LIFE IS STRANGE: DOUBLE EXPOSURE REVIEW - WHEN FAN SERVICE BECOMES FAN DISSERVICE
Remember that time your ex promised they'd "respect your boundaries" right before setting your car on fire? Well, Deck Nine just pulled the gaming equivalent with Life is Strange: Double Exposure, a sequel that promises to respect both endings of the original game before yeeting those promises straight into a tornado.
PRETTY ON THE OUTSIDE, EMPTY ON THE INSIDE
First off, let's talk about what actually works: the game looks prettier than a sunset over Arcadia Bay (too soon?). The character models are gorgeously detailed, the environments are slick, and Max's new grown-up look is chef's kiss. Hannah Telle returns to voice Max and absolutely kills it, proving that some things do age like fine wine. If only the same could be said for the writing.
BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO (ESPECIALLY WHEN IT MAKES NO SENSE)
Here's where things get messier than a time paradox. Remember how half the fanbase sacrificed an entire town to save Chloe? Well, Deck Nine looked at that emotional investment and said "lol nope." Within the first 10 minutes, they manage to torpedo a relationship that players spent years investing in, through a letter that feels about as authentic as a three-dollar bill.
It's like they wrote a completely different game and then ctrl+F replaced the protagonist's name with "Max Caulfield." The story throws new romance options at you faster than Warren could say "go ape," including one creep who makes Warren look like a gentleman, and another character you've known for approximately 3.5 seconds.
TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, PLEASE STAND BY
Performance-wise, it's more unstable than Max's timeline. Expect random frame drops, audio bugs that make characters sound like they're speaking through a tin can, and the occasional T-pose because nothing says "immersion" quite like asserting dominance through glitches.
WHAT'S THE OPPOSITE OF CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT?
The new characters are about as memorable as that one person you met at that one party that one time. Most feel like they were generated by an AI that was fed a diet of CW drama scripts and Tumblr posts. The dialogue sometimes hits you with forced sex jokes and innuendos that feel more awkward than a high school dance.
CONCLUSION
Life is Strange: Double Exposure is like that rebound relationship after a bad breakup - it looks good on paper, but something fundamental is missing. While technically pretty and occasionally engaging, it manages to disappoint both newcomers and longtime fans alike. The former won't get why people are so attached to these characters, and the latter will wonder why they got attached in the first place.
If you're a die-hard fan of the original who chose to sacrifice Arcadia Bay, maybe wait for a sale. Or better yet, replay the original and pretend this one got lost in a time paradox.
6.5/10 - Like Max's powers, some things should probably stay in the past.