Life is Strange 2: Episode 1 - Roads Reviews

There are a couple of technical issues that hold back Life is Strange 2, it's got some weird visual glitches, and I encountered a few crashes in the short, but ultimately interesting story of two brothers, and their suddenly upended life.

Life is Strange 2 excels on many levels but also has its evident flaws. Following the Diaz brothers through traumatic and unnecessary events will have you empathizing with their circumstances. However, Daniel's supernatural powers are a whole other conundrum.

The net result is that we immediately care about Life is Strange 2. There’s no getting-to-know-you phase where we’re slowly and steadily introduced to conflict. Nope, it’s immediate and it’s painful. And it makes both Sean and Daniel immediately-sympathetic characters. Developer Dontnod used this first episode as an opportunity to get right at the themes of Life is Strange 2. There’s no time wasted and that’s an effective way to get our attention. This is going to be a roadtrip that’s worth looking forward to, even if it’s born out of some of the most tragic circumstances imaginable.

Where the first Life is Strange showed players the intricacies of 2 close female friends, Life is Strange 2 has kicked off with the complexities of 2 brothers. In the first episode, titled ‘Roads’, we are introduced to the Diaz family, and witness the horrific racism, hardship, and turmoil one family can face.

Life Is Strange 2 is profoundly political, but that shouldn’t be a surprise. This is a tale about two Latino boys travelling across Trump’s America, and it plays out more or less exactly as you’d expect it to. The story’s much more grounded in reality than the original series ever was, and that means that it’s filled to the figurative brim with pop culture references, from Minecraft through to The Last of Us. It also means that the United States – well, they aren’t exactly united right now, are they?

The beginning is very slow and we move between scenes inconsistently. I also question whether children could survive such conditions, then Daniel reminds me there is also magic at play here. The topic of racism being in a game is not new but how it is the center of this story is. I would have been more comfortable were these adult characters and not children because of certain scenes though I am unsure I would be as emotionally invested were that the case. Life Is Strange 2 has you on the ed...

Life is Strange 2 Episode 1: Roads delivers an emotionally gripping opening to this episodic story. Both Sean and Daniel are outstanding characters that are both layered and well-voiced to give them that authentic relationship.  If this is what we can expect from Life is Strange 2 than it's going to be an outstanding tale.

Life is Strange was about coming back. Max had left Arcadia Bay, her friend Chloe and a lot of problems behind. Returning to attend the prestigious Blackwell Academy, she found everything she had left was still here. You got the sense that Max wasn’t good at confronting her problems, so her arc through the game was mainly about learning to face the challenges she normally shied away from. Life is Strange 2 inversely, explores the need to run. The entirety of Life is Strange 1, and Before the Storm was set in one town. The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit was set in one house. Life is Strange 2 promises to be a journey through several locations as two brothers attempt to escape what they cannot understand.

Starting over can be difficult, but sometimes it's for the better. By leaving behind the picturesque Arcadia Bay and the beloved cast of the original Life is Strange, developer Dontnod tells a bold and engaging story. Life is Strange's familiar focus on relationships works well, and small tweaks to the dialogue system bring some welcome nuance. The sense of renewal also extends to the narrative; new protagonists Sean and Daniel are also starting fresh as they leave behind their home in a tale about grief, coming of age, and identity.

'Roads' is a fantastic first episode in what promises to be one of the best episodic series the games industry has ever seen.

Life is Strange 2: Episode 1 – Roads is a strong introduction to Sean and Daniel’s characters and story. Their bond is portrayed in a realistic manner, and some moments can be highly emotive. Sadly, Sean’s lack of a power makes the first episode feel less exciting than Max’s opening. The gameplay feels a little too one-dimensional at this moment and really required an added twist. But Roads sets up some intriguing plot points which I’m really excited to see unfold in later episodes of Life is Strange 2.