Life is Strange: Episode 5 - Polarized

Even though Episode Five may be a continuous torrent of truly dire situations, it is an experience that demands attention. Intense monologues – both venomous and heartbreaking – are its standout moments. Its clever narrative offers a sense of finality that can fill you with terror, happiness, and heartbreak in equal parts. Thank you for the year that was Life is Strange – it’s been emotional.

Confident, strident, beautiful and different. [Christmas 2015, p.80]

The best episodic game out there right now. [Issue#168, p.94]

Life Is Strange’s conclusion is as effective and powerful an ending as we could hope for. It’s been an emotional, haunting, and often ridiculous time following Max and her friends on their timey-wimey quest, and I’m going to miss them.

If there is one way to best describe the experience that Episode 5: Polarized has to offer, then it can easily be done through the word that Dontnod Entertainment specifically chose to feature in the title of the fifth and final episode for Life Is Strange. It will no doubt polarize people on whether or not they believe it’s a satisfying (or fulfilling) conclusion to what has been such a spectacular title.

Since the first chapter, Life is Strange has been more a story than a videogame. There are some interesting turning of events in this final chapter, and some will make you think about the meaning of being the protagonist, or just a spectator. In the end, Dontnod has found a great way to end this great project.

Episode 5 is truly a culmination of the Life is Strange journey that provides a very satisfying ending to this really special game that must not be overlooked.

Polarized has solidified Life is Strange’s spot as a frontrunner for best adventure game of the year.

It’s a great ending to a great game, and might possibly be called the best episode of the bunch.

Dating back to January of this year, Max's adventure has been quite a ride. After a couple of episodes that were pretty shaky, the French developer righted itself and delivered three consecutive home runs that absolutely blew us away, and this has culminated in a finale that delivers on everything that we could have possibly dreamed of.

I could not recommend this game enough, it is by far my favourite game ever and if you haven’t played it you should, even though I’ve spoilt it in this review (YOU WERE WARNED).

The finale the game deserved, cementing Life is Strange as one of the best games, and biggest surprises, of 2015.

Amazing and emotive finale for a very good story told by a game. This rollercoaster of emotions named Life is Strange will be remembered as one of the biggest surprises of the year.

The quality has been fluctuating from episode to episode, but the closure makes up for it, with some great moments and a satisfying conclusion (even if some may not be happy with the finale). Life is Strange is, in the end, a truly great story, well narrated and with high production values. Bravo Dontnod.

If you've played the previous episodes, buying this one should be a no-brainer. If you haven't, then what are you waiting for? This series is more than worth every dollar you spend on it.

Life is Strange has closed its curtains after giving us a marvellous show. While the ending is satisfying, Life is Strange Episode 5 “Polarized” isn’t the strongest episode of the entire series. It does; however, offer a nice close to a worthy adventure.

Despite some minor setbacks, Polarized is a fantastic conclusion to Life is Strange and cements Dontnod's teen drama as a serious contender for Game of the Year.

Maybe it's not the ending we expected, but that doesn't mean that Dontnod's first episodic series isn't great. As its own title says, this ending will get its audience polarized.

What the game wants you to appreciate is how difficult it is be morally and cosmically right when no less than love itself is the alternative.

The capstone to a brilliant game, Polarized is a little too melodramatic to feel fully satisfying.

Despite its awkward dialogue and handful of plot missteps, Life Is Strange’s conclusion cements its story as one of the more noteworthy in recent videogames. This final episode may not be the strongest, but its impressive level of wit and emotional honesty encapsulates what makes Dontnod’s titles special.

Despite being marred by some dull gameplay at times, Life is Strange Episode 5: Polarized successfully pulls off what many other games have failed to do: delivering a satisfying ending to a player-driven, choice heavy game.

Sure, the project has had its share of missteps, but it's also been full of powerful moments that surpass your average experience with a video game.

I'm fine with the endings for Max, Chloe, and everyone else. It disappoints because of the path the game took in getting there. The ultimate result is a letdown and it leaves a sense that Life is Strange could have been such a more memorable experience than it was.

A heartbreaking ending to a fascinatingly ambitious interactive story, that handles the build-up to its final dilemma with impressive confidence and heart.

Fractured. [Christmas 2015, p.79]

While the episode does provide a conclusion to Max’s bittersweet story, its splintered things apart more than tied them all together. [January 2015, p75]

A fantastic series comes to an uneven, disappointing close.