It has been almost a decade since the first Life is Strange title hit platforms worldwide, and in that time, several follow-up games have been released to flesh out the universe. However, for many, the first game is by far the best and most memorable, and much of that can be attributed to the stellar story laid out by the lead characters: Max Caulfield and Chloe Price.
On October 29, Deck Nine and Square Enix released Life is Strange: Double Exposure, bringing back the Max Caulfield character for the first time since 2015 (except for a brief reappearance in 2018). This all-new game represents a fresh dynamic for the character and the series, and it delivers in every way imaginable.
Beautifully Mysterious
Life is Strange: Double Exposure is a touch of fan service mixed with an honest attempt to expand a universe that has unravelled over a decade. There’s no doubt that bringing Max Caulfield back was a shrewd move by the developer, as this is the character that kickstarted the entire franchise in 2015.
As a die-hard fan of the Life is Strange series, I sat down with my copy of Double Exposure (on PlayStation 5) and dove in expecting nothing but good things. The series as a whole has ebbed and flowed, but in my opinion, there has never been a bad Life is Strange game.
Fortunately, my expectations were met and exceeded in Double Exposure.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure has been built in Unreal Engine 5, which promotes a sumptuous visual palette that players will be pleased to explore. The original game featured a rather simple aesthetic and little in the way of animations, but Double Exposure is fully motion-captured and everything from the in-game interactions to the facial animations are nothing short of flawless.
Now more than ever, the characters’ emotions are being pulled to the surface.
Of course, where a Life is Strange game shines is in the story, and Double Exposure has twists, turns, and opportunities to explore off the beaten path in droves. It took three years to assemble this game, and it shows – there’s plenty of meat on the bones here and full completion of the five-chapter title will take around ten hours.
And with Life is Strange being Life is Strange, you’re encouraged to go back around and try approaching the game from a different angle, making new choices that open up fresh paths through the title.
This Action Will Have Consequences
Deck Nine has established something special with Double Exposure, and we now know it’s not the end for Max Caulfield. This isn’t a spoiler as it was announced by Square Enix, but the character will return in future games, which is nothing but a win for all involved.
As I played through Life is Strange: Double Exposure, I found it extremely difficult to be critical of the game. If I have any concerns, they’re mostly centred around the game’s audio. I felt at times that the audio balancing was a little strange, and in one scene, voices could be deafening, while in the next, they’d be whisper-quiet.
At one point, I had a bug that made one character’s voice muffled as though they were standing three rooms over and talking to me through the walls.
It’s not enough to take away from the wonderful set pieces, unique story elements, and phenomenal acting, though. I believe that Double Exposure features the best acting work in the series, and the whole ‘between two worlds’ mechanic is brilliantly done, encouraging players to constantly poke and prod to capture all the small details.
Verdict: Buy
As a Life is Strange fan, I can’t recommend this game enough. Beyond that, even if I weren’t a fan, this is a solid creation from a dedicated team, backed by a brilliant cast and a stellar engine that makes the game look unbelievably good at times. It’s well worth the investment. Max Caulfield is back and she’s better than ever, and that’s all the average fan should need to know to pick up their copy.
For more Insider Gaming reviews, check out our coverage of Black Ops 6
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