Life is Strange: Double Exposure

In a way, Life is Strange: Double Exposure felt like returning home. While it doesn’t quite overshadow the original, it delivers more of what made the series so special in the first place while having its own identity. Nostalgia can be a tricky line to walk. On the one hand there’s plenty of people who liked Max’s story from the first game and will be drawn back, but there’s also a risk of winding up like a few other series that are just remaking the same game over and over. I feel Deck Nine Games have successfully pulled off that tightrope trick, and have left the series in a place where it can only grow and thrive. I look forward to the next adventure.

Max Caulfield's return is a gripping story adventure with a high 'feel-good' factor that stumbles over its own narrative in the finale.

On one side, we visit a campus that is in a pessimistic mood due to the murder, while on the other side, a colorful campus and energetic people preparing for New Year's events await us.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure is a good story, full of interesting characters and nostalgic callbacks to the game that started the franchise. While this continuation of Max Caulfield’s story doesn’t hit quite the same way as the original, it’s still worth experiencing and should satisfy fans.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure stays true to the beloved themes of the series while introducing fresh new faces and deepening Max's development.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure would always have high expectations projected onto it, as the original is perhaps one of the best emotional and narrative-driven games out there. The sequel might not be on the same level as its predecessor, but there are a lot of admirable qualities here. It’s great to see Max Caulfield return to the series, as she is genuinely an exceptional character. I really enjoyed the overall story, and there are some phenomenal twists along the way which you may not see coming. However, I wish Max and Safi had more scenes together, because it would have meant those impactful moments would have carried more weight. As long as you accept that Life is Strange: Double Exposure will not provide the same emotional whirlwind adventure as other entries in the franchise, you will have a good time.

Apart from a few technical inconsistencies, puzzles that are a bit too simple and a fairly compact game world, Life is Strange: Double Exposure is a successful sequel with a twist-filled plot, interesting characters, fantastic music and a terrific German dubbing.

Deck Nine has big ambitions for Life is Strange and for Max Caufield. This new installment of the series establishes her as a strong, complex character, capable of carrying the franchise to the heights it deserves. Double Exposure is more restrained but also deeper, offering a captivating and moving story about the strength of friendship, the weight of one’s mistakes, and the place everyone must carve out for themselves in the world.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure is a satisfying sequel that ties in the events of its prequel well. It remembers and stays true to the original story without straying too far from its core. Although it relies a little too much on your having played the first Life is Strange, it continues the adventure well and balances the feeling of familiarity while still keeping things refreshing. If you enjoyed the first game, you’re in for a treat with this one.

Double Exposure may fall a little short when compared to some of the previous games in the series, but Max Caulfield's return is still a riveting (and wild) ride. Max is as caring and likeable as ever. We loved spending time with her again – from her adorably awkward attempts at flirting at the start through to the dramatic if slightly uneven climax – and would more than welcome further stories with her.

While Life is Strange: Double Exposure was a lot of fun and had a lot of great moments between using her powers to swap between timelines to be a murder-mystery detective, conversations dragged on and significant choices being made didn't feel consequential at all. It's a great experience, with a lot of twists, but some of it feels a bit too drawn out at times.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure has a fine thrilling story that made me sit at the edge of my sit at times, however, with some meaningless choices at times and a poorly optimized PC version, I highly recommend it for the story, but I hope Deck Nine fix the game quickly.

Max Caulfield is back and she's stronger than ever. A narrative game in the vein of Quantic Dream's works, but with its own identity, Life is Strange Double Exposure is an astonishing experience. While managing to emancipate itself, the game narrates a different poetry for a result that does not leave you indifferent. Despite a somewhat slow pace and some events that are a little too disjointed, nostalgia works and we become attached again to the one who was a teenager at Blackwell. Without being revolutionary, the formula, tinged with parallel worlds and temporal powers, manages to move us. Without going all the way with its intentions, this long-awaited sequel opens a door to new adventures of the very charismatic Maxine. Can't wait for her return.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure is a welcome sequel: the narrative is rich and the characters engaging, but the experience remains limited by poorly-exploited gameplay mechanics and uneven technical realization. Fans of the series will find pleasure in an older, even more nuanced Max, while new players can immerse themselves in an emotionally intense plot. The art direction succeeds in differentiating the two parallel realities brilliantly, and the integration of social networks allows us to discover subtle aspects of the story and the characters.

It's great to have Max Caulfield back, but I'm not sure she ever needed to be in the first place. A somewhat unnecessary-feeling sequel that still manages to tell a compelling story, if not a little messy and underbaked.

It can be played for the sake of the original game and Max, but you may not find the same spirit.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure impresses with its stunning visuals and exceptional soundtrack, featuring detailed environments and rich expressions that significantly enhance immersion. The game excels in world-building, suspense, and narrative pacing, offering an engaging and unpredictable experience. However, the early segments struggle with their connection to the original, and the emotional arcs feel somewhat underdeveloped, lacking the depth seen in the first installment's character relationships.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure brings back Max for another instance in her life where her powers grant her the means of righting a wrong, but instead she discovers an alternate timeline and events that remind her of her past. Instead of fully diving into it, the game ultimately shoves her past and present aside and tries to make you forget it leaving you with unanswered questions. It has some strong points and features thought-provoking storytelling the series is known for, but it ultimately feels like a roll of film needing some development.

While it's great to see Max back with beautiful graphics and decent gameplay, Life is Strange Double Exposure's narrative may disappoint both Chloe fans and lovers of a good story. The game clearly sets a path that Square Enix wants to take with the franchise, and it involves more superpowers and less exciting stories.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure starts as a compelling mystery and grows into a poignant story about social bonds and trauma, but its awful ending weakens the series' identity, casting doubt on Deck Nine's choices.

Despite excellent facial animations and wonderful music, Double Exposure has pacing issues, unlikable characters, dire gameplay, tonal problems, and is an incomplete imitation of the perfect storm.