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Life is Strange 2 begins with a tragic incident that sends two brothers on the run, fleeing their hometown in Seattle. Episode 1 begins today by developer Dontnod Entertainment and Square Enix on Windows PCs, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
I have played throughout the episode and these are my impressions. It is a well-told and emotionally charged story about what happens when two brothers are forced by tragic circumstances to escape their normal lives and survive on the run, with only one of them being able to count. Unfortunately, this game reminded me of what Telltale Games, which fired 225 people last week, could have done by creating its story-telling games after the success of The Walking Dead in 2012.
Life is strange 2 takes place in the same universe as the previous games. This happens about three years after the events of the original game, but it's an entirely separate story with two younger brothers, Sean and Daniel Diaz. In fact, the game asks you what final decision you made at the end of Life is Strange (2015), in order to personalize certain elements of the game. And, in fact, when I passed a sign towards the end of this episode, I saw a reference to this end. It's a little Easter egg for fans.
I have not seen any reference to Life is Strange: Before the Storm, the prequel that came out a year ago. The two previous games are different in that the original Life is strange involves supernatural abilities to manipulate space and time, while teenage anxiety is the main focus of this game. In this game, the supernatural returns to the very beginning which sets in motion the events of the brothers. In previous games, characters such as Max Caulfield discovered that they were able to step back at any time and replicate choices that may have a "butterfly effect" on the world, where a small event such as a butterfly beating wings can have a huge impact effect. She can also use her supernatural powers to fight assailants, but powers have unforeseen effects on the world.
In this episode, most of the attention is not on the supernatural powers, but on the consequences of their first discovery and their use. At the end of the game, you will be able to see if the decisions you made match those of other players. I have avoided the spoilers in this review.
What you will like
The brothers are a good subject and a change of pace
Above: Daniel (left) and Sean have to survive on the road in Life is Strange 2.
Image Credit: Square Enix
A school-aged brother, Sean, and a nine-year-old boy, Daniel, did not seem to be a good choice for a fan base that was focused so far on high school teenagers or young women. The leaders of the original team – Michel Koch, Raoul Barbet, Jean-Luc Cano, Christian Divine and others – have returned to this game and have decided to let the characters of Life is Strange behind them. They decided that Life is Strange's main focus is on characters, realistic settings, and real-world issues related to a supernatural element that makes sense in the video game world.
The stereotype suggests that such boys would not provide the emotion needed for a Life is Strange story. And a portrayal of macho boys at play would probably have been quite strange. But under the pressure of tragedy, boys can rise to the occasion and learn to express their emotions in the programming of the macho culture.
When the boys realize that they are only hearing each other, they begin to bond. Sean realizes that he is a model and that he will model Daniel's behavior. This becomes important when the player, as Sean, has to decide to steal the food necessary for his survival on the road. Sean is responsible for his younger brother and the decisions you make in the game are not necessarily a correct choice, but rather the best choice in the circumstances. If you make timely choices, you may find – I guess – that little Daniel will emulate them and start a life of crime at the end of the series. Trust is essential between the brothers and Sean must therefore decide to lie to Daniel or always take the high road.
A story told in many ways
Above: Enjoy the outdoors in Life is Strange 2.
Dontnod excels at telling stories that no one else would talk about ordinary life centered on teen anxiety. And he does it without being an ordinary soap opera. Creators exploit the interactivity of video games and your ability to inspect your environment because you can not participate in a TV show or movie. You can learn about the main characters, 10-year-old high school student Sean and Daniel, whom you do not know otherwise.
When you look at a picture on the wall, you understand that the boys' single father dreams of returning to Puerto Lobos, a fictitious place in Mexico where he owns property. When Sean sees an extra woman bike hanging in the garage and thinks her father should get rid of it, you know something is wrong with the missing mother.
At one point, the camera focuses on a Halloween zombie mask left on the wooded road, the camera shooting at the boys who are moving away in the distance, as if they left behind them the old world. The score of composer Jonathan Morali shines in moments like this, when the camera lingers on scenic moments. You enjoy a certain dose of pleasure when the beautiful scenery stop time gives you an emotional leeway to take into account the peak moments when something terrible happens. At some point, you realize that bonding and fraternity occur during some of these lulls.
You must be a judge of character
Above: Can Sean make the right choices in Life is Strange 2?
Image Credit: Square Enix
Boys are vulnerable on the road. Sean does not look old enough to make decisions at adulthood, and the adults they meet look down upon them when they learn that they are traveling alone. Some adults will help, others will become more like predators. Your decisions can randomly place you in the hands of friendly or malicious people. I found that these characters were drawn with care, so that they sometimes give surprises. The person you thought was suspicious might be good. The young Daniel will probably trust everyone he meets and Sean must therefore be more discerning.
A dip in politics and romance
This game refers to racism against Latino immigrants. One of the first people encountered by boys is a racist who prefers to "build a wall" to keep people like the Diaz brothers out of America. It could have been clunky and poorly managed in a way that could disable the fans. But I think this fits the story, which has added a new dimension about Life is Strange. The boys embark on a long journey from Seattle to Mexico City, a kind of reverse immigration. They must use secondary roads rather than major highways and meet people from all walks of life.
The game also begins with Sean thinking about his romance opportunities in high school rather than his little brother. He chats with his best friend, Lyla, and makes suggestions on how he could best meet with his romantic interest, Jenn. It looks like it's there that the story will unfold early, but one incident cuts it all off, perhaps leaving it for future episodes. But it was actually a welcome part of the story, as it shows that Sean must pass from his thought to Daniel.
What you do not like
Dull moments and repetition
Above: Life is Strange 2 has its ordinary decisions.
Image Credit: Square Enix
Life is Strange has been criticized as a "market simulator" by people who do not appreciate its weaknesses – and its lack of momentary action. These moments can be boring, such as when looking for a key for your dad, or trying to find the different items you need for a party. I did not appreciate these moments, but I understand that they were necessary. As I mentioned above, you discover things about the family when you walk around the house. But you have to search almost everything in the house to get to those moments. It makes you paranoid that you will miss much of the story because you chose not to do the most boring things in the game. Of course, dullness is immersive. But it's boring too.
A mixed rhythm for history
Above: Daniel may have problems in Life is Strange 2.
Image Credit: Square Enix
This leads to another type of complaint, consisting of inserting dull moments with elements of history. The game has both calm and explosive moments. Unlike other video games, its narrative pace would not be found in a Call of Duty campaign, where the action takes place all the time. There are valleys that allow you to mentally prepare yourself for the highlights of the game. It's a good story. We do not want a game that lasts only 45 minutes, because it has only peaks in history.
But sometimes, the developers slow down the pace too much and you have to wonder why they thought some things were fun. Is it fun to jump stones, look for firewood or choose cookies or chips? Only to the extent that they convey an interesting part of the story. If they do not, they seem to be food to keep you busy in a relatively short game.
Conclusion
Dontnod has set up characters and a story that gives the impression that the natural extension of Life is Strange is a natural extension. He has ordinary situations, ordinary people and a touch of supernatural that holds him back. The narration is well done and you learn a little about the characters, their background and the broader context of things happening around them.
I like the nuances necessary to make the right choices, not only for survival, but also for the survival of trust between brothers and the survival of Daniel's future character, based on Sean's immediate decisions in the present . Sean admits at one point that it would be nil as a parent, at a time when his father misses him. I found that there was a lot of emotion, history and action to interest me afterwards. I am not a fan of the episodic nature of the game, because I prefer to play everything at the same time. But I look forward to the rest.
Score: 85/100
Disclosure: The publisher has provided us with a code to play the game on the PC.
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