http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux March 2020 LXF260 23Teen-angst simulator REVIEWS
VERDICT
Despite the promise of a classic road trip, it fails to put you in
the driving seat and leaves you feeling disappointed.GAMEPLAY 7/10
GRAPHICS 7/10LONGEVITY 7/10
VALUE 7/10Rating 7/10
DEVELOPER: Feral Interactive
WEB: https://store.feralinteractive.com
PRICE: £32.49This problem is exacerbated by the fact that Life is
Strange 2’s most powerful tool is not directly in your
hands. While players control Sean, it’s Daniel who boasts
supernatural abilities. Sean quickly adopts the role of
mentor, but his younger brother is a precocious child, and
while he might start by using his powers for something as
innocuous as cheating at dice, it’s not long before he
begins to understand the extent of his abilities. Eventually,
the player isn’t just battling with the game’s desire to get
you to Mexico no matter the narrative implications, but
against a central game mechanic that happens to have
developed a personality. It’s a fascinating concept, rarely
explored outside the idea of rogue AI, but in a series that
supposedly holds player choice in such high regard, it’s
deeply misplaced.
The Linux release by Feral Interactive delivers the
entire five episodes in one package, the original Windows
launch was episodic over 14 months, which did it no
favours, much like the long breaks within the story arc. So
much of what the brothers’ story happened off-screen –
entire characters and story arcs were relegated to pages
in Sean’s diary – which meant it was difficult to stay
engaged between chapters.
In a post-Telltale (of Walking Dead and the Sam and
Max episodic game fame) industry, Life is Strange’s
structure already feels like an eccentricity. It speaks
volumes that when Dontnod announced its next game –
episodic narrative adventure Tell Me Why – shortly before
the release of episode five, it was made clear that the
entire story will released over the course of a few months
in mid 2020.
There are some excellent moments dotted throughout
the game, and it’s clear that Dontnod has something to
say about American race relations. Often, it leans too
heavily on patriotic stereotypes to do so, but the final
episode in particular focuses carefully on the concept of
Sean’s reverse American Dream. Overall though, Life is
Strange 2 is more interested in that dream than in its own
central themes – those of brotherhood, family and the
passing down of knowledge and responsibility to the next
generation. Its desire to stick to the series’ established
tropes means that you’re forced into set-piece after set-
piece on your inevitable road to Mexico, without any
desire to cater to the player who just wants to be a good
big brother.DONTNOD INTERVIEW
With each episode of Life is Strange 2, being a parent to your younger
brother becomes more complicated. “Should I feel like I’m screwing
this kid up?” We asked lead writer Jean-Luc Cano. He said yes, you
should feel that way. That’s the point of Life is Strange 2; parenting is
complicated enough when there’s a generation gap, but putting aside
your own teenage ambitions to be a dad to your younger brother
while on the run from the law? That’s not covered in a parenting book.
In the first Life is Strange, you’re responsible for yourself. As Max,
some of your decisions affect others, like Chloe, but it directly
influences the trajectory of your story. In Life is Strange 2, all your
decisions are focused on Daniel. Everything you decide has positive or
negative consequences for him. Teaching him one thing early on in the
game may result in a completely opposite outcome than what you
intended. Cano and the rest of the team wanted to create a greater
emotional impact by having their choices affect someone else’s life.
Even the smallest of choices can have varying effects on Daniel.
This made the writing process itself more difficult compared to the
first game. “With Max, you can see the consequences of your actions
really fast,” said Cano. “In Life is Strange 2, it’s not really visible from
the beginning, but it will still shape the behaviour of Daniel, and his
behaviour will change a lot from episode one to five.”
Sometimes you think you’ve made a good parenting decision, but
you can’t control the choices of others, such as Finn – and when a kid
idolises another adult-figure instead of you, you can automatically
become the bad guy. “Daniel wants to make his own decisions, and
sometimes Sean doesn’t want him to do it, but Daniel wants to do it
anyway. There’s a lot of tension and friction between Sean and Daniel.”
Cano’s personal experience as a parent not only influenced some
of the story in Life is Strange 2, but also the first game. “Life is Strange
is a coming-of-age tale, and I wrote it when I became a father. And
maybe that’s why I wrote Life is Strange 2, to come up with this idea of
my daughter as she grows up.” Every decision he makes, every word
he says, his daughter will look to him as an example. It’s a part of her
education, as Cano puts it, as she grows into adulthood.The story moves from vignette to vignette, with each chapter set
months after the one before.Each decision you
make can impact the
life of someone else.222March 0n0 Mcgemt gm’sdio March 2020 LXF260 23
Teen-angst simulator REVIEWS
VERDICT
Despitethepromiseofa classicroadtrip,it failstoputyouin
thedrivingseatandleavesyoufeelingdisappointed.GAMEPLAY 7/10
GRAPHICS 7/10LONGEVITY 7/10
VALUE 7/10Rating 7/10
DEVELOPER: Feral Interactive
WEB: https://store.feralinteractive.com
PRICE: £32.49This problem is exacerbated by the fact that Life is
Strange 2’s most powerful tool is not directly in your
hands. While players control Sean, it’s Daniel who boasts
supernatural abilities. Sean quickly adopts the role of
mentor, but his younger brother is a precocious child, and
while he might start by using his powers for something as
innocuous as cheating at dice, it’s not long before he
begins to understand the extent of his abilities. Eventually,
the player isn’t just battling with the game’s desire to get
you to Mexico no matter the narrative implications, but
against a central game mechanic that happens to have
developed a personality. It’s a fascinating concept, rarely
explored outside the idea of rogue AI, but in a series that
supposedly holds player choice in such high regard, it’s
deeply misplaced.
The Linux release by Feral Interactive delivers the
entire five episodes in one package, the original Windows
launch was episodic over 14 months, which did it no
favours, much like the long breaks within the story arc. So
much of what the brothers’ story happened off-screen –
entire characters and story arcs were relegated to pages
in Sean’s diary – which meant it was difficult to stay
engaged between chapters.
In a post-Telltale (of Walking Dead and the Sam and
Max episodic game fame) industry, Life is Strange’s
structure already feels like an eccentricity. It speaks
volumes that when Dontnod announced its next game –
episodic narrative adventure Tell Me Why – shortly before
the release of episode five, it was made clear that the
entire story will released over the course of a few months
in mid 2020.
There are some excellent moments dotted throughout
the game, and it’s clear that Dontnod has something to
say about American race relations. Often, it leans too
heavily on patriotic stereotypes to do so, but the final
episode in particular focuses carefully on the concept of
Sean’s reverse American Dream. Overall though, Life is
Strange 2 is more interested in that dream than in its own
central themes – those of brotherhood, family and the
passing down of knowledge and responsibility to the next
generation. Its desire to stick to the series’ established
tropes means that you’re forced into set-piece after set-
piece on your inevitable road to Mexico, without any
desire to cater to the player who just wants to be a good
big brother.
DONTNOD INTERVIEW
With each episode of Life is Strange 2, being a parent to your younger
brother becomes more complicated. “Should I feel like I’m screwing
this kid up?” We asked lead writer Jean-Luc Cano. He said yes, you
should feel that way. That’s the point of Life is Strange 2; parenting is
complicated enough when there’s a generation gap, but putting aside
your own teenage ambitions to be a dad to your younger brother
while on the run from the law? That’s not covered in a parenting book.
In the first Life is Strange, you’re responsible for yourself. As Max,
some of your decisions affect others, like Chloe, but it directly
influences the trajectory of your story. In Life is Strange 2, all your
decisions are focused on Daniel. Everything you decide has positive or
negative consequences for him. Teaching him one thing early on in the
game may result in a completely opposite outcome than what you
intended. Cano and the rest of the team wanted to create a greater
emotional impact by having their choices affect someone else’s life.
Even the smallest of choices can have varying effects on Daniel.
This made the writing process itself more difficult compared to the
first game. “With Max, you can see the consequences of your actions
really fast,” said Cano. “In Life is Strange 2, it’s not really visible from
the beginning, but it will still shape the behaviour of Daniel, and his
behaviour will change a lot from episode one to five.”
Sometimes you think you’ve made a good parenting decision, but
you can’t control the choices of others, such as Finn – and when a kid
idolises another adult-figure instead of you, you can automatically
becomethebadguy.“Danielwantstomakehisowndecisions,and
sometimesSeandoesn’twanthimtodoit,butDanielwantstodoit
anyway.There’salotoftensionandfrictionbetweenSeanand Daniel.”
Cano’s personal experience as a parent not only influenced some
of the story in Life is Strange 2, but also the first game. “Life is Strange
is a coming-of-age tale, and I wrote it when I became a father. And
maybe that’s why I wrote Life is Strange 2, to come up with this idea of
my daughter as she grows up.” Every decision he makes, every word
he says, his daughter will look to him as an example. It’s a part of her
education, as Cano puts it, as she grows into adulthood.The story moves from vignette to vignette, with each chapter set
months after the one before.Each decision you
make can impact the
life of someone else.