Bolstered by the elegant story that built the series, "Life is Strange: Double Exposure" spins a densely intricate web in the form of a dark, emotionally-charged mystery set against a coming-of-age tale of a woman in quarterlife crisis.
The 2015 release of "Life is Strange" reset the standard for adventure games, adding considerable depth and nuance to the visuals, exploration and puzzles. After a steady flow of follow-ups, including a prequel, sequel and "The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit" spinoff, "Double Exposure" is the next course in the meal.
The lead character remains Max Caulfield, a photographer-in-residence at Caledon University, a fictional locale in Vermont. After swearing off a time-rewinding power she wielded in earlier installments, Max is determined to live a life of normalcy.
After tragedy ensues, though, she's forced to dive back even deeper into her maddening ability in order to set things right. The result is something of a split timeline, in which Max's actions in one timeline can affect something in the other one, with problems multiplying and mutating the more she meddles with the developments and investigates the mystery behind it all.
Developer Deck Nine has an ear for quiet moments of reflection, and infuses each scene with self-paced momentum that allows you to revel in the minutiae or power through toward the end goal. This is a game in which I'd strongly advice avoiding walkthroughs, because aimless stumbling often unearths some of the game's most rewarding moments.
I appreciated the game's deliberate, smooth pace, which made the turbulent moments are the more jarring and impactful. This chapter in the "Life of Strange" saga firmly establishes the franchise as one of the powerhouses in its genre. While earlier entries in the series were treated more like indie curiosities, "Double Exposure" has gotten a well-deserved blockbuster rollout, complete with a social media blitz, movie theater and TV trailers and harsh scrutiny from many game critics.
Count me among those exceedingly pleased by this sequel. More mature and measured than past entries, this is by far my favorite "Life is Strange" entry yet. It will be fascinating to see where the franchise goes next.
Publisher provided review code.
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