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Life is Strange: Double Exposure — a return to nostalgic yet uneven form

Harry November 5, 2024

Life is Strange: Double Exposure: Features

Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X/S (reviewed), PlayStation 5, Switch
Price: $49 / £49 / AU$79.00
Publication date: 29 October 2024
Type: Adventure

If you had told me, a teenager hunched over my laptop and completely engrossed in Life is Strange, that I would be reviewing its direct sequel almost a decade later, I probably would have choked on toast. The time-bending story of photography student Max Caulfield from developer Don’t Nod wasn’t just a game; It was a cultural moment that captured the exquisite pain and possibility of being eighteen years old, uncertain, and suddenly gifted with supernatural powers (so two out). three is not bad).

Now it’s 2024, and Deck Nine Games has the inevitable task of continuing Max’s story. As someone who has followed this series with the devotion of a bookworm who follows every word of his favorite author—playing every game, devouring every comic, keeping my friends up in arms about temporal paradoxes—I approached Double Exposure with equal parts excitement and trepidation.

Can Deck Nine Games capture the indescribable quality that made the original Don’t Nod such a beloved cult classic? Since I grew up with Max (I was his age when the first game came out, but unfortunately they were missing time reversal abilities), I wanted to declare that magic is back in full force. But the truth is more nuanced. Double Exposure is a good game – but in 2024, when we have masterclasses in storytelling left and right, ‘good’ just doesn’t cut it anymore. But maybe I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s rewind a bit and break down this nostalgic, albeit uneven, return to form process…

Life is Strange: Double Exposure: The Basics

Why? A narrative mystery adventure and direct sequel to Life is Strange, following Max Caulfield as he uses his powers of time manipulation to solve the murder of his best friend at a prestigious liberal arts college.
For whom? Fans of story-rich games and anyone who enjoys supernatural mysteries with emotional depth. If you liked the original Life is Strange or games like What Remains of Edith Finch and The Wolf Among Us, this game is for you.
How much does it cost? The standard version costs $49.99. There’s also a Deluxe Edition for $59 and an Ultimate Edition for $74.
What other games has the developer made? Deck Nine Games previously developed Life is Strange: Before the Storm and Life is Strange: True Colors after taking over from original developer Don’t Nod.
What games does this look like? Beyond the obvious comparisons to previous Life is Strange games, it shares the same DNA as narrative adventures like Tell Me Why and Road 96.

As everything changes…

Maximum

(Image credit: Deck Nine)

Ten years after that fateful day in Arcadia Bay, Max has grown in ways that feel authentic to his character, rather than being forced into a sequel. The self-doubt that once caused him to hide behind his camera has matured into something more refined; a thoughtful hesitation that speaks to someone who has learned the weight of his choices. This is exactly the kind of character development you’d expect from someone forced to grapple with the responsibility of rewriting time.

And speaking of options – kudos to Deck Nine for handling it expertly. HE Decision taken from the original game. They found a way to acknowledge both paths while keeping the focus firmly on Max’s journey; so newcomers can jump right in without feeling like they’re missing vital context.

This mature approach to storytelling shines brightest in Max’s relationship with Safi. As the daughter of Caledon’s headmaster and Max’s closest confidant, their friendship feels perfectly natural; Maybe it’s because Max always gravitates towards strong-willed women who pull him outside his comfort zone. It’s like watching a more confident Max find her own friendship, which is similar to Chloe, minus the history and romantic tension.

Max and Amanda

(Image credit: Deck Nine)

He rewrote the murder

Safi died just minutes after sharing a moment with Max at the top of the observatory. It’s a visceral punch that establishes Double Exposure’s central mystery and hits Max particularly hard. Having already lost (and potentially saved) her best friend to tragedy, she is desperate to not let history repeat itself. He has experience with him this time, but also the weight of the trauma of Arcadia Bay affects every decision he makes.

Dead Safi

(Image credit: Deck Nine)

The investigation itself proves riveting and unfolds like a time-twisted episode of Veronica Mars. As Max delves deeper into Safi’s life, he uncovers a complex web of relationships and buried resentments at Caledon University. It turns out our victim is quite skilled at making enemies.

The real power of the mystery lies in how it intertwines with Max’s own struggles for power and responsibility. Each jump brings new information, but also forces him to question whether he is helping or merely delaying the inevitable. The play’s parallels between his current investigation and his memories of Arcadia Bay create an intriguing psychological dimension to what could have been a simple detective story. Just when you think you’ve solved the problem, another development forces you to rewind your theories – both literally and figuratively.

extracurricular time

For all the attention paid to Max’s personal life, it’s surprising how little we see of his professional life. We’re told he’s an established photographer who runs seminars at the university, but this potentially fascinating aspect of his character remains frustratingly off-screen. Imagine Max mentoring young photographers, perhaps seeing echoes of his youth in their uncertainty. Instead, this topic of character development remains largely unexplored, and I can’t help but feel like it’s a missed opportunity.

Arial photo of Caledon

(Image credit: Deck Nine)

As for the supporting cast (Max’s friends and colleagues), they often feel like caricatures. Sure, the graphics are beautiful, and I especially loved the micro-expressions that let you really see their emotional range, but most of them were, for lack of a better term, excruciating. While Moses stands out as a breath of fresh air with his friendly charm and likeable personality, many of your friends on campus feel like they’ve walked out of a particularly glaring parody of liberal arts college life.

One love option, no spoilers but you’ll figure it out when your toes start curling, it scared me so much I almost caused my own temporal paradox. Imagine every liberal arts cliché thrown into a blender, served with the garnish of trying too hard; That’s what you get. And this is coming from someone with a master’s degree in poetry. Their dialogue felt slimy and frankly I had to suspend my disbelief that our Max Caulfield could be friends with these people.

Max and Safi are looking at the phone

(Image credit: Deck Nine)

It’s a shame really, because when Double Exposure achieves this, it really succeeds. Moments where Max reflects on the past and reveals himself? Pure gold. When characters like Moses manage to transcend the play’s sometimes stifling self-awareness? Spell. But these moments are temporary.

When mechanics stumble

maximum impact

(Image credit: Deck Nine)

If time warping were actually as cumbersome as in Double Exposure, I’d happily stick to linear chronology. The game’s much-touted timeline-altering mechanic, which should be revolutionary, instead feels like wrestling with a stubborn filing cabinet. Each passage requires immersion in a separate room, which breaks the momentum of the narrative. What was supposed to be a flawless feat of supernatural ability turns into a navigational exercise that will test everyone’s patience.

The game’s information ecosystem amplifies this frustration. Want to capture plot details? Prepare for a digital scavenger hunt. The log system requires laborious clicking of each entry individually. What about social media feeds? They’re less of an immersive storytelling tool and more of a test of how many repetitive swipes a player can endure.

Life is Strange Double Exposure: The Verdict

Life is Strange: Double Exposure, like Max’s own supernatural abilities, exists in a strange temporal state, suspended between nostalgic reverence and the unforgiving expectations of modern storytelling. This is a game that earnestly attempts to recapture the lightning-in-a-bottle magic of the original, occasionally stumbling across perfection but mostly finding itself confused within its own narrative and mechanical timelines.

All in all, Life is Strange: Double Exposure feels like a slightly out-of-focus photo; you can make out the details, you can appreciate the composition, but something maddening remains beyond the clear vision.

Pasteleria-edelweiss

Pasteleria-edelweiss

Life is Strange: Double Exposure — a return to nostalgic yet uneven form

Harry

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Life is Strange: Double Exposure — a return to nostalgic yet uneven form

Harry

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