Life Is Strange 2: Complete Season Review (PS4)-
Life is Strange blew the world away with it's emphasis on believable characters and their daily lives being affected by the discovery of a superhuman ability, with the first game's focus being on time travel. The characters were funny and relatable and reflected accurately what you would think a teenage girl attending high school who does not quite fit in would be like and the game offered us a deep dive into the life of Max (the protagonist of Life is Strange). The way you could interact with any item whether it be a very minor thing such as a piece of trash on the ground and be able to learn and pick up so much on what happened in that area and why that item was there. The time travel mechanic was also a huge plus, but for me at least, it was the believable characters and the intense and very real-life problems they encounter that made it a huge hit for me. I still return to Max and Chloe's adventure and I am pleased to say that on that note Life Is Strange 2 delivers.
While there are some major differences in tone and plot between the two, the dive into these characters life is no less detailed and interchangeable this time around. Life Is Strange 2 begins with you taking control of a young 16 year old boy, Sean Diaz at his family home in Oregon where he lives with his father and younger brother Daniel. While at first things seem normal, the situation quickly becomes very dire. Sean spots his younger 10 year old brother being bullied outside their home. Sean runs out and defends him, and all Hell breaks loose. No matter what choices you make, this outcome will always remain the same, as Sean gets into a confrontation, the police arrive and very foolishly (accidentally?) shoots and kills the brother's father. Sean witnesses the events and suddenly Daniel blacks out and collapses and the police officer is violently rammed to his death into his police car by an unknown force of power. Daniel did not see the events unfold and is none the wiser but Sean saw the whole thing. With his only adult family member dead in his yard and a police officer dead in his driveway, the young boy panics and grabs his brother and flees.
It also should be mentioned that the Diaz family is a family of Mexican-American citizens. In this cruel and heartless world, racism is a very real and dominant threat to anyone who is not white. Sean knows this and knows that him and his brother will be accused of killing a cop and be separated by foster care so he grabs his young brother and flees, where he later decides to go to Puerto Lobos, his dad's hometown estate in Mexico. With no money, no food and no one to depend on, the 2 boys begin their long trek to escape the horrors that some no doubt face in this country in real life. It may hit a little too close to home for some players' comforts, but nonetheless is an issue that needs to be addressed and shown so maybe the message will get across to those who discriminate against other races. The game doesn't hold back on the issues the 2 boys face and as you travel, you could witness the boys digging through the trash to get a meal, or pickpocket in a store to get what they need to survive. It is a deeply tragic and heartbreaking experience but one that has a very touching display of 2 brothers and their love for one another. The Diaz brothers have no one left but each other seemingly, but as Sean you will be given the choice of guiding Daniel in the right direction or you could teach him to do whatever it takes to survive no matter the cost. The choices greatly affect the overall outcome of the story and will shape what kind of person Daniel Diaz will become in the future. The brothers were not very close at the beginning of their journey but as they continue on their journey to a safe haven for themselves, they bond and it is endearing to watch.
Ok, I got a little off topic, but as they journey on, Sean soon discovers that Daniel has some weird power that he can wield when he gets really emotional. He can telekinetically move things with his mind and even hurl or pick up huge objects or (people) at the flick of a wrist. This is where the teen superhero part comes into play, only this time players will be the older brother guiding the boy as to how best to utilize his ability and whether or not he should be let anyone discover his ability. Daniel also goes through many changes as the story continues and will react and choose to listen or not to listen to Sean's guidance based on how you treat and choose to interact with him. He watches every move Sean makes, so think hard if breaking into a locked car to secure your brother his favorite snack is truly the wisest move to make. The decisions alter the events that unfold later and this time around the developers offered many varying and circumstantially differing outcomes for players to have access to.
The writing is superb and hits the series high note for masterpiece in terms of story and dialogue. The voice actors are excellent and never fail to impress throughout from the main characters to the NPC's rarely seen- all are professionally executed and delivered to highest calibur throughout. It remains a very deeply emotional story that focuses on hate and discrimination people face even to this day, and it will hopefully get the message across that it is not cool or ok. There are even romance options for Sean, and you can romance either sex. It will come across as offensive to some viewers but the message remains clear: discrimination and racism is not welcome.
While this time around, the story is much more tragic and sad, the bond the two brothers eventually form becomes an unbreakable bond and the trials they overcome to get where they are going are heartfelt and tragic. This is a superb example of storytelling and should only be played by adults as there is alot of violence and bad language as well as nudity. But because of all this, it remains more authentic and that is one of the many charms of the Life Is Strange series!! A classic sequel to a classic series!!!