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Life Is Strange: Double Exposure | REVIEW | PS5

Updated: 5 days ago

''GETTING DOUBLE VISION''

 

Developed: Deck Nine

Published: Square-Enix

Genre: Drama/Mystery

Release Date: October 29th, 2024

Platforms: PS5/Xbox Family/Windows/STEAM

*Review copy provided to me by Square-Enix


Life Is Strange Double Exposure is the latest entry into this mystery drama franchise and it is developed by Deck Nine and published by Square-Enix. With the end of Max's journey coming to an end several years ago, Square-Enix now decided to give us a treat by bringing her back into the limelight and continuing her adventures, with her now as an adult. But was it wise to continue her adventures to see just where her powers will take her? or should she have stayed known to be in a cult classic game like the original was? Only one way to find out, so lets get strange!


 


''ITS NOT A DOUBLE RAINBOW, BUT IT WILL DO''

 

GAMEPLAY:


I recently got early access to Double Exposure thanks to Square-Enix, so I've been playing this game for several weeks now and even got an awesome Influencers Kit set as well with tons of cool items related to Max and her photography taking, so big thank you to Square-Enix for that. But on top of that, I've also been able to spend quite a bit of time with the game and gathering my thoughts on this title and just what it can offer players as we step back into the shoes as Max Caulfield once again for the first true time since 2015's release of Life Is Strange. Back in 2015, we were greeted to this very indie style game that was very character focused with a ton of mystery and drama with a touch of sci-fi element embedded into it. It felt very Telltale like in the sense that your actions and decisions effect the story and people around you directly, which can turn a normal situation into a gravely dangerous one that is felt for the rest of the game. It was very emotionally driven and only elevated further by our main characters Max and Chloe, alongside the abundance of side characters who add to the story. Simply put, for me, it made a huge impression and I've loved the series ever since, especially Max and Chloe. Flash forward now to 2024 and now our resident photographer returns to us again, in a brand new city, brand new job and 10 years older as she now holds a position as a teacher at a university. In relation to the first game, what I was looking for or rather hoping for with Double Exposure was returning to the feeling I had playing the original, such as gripping me in the narrative and mystery taking place and making me connect with the characters and their plights. Lots of games in similar genres try this like Until Dawn giving you a decision, but ultimately just ending the same way no matter what you choose, which gives you the ILLUSION that you have a choice. You know what? I didnt like those two characters at the start of Until Dawn anyways, so maybe the game already knew I wanted them to fall off a cliff anyways? touche game, touche. Being a jerk in games is my life, I cant help it. With the original Life Is Strange being a ''coming of age'' tale since Max was still a teenager, here in Double Exposure, you still get that same sense of feeling, but now with her being older and more mature with a title that aims to balance both nostalgia you had for the original tile and characters into an even more narrative driven game that taps into the originals charm quite a bit. Plus it gets a big plus letting me wear my Mog hat and sweater when its cold outside, so definitely a big win for cuteness. Only thing missing is letting me wear a Chocobo hat and running around campus warking at people. HEY YOU, KID, GUESS WHAT? WAAAAARK!.

My scaring people on campus antics aside, being able to follow Max, who is now into her twenties, we find out, she really hasnt changed all THAT much, with still being very awkward and goofy, but this time facing challenges that come with being an adult, while trying to deal with the grief still from Chloe's death from one of the branches to choose from in the original Life Is Strange. While It hurts for devs to put us into ''Chloe is dead'' timeline, it does however add a certain nuance to Max's character that makes me very relatable and adds a little bit more depth to her character than there would be if her life was just just some happy go lucky life since we last left here, but now here in Double Exposure due to her trying to push forward in her life and leave her old hometown behind, it gives you a more personalized perspective of the journey she is on, which I honestly prefer. Why cant more games take this approach instead of changing every dang character for the sake of ''shock value'' and then playing a round of golf. FOUR!. Uh... if you know then you know, I'll leave at that. Tough and decisive decision making are the staple of Life Is Strange and one that creates big incentives on its replayability and once again that holds up here in Double Exposure with conversations with characters and people you interact with feel like real conversations with a character with a properly written narrative rather than just an N.P.C. that responds to predetermined questions the system wants you to pick. Its not just picking a correct response and it having no bearing on whats taking place or doing something for the sake of doing it like myself still running around and traumatizing college campuses. My point being with interactions like trying to flirt with the bartender Amanda by finding out what she likes by searching the bar and talking to people to get hints at what shes into to get a perspective on what choices to make, or you can just go into a conversations with her with no info and make a fool of yourself and change the trajectory if that relationship right away due to your choices. This same thing goes for all of other Max's friends and their relationships, which can either strengthen your friendships by going with them on a trip to a run down building for some high quality picture taking, making split section decisions by splitting timelines and helping a friend stay out of jail, befriend another teacher and mentor, only to say the wrong thing to another student and completely ruin your relationship with them and damage future choices made with them which ultimately leads to their firing from the university. Its pretty crazy and leads to very interesting developments. Unlike mine and my further antics on this large and open campus.

Each chapter in this game feels condensed, with each specific chapter taking anywhere from 2 to 3 hours to complete due to the game not performing the cardinal sin and the bane of my existence by using filler to pad the game. THANK YOU. I have to say its about damn time. So many games do this to me and it triggers me just as much as as the Al-Bhed trigger Wakka in Final Fantasy 10. Much like the original Life Is Strange, Double Exposure uses his plot points via conversations with people to move the plot forward, alongside a messaging system that lets you check text messages and messaging boards to see what others are saying about you, themselves or to YOU and its up to you whether to respond or not to influence that decision as well, which can lead you to circumstances that show that the new variety of characters in this game, brand new ones not seen in the previous entries, are just as fleshed out as ever, with each having their own bad histories or flaws and allows you to appreciate a story that deals with personal loss, anxiety, grief and even makes you appreciate just being around your friends due to the slice of life that game always throws at your feet. It can be cheesy at times with its humor or style, sure, but I like cheese, so bring on my constipation, there's nothing some good ol Exlax wont fix. While the story for myself constantly stays captivating with the great line delivery and small details for facial expressions by characters feeling uneasy, worried, showing disapproval while remaining silent and plot twists that literally made me say ''holy shit'' when something happened - the highlight still remained Max's brand new powers that allows her to travel between two parallel realities, one that has her and all her friends happy and well and a darker reality where everything changed by the murder of her best friend. The REAL reality is the one where her friend was found murdered, much like her previous best friend Chloe who had died in Life Is Strange and once again history repeats itself to the point where after 10 years, she feels she has to use her powers again, but when doing so, realizes they have definitely changed from time stopping or going back in time and instead allows her to jump between a what is and what could be. By being able to hear conversations from both realities, you as the player must hop in between both parallel universes to find evidence, talk to people that might be dead in your world but alive in another, solve puzzles like putting together a machine for your friend in an opposite reality where it hasnt happened yet, but have it appear in another one at the same time, much to the confusion to others around you. Dual reality as a mechanic makes the detective style of evidence gathering feel more intimate and personal as you can find a door thats locked, but switching realities to another time period you can get in via unlocked doors or distracted staff, figure out what you need a pass code in one reality to find out if someone specific is a murderer and then interrogate them in another after getting their code to use for their phone. Its a very unique way to tackle a ''who done it'' drama, but it nails it completely. Speaking of nailing, these dang college kids won't be my friend, so fine, ill take your picture and... SAY CHEESE.. AND DIE. WELCOME TO GOOSEBUMPS LORE YOU DUMB KIDS.

 

''FINDING A REALITY WITH CHEAPER PIZZA''

 

OVERALL:


At the end of the day, Double Exposure completely met my expectation and then some. To be fair, I was never clamoring for a sequel to Max's story, no matter how the original game went. I feel a lot of things should start sticking to one condensed story that can stand the test of time rather than peter out with un-needed sequels. However with Double Exposure, it ended up being the sequel I never knew I wanted and it ended up being a positive for it. Sure not all his perfect with some characters, while having great animations, making it pretty obvious they are up to no good by the way they overact to situations that might not call for it or some story beats being able to be telegraphed a little bit because of some narrative cliches that is seen in nearly all of mainstream entertainment. However with an overall great story narrative that has you engage and care for the characters as story progresses, makes you guess at every turn at finding out the truth of the killer and the twists that take place that make you question if youve taken the right path, super fun dual reality mechanic that lets you see two different dimensions at once to see how things could potential playout should you do something way differently and a return to form for our gal Max, who's just as great now in adulthood as she was in the original title when she was a teenager. Double Exposure proves that when done right, you can still bring back beloved characters and portray them right, without having to tear them down to make them ''new again''. I'm looking at you Disney. Ya jerks. So with all that having been said, my verdict is clear, GameNChick says BUY NOW



 

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