It’s been nearly a decade since Life is Strange first had me questioning my life choices, my fashion sense, and whether I should invest in a Polaroid camera. Now, Max Caulfield is back in Life is Strange: Double Exposure, and so am I, armed with tissues, a cup of tea, and the emotional resilience of a damp sponge.
Max has traded the stormy skies of Arcadia Bay for the snowy serenity of Caledon University in Vermont. She’s now a photographer-in-residence, which sounds fancy but mostly involves her trying to keep students from smudging their fingerprints on her lenses. Life seems peaceful until her friend Safi is found dead in the snow. Naturally, Max tries to rewind time to prevent the tragedy, but instead, she unlocks a new ability: shifting between two parallel timelines. Because one reality filled with angst and existential dread just isn’t enough.
Navigating two timelines is as chaotic as it sounds. In one, Safi is dead (if this feels familiar – it is, just with a parallel universe instead of rewind), in the other, she’s alive but still in danger. Max’s new powers consist of ‘Pulse’ to sense anomalies and ‘Shift’ to hop between realities, are intriguing but occasionally feel like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded. Yes, we needed a refresh to just rewind, but for a point-click narrative heavy game it feels like a lot.
The mechanics add depth to the gameplay, but they also add a layer of complexity that had me questioning my own grasp on reality. Or maybe that was just the lack of sleep from also writing a dissertation and thinking playing this as a distraction was a good idea.
The game introduces a cast of new characters, each with their quirks and secrets. Some are memorable, like the enigmatic professor who seems to know more than she lets on, and others are as forgettable as my own secondary school math teacher’s lessons. The writing shines in intimate moments, quiet conversations, lingering glances, the kind of scenes that make you pause and reflect. However, the overarching narrative sometimes stumbles, with pacing issues and plot twists that feel more forced than a group project in university.
Visually, Double Exposure is a treat. The snowy landscapes of Vermont are rendered beautifully, making me momentarily forget the emotional turmoil unfolding on screen. The soundtrack, as expected, is a blend of indie tracks and haunting melodies that perfectly encapsulate the game’s mood. It’s the kind of music that makes you stare out the window and contemplate the choices being made in game.
One of the series’ hallmarks is the impact of player choices – something some readers may know I have a bit of an obsession with in games of any genre. While Double Exposure offers decisions that influence character relationships and certain outcomes, some choices feel more cosmetic than consequential. It’s like choosing between two shades of grey paint, technically different, but practically the same. That said, the game does manage to deliver a few gut-punch moments that left me reeling, questioning my decisions, and considering a second play-through to see if I could do better. Spoiler: I probably can’t.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure is a worthy addition to the series, bringing back a beloved character and introducing new mechanics that, while occasionally cumbersome, offer fresh gameplay experiences. It’s not without its flaws, the narrative can be uneven, and the dual timelines might leave some players scratching their heads, but it captures the essence of what made the original game special: emotional storytelling, complex characters, and the ability to make you feel deeply connected to a fictional world. There’s been several entries between now and the original – but it’s genuinely nice to have Max back as the lead character.
If you’re a fan of the series, Double Exposure is a journey worth taking. Just remember to bring tissues, a warm blanket, and perhaps a friend to talk to afterward. It might not need fast reaction times, but a ‘cosy’ game it is not.
Author: Tom, Cardiff Store
