The future of Life is Strange seems a little murky right now. Square Enix’s latest financial report stated that the latest game in the series, Double Exposure, was a “large loss” for the company, which means it might be put on ice indefinitely if things don’t improve.
Double Exposure was a surprisingly controversial game, considering it tried to appeal directly to longtime fans like myself. A return to Max Caulfield as protagonist should have felt like a victory lap with how beloved a character she was, but instead fans turned against the game, angry at how the narrative handled Max and Chloe’s relationship and upset at larger flaws in the writing alongside notable performance issues on PC.
Life Is Strange: Double Exposure Wasn’t A Bad Game
Our own Andrew King has written that Life is Strange should pivot from Max’s story if it wants to survive, considering how unpopular her return was with diehard fans. I don’t necessarily agree with that. I’ve defended the game before, and I’ll do it again: while Double Exposure is far from a perfect game, and there are many reasons to criticise it, I thought Double Exposure handled Max’s return very well, and the series returning to her story doesn’t have to be a death sentence.
Double Exposure was a retreading of the familiar. Its plot is eerily similar to that of the first game, because it’s giving Max a second chance at doing the right thing, finding a way out of the nightmare of having to kill her best friend. It’s a story about breaking the cycle, writing yourself a new ending, and not repeating your past mistakes. I found it profoundly moving, and was surprised that so many other fans didn’t feel the same.
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Could Double Exposure Be The End Of Life Is Strange?
The controversial return of Max Caulfield selling poorly leaves plenty of questions about the franchise’s future.
Double Exposure Deserves A Sequel
What I found less appealing was the implication that Life is Strange would be bringing all of its previous protagonists together in a Marvel-style team-up. I find the idea quite ridiculous, actually, but this isn’t a definite thing. While many might object to seeing Deck Nine further go down this route, I don’t think it’s necessarily the wrong thing to do. A game focusing on Safiya could be very interesting, for example. There’s potential for the studio to handle this continuing story delicately, it’s just not clear if it will, or if it will even be given the chance to.
To be fair, the series pivoting away from Max wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing, either. While I didn’t love True Colors, the game before Double Exposure, I think that Life is Strange has generally told moving, important stories about groups of people who might not often see themselves represented in video games. Representation in itself is not the important thing, but the fact that these groups are humanised.
Moving back to its anthological roots might be a good idea, not because Max has been botched, but because it’s what the series has done well historically. That said, I don’t think Max’s story has to end here, even if Double Exposure was a financial failure. We’ve seen her come full circle and learn from her mistakes – now, I want to see her move on.
- Released
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October 29, 2024
- ESRB
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M For Mature: Mild Blood, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs, Violence
- Developer(s)
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Deck Nine