This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
“Polarised” had the potential to close these mysteries, storylines and relationships with a thrilling climax and perhaps a promise of more to come in some way of form. Sadly, it fell short of these ideals and collapsed under the weight of the expectation LIS built up.
In the vein of some TV shows such as “Lost”, “Life is Strange” created so much mystery and intrigue that the writers apparently shied away from the challenge of true closure. The game starts well enough, as Max makes a necessary escape from her captor and sets off in search of a friend as a deadl storm hits town. T
This section of the game was designed well but from there, things fall apart. as the climax beckons, Max descends into a a set of psychological challenges, as friend and foe alike is represented in a dreamy or nightmarish set of tasks.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan this type of art and gameplay when it’s well done, but ‘Polarised’ doesn’t get the balance right. The game designed is so focused on the artistic side of things that the play itself as, at times, awful. In one challenge, imaginary versions of Max’s friends “patrol” an area she must pass, all the while taunting her with attacks at her confidence. It’s somewhat in the vein of games such as “Manhunt” or more recently “Far Cry”, but while those games got a great balance of setting, atmosphere and play, “Polarised” fails. The whole thing becomes little more than pot luck and Max’s “time rewind” power - used so well before now - makes things even more random and annoying.
Sadly things only go downhill from there. Max encounters further challenges and a meeting with a doppelganger set in her own psyche that, while they are presented as profound and dark, are actually very simple. The lack of real challenge only swerves to dissuade the illusion of some kind of psychological warfare going on in Max’s mind. It’s a shame because it could have been a truly great gaming experience.
The final disappointment was perhaps the most crucial. Throughout “Life is Strange”, Max and her friend Chloe have balanced their dialogue carefully. Max offers a precocious, critical if somewhat melodramatic look at life while Chloe offers the typical teenage dialogue balanced enough to expose her pained background, rebellious nature and affection for Max all in one. It would have been easy to swing too far in one direction but the writers kept a good balance: Chloe’s “hella” comment were not overdone and the cursing never felt gratuitous.
In my view that all collapsed at the worst time: the final, climatic conversation. The final conversation between Chloe and Max becomes repetitive and unconvincing. Again, I sense this is due to the writers lacking faith int heir own ability to truly finalise the expectation they have built up throughout the episodes. It felt as though someone believed players would be unsure of the love between the characters or the emotional intensity of the moment, so felt the need to remind us of it several times over.
It creates an anti-climax only exacerbated (for me at least) by the closing scenes. The ending felt forced, offering Max no chance to reflect, to speak to other characters or to drop hints - from the inside or outside the actual story itself - of anything else to come. The lack of actual playability in the closing sections of “Polarised” was yet another source of frustration for me and probably as symptom of the lack of satisfaction at the way everything played out.
It all felt a huge let-down, but the ending of “Life is Strange” does not detract from its many positive points. The series as a whole remains innovative, refreshing, clever and highly enjoyable. The disappointing ending may yet serve as a learning curve for the studio and if their next work can build on this polished and impressive creation, there could be some classics in the pipeline.… Expand
Life is Strange: Episode 5 - PolarizedYour Score0 out of 10User Score
