Great engine, great graphics, and that's where the list of things that are great stops.

I dunno who they wrote this game for -- if you're a fan of the original game, you're going to be flabbergasted by how Max acts and reacts to things -- like she's an entirely different person. I'm willing to get past the fact that Chloe isn't in the game (how could she be without removing the choice from the first game), but I'm soured by the fact that the new characters are bland and forgettable.

The ending being a vague cliffhanger for more games really doesn't sit well either -- this game wasn't great, you think I'm gonna buy the next one when you didn't even give me a good ending in this one no matter what choice I made? No thanks, after multiple missteps, I'm going to skip the rest of Deck Nine's attempts in this series.

For someone who has played through all of these games, this is easily my least favorite entry. It felt like they took all of what Don't Nod built up with max and destroyed it. It is obvious that the original dev did not make this game. If you liked the original Life is Strange, do yourself a favor and go play Lost Records Bloom and Rage.

As a long-time admirer of the Life is Strange series, I’ve always found its magic in the emotional weight of choice. Where your decisions ripple through branching paths and endings, making each playthrough uniquely yours. It was never just about the powers or dramatic moments, but about the intimate, raw portrayal of youth, grief, love, and identity. The series stood out as an authentic reflection of the human experience which is something that resonated deeply with so many of us.

That’s why Double Exposure was a crushing disappointment.

Visually, it’s stunning. The graphics are polished, and the character design is detailed and intricate. I won’t deny that the new cast had potential. There’s definitely heart in them, and I genuinely enjoyed their presence. But a beautiful frame can’t hide a hollow core. The soul of Life is Strange, from the choice, consequence, and emotional relatability, feels completely stripped away.

Where previous entries empowered players to shape their narrative through meaningful decisions, Double Exposure feels rigid and predetermined. Choices don’t carry the weight they once did. No matter what you choose, it all funnels into the same hard-coded path, leaving you with the sinking realisation that nothing you do truly matters. It betrays the very principle that made the series so special. Your story mattered.

Even worse is the sense that the return of Max, one of the series most beloved characters, is used not to deepen the narrative but to prop up a plot that feels more like a supernatural thriller than a grounded emotional journey. The essence of Life is Strange - the delicate exploration of grief, growth, and identity - has been replaced by something that feels closer to a Marvel-style mystery plot.

What made Life is Strange beautiful was sincerity. It gave a voice to those who rarely saw themselves in games. It invited us to confront our past, our pain, our fears, and to find comfort in knowing we weren’t alone.

Double Exposure forgets all of that. It’s a technically competent game, yes, but spiritually, it feels disconnected, manufactured, and empty. It doesn’t carry the soul of its predecessors. It’s a game that bears the name Life is Strange, but has forgotten what that name truly meant.

For fans like me, who grew with these stories and characters, this game doesn’t feel like a continuation, it feels like a goodbye.