Life is strange: double exposure It is not your typical murder mystery game. Instead of being a half-hearted Choose Your Own Adventure, double exposure is an intuitive and primarily player-driven psychological drama that rewrites the dialogue between an artist and an audience, and that invites its own audience to investigate the importance of self-acceptance.
Developed by Deck Nine, double exposure It is a direct sequel to 2015 life is strangeand very similar to the studio's previous work in true colors and before the stormis a serialized crime novel that eventually turns into a “what the hell is going on?” Set 10 years after the tragedies of Arcadia Bay, Oregon, it follows Max Caulfield, who was also the protagonist of the 2015 game and whose life has since revolved around Lakeport, Vermont, where she works as the new photographer-in-residence at the Caledon University. Max is still Max: he's still terribly clumsy at flirting, has a knack for sneaking into people's rooms, and thinks He return of the living dead is a masterpiece of the zombie apocalypse, but he hasn't used his time-rewinding powers in almost a decade, as they've only caused him “more trouble and even more heartbreak,” in his words. That is, until his new best friend for life, Safiya Llewellyn-Fayyad, is murdered on a campus overlook, and Max discovers that his ability to reverse reality has evolved into being able to open a subdivision of the astral plane and jump between two alternate timelines.
Max may not be able to reverse his own decisions, but his new powers allow him to live with them and examine any domino effects that follow. Mechanically, Max can now use an ability called Pulse to view timelines of his current world and his new Shift ability to create a metaphysical portal that allows him to traverse the two realities at set locations in Caledon. You can also use another ability, called Entanglement, to weave objects between the two timelines. All three abilities allow you to explore different scenarios, puzzles, secrets, zen moments, and dialogue options that aren't fixed to a singular narrative. double exposure still adheres to the popular Life Is Strange series trademark of having major and minor decisions that alter environments and interpersonal relationships, such as accepting a joint from a fellow teacher or changing the grade on a student's paper, but the Reality navigation also allows players to immerse themselves in anecdotes about who Max has become.
Image: Deck Nine Games/Square Enix via Polygon
As a twentysomething who still empathizes with everyone, Max is leaving behind the introverted idiosyncrasies that defined her when she was 18, but she is still traumatized by the casualties of Arcadia Bay, which have turned her into a recluse. every time he remembers Chloe Price and other aspects of his life that have become “an era.” Max still struggles to process loss, grief, and any other complicated emotions that make her feel like a small dot that doesn't fit in with the RGB values of the world around her, but her new powers give her a way to process different emotions. stages of grief and fully accept responsibility for your own decisions.
It's hard to talk about their arc without spoilers, but Deck Nine's propensity for world-building is still A-level. double exposureThe visuals are an absolute delight as Lakeport combines the color palette of Haven Springs and the cinematography of before the storm to create a midwinter landscape that is equal parts Donnie Darko, teen wolfand The girl who jumped through time. It's an environment that has less to do with subtlety and more to do with stoned garden gnomes, LGBTQ bowling leagues, Krampus parties, true crime podcasts, and shrines like the Snapping Turtle, a campus bar filled with whiskey and intricate murals inspired by identity and multiculturalism. reminiscent of works by visual artists such as Ola Volo, Tristan Eaton and Mariell Guzmán. And then there's the music, while before life is strange The installments enhanced the cozy tragedy genre with songs by Bonobo, Daughter and Angus & Julia Stone. double exposure muse intimacy with NewDad, Chloe Moriondo, Tessa Rose Jackson and a Feel For Music jukebox filled with internal melodies that explore varying degrees of “indie sleaze” across the entirety of the different timelines.
The voice and writing are where the sequel really shines. Hannah Telle reprises her role as Max and is joined by an excellent supporting cast, including Safi (Olivia AbiAssi), Moses (Blu Allen), Amanda (Samantha Bowling), Diamond (Ilasiea Gray) and Gwen (Rachel Crowl), all of which contribute to double exposureThe hard-hitting but bittersweet moments and non-true crime support group fanfiction. Narrative moderation supports more honest discussions about loneliness, emotional risks, the cost of relationships, and The spirit of the staircaseand while there's certainly room for more, these themes are aided by the player's ability to reveal more context and clues by responding to text messages and checking in on friends through an in-game social media platform called Crosstalk. Unlike the first life is strangeMax can also use his analog instant camera, a Polaroid Now Generation 2 i-Type, to take in-game “snapshots” of impromptu moments around Caledon. It's an addition that could have used more features like filters, flashes, and adjustable aperture ranges and shutter speeds for greater immersion, but its camera is integrated with a double exposure feature that is integral to creating two divergent experiences across the five chapters. of the game.
Image: Deck Nine Games/Square Enix via Polygon
Image: Deck Nine Games/Square Enix via Polygon
Image: Deck Nine Games/Square Enix via Polygon
Image: Deck Nine Games/Square Enix via Polygon
There are very few situations in double exposure that they feel disconnected, as the only glaring lens flares are their pacing and reluctance to go to the deep end in the most Lynchian way possible. Its runtime barely exceeds 12 hours (if you don't choose to do a completely different second game) and although the designers at Deck Nine have created a game that respects any ending that you consider canon in the original of Don't Nod, the eternal thread Loose ends in two parallel timelines may seem like a dream sequence you never signed up for. double exposure It shouldn't be seen as an injustice to Max's narrative, especially when relationships and romantic interests are driven by player choice now more than ever, but it's hard to ignore the details that could have been added to his abstract narrative. Or at least pushed the pendulum in a direction à la House of leaves and The new weird.
double exposure It remains a magnificent, brilliantly written thriller that deserves attention. It doesn't do anything innovative, but it is a new installment in the life is strange series that examines Max Caulfield's separation from Arcadia Bay, her struggle with being obsessed with the past, and how she has slowly embraced a stronger level of self-acceptance, despite a complicated history of death that always finds a way back. her. It may not be the continuation of “Max and Chloe forever” that many fans wanted (understandably), but it is a compelling adventure that underscores how flaws can shape character, whether serving as motivation to correct old habits or to dream about the future. .
Life is strange: double exposure was released on October 29 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. The game was reviewed on PlayStation 5 using a pre-release download code provided by Deck Nine Games. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, although Vox Media may earn commissions on products purchased through affiliate links. Additional information about Polygon's ethics policy can be found here.