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.