfield in a college/university environment with other adults around her. Also, it’s nice to return to Max as a protagonist. The reason why the previous two games (Life Is Strange 2 and Life Is Strange True Colors) didn’t really catch on is probably because fans didn’t care about the protagonists in those games, and they never really re-captured the unique charm of the first game. Plus, we’re already invested in Max’s story and many want to know what happened following that divisive ending at the end of 2015’s Life Is Strange.

Speaking of the ending of 2015’s Life Is Strange, Life Is Strange Double Exposure treats both endings as canon, so you can choose either one of the endings at the beginning of Life Is Strange Double Exposure. The premise and setting of Life Is Strange Double Exposure is definitely more interesting than Life Is Strange 2, but just like the first game, a death occurs and Max has to use her powers to solve the case, so the whole thing is a whodunnit of sorts. There are a variety of new characters in this one, which are more diverse and memorable than the ones from the first (I honestly don’t remember anyone besides Max and Chloe, probably because they were just a bunch of generic school kids). They also have more complex adult problems that will likely resonate with older players, which is apt considering that most who played the original will have already grown up by now.

Instead of just time travel, the franchise officially ventures into the multiversal trend right now with Life Is Strange Double Exposure. It seems like every piece of media now wants to do their own take on the “multiverse” concept. The core gameplay mechanic this time around is to switch between two timelines. This can get a bit confusing, especially if you’re not paying attention at all times. But if you’re a sucker for detail or meticulousness, you’ll probably like exploring the subtle differences between the two timelines.

The mechanic is actually simpler in execution than I expected. It’s basically just switching between the two timelines whenever the story calls for it and solving puzzles, but none of the puzzles are difficult to solve in any way because the game just tells you what to do. Most of them simply require you to find an item, object or piece of information in the other timeline and bring it into another timeline.

It’s all pretty straightforward compared to what the multiverse concept may imply at first. The switching between timelines mechanic can sometimes be an annoying chore because you have to switch timelines to do something as simple as what essentially feels like fetch quests in execution. There’s not much depth to the gameplay mechanics because they’re all really just there to service the story, plot and narrative, just like in previous Life Is Strange games.

It took me around 12 hours or so to finish all five chapters in the game. The final chapter is a bit anti-climactic and seems to tease future sequels. I waited until the very end of the credits and the developers even added a Marvel Cinematic Universe-inspired ‘MAX CAULFIELD WILL RETURN’ message sprawled on the screen. This makes Life Is Strange Double Exposure less like a complete package of a sequel, which is probably why the developers didn’t just name the game ‘Life Is Strange 3’.

This makes playing Life Is Strange Double Exposure somewhat of an unsatisfying experience as a whole. There is a resolution to the main narrative but it’s clear that the ending is pure sequel bait and will leave many players feeling divisive about it. There were some bugs and glitches while I was playing Life Is Strange Double Exposure, including some scenes not featuring audio or any sound whatsoever. There were also instances of characters suddenly T-posing or freezing but these rarely happened.

American Pie

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. It certainly is better than the bland Life Is Strange 2, I can tell you that.

PROS

• Probably the best Life Is Strange since the first, but that’s not a high bar in the first place.
• Feels nice to continue the story and journey of Max Caulfield instead of some new protagonist we don’t care about.
• The multiverse concept seems complex at first, but it is actually simple in terms of gameplay mechanics to serve the story and narrative.

CONS

• Bugs and glitches aplenty.
• Unsatisfying sequel-bait ending.

FINAL SCORE: 70/100

Review copy provided by Square Enix. Life Is Strange Double Exposure is slated to release for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on 29 October 2024.