Life is Strange: Reunion review – A fitting end

It’s been over a decade, both in real time and in the lives of Max and Chloe, but our favourite Life is Strange duo is finally back together. Sure, it’s taken some time manipulation shenanigans to get here, and if you think about the logistics too much you’ll give yourself a headache. But ultimately none of that matters. Chloe and Max are reunited, and it’s wonderful.

But while the original Life is Strange felt like Chloe and Max’s story, Life is Strange: Reunion feels more like a story that Max and Chloe simply star in. Yes, Max’s time control abilities are key to the story, but this is more about Caledon University, the mysterious Abraxas group, and long-buried faculty secrets. It’s an intriguing story, but it’s hard to care about Abraxas as much as something that directly affects Max and Chloe. At least Max has spent some time at Caledon already – it’s the setting of Life is Strange: Double Exposure, after all – but Chloe? She has nothing to do with any of it. She’s merely there to find Max.

That’s what matters, though. That reunion between Max and Chloe is as beautiful and moving as it is complicated and confusing. Regardless of the wider narrative, I’m simply thrilled to get to spend time with both of them – and you will, with chapters sharing control between both of them.

After returning from New York where her work was being showcased in a photography exhibit, Max finds Caledon University up in flames. The cause remains unknown: it could have been a protest gone wrong, or it could have been something else entirely. With lots of problems unfolding at Caledon, including tensions between Abraxas and the new president of the university, it could have been one of a number of things. One thing is for sure, though: Max needs to stop it. Not least because she witnesses her good friend Moses get caught in it. And so, by staring at a polaroid photo taken a few days ago, she goes back in time, determined to stop the events that led to the fire.

There’s an element of a ‘whodunnit’ here. Over the seven-or-eight hour running time of Life is Strange: Reunion, you’ll need to gather evidence as to the cause of the fire. What is and isn’t evidence isn’t always obvious, and you won’t know until close to the end if you’ve missed anything (rather annoying, if you’re a bit of a completionist). It will affect the outcome of the story somewhat, as different endings are available depending on the actions you take. If you don’t find all of the required evidence, you might not be able to figure out the real cause of the fire, leading to pointing the finger in the wrong direction – potentially putting people in danger.

There are several threads to follow, and to make sure you don’t miss anything, you’ll want to talk to as many people as possible, interact with as much of the environment as possible, and explore every possible interaction. It’s often easier said than done, and some of it sadly didn’t interest me as much as I’d have liked. As much as I try, I just can’t bring myself to care about anything to do with Abraxas. Even the word makes me roll my eyes.

There are plenty of interesting scenes, though, and split up into short chapters, jumping between locations and character viewpoints, Life is Strange: Reunion is presented in a way that it never drags out or feels boring. You’ll never be in one location for too long, and if you don’t interact with everything possible, it’s down to you. The game never forces you to do so; you simply might not get the best ending. But maybe you’re fine with that.

My main complaint from Double Exposure persists here, though. We are now more than a decade on from the events of the first game, making Max and Chloe well into their 20s. But both women still feel like teenagers. Max is supposedly a lecturer at Caledon, but there’s no separation between her and the students, and it’s really hard to see her as an adult. It’s a little more of a grey area with Chloe; she’s been on the road managing a band, which is somewhat believable – this blue-haired girl was never going to be working a 9-5 office job – but it’s still difficult to see her much moved-on from the teenager she was when we last met.

It’s a small complaint, though, and after Double Exposure, it’s to be expected. It’s still easy to smile at the interactions between Max and Chloe, two characters that really do feel like friends I know in real life at this point. It’s nice that there are plenty of returning characters from the previous game, too, and even some classmates from way back in the first game get a little mention from time to time. It makes for a world that feels cohesive and real – which is no easy task, especially given the time-bending shenanigans that brought us here in the first place.

From a technical point of view, Life is Strange: Reunion feels like a step up from Double Exposure. While the last game had me complaining about strange bugs and glitches, I’ve encountered none in this playthrough. For the most part, it looks absolutely stunning, with only the odd duff texture that can temporarily pull you back to reality. Character models are impressive, as are facial expressions and lip synching. Voice acting is second-to-none, too, really breathing life to every character on-screen. It makes it a very pleasant world to spend time in, even if you don’t care about the crux of the story as much as you maybe ought to.

All things considered, Life is Strange: Reunion feels like an appropriate way to bring Max and Chloe’s story to an end. As much as I’d have liked to revisit Arcadia Bay, it wouldn’t have fit with either girls’ story, and for all its flaws, there’s no denying that Caledon makes for an intriguing setting, if nothing else. Deck Nine has already proven itself as an excellent storyteller, and while I’m not sure Life is Strange: Reunion is the highlight of the series, it’s still a very good entry – and a must-play, if you’ve experienced Max and Chloe’s story up until this point.