How Life Is Strange 2 Is Totally Different From the First Game

The highly anticipated sequel to the original Life Is Strange is on its way but aside from the [...]

By Liana 'LiLi' Ruppert

The highly anticipated sequel to the original Life Is Strange is on its way but aside from the absence of our beloved protagonists Chloe and Max, there is so much more that makes this adventure different than its predecessor. But different doesn't erase the franchise's stunning past, in fact - it makes it even better and that's what we're breaking down today.

We recently got our hands on the game during PAX West this year and sat down with the creative team behind the title. Instead of following in the footsteps of Max Caulfield and the rebellious Chloe Price, the sequel's story dives right into a more gutteral connection of family, loss, and the instinctual need to protect.

Life Is Strange 2 tells the story of two brothers that lost everything one fateful day. Sean, the 16 year old poster child of quietly muted rebellion, and his younger brother Daniel - 9 - that's open curiousity adds an entirely new layer to the series that fans got a taste of during the spin-off The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit.

Whereas the first game centered around a fairly linear story in one specific location, Life Is Strange 2 takes a more traversal approach. The new setting will thrust these two brothers out into the wilderness as they make their way to Mexico. Not only does this task players to explore well beyond what the franchise has allowed thus far, but it gives an emotionally charged opportunity to see the love, the loss felt, and the bond between the Diaz siblings.

The expanded environments also adds a new survival element never before seen. Tracking down food, gauging the danger of new locations, and giving the player a sense of urgency to make that next step. This is a journey, the longest for Life Is Strange, and the outside factors only highlight further the incredible relationship the pair share.

As far as mechanics go, a lot of people felt that the interaction in the first game was clunky, jolted, and that because of that - it broke the immersion. Luckily Life Is Strange 2 has broken that cycle. It was a much smoother experience when searching around a home, or the park. Interacting with objects - with people - was much more fluid and kept that narrative envelopment intact.

Because of the "choose-your-own adventure" novelization style, the movement mechanics were never a deal breaker, but the overhaul was noticeable and appreciated. One aspect that still carries over from the first game however was the facial animations. Because of the art style and the storybook mentality, sometimes the reaction seen on a character's face did not match up with the words spoken, the tone felt. Though this was simply a demo, it is possible that this could be improved upon before final release - but for such a beautiful tale and such phenomenal voice work, it was a shame to see some of that drop off throughout the game's progression.

For those like me that love to feel that heartbreak in the most painful way possible, Life Is Strange 2 definitely delivers. True to the franchise, there are difficult choices and tragic consequences. Within the first few moments of the game, the entire story shifts and lives are forever changed. Can these boys survive the journey from Seattle to Puerto Lobos, Mexico - their father's hometown? How will this journey change their relationship, their perspective on life?

All of these questions and more will be revealed when the game drops September 27th. Just from my own hands-on with the next phase for the Life Is Strange franchise, I can't wait to jump back in and feel that soul crushing narrative consume my life. DontNod knows how to tell an enthralling tale and I believe that newcomers and veterans of the franchise alike will feel that passion, that love, from the very first episode. Though it is very different than previous stories under the same name, it feels like coming home.

You can follow the author of this story over on Twitter @DirtyEffinHippy!

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