Sometime Life is Strange: Double ExposureIn the third episode, Max Caulfield tried to talk to Loretta, another student on campus, about the well-being of a student named Reggie. Loretta was a little confused when she asked Max who exactly she meant. That's when Max realized, much to her chagrin, that she had confused Loretta's two parallel realities. It turns out that one Loretta met Reggie, but the other didn't. (Don't ask me which one; I can't easily remember either.)
This moment is a symbol of how quickly Double jeopardy oscillates between his two universes. There is the “living world” in which her best friend Safi lived, and the “dead world” in which she did not live. Several puzzles in the game follow this progression: To avoid certain obstacles in investigating Safi's death, Max tore a massive rift into the alternate reality to gather information she otherwise wouldn't be privy to, or grabbed a useful item, as if pulling a magician's hat trick before returning to the first one.
While this gimmick is a nifty mechanic that adds an intriguing dimension to Max's detective work, it can also become confusing and boring, especially when events develop in completely different directions. Even Max's careful note-taking does little to assuage this frustration. Ultimately, while the power offers insight into the otherwise unseen aspects of Max's life, it is also problematic as a mechanic, as it sometimes limits interactions to get quests.
This article contains spoilers about it Life is Strange: Double Exposure, its finale and the first Life is strange.
This boredom is why, as Max flits between the two realities with the verve of a skilled illusionist, she feels like her inner turmoil is only increasing. Their interactions vary between realities, as do the countless events that take place, leaving ripples in the way their relationships between universes develop. For example, in one universe Max is close friends with the school's administrative assistant, but in another universe he is only friends with him. It's no wonder she often engages in moments of calm and self-reflection, like when she ponders her decision to bombard a friend with relentless questions or ponders the dirty laundry of a disgraced colleague.
So it's no surprise that the more Max uses her powers, Double jeopardy follows on from the largely sluggish pace of the first two episodes. The melodrama has increased considerably since the astonishing cliffhanger of the second episode, with important twists hinted at and then boldly implemented with great sensitivity. While it's easy for these to become contrived, for Double jeopardy losing the emotional core of its story – that is, the game's smaller, more tender moments of affection – Double jeopardy hardly falters and persists without being drowned in these bombastic revelations.
The good news is that from the first game, Max learns to live with her grief. Small but crucial decisions, like retaliating against a self-centered colleague by interrupting his class, using her supernatural powers to unravel clues, and even deciding which love interest she wants to kiss (or not at all), paint a picture of Max's identity. Then there's the crucial scenario where Max is seemingly faced with the prospect of making another impossible decision, but she realizes that she can simply choose not to make a decision at all. Double jeopardy Narratively, it's also at its most confident when it comes to chronicling her growth, with the game deftly bringing together the grandiose plot twists and quieter, more intimate scenes with incredible emotionality.
But the last episode is where Double jeopardy There seems to be no room for such musings anymore. Episode five eventually boils down to a series of rooms, with Max simply running from one door to the next to rescue the cast from their horrific predicament. Familiar artifacts from her previous life in Arcadia Bay, such as the steel chair used by her ex-Professor Jefferson, reappear, creating the macabre quality of a strange lucid dream sequence. A giant bowling alley mascot stares menacingly at Max as she struggles to free herself from her bonds. Folders full of photos – the centerpiece of Jefferson's twisted portfolio – entice Max to look through them again. It's a throwback to Max's breakdown in the final episode of the original Life is strangebut it felt like such an obligatory nod that it was more repetitive than imaginative.
What's even more disappointing is that in his conclusion Double jeopardy chose to clumsily adapt the series – a popular series that explores the emotional depths of everyday life – into a sci-fi story about a cast of teenagers with superhero problems. It doesn't understand that these powers are like Daniel's telekinetic abilities Life is Strange 2, are merely a lens through which to view life's fears on a heightened level. Without a stronger emotional anchor, this development feels like a clumsy attempt at expansion Life is strange into an endlessly repeatable formula, set in another cinematic universe. A bigger failure is the way in which Max is established as the face of this new direction, with “Max Caulfield Will Return” being announced in the end credits.
Perhaps an ending in which Max gets a respite from the many misfortunes that the world seems to happily throw at her is too idealistic. After all, reality can be just as perverse for the rest of us. But the idea that Life is strange will portray Max's powers as something out of the ordinary feels a little contradictory. That is not the conclusion Double jeopardy earned.
All episodes of Life is Strange: Double Exposure are now available for PC, PlayStation and Xbox.