I would rewind time to undo choices, regret it, rewind again, regret it, and eventually settle on something I wasn’t sure about. Everything in Out of Time just feels important in a way Chrysalis didn’t. It just isn’t clear until you’re blindsided by its significance. A tedious sequence meant to expose Chloe to Max’s time-rewinding powers has unexpected meaning later on, as does the time-consuming fetch-quest that follows. By the end, though, I really appreciated what these limp scenarios led to. Life is Strange: Episode 2 has a couple scenarios that rely on more conventional video game design than its story-centric sequences. These great scenes happen despite (and partially because of) weak puzzle-solving sections. Episode 1 dabbled in creating an effective relationship, and tapping into the volatility of teenage emotion, but Episode 2 makes it count. Life is Strange succeeds most with meaningful moments like this. We also get a look at what Rachel meant to Chloe, who felt abandoned when she and Max lost touch in the years before the series started. Exploring the junkyard where Rachel and Chloe spent time together showed a sad, almost jealous side of Max I didn’t know existed. After all, Max has other problems (and closer friends) to worry about, too.Ĭhloe, Max’s old friend who became a rebellious troublemaker, brings us closer to the mystery of Rachel Amber, a fellow student who’s been missing for a concerning amount of time. Still, I would understand why a player may not pick up on these subtle, quiet elements of Kate’s story, and prioritize other characters and choices instead. Hints of drugs, mental illness, and potential sexual abuse make for a nasty combo. I did everything in my power to support Kate because Life is Strange creates brutal situations that made me want to. In Episode 2, which is ultimately her story, Kate’s position as the school’s least-liked student grows into something more dramatic. The figure at the front of this is Kate Marsh, a devout Catholic with no memory of certain humiliating events that have gone viral. All of this feeds back into a likable, relatable protagonist I continue to enjoy playing. Characters that didn’t work before now have more meaningful time in the spotlight, and they have a huge effect on Max’s future. For the first time, I’m interested in character arcs and mysteries that aren’t directly about Max Caulfield. The writing and character performances remain problematic, but the humanity hidden beneath the awkward delivery of out-of-place lines bursts free in Episode 2. I criticized Life is Strange: Episode 1 - Chrysalis, for failing to create convincing, compelling characters, and developer Dontnod has almost entirely rectified this issue in Out of Time.
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