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[Review]: Life Is Strange 2’s ‘Faith’ Offers Emotional Depth And a Whirlwind Tale

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Wastelands’ finale was enough to drop jaws, leaving the fate of the Diaz brothers a mystery. In Life Is Strange 2’s fourth episode, entitled “Faith”, we find Sean waking up in a hospital. It has been two months since the incident at the farm, and Sean has no clue as to where Daniel has gone. 

Given the emotional connections and intriguing narrative decisions that were present in Wastelands, Faith has a lot to live up to. What allows Faith to stand out among the other episodes is its effort to strengthen the bond between player and Sean; the episode also marks a return of larger societal issues taking place in the game (even if the plot can get a little congested at times).

The episode has a solid set up; as Sean wakes up in the hospital, the player is introduced to Joey (a friendly nurse attendant), and Agent Flores (who pushes Sean to tell her more about the incident in Seattle). With the destruction that took place on the farm, one of Sean’s eyes has been badly injured; this brings up a small interaction between Sean and Joey, where the player helps the former test his depth perception.The moment works in allowing the player to feel for Sean, while also feeling part of the conversation with Joey. Shortly after this moment, Sean discovers where Daniel is and decides to escape the hospital. 

Throughout the story Sean looks inwards; he acknowledges not being there enough for Daniel and missing his father. These sequences of introspective thought bring a great deal of love and care, further connecting the player with Sean. This bond with him is further amplified in the game’s use of narrative and dialogue decisions. For the most part, the episode throws some tense choices the player’s way; depending on the situation, it is difficult to choose between options, given that certain possible outcomes could lead to more trouble. 

Near the halfway point in the episode, Sean finds himself confronted by a racist; the latter berates Sean, antagonizing him to speak in Spanish and sing. The player is then presented a couple moments where they can decide how to interact, either going along with the racist’s demands or fight back. Given the time spent guiding Sean on his journey and being with him, the player feels both sadness and anger for what is taking place. 

It is here where we see Faith begin to address societal issues; there has been little to no mentioning of any worldly themes since that of episode one. The thing with Faith, however, is that while its efforts to address issues is commendable, it rushes things a bit much. If a game is going to tackle such topics as racism, and organized religion, it makes more sense to have these ideas fleshed out over time, rather than shoved together in one episode. To be fair, though, Faith doesn’t completely fail in addressing these topics, it’s just more effort could have been made in the writing, allowing for stronger commentary.

Yet, what really saves Faith is the time spent with Sean. Between his external engagements and introspective moments, there’s a greater sense of bonding with him. We see a lot of growth through Sean in the various struggles he confronts throughout Faith. In the end, Life Is Strange 2 is all about the two brothers, and has continuously delivered upon meaningful relationships (between Sean, Daniel, and that of the player).

While the story can get a little too congested at times with its various topics, the effort to explore such issues makes for an experience with more depth and meaning. Faith is another step forward in a wild journey. The episode’s twist and turns offer a blend of exhilarating and heartbreaking moments, and is an experience that Life Is Strange fans can embrace as they continue forward with the brothers.

Given how Faith concludes, there’s no telling what to expect in the final episode when it arrives this December. 

 

Life is Strange 2: Faith review code provided by the publisher.

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

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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