Developer: Deck Nine Games
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Release date: October 29, 2024
While the Life is strange The series had chosen the anthology approach for its numerous sequels, Double jeopardy brings the focus back to the original protagonist, Max Caufield. This time we see Max, now older, wiser, a famous photographer, and with new powers that allow her to slip into two parallel realities. Drawn into a crime story spanning multiple dimensions, Max must discover who is behind the death of her friend Safi in one reality, while still interacting with her in another and trying to prevent her death.
According to the developers, they weren’t too concerned about the canonical events of the original game’s “impossible choice” ending. If anything, they see Double jeopardy as a sort of “best of both worlds” approach to the series, taking into account the choices the player made or did not make throughout the story. Double jeopardy puts that aspect front and center. Still, the causality of these decisions, where you build a relationship in one timeline but potentially weaken it in another, is still important. The ability to seamlessly switch between realities was so intriguing, and interacting with two different versions of the same character created some interesting dilemmas that I would love to see played out. This focus on relationships is part of what makes the Life is strange series that is so popular with fans – its sensitive storytelling makes it very inviting for players, who often quickly become attached to the characters. I like where Double jeopardy continues with his story and it could prove to be one of the bravest entries in the series yet.
