The excitement I felt from Episode 1 came to a halt in Episode 2. Too little action for too long made much of the episode feel dull, though my genuine investment in the characters and their development kept me pushing until the end.
Life Is Strange 2
Developer: Dontnod Entertainment
Price: $39.99 (Episode 2: $7.99)
Platform: PC, PS4, and Xbox One
MonsterVine was supplied with an Xbox One code for review.
Episode 2, Rules, centers on helping Daniel control his powers—and deciding when (and when not) to use them. Daniel starts out by successfully lifting small objects, like rocks and a makeshift ‘shooting range’ (i.e. just a bunch of tin cans lined up on a log) in the forest. But the brisk winter air, coupled with the ongoing struggle to survive with little resources, causes Daniel to fall ill. Despite their fears of returning back to society, Sean and Daniel venture to their maternal grandparents’ house in Oregon to seek help. And, fortunately, they’re allowed to stay while they plan their next move.
Staying at their grandparents’ house is reminiscent of Episode 1’s opening scene. The boys are as relaxed as they can be in their situation. They sleep in a warm bed, eat fresh waffles, play with new toys. Claire and Stephen are welcoming regardless of their initial suspicions, and, for the most part, keep their looming questions to themselves. But who wouldn’t keep their guard up if their grandsons were constantly in the news and wanted by the police? You can’t blame them. Although Claire is painted as a much stricter enforcer of keeping things in order, while Stephen seems more open-minded to insensibilities.
Claire and Stephen have one rule: Don’t be seen. Because of this rule, the first half of the episode slowed down immensely. I began to feel restless—eager for the plot to propel into the anguish and raw emotion and sentimentality that Life is Strange is famous for—and, if I’m quite honest, drift away from the story a bit. Partly a fault of my own, as I interact with every object in sight, which inherently pauses the plot to fully build out the world around me. I really hate to compare this to previous episodes or games, but this was the first time I’d experienced a lull in any Life is Strange title. Most of the episode felt like filler you wouldn’t necessarily have to experience to get the story’s full effect.
There are a few crucial moments in Episode 2 that pull you back in (I refuse to spoil any of them), like when you finally get to meet Captain Spirit himself, the next-door neighbor Chris Eriksen. Innocent and creative as ever, Chris gives Daniel his first friend in the game. They especially bond over their love of superheroes—a nice return to childhood for our young protagonists forced to grow up and take care of one another in a world of racism and police brutality. Sean even gets to talk with Chris’s father, Charles, after an afternoon outing to choose the Eriksen’s Christmas tree (which completely goes against their grandparents’ rules, but hey, rules are meant to be broken…right?).
Despite being the episode’s title, rules that would hold significance in normal situations just don’t feel as relevant. Sean has rules in place for Daniel to protect themselves and others from his powers. Yet as the story advances, it feels out of the player’s control to decide whether or not Daniel listens. Instead, his actions become a culmination of previous (generic) ethical decisions, and it feels as though your role as a player is compensated. Most of my choices played out successfully, but some of the larger actions left me unfulfilled, thinking, “What could I have done to stop this from happening?” I like how Daniel’s character development is dependent on both small and large choices, but I began to question everything too much and not play the game as organically. The episode ends with a cliffhanger, so maybe that’s partly where my dissatisfaction stems from.
However much I wish I could’ve changed or skipped through, I’m just glad I had a sweet soundtrack and beautiful (sometimes glitchy) art to comfort me.
The Final Word
Episode 2 doesn’t compare to the excitement I felt with Episode 1—mainly due to its lull in action (and suspicious amount of calmness) and feeling like I had little control over certain events as a player. Much of the episode felt skippable, but a few key moments kept me invested in the story. I only hope for better days for Sean and Daniel in the next episode.
MonsterVine Rating: 3 out of 5 – Average
