Life is Strange: Double Exposure

Life Is Strange: Double Exposure has been developed by Deck Nine and published by Square Enix on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S in autumn 2024. This episodic fantasy drama game is the fourth installment of the Life Is Strange video game series that has been existing for nine years as I'm writing this review. This new game easily outclasses its two immediate predecessors but doesn't match the original Life Is Strange released nine years ago.

The element fans have been most excited about is the return of the protagonist of the first game: Maxine Caulfield. In this game, she has moved to Lakeport, Vermont where she is working as a photographer-in-residence at Caledon University. She has left her family, her hometown and most memories of her past behind to start a new life. However, her life takes yet again a sinister turn when she finds her friend and the university president's daughter Safi Llewellyn-Fayyad shot to death on an observation deck. Maxine Caulfield will travel between a reality in which her new friend is dead and another one in which she is still alive to figure out what happened and how she can possibly save Safi Llewellyn-Fayyad.

This is the first game I have ever been playing on Playstation 5 and I have overall been enjoying Life Is Strange: Double Exposure. First and foremost, I have certainly appreciated the game's characters from brave, calm and intelligent Maxine Caulfield over arrogant, influential and secretive administrative assistant Vinh Lang to dishonest, narcissistic and popular head of the literature department Lucas Colmenero. Secondly, I have dug the video game's mysterious atmosphere thanks to numerous scenes taking place at night and the entire game set during a snowy winter. Thirdly, the video game's story has been intriguing enough to inspire me to finish this game in about one week and a half despite numerous other commitments. The game's length of about seventeen hours in my personal case represents exactly what I have been looking for. The challenge level is decent but not frustratingly difficult as it makes the entire game coherent and fluid from start to finish. Another noteworthy highlight has once again been the laid-back indie pop soundtrack that blends in splendidly, even for someone like me who usually prefers gothic rock and heavy metal.

However, this game hasn't been without a few flaws. The characters, plot lines and settings are a little bit too similar to the original Life Is Strange video game in my opinion. This is more than just a nod as this new game at times struggles to stand on its own two legs. Those elements also make the new game somewhat predictable and might not inspire fans to play this release multiple times. Since I value atmosphere over creativity, those downsides however don't ruin the game for me. While many other reviewers have expressed their different degrees of disappointment, my overall evaluation of Life Is Strange: Double Exposure remains very positive and I'm glad to have remained faithful to this video game series and would play another installment in a heartbeat.

To keep it short and simple, I would strongly recommend Life Is Strange: Double Exposure to fans of fantasy dramas who like to take their time exploring the game's atmosphere, characters and settings while those constantly comparing this game to the first installment in the series or those expecting a most creative reinvention of the franchise might both feel quite disappointed. As for potential new fans, I would obviously suggest discovering this franchise in chronological order but you can also play Life Is Strange: Double Exposure without any prior knowledge as the few noteworthy elements are briefly described in this new game to provide some valuable background information without spoiling the original game in my humble opinion.

I never post reviews, but I felt compelled to write this one because I really want to offer genuine advice to the developers.

Deck Nine has repeated the same mistakes here that we saw in Life is Strange: True Colors, and the Don't Nod made in Lost Records previously.

What's going wrong with these games?

• The game starts with a strong and promising setup.

• The early plot draws you in and builds excitement.

• Then things begin to stall: long, unnecessary dialogues, repetitive environments, and investigations that slow the pace.

• Player choices feel almost meaningless, the branching paths are barely noticeable.

• While the mid-story twist raises expectations, the narrative loses steam quickly after.

• It becomes predictable, emotionally flat, and repetitive.

• And the endings? Often underwhelming, overly simple, and lacking impact. It leaves you wondering: What was the point of all this?

Some serious advice:

Go back and revisit Life is Strange 1 and Life is Strange 2. Compare those with the newer titles, and you'll see the shift.

• We need "choices that matter". If every decision leads to the same result, it takes the power out of player agency.

• Avoid overloading the game with mini-games and unnecessary interactions, they should be optional extras, not core parts of the story.

• Build "diverse" environments that make us feel like we're exploring, not circling the same rooms. You guys are good at art then why so lazy?

• Keep the focus on a strong, emotionally driven story, we're not detectives, we're here for the characters and the narrative.

• Music, art, and dancing are lovely touches, but they should be the cherry on top of the story, not carry the game.

One frustrated point:

It genuinely feels like the second halves of these games are written by a different team. The narrative loses focus and emotional weight. I strongly recommend bringing in more writers with experience in character-driven storytelling and emotional depth. Endings should leave us either in tears, satisfied, or shocked, not indifferent.

Fan Service:

Please guys fans are the backbone of your game, but you guys do nothing such as fan service, people would love the games if you hear out their opinions and give them what they want even if not a lot, everyone wanted to see Chloe, but you guys didn't even give a glimpse on her. Fan service is important.

On representation:

I believe representation should feel organic and allow for choice. In recent titles, it feels like the relationship options are less about the player's freedom and more about checking boxes. I'd prefer if we were given more neutral ground to decide how our character connects with others, whether romantically or platonically, so everyone feels included and immersed. Forced diversity will not work for most of the people because you cant force people, give them a choice and let them decide.

Final Thought: We're asking for the soul of Life is Strange to return, the raw emotional storytelling, the difficult choices, the relationships that stay with you long after the game ends, the emotional and heart-warming endings. That's what made the original games unforgettable.

This game was absolutely amazing and truly doesn't deserve the hate it's received. Deck Nine did an outstanding job, crafting the story in the best way possible given their creative choices. Many players seem upset that Chloe isn't in the game, but Deck Nine does a fantastic job of exploring Max's emotions about everything that happened. Max is in deep pain and feels stuck in her past, and the way Deck Nine portrays her struggles is beautiful and authentic. It's a genuine and emotional depiction of grief and loss. Don't listen to the negativity-try the game yourself and experience the story's depth and impact. This game has so much to offer if you approach it with an open mind and a willingness to connect with Max's journey.

I never post reviews, but I felt compelled to write this one because I really want to offer genuine advice to the developers.

Deck Nine has repeated the same mistakes here that we saw in Life is Strange: True Colors, and that Don't Nod made in Lost Records previously.

What's going wrong with these games?

The game starts with a strong and promising setup.

The early plot builds intrigue and emotion.

But then it slows down: long, drawn-out dialogues, repetitive environments, and tedious investigations drag the momentum.

Choices feel meaningless, the branching paths hardly change the story.

A mid-story twist might raise hope, but what follows is a downward slide.

The narrative becomes predictable and emotionally flat.

Endings often feel rushed, underwhelming, and lack emotional payoff. You're left thinking: What was the point of all this?

Some serious advice:

Go back and revisit Life is Strange 1 and Life is Strange 2. Compare those with the newer titles, and you'll see the shift.

Give us choices that matter. Players want decisions that have real consequences.

Design more diverse, engaging environments, not ones that feel reused or repetitive.

Focus on deep, emotional storytelling, not investigative chores.

Music, art, and mini-games should enhance the narrative, not replace it. They should be the cherry on top instead of carrying the game.

Endings should leave us in tears, feeling fulfilled, or grappling with tough decisions, not feeling indifferent.

One frustrated point:

It genuinely feels like the second halves of these games are written by a completely different team. The narrative loses focus and emotional weight. I strongly recommend bringing in more writers who specialize in character-driven storytelling.

Fan Service:

Please remember that fans are the backbone of your success. Listening to your community and offering even a little fan service can go a long way. Many players were hoping to see familiar characters like Chloe, even a small glimpse would've meant a lot. Fan service, when done right, shows that you care about your long-time players.

On Representation:

I believe representation should feel organic and allow for choice. In recent titles, it feels like the relationship options are less about the player's freedom and more about checking boxes. I'd prefer if we were given more neutral ground to decide how our character connects with others, whether romantically or platonically, so everyone feels included and immersed. Forced diversity won't resonate with everyone.

Final Thought:

We're asking for the soul of Life is Strange to return, the raw emotional storytelling, the difficult choices, the relationships that stay with us long after the game ends, and the endings that hit hard. That's what made the original games unforgettable.

This is my honest take: What went wrong?

Life is Strange: Double Exposure is a mixed bag of emotions. Some of that plays into its strongsuits. Others leave you wondering why small changes weren't considered.

The game takes place a decade after the events of the first Life is Strange game. We're once again in the shoes of Max Caulfield, and once again, we're snooping around. The first game revolved around a mystery hidden in plain sight, hidden by issues of sexism, money, and power. At its core, the disappearance of a girl. I won't spoil Life is Strange 1 here, but it is the best in the series, and should be played before Double Exposure. Can you jump in without playing the first game? Yes. But it's not as fulfilling without experiencing the backstory firsthand.

We get to see just how far Max Caulfield has come. She's more expressive, more assure of herself than ever, and still a snoop. That comes in handy when her friend Safi is murdered. A case that grows stranger the longer Max looks at it, and her proximity to the case draws the unwanted attention of a detective.

More than even the first game, you'll do some more traditional detective work. Interviewing suspects and people close to the case, without letting them know you're on to them. Press too hard and you may lose a source, don't ask enough, and you may not get the full picture. I really like how this game felt more like a detective story than past mysteries in the series.

Max's new power presents some fun puzzles, but is largely underutilized. Even at times when jumping between realities could provide a challenging puzzle, we're practically handed the solution with hints from objectives and Max's inner monologue. This game could have used a difficulty slider, including an option that turns off all non-essential objectives and lets us fail a little more.

And perhaps that brings me to Double Exposure's greatest flaw: the developers just like us too much. It's clear they didn't want any emotional blow to land like a gut punch and instead feel like a glancing blow. Every chance they had to really deliver a strong, gut-wrenching emotional impact, they found a way to soften it. Whether it's panning away during intense moments, time skips, or only seeing people's first reactions through text messages.

The other drawback is an awkward eavesdropping feature. There are many interesting side stories in this game, from a student facing bias, an art student looking to upset the status quo, a student-ran game, and cryptid enthusiasts on the hunt. However, they're mostly told through standing still near a conversation to overhear it, including waiting multiple seconds between beats in the conversation. It's awkward, and would have been better handled with a few more direct interactions. It's clearly a cost-saving measure to keep mocap and development time down, but I feel like it hurt the exploratory angle when we only can talk to the core suspects and friend group of Max.

Overall, the story opens up more than it wraps up, still giving us both satisfying conclusions and a lot to look forward to in this series. The focus on Max's past, her grief and trauma over previous choices, and her attitude with dealing with these problems changing and growing is well-done and satisfying. Max's previous relationships and history aren't given the attention they deserve, for sure, but as a middle sequel, with Max finding her own footing, it works. Music is incredible and immersive, lending itself to each situation. The voice acting and motion capture brings these characters to life like never before. This is the best we've seen Max Caulfield, not only in her life, but in the performance as well. It's a must-play for fans of the series, and the kind of game that raises the bar for the rest of the industry. Games should have feeling, they should have impact, they should feature diverse voices. Life is Strange continues to push the industry towards better games with Double Exposure.