Life is Strange 2 review: Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end

When DONTNOD Entertainment announced the LiS sequel would feature a whole new set of characters, it marked a risky – but unsurprising – move.

Given how the original Life is Strange had two markedly different endings, it would have been extremely hard to make a follow-up with the same cast.

While understandable, it was still a risky decision given how beloved Chloe, Max and the whole of Arcadia Bay had become among the LiS community.

Leaving behind previously established bonds to build a world full of completely new characters is a challenge most sequels don’t have to face.

But in the same way that Before The Storm was a masterclass in how to make a prequel, Life is Strange 2 is a stunning example of a sequel.

In the first episode of the new season, Roads, players step into the shoes of Sean Diaz – a 16-year-old kid living in Seattle.

After a shocking and unexpected event occurs one afternoon, he’s forced to go on the road and on the run with his younger brother Daniel.

To say too much about the story would ruin what’s in store for fans, but this definitely has all the hallmarks of a Life is Strange plot.

Adolescents caught in that period between youth and adulthood having to deal with strange, otherworldly and difficult to comprehend changes.

This metaphor for those awkward teenage years, seen in the original Life is Strange and Before the Storm, features once again in the plot of LiS 2.

For fans this is probably expected. What is likely not to be expected is how political Life is Strange 2 is.

Sean and Daniel are sons of a Mexican immigrant living in an America that in a few months time is going to elect Donald Trump as President.

And DONTNOD’s latest runs with this to touch on some of the major issues affecting the US today.

From isolationism, to police brutality, to racism – LiS 2 looks at these huge issues and confronts the human cost of it.

Some might say that such hefty and essential topics aren’t given enough time to be explored to the level that they deserve in Roads.

But, I’d say on the flip side, it’s amazing that DONTNOD are brave enough to tackle these issues at all in an episode lasting around three hours.

If video games are to sway people that dismiss it as an art form, then it needs storytellers willing to confront such pressing and essential issues.

DONTNOD have done that, creating a story that acts as zeitgeist for modern day America. For that they should be hugely commended.

As with other LiS games, the world of Life is Strange 2 just begs to be explored.

In every area you come across there are plenty of interactive objects that give you an extra tidbit of backstory or a window into the characters.

A great way to learn more about our protagonist, like with previous LiS games, is the mobile phone and journal they carry around.

These get updated regularly updated as the story progresses, giving an extra layer of understanding to Sean’s character.

When you start his phone has a huge backlog of messages, giving you a more detailed understanding of what he’s like at the start of the story.

While Chloe and Max wrote in-depth journal entries in the original LiS and in BtS, Sean is less about words and more about visuals.

As the Life is Strange 2 story progresses Sean will sketch major talking points in his journal, and players can also add to these drawings.

This is one of the few areas where LiS 2 falls down, with the sketching controls a bit floaty and imprecise.

Completing a sketch is likely to be more luck, or wiggling the control stick around randomly, than skill.

But, seeing how the drawing segment takes up such a short amount of time, it’s a minor qualm.

One other small sticking point we found was at times, like with other Life is Strange instalments, the lip syncing can be slightly off.

Again, this is a slight issue which won’t linger long in the memory.

What you will remember once you put down your controller is the powerful, emotional story that kickstarts LiS 2 and the memorable new characters.

As 90s indie rockers Semisonic sang, “every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end”.

And while it’s sad that our time with Chloe, Max and Arcadia Bay is up, it has also paved the way for an exciting fresh start for LiS.

Sean and Daniel make for an instantly endearing and sympathetic duo, with their brotherly bond crafted brilliantly by the scriptwriters at DONTNOD.

While a small-scale supporting cast means the character building in Roads has been very focused, which we can’t wait to see developed further in future episodes.

Yes, this is Life is Strange so you’ll be au-fait with the type of gut wrenching decisions you’ll have to make in Roads.

And all of this, like with previous episodes, is done to a soundtrack that wouldn’t be out of place in an indie film that went done a treat at Sundance.

But while the basic building blocks of Life is Strange 2 is the same as what’s come before it, it’s already moving in unpredictable directions.

Life is Strange 2 looks like it means it’s goodbye to Max, Chloe and Arcadia Bay for good.

And, judging by the quality of this first episode, I couldn’t be happier.

VERDICT: 5/5