After a slight delay the long awaited and, for me, much anticipated continuation of Life is Strange dropped this past week. Overall I didn’t think it was a bad episode but it doesnt quite live up to the original. I can’t quite put my finger on why not either, it just doesn’t.
Episode one was all about setup, introducing you to the setting, characters, and main gameplay mechanic. It drew me into it’s world and made me feel connected to Max. I met friends and foes alike. I can’t really tell you what happened in Episode two because not much in fact happened. The last ten or so minutes were the climax of the episode and were fantastic but the rest seemed like a bit of filler. You meet a few new characters with about half of those being throwaway and not offering much in terms of story or revelations. There are two moments, both in a diner, where the dialogue exchange gave me a “WTF” moment. For example, I chose to cover for Chloe and say the joint was mine and when I initially speak with Chloe’s mother Joyce she is very forgiving and understanding with a soft but stern motherly tone. Then a few minutes later when Chloe shows up after a few words are spoken she gets pissy with me about the exact same thing. I don’t get it.
The focus of Episode 2 isn’t about Max or even her ability to rewind time like the previous episode. This episode focuses on building and maintaining friendships. We also begin to see Max’s ability start to take it’s toll on her physically and we are reminded that she is indeed human. It’s a lesson in responsibility and that everything comes at a price. In both episodes I’ve been nosey, searching every inch of every area and talking with every person and that pays off in a big way this time around. You will see the consequences of your previous choices play out in significant ways and I’m starting to see how everything is intertwined and comes together or falls apart. There may be some pacing issues in this episode but the climax at the ending is well worth it. And the best part is the ending can take two very different turns. A friend of mine got the opposite ending that I ended up with so I’m excited to find out how his experience with the story may change overall compared to mine.
