Life is Strange: Double Exposure [PC] | REVIEW

I absolutely adore the Life is Strange series, with the emotional impact of the first game still sticking with me years after first playing it. It’s what made Life is Strange: Double Exposure so alluring to me, with original protagonist Max Caulfield returning to the fray as players see how the events that occurred in Arcadia Bay have impacted her life.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Life is Strange: Double Exposure marks a warm return for Max Caulfield, the protagonist from the original game who holds a special place in the hearts of many Life is Strange fans. There are two big differences this time around though: one, she no longer has her time-rewinding powers, and two, she no longer has Chloe by her side. I’m sure Chloe’s absence will stand out as a sticking point for players (especially if they got a specific ending in the original game), but it’s handled in a manner that respects the overall narrative – and hey, her influence over Max still lingers, even if she isn’t on the scene anymore.

Max is a little older and a little more mature this time around, with her life at Caledon University seeing her make new friends and have a fresh start despite the lingering memories of everything that happened before. Things soon go awry though when she finds her friend Safi dead, seemingly murdered by someone on campus. She tries to use her time-rewinding powers to bring her back, but instead opens up a parallel timeline where Safi is still alive but a threat to her wellbeing still lingers. Utilising both of these timelines, Max has to uncover clues to find out who murdered Safi and why, all whilst ensuring she stays out of harm’s way in this classic ‘whodunnit’ mystery.

The storytelling has always stood out as one of the series’ greatest strengths, and that’s certainly the case in Life is Strange: Double Exposure. Not only does it give players a suspenseful mystery to unravel in Safi’s death, but it also brings plenty of emotional depth with Max’s memories of Arcadia Bay, the relationships she has established with her new friends, and the complicated use of her powers. It’s all complemented by some engaging writing that brings each character to life – and especially Max, who’s still as awkwardly endearing as you remember.

“Life is Strange: Double Exposure is a wonderful return to Max Caulfield’s story, balancing suspense, nostalgia, and emotional depth with some clever dual-timeline puzzling.”

The only downside is that some elements of the storytelling can feel a little bit too farfetched. I know, I know, a game about having the power to alter time or exist in a different timeline is never going to be TOO realistic, but there was still something very grounded about previous titles in the series. Life is Strange: Double Exposure just takes a things a little bit too far at times, whether that’s with some of the secrets of Caledon University or the tonal shift in interactions with certain characters. And the dual-timelines? It can be a little bit confusing to try and track everything that’s going on, but that might have been more of a ‘me’ problem than a game one.

The dual-timeline mechanic is central to Life is Strange: Double Exposure’s puzzling, with players having to to switch between both realities in order to uncover clues to piece together the story. To progress, Max often needs to interact with characters or objects in one timeline in order to impact the other, whether that means finding hidden items in one timeline and bringing them into the other or simply learning new information from one of the characters she encounters. She also has a special ‘pulse’ ability that allows her to preview events in the alternate timeline without fully switching, allowing for eavesdropping on conversations or observing actions in a more streamlined manner.

In true Life is Strange fashion, some of the clues and evidence Max collects across both timelines can eventually hold a deeper implication later on, with small details or conversations often making a significant impact. It really helps enrich the storytelling of the game, whilst it makes for plenty of cool scenarios that’ll genuinely make the player feel really clever when they find a piece of evidence that helps push the story forward. Admittedly, it’s never a particularly challenging experience and is mostly logical, but the dual-timelines are certainly creative and help give Life is Strange: Double Exposure its own unique feel that plays into Max’s powers in a clever and refreshing manner.

Check out some screenshots down below:

When it comes to the visuals, Life is Strange: Double Exposure looks gorgeous. I’m a sucker for a snowy environment, so I found Lakeport to be wonderful to explore, whilst the locales found within are packed with little details that make them feel believable and lived in. I think it’s one of my favourite locations across the series and definitely complements the emotional story that’s being told. The characters and animations look great too, with the game doing a good job of capturing the emotional facial gestures of characters to help strengthen the storytelling. It’s a small detail, but it makes conversations more believable and the story more immersive. I did encounter a few visual glitches here and there, but they’re few and far between and don’t detract from what is otherwise a very, VERY pretty game.

The Life is Strange series ALWAYS nails it with its soundtrack, and this is no different. Once again, the game has a wonderful selection of tracks that fit the tone of the game perfectly, with each capturing the emotional impact of each scene to add to the cinematic nature of the experience. Maybe I’m just a sucker for these emotional easy-going indie tracks, but I’ve (once again) found myself listening to a Spotify playlist of the game’s soundtrack constantly from the moment that I started playing.

Developer: Deck Nine Games
Publisher: Square Enix
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1874000/Life_is_Strange_Double_Exposure/