Most of the choices we make in games driven by choice lead to selfish consequences; we want to get the best rewards, or to spread the romance with our romantic favorites. Having that kind of agency is fun, but Life is Strange 2 takes a different approach. It adds dimension by putting the needs of another character ahead of your own. Sean and Daniel Diaz are two young brothers, and developer Dontnod recounts the connection between them, all while encouraging players (like Sean) to see decisions based on what they say to nine-year-old Daniel.
The bond between the Diaz brothers is a very compelling one for Life Strange 2. Unlike the same forces in other narrative games (like Lee and Clementine in The Walking Dead), Sean does not only protect Daniel from harm. She builds relationships at the same time and sets the role models to follow. This last point is important, because Daniel has mysterious telekinetic powers, and how he uses them – or doesn't – depends largely on Sean's direction. For example, if you let him use his power to kill a dangerous animal instead of a threat, that would solve the problem immediately – but you have to ask yourself how the instructor can use his gift in the future. Can you tell the boundary between killing an animal and a human? Daniel looks to Sean, and moments like these keep that fact at the forefront of the players' minds. I love how this has made me look at my decisions a little more in terms of the results of getting some news results, and more about helping Daniel learn what is right and what is wrong.
Your interaction in these situations has interesting consequences, since you have decided on Sean's act alone. It also influences how Daniel can do over time. At one point, I told Daniel to be honest with another character about his power, not to keep it a secret. Because of the guidance I had given him in past situations, he listened to me and listened to me. But Daniel also doesn't listen to the example you set, so your decision on any fork in the road is not a guarantee of how this story will turn out. I didn't expect to enjoy this blur, but I did; it makes the flow back of the effects a little more obvious, allowing you to focus more on what you think the characters will react to.
Life is a Strange 2 gaming console is a simple yet effective combination of walking, exploring, and having conversations with dancers you encounter along the way. The main purpose of the boys is to move from Seattle to Mexico, but circumstances force them to live off the grid to avoid being adopted, which puts them in various difficult situations. Over the course of five episodes, Sean and Daniel stroll through the red-blooded trails, weed farmers, and active religious denominations. I appreciate how these characters stand in different perspectives, but some encounters with them feel designed. Sean and Daniel meet some people at an outdoor market in Oregon, and just happen to meet them riding rounds in California in the coming weeks? The corrupt portrayal of these side characters is also quite different from the care gained by Sean and Daniel, even though none of them stay in the scene long enough to do much damage to the main story.
The writing and execution may feel intertwined at times, but even worse, Life Strange 2 maintains a context of undeniable authenticity. Despite the imperfect launch, his game is a trusting relationship between the brothers and has made me care about them. I was always worried about their health, whether they were getting enough food, and if they had the freedom to just make dumb kids sometimes. Creating that connection is vital for the success of the story, with the Dontnod team finding it right.
Episodic games usually have months of gaps between installations, but despite those standards, Life is Strange 2 kept fans waiting a long time from one chapter to the next. If you've fallen on a trip somewhere (or if you were expecting this story to end, like me), it's understandable. However, whether you know it or not, Life Strange 2 has been quietly downloading powerful and factual information that compliments the series' legacy.
