Life is Strange 2 – Episode 1 overview

Life is Strange 2 is a welcome return to a collection about interpersonal difficulties and human tales. But it’s additionally an unlimited departure from the world that developer Dontnod created when it first took us to Arcadia Bay in 2015. The turbulent, supernatural coming-of-age drama stays, however after one episode Sean and Daniel’s journey already guarantees to take us in a really totally different course.

Whereas Life is Strange was a supernatural thriller its sequel is, as an alternative, a street journey narrative. You play because the 16-year-old Sean Diaz, the son of a primary era Mexican migrant residing within the suburbs of Seattle in late 2016. From the opening of the game, Sean is woven into the sort of social tapestry you’d recognise from any portrayal of American excessive colleges from the previous few a long time. Sports and schoolwork conflict with part-time jobs and illicit events. Sean has to traverse finest associates, bullies, and awkward crushes.

It’s a gap that’s instantly welcoming. I used to be solely bought on Sean, the snapshots of his life and character on present extra detailed than something Dontnod has produced thus far. You’re in a position to learn again by means of weeks of textual content conversations together with his associates, his dad, his athletics coach. There’s a narrative ready to be informed within the game’s opening that, to some extent, I’m unhappy to have missed.

That’s resulting from an upset that, instantly, marks a downturn for Sean and his ten-year-old brother Daniel. It’s so harsh that the pair is compelled to flee their house. The conclusion of this introduction to the brand new characters is likely one of the episode’s strongest moments. Unfortunately, it makes what comes subsequent a little bit underwhelming. Life is Strange 2’s first episode suffers from a sluggish burn, as Sean and Daniel journey from the close-knit transfer to flee the chaos of that first act and into the quiet wilderness of the Pacific Northwest.

It’s a wonderful surroundings, with trickling streams weaving between towering conifers, all of it drenched within the fading daylight of an autumn night. A scene through which Sean and Daniel put together to make camp for the night time presents extra participant freedom than the rest within the collection. Daniel is consistently watching Sean for steering – your choices within the game form him as a lot as your future – however he’s additionally very a lot his personal individual. He explores and chatters and performs like all youngster would, and also you’re free to let him wander must you wish to. The puzzle parts that Max needed to cope with within the first game, nonetheless, are absent, making for a sequence that brings the episode’s pacing screeching to a halt.

Thankfully, there’s lots extra to cope with because the episode progresses. Sean and Daniel are carrying little greater than the garments on their backs, and shortly be taught that meals and shelter is tough to come back by in late October, particularly for 2 boys with only some {dollars} to their names. I used to be genuinely torn at instances, figuring out that Daniel would keep in mind my actions and let it form his behaviour, however desperately desirous to steal meals and garments to maintain him fed and heat. Even initially of this year-long journey, you’re conscious of the hardship forward, as you determine find out how to maintain shifting whereas ensuring to remain alive.

To deal with that hardship, you’ll should enlist the assistance of the folks you meet on the street, however that’s not a easy activity. If it wasn’t clear from the game’s opening, Dontnod makes it obvious that it’s ready to deal with this game very in another way to its predecessor. During the event and launch of Life is Strange, America’s socio-political panorama was very totally different, and it’s no coincidence that the primary episode takes place weeks earlier than Donald Trump’s election victory.

It doesn’t take lengthy earlier than the game’s two Hispanic characters – on the run from the police – uncover that the world past town could be very totally different to the one they’ve at all times recognized. Seattle is perhaps a Democratic stronghold, however southern Washington is unquestionably Republican, and Dontnod has tackled that divide head-on. As one character tells Sean, “everything is political,” and that’s a theme it is best to count on to point out up all through the upcoming episodes. It’s a daring and admirable strategy, however there are some moments the place it comes off extra successfully than others.

Life is Strange was a game of twists and turns, a story that allow you to rewind the clock to attempt to dodge sure occasions earlier than they occurred. It was a game through which you – like primary character Max – had been at all times second guessing your self. This game, like final 12 months’s Before the Storm, has achieved away with that strategy, lending a way of immediacy to your actions that I actually recognize. Sean is making this all up as he goes alongside, and he has to cope with not solely the implications of your selections, however what these selections say to Daniel, who’ll change and develop because the game progresses based mostly on what he learns from the actions of his brother.

So far, nonetheless, your information of the ability at your disposal is minimal – like Max, it’s one thing you don’t perceive, however this time there’s no technique to undo your actions, and there’s no Chloe egging you on. Looking again, there’s a way that Max’s powers introduced you to roughly the identical place it doesn’t matter what you probably did, however in Life is Strange 2 supernatural powers have a monumental impression.

The first episode of Life is Strange 2 struggles to search out its toes at instances. But relaxation assured that the identical love and a focus has been poured into Sean and Daniel as Max and Chloe. I quickly felt like I understood them in addition to any of the collection’ different main characters. It’s very totally different on the skin, however on the within, that is nonetheless a Life is Strange game, and I’m excited to see what Dontnod does with the broader narrative scope.