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[Review] ‘Life Is Strange 2: Episode One -Roads’ Brings Heartbreak, Survival, and the Supernatural

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Even though it shares many of the same mechanics as past entries of the series, DONTNOD’s Life Is Strange 2 stands on its own as the beginning of something unique, emotional, and adventurous.

The game centers around two brothers; Sean (17), and Daniel (9). After a misunderstanding leads to an unexpected death and supernatural incident (killing a cop in the process), the boys flee their Seattle home and begin to head to Puerto Lobos Mexico.

Episode one, entitled “Roads,” follows the brother’s first few days after the incident takes place. Besides the supernatural elements that pop up throughout the episode, Life Is Strange 2 is a much different take than the first Life Is Strange. The focus is on the brother’s survival and being there for one another; and in episode one, Life Is Strange 2 begins to explore the intimacy of their bond, and the importance of it in the world.

As the player, you take control of Sean. Like past entries, the game utilizes a series of basic fetch quests to help progress Sean throughout the story. At the beginning of the game, while he is getting ready for a party, there are items throughout his house he must get. When he is camping later on with Daniel, he has to get logs for a fire.

At its core mechanics, Life Is Strange 2 is almost exactly like its predecessors; other than the ability to travel through time or work your way through dialogue challenges, everything is laid out just how we’ve come to recognize a Life Is Strange title. Dialogue options are still widely available, allowing you to roleplay Sean as a nice guy, or irritated and cold at times.

Game-altering choices are still present as well, taking place from the smallest interactions to the life-threatening. There’s a period in the episode where the brothers arrive at a gas station (having been on the road for a few days). They are in need of supplies, but have little money on them; with each item you come across, you have the option to buy said item or steal it. Shortly after this is an altercation with a man who antagonizes the brothers; you are given the option to try and reason with him, run, or fight. These decisions allow for slightly different scenarios to play out, encouraging at least another run of the episode upon completion to see all possible outcomes.

Then there are small choices like whether or not Sean will pass on a cigarette a friend of his offers him. These types of choices don’t bring about dramatic results, but make for that fun connection with a character past Life Is Strange titles have offered. There is also a fun moment where you get to embody Sean’s enjoyment for drawing; while setting up camp with Daniel, he pulls out his notebook and decides to sketch the water and surrounding trees. Manipulating the left joystick, you can “scribble” your way into creating a wonderful scenery.

In general, Life Is Strange 2 is stunning. While the beginning provides a comfy glance into suburban life, it’s the game’s display of nature that’s breathtaking to take in. The camp sequence is full of lovely imagery; from the gigantic trees, paths to walk, and sun reflecting off the water, there’s so much to see that you’ll want to stand around for a while and look at it all.

While the game’s mechanics are similar to past titles, its narrative and characters are where it succeeds best. While I found Sam and Chloe and Chloe and Rachel to be interesting and relatable at times, Sean and Daniel have tremendous chemistry. There was never a moment I found dialogue to be cheesy or over the top, for every way the brothers interact makes complete sense.

An issue with past Life Is Strange experiences is that (while fun at times), the story and characters try to hammer in pop culture references. There have been many cases where a character would bring up something or try to use slang, and it all came off as desperately trying to relate to modern teens.

This is not the case in Life Is Strange 2, and what helps that is the age dynamic between the brothers. In moments where Daniel may be scared or anxious, Sean uses pop culture references to help soothe his worries. When the two need to build their campsite, Sean brings up Daniel’s passion and skills for Minecraft, encouraging him to be excited and partake in building a fort.

Not only are these adorable moments, but they are believable moments. The game never tries to shove these references in the player’s face, so it means more when they’re brought up. In general, the dialogue is stronger in Life Is Strange 2. As the older brother, you get a clear understanding that Sean is trying to do everything he can to protect Daniel. We can hear Sean’s determination and strength through his words; and beyond his care for Daniel, he makes for a character with sincere emotion. Given the incident causing the boys to leave home, Sean is distraught, scared, and heartbroken; and through all his feelings, it’s fascinating to walk alongside such a character and help him grow.

Daniel, for the most part, is a tag-along; this isn’t a good or bad thing, for (without going into spoilers), there’s much room for him to develop. That said, just like his brother, he’s a joy to listen to, and his innocence brings a warmth to the narrative.

The side characters are a hit or miss; the majority of them are present only to provide context for story background, or allow for opportunities to make in-game choices. However, there are side characters that bring about another intention of Life Is Strange 2; specifically, the game’s commentary on Donald Trump’s immigration policies and racism in America.

In the latter portion of the game, the boys come across an antagonist who profiles them as thieves. This character ends up kidnapping Sean, mentioning how it’s people like him why we need that “wall.” For being episode one, the game isn’t too in your face regarding these issues and only begins to scratch the surface. Later on, another side character appears that’s meant to contrast the actions/beliefs of the previous figure, further examining the variety of ideals in America.

As we come to know the brothers throughout the episode we know they are good, kind kids; to see their mistreatment is heartbreaking, but to also see the kindness shared with them is touching as well. It’ll be interesting over the next few episodes how this commentary will grow, and what challenges will await the boys.

If you take away the similar game mechanics and fetch quests of past entries, you are still left with a beautiful story and characters. In my hour and a half playthrough of episode one, I was tremendously moved. I sat in wonder looking around the forest; I sat in anger when the boys dealt with racism, and I sat with the duality of heartache and warmth as I watched two brothers care for one another while on their own.

Like the first episode of anything, “Roads” is not only the beginning of a more extensive journey but also a promise. It’s the promise that there’s something bigger ahead, that the strength and love of these brothers will be tested against nature in all its forms. Life Is Strange 2 is attempting something bold in its political commentary, but if explored with care, it can potentially connect with those in need of support and understanding.

But what makes Life Is Strange 2 such a great experience is the brothers. They have fully fleshed out characters; their actions hold a tremendous weight, their journey a means to start a new life together. Their humor and love for one another are sincere, making for characters you could see yourself hanging out with. So far Life Is Strange 2 looks to be a road worth taking; from the dawning of the sun, into the late of night, there’s so much more to experience.

PS4 Review copy purchased by the reviewer.

Life is Strange 2: Episode One is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Michael Pementel is a pop culture critic at Bloody Disgusting, primarily covering video games and anime. He writes about music for other publications, and is the creator of Bloody Disgusting's "Anime Horrors" column.

Books

‘In Search of Darkness’ Book Review: A Must-Have for ’80s Horror Fans

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In 2019, the documentary of 80s horror In Search of Darkness became an instant hit with horror fans. Now, a beautiful coffee table style companion book is available and is a must-own for all fans of one of horror’s greatest eras. The book is a walk down the horror aisle of the best mom and pop video store in the heyday of VHS, featuring full color photos, poster art, insightful essays and more. More than just a nostalgic throwback, In Search of Darkness is the kind of book I wish I’d had back in my years as a burgeoning horror fan but is also satisfying for the film fanatic I have become in the years since.

The format is beautifully and simply laid out, with at least a dozen (usually more) movies from each year of the decade presented in order of release accompanied by informative and insightful essays by the authors Heather Wixson and Patrick Bromley. Both authors have been mainstays of film journalism, specializing in horror, for many years. Wixson began her career in 2007 with Dread Central and has spent the past ten years as the Managing Editor of Daily Dead, from which she recently retired to focus on books and other projects. She has devoted the past several years to interviewing and writing books about the Make-up and Special Effects wizards that have brought so much to film over the years, specifically the horror genre.

Bromley is a film journalist and critic whose work can be found all over the place including right here on Bloody Disgusting. He recently provided the commentary for the Vinegar Syndrome release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and is known as something of a Tobe Hooper expert. He is also the founder and editor of F this Movie!, an eclectic film website, and host of its accompanying podcast. So, to be clear, the authors know their stuff.

Wixson and Bromley divide writing duties roughly in half and though each has a distinctive voice, their writing styles dovetail beautifully into a cohesive whole. Each author plays to their strengths. Being familiar with both their work I didn’t even have to look at the bylines to know that Heather covered Christine and Terror in the Aisles and Patrick took on The Funhouse and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers. Wixson’s passion for make-up effects is clear and comes through in many of her contributions. In general, Wixson takes on the “big” titles, the movies that defined the decade the most, and Bromley covers what the more cynical among us might call schlock, but he would likely call pure cinematic bliss. There are exceptions and surprises, of course, as there should be (Patrick covers The Shining for example). Each essay dives into the history behind the film, the major players involved, the reception, and legacy with often surprising aspects drawn from interviews with the filmmakers from various sources and insights from the authors.

For all their in-depth explorations of each film, in general the authors keep their critics’ hats safely stowed, keeping in mind that every entry on the book has its fans. In fact, they may well have sold me on finally hitting play on some of the schlockier offerings of the decade like Evilspeak, Nightbeast, and Blood Diner. Hell, I may even give The Beast Within a spin for shits and giggles. The point is that this book is a celebration through and through. The authors are honest about the critical receptions of the films, which were often unkind, and sometimes let their own opinions shine through, but recognize how beloved even the schlockiest films can become given time and availability. And that is an ongoing theme of In Search of Darkness. What may have been dismissed in its day often becomes revered as the years pass. Variations on the phrase “the years have been kind to…” referring to various maligned projects like The Thing, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, The Blob and many, many others, can be found throughout the book for good reason.

Each chapter of the book also includes a rundown of the top horror movies at the box office for the year as well as the top movies of all genres for context. The final page for each year highlights some of the major news and pop culture events including the top songs, albums, and television shows. There is a large central section that pays tribute to the talent involved with the greatest horror films of the 80s including directors, actors, effects artists, and more. This section includes brief biographies of John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Stephen King, Tom Savini, Barbara Crampton, Robert Englund, and many others presented in a dynamic and engaging fashion.

One of the beauties of the book is that it covers so much ground. Sure, you’ll find Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, and the Halloween sequels in it, but you’ll also find deeper cuts like The Changeling, The Being, and Tetsuo: The Iron Man. I was happy to find the same love given to Frank Henenlotter and Larry Cohen as to George A. Romero and David Cronenberg. In other words, In Search of Darkness is extraordinarily eclectic, highlighting the diversity that truly defined what is often viewed as a homogenous decade. The authors make the case that the 80s was horror’s greatest decade, and with what they lay out throughout this book, it’s tough to argue against that. I even came across a film or two I hadn’t even heard of before, which has become increasingly rare as the years go by.

At just shy of $85, the cover price may give some horror hounds pause, but believe me, it’s worth every penny. This is a beautiful volume that every fan of 80s horror will want on their shelf or prominently displayed on their coffee table. Filled with favorite titles, hundreds of full color photos, insightful and informative writing, this is simply a must own.

You can order your copy now.

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