Life is Strange 2 in the Test + Interview with the creators
Life is Strange – life is strange. Had to find several of the characters of the eponymous series. After the time Max and the rebellious Cloe manipulate it meets this time, the two brothers Sean and Daniel. Ready, set, pity …
This is not to go with the right things
Who are the previous series parts has played, knows that it is in the Life is Strange-universe-not always, of course, things are heating up: time manipulation, alternate realities – all of this we had already. This time, however, it is to telekinesis, and once again, the ability to throw the lives of two young people from the railway.
The Story begins with the more or less idyllic life of Sean and Daniel, the father of life, together with her almost-too-cool-to-true-to-in a small place in Seattle. It’s Halloween, Sean is in love with his best friend’s Wing-Man plays, in order to secure him a Date on the upcoming Party, and his biggest concern is the menace moments of his little brother. Until everything goes wrong. A misunderstanding later, nothing is how it was, and Sean and Daniel are forced to flee from home in the forest, without a real goal, alone on the road to Nowhere. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, it seems to have Daniel’s abilities, should not have an ordinary nine-year-old …
Together against the world
As in the previous two series share is the main task in Life is Strange 2 , in turn, to your surroundings to explore, clues to collect, and then in conversations and interactions with your environment to make use of, as well as decisions to make that the whole Story-history, can change. This time, the control of the older brother Sean, the growing up after the tragic events at home over night and situations have to deal with the self – actual adults would be too much-you will take the responsibility for his little brother included.
As the first two LIS-parts of spinning all first and foremost human relationships, what now in terms of Gameplay in the foreground is: While your in the predecessors, with Cloe and Rachel talk and interact were able to, there are constantly options, Daniel things to show him about Seen talking, playing with him, him, to exhort him to things to ask or him to help – for example, if there is a need in the trunk of a tree to climb. What you are doing and let, determine how your relationship goes and how Daniel marked will, which, in turn, influenced how he to future situations. However, not only your direct interactions with Daniel to determine his behavior, is also what provides for a model of her to him; he sees you stealing something, he will be later enticed to let things go.
Less Action, more variety
Who at the beginning of the first Life is Strange reminds, know that Episode 1 of the first season especially of two things was marked: Action moments and lots of repetitions – not surprisingly, it went to a character of the time turn back could. But not only does this Feature make the experience a little repetitive to always run through the same halls of the same Campus, reinforced the Whole only. Life is Strange 2 starts at a more leisurely pace, on the other hand, but also to ensure that you in the environments and are guaranteed not to get bored: From Sean, and Daniel’s house through a forest and a gas station to a Motel brings you the adventure in the first, nearly 3-hour Episode.
The Story focuses in this part of the game especially on the structure of the relationship of your two main characters, but still plenty of exciting moments and how could it be different – so make a moment, of to the lacrimal glands suppressed. The only real point of criticism I have for the previous story to Express to, is that some of the dialogues, especially at the beginning of the Roads, exactly as the sound, for what they are: rows, the teenagers of adults in the mouth were placed. Or do you know a Teen who asks, in fact, whether it is “old people can be cool”? Just …
Fan-Service and sing-along moments
No Life is Strange would be complete without its great Soundtrack. As mentioned in part 1, and Before the Storm are the individual scenes once again atmospherically perfect of the selected melodies accompanied. In terms of graphics style is rely on the tried and tested mix of colorful characters in the painting-like environments, and scores to as in the predecessors.
Speaking of predecessors: series newcomers do not have to Worry, the action is not to understand, Sean, and Daniel’s adventure can also , without any prior knowledge played and to be enjoyed. However, anyone who is already a series veteran, you can look forward to many of the smaller allusions. Keywords: Hawt, You Dawg.
CONCLUSION of Episode 1: Roads
Life is Strange 2 – Episode 1: Roads includes both in terms of atmosphere as well as Gameplay directly to its predecessor, however, it brings a fresh Wind in the series, especially due to the now even greater opportunities for interaction with Daniel. The Story itself may start slower than in the first two acts but from the start, varied. Personally, I liked the Episode very well – from the initial family idyll to disaster and the resulting relationship of the two brothers, which must be worn by Sean. Time for more Action is still plentiful in Episode 2 to 5. From this editor there is, therefore, a clear buy recommendation!
CONCLUSION Episode 2: Rules
Episode 2: Rules a couple of weeks after the end of Roads to: After the events of the last entry, the two brothers now begun, Daniel’s forces have targeted to train and first the rules to this in front of the world to keep secret, and Daniel thus to protect. The journey begins in an abandoned cottage in the snowy forest, and leads the Pair to join her grandparents, who – just like the brothers themselves – still struggling with the fact that her daughter just from the dust has made. What series typical moments full of Emotion, the turn this time, primarily on the theme of family and cohesion within the family are as follows. In the process, we learn more about Daniels and Sean’s mother, as well as their parents, as well as the already from the Demo, The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit known Chris and his father. Anyone who has played the Demo, you can leave this one by the way its read-in data to directly to the events there connect. The pace of Rules seems to be even a little more leisurely than that of Episode 1, but once more by a variety of emotions and deep themes, and fascinated, therefore, even without a big Action moments.
CONCLUSION of Episode 3: the Wastelands
At the beginning of Episode 3: the Wastelands , in turn, is some time after Episode 2 passed. Sean and Daniel have in common with Cassidy, Finn, and other freedom-loving young people settled in a tent camp in the forest and try to earn with the work on a Weed Farm, a little coal, to Finance their trip to Puerto Lobos The Problem of the matter: the head of the not-so-legal Farm treats its workers like Dirt, and soon it comes to clashes with devastating consequences. After all, both Daniel as well as Sean seem to close finally back to something like friendships – even if their own relationship is put to the test. Not least through Daniel’s growing abilities ….
Episode 3: the Wastelands to his senses once more, especially on interpersonal relationships, and this is the fate of the youth Camp band in the center of the plot. In discussions and more, what has brought every one of the Weed harvesters to learn, the game of connect, and see how differently each of them deals with his problems. Episode 3: the Wastelands acts almost like a game with a still-life, the apparent Idyll in the forest Camp with very difficult pasts of its inhabitants faces. Sean’s struggle with himself is also wonderful in the scene: on the one Hand, he wants to protect his brother, on the other hand, again just a Teen, making friends, flirting and making the right decisions in the game provided – perhaps even a little more than only do that. Daniel works in the Wastelands , however, for the first Time, not only as a defiant child, but also all the others, aware of the hazardous side look, what is the tension between him and Sean skillfully increases. Episode 3: the Wastelands may, therefore, once more only two real Action scenes deliver, and is also generally very short from, but with his beautifully crafted characters and the great Writing in the dialogues. Of us there is a high therefore, in turn, a thumb.
CONCLUSION of Episode 4: Faith
After the devastating end of Episode 3, starts Episode 4: Faith first of all, very quiet: Two months since the Explosion on the Farm has passed and Sean has the majority of the time in a coma spent. But not only that: He has lost during the botched burglary of an eye and now has to learn with his new Handicap, to cope. Strangely enough, but this is not even his biggest Problem: Daniel has been missing since the fateful night on the Farm, and the Cops are the bells and whistles to put Sean from the hospital to the youth prison. The situation seems hopeless – until Sean a note on Daniel’s whereabouts finds: As it seems, took him to camp-friend Jacob, all the way to Nevada, where the Boy lives with a group of religious fanatics. From the rain in the eaves …
Life is Strange 2 presented itself from the beginning far more leisurely pace than its two predecessors, and Episode 4 continues this Trend to continue. In fact, the three-hour Episode in some places even a little too quiet, and the Writing is in Faith is not quite at the level of the previous episodes. Nevertheless, also puts us in the fourth part of the second Life is Strange-season in wonderful emotional situations that you really can empathize, and practice in a startling way a criticism of very real grievances. Even if Episode 4: Faith , therefore, for the most part of dialogues and watching users-sequences and the Action sequences this time already very limited, it offers enough Feeling to until the very end of the rod to hold, and definitely makes you want to the big Finale, the end of the year is expected.
Bonus Episode 4: Interview with Michel Koch and Jean-Luc Cano
The first Life is Strange was oriented, thanks to our ability to manipulate time, clearly very Action. Life is Strange 2, it seems to me, compared to that of the more introverted. It is quiet and focuses more on the characters and their emotional world, such as, for example, in the last Episode [3], where everything turned to the group in the Camp and we have spent a lot of time to simply talk with you and meet you. You see the same?
MK: That’s exciting. I would not have described the first part as Action-oriented.
More than the second, at least.
MK: Ah, Yes, because of the time rewind can.
JL: Ah, Yes, I understand. What we wanted to do with Life is Strange 2, we focus on the issue of education and upbringing. In the first Life is Strange, Max had a gift of turning back time and all of their actions and decisions had an immediate effect. As a player, you could see immediately what the consequences were. In Life is Strange 2, with his new theme, we thought it would be great to give the supernatural gift of the game character, but Daniel, to see how he would develop because of their own decisions. Daniel makes a proper development during the five episodes, which is largely a function of what you do as a player. In this respect, Yes, I think this time there is less Action, because actions do not have immediately visible consequences, but nevertheless, everything you do, every dialogue, every little action, influence on Daniel. This is exactly what Life is Strange 2.
MK: And Yes, I think you’re right, what the side characters are concerned. We wanted to give the player this time [in Episode 3], the possibility of finding out who they really are – who Cassidy, Finn, Penny, Hannah and all the others, and wanted to build up the story this time around these characters, rather than making you a part of an episode a cross-mystery, or the like. It’s more about, just to show life in all its facets, to learn more about others and to understand their life style, and maybe also about people, as you see them in real life too often. And then Life is Strange 2 has, of course, there is also a certain Road trip structure in which you get to know people, and then back again must. In this part, so it’s more about exploring the world and all sorts of people, how they live in America, get to know, which is why the Story of acts is also episodic, as in the first part.
Each Episode has it’s own keyword-like title in connection with the action. How are these episodes? First, set the theme and the title and build this from, or how it works normally?
MK: Very good question. Normally, if we start with a Episode, we introduce you ourselves as travel: We work from the beginning to the end, but over all the time, where to go. The title comes, whenever he comes, however, this is mostly quite early in the development process. Each Episode revolves around Sean and how he feels; the title represent, in a certain way.
JLC: *to Michelle* And you have yet another Plan you’re following, isn’t it? The Buddhist path …
MK: Ah, Yes. When I wrote the path of Sean, I rely on the Buddhist “path, to be a man”, which envisages three steps: his parents killed, his God, to kill and ultimately, his Mentor kill. The murder of the parents, stands for the Rebellion against the rules of other individuals, the murder of God stands for the break with social rules and taboos, and the murder of the Mentor ensures that you will be a independent person. In the first Chapter of Sean’s father dies and heads this way in the following episodes then. That is why Episode 4 is called, for example, Faith (Believe). These things but not only on Sean, but in the same manner to Daniel.
Life is Strange has had three parts; two of them had supernatural elements, a. You see Supernatural as something that belongs to Life is Strange is a must?
JCL: As you know, we were both in the development of Before the Storm not involved, so Yes, for us, belongs to the Supernatural in any case, Life is Strange. The core idea is to tell the stories of characters, in which you can put yourself into, and the real problems facing to the Story but nevertheless a supernatural Twist, to push the conflict to a new Level. In the first Life is Strange, Max was able to turn the time back and we have used this Element in order to emphasize their weaknesses, which were to go to let go and move forward or make decisions. Your ability has exacerbated these problems. In Life is Strange 2 our main theme is education, so we gave Sean the responsibility of a little child, the task of teaching him what is right and wrong, but still difficult, in the we this child with supernatural abilities have missed – because clearly his behavior has, therefore, considerable importance, and potentially also fatalere effects. What we are trying to do so really is to use these supernatural elements to the Story, swipe in, to some degree, and to provide the player with even harder decisions.
In the game, the two brothers and their family are often depicted as wolves. Whence came this idea?
MK: Ah, this idea was already there in the beginning, when Brainstorming with Raoul, the other Creative Director of Life is Strange 2. In the game, Sean Daniel needs to calm down, again and again, but since he is not the kind of brother, the difficult topics in a simple way that appeals, we have thought of this metaphor. In this way, Sean can rain about difficult things, without you directly, and Daniel. Daniel might easily be angry and dangerous, too, but it is still just a child who likes stories and needs.
JLC: in addition, we found that the symbolism behind wolves wonderful for the game fits. A wolf pack maintains always, family is very important, and also, if the pack is small, they fight for each other. In France we also have this Phrase “petit loup” – little Wolf. It is said to be small children and it is really nice and sweet. When Writing, we thought about how Sean Daniel, and could call, but also to metaphor and symbolism.
Life is Strange looks, some with very problematic issues, such as drug addiction or sexual abuse. It was during the development ever a point where you thought: “We would really like to show off, but we are not sure whether we can do it, too”?
MK: We have this question in relation to many issues in the game, because we know that many of them are very controversial be can. What we need to do in any case, is to make sure that we deal with real issues with a lot of care and good research, as we are injured, of course nobody or disrespectful to want to be. But you’re right, we don’t place a lot of value to entertain in our only Play, but also to bring deeper meaning in the story and address issues about the perhaps not often enough spoken.
Life is Strange 2 will get two more episodes, including those that will appear next Wednesday [note: The Interview took place prior to Release.] What is this time planned for the Ends – I assume there will be more?
JLC: Maybe! *laughs*
Maybe! In the first part there were two main endings, and the recently released Comic based on one of them. In your mind, when you write these Stories, there is a real and alternative Endings?
JLC: We have the Comic not worked, but for us, there are no Canon-Ending, not Life is Strange and Life is Strange 2. We want to, that really all depends on the choice of the player. We don’t want to end as a good end to set these choices as good and as bad – it all depends on how the players feel and if you are with your decisions and are happy, then that is perfect for us. If we need to choose a Canon end, then we must also specify canonical decisions, and that will never happen, because we want to give the players a lesson, but only a new experience for him.
MK: I also think that exactly this “Experience your own adventure”structure of the game makes, to the extent that it would, in my opinion, an error at the end as the true end of the set. We write the Stories with the idea that each end can be Canon, and it all just depends on how the player decides, and we also take care to observe all the paths and expand, instead of saying, “This is the Story we have in mind, and now we build a few more branches.”
You games like Detroit: Become Human are known for sure, in which players can see each story path you have taken, in a tree, and also be able to go back to explore other paths. Could you imagine such a thing for Life is Strange?
JLC: Yes, I know these games, and we have the summary at the end of each Episode something similar made. There you can see every decision and learns also what other outputs would not have been possible. In Life is Strange 2 we also have a summary for Daniel, the man sees what he has chosen, even if you had no direct influence. We find that the gaming experience is of course – if the player can experience the Story simply, without knowing too much about all the possible paths.
MK: Also, it would be the fact that you can, for example, in Detroit, mostly in front of binary decisions is made. In Life is Strange are two Daniel’s reactions are often of 3, 4 or even 5 small acts of Sean’s, and this complexity would be present in a path tree is very difficult.
Last question: What are your favorite scenes are in the game?
JCL: Because we, of course, still nothing about Episode 4 and 5 reveal can, we limit ourselves to the first three episodes.
MK: I think for me it is the beginning of the first Episode. The end of the first act, with the death of Esteban, works perfectly. I have really enjoyed writing this Part and to the lead Director. I think he is so great, because you learn in a short period of time really all about Sean, his friends, his plans, his relationship with his father and brother – and then his whole life is by the Twist with the exchange of fire on the head. I love this scene simply.
Very emotional.
MK: exactly. I think we have done a really good job.
JLC: It’s really hard for me to decide, but I love the scene in Episode 3, all around the camp fire. We wanted to capture in this scene, the atmosphere of simply being together with other people to perform small talk or deep conversations, all while you are out, around a camp fire. I think everyone knows the feeling I mean.
Thanks for the Interview!
What Life is Strange 2? Story-technically independent continuation of the series about human relations, which is determined by your actions and decisions
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Tested: PS4-Version
Developer / Publisher: Dontnod / Square Enix
Release: 27. September 2018
Link: Official Website
