As a seasoned player of Life is Strange, I must say that the recent demo of Double Exposure has left me utterly captivated and intrigued. The narrative seems to be weaving a complex tale that delves deeper into Max’s character, her past traumas, and her evolving abilities.
“Life is Strange: Double Exposure” marks the initial direct sequel in this series, with earlier installments focusing on independent tales featuring extraordinary characters gifted with powers. The narrative brings us back to Max Caulfield, the main character from the first game who possessed the ability to rewind time. Post the conclusion of “Life is Strange”, Max had refrained from using her powers until years later when a dear friend, Safi, was tragically murdered. Reawakening her dormant abilities, she uncovers a new skill – the capacity to move between two timelines: one where Safi continues to live and another that reflects the present reality with Safi’s untimely demise.
Recently, I had an opportunity to delve into around 40 minutes of “Life is Strange: Double Exposure” at Gamescom, diving in a bit later in the narrative following the initial events. At this stage, Max has already uncovered her new Shift abilities and has been probing into Safi’s mysterious demise. However, there’s a twist. Detective Vince Alderman is investigating Safi’s death and suspects that a missing camera could hold crucial evidence, but it seems that Moses, a mutual friend of Max and Safi, had secreted the camera away in his university lab. Given that Moses took the camera for sentimental reasons, it’s doubtful that the police would buy that story. Consequently, I, as Max, must leverage my Shift powers to recover that elusive camera.
Life is Strange: Double the Exposure, Double the Characters, Double the Puzzles
The demonstration started by conversing with Moses to gather information about his unusual behavior of sitting outside his lab. He was eagerly observing a camera and making promises to break into the lab before Alderman could. It seemed like maintenance personnel were coming to unlock the lab as Moses didn’t seem to have a key. This encounter marked our first introduction to Alderman, and he gave off an untrustworthy impression. Despite not considering everyone a suspect, Alderman stood out—he had an air of corruption about him. We suspect that Alderman might be a decoy for the actual antagonist in the game “Life is Strange: Double Exposure,” but he undoubtedly created tension regardless.
Following our exploration within the lab, we managed to step outside the school, mainly confined to a specific area that allowed us to employ our Shift ability, transporting us back to a moment when Safi was still alive. The surroundings bore a striking resemblance, yet Moses’ office door stood open and he was seen engrossed in work on a telescope. To ensure players can distinguish between the timelines clearly, we incorporated a logo in every conversation and a timeline indicator at the top of the screen to display whether it is the ‘Safi Alive’ or ‘Safi Dead’ timeline.
In the second scenario, our objective was to uncover where Moses concealed items within his workspace. We interacted with this version of Moses using various dialogue options, such as exploring their amiable bond or inquiring about the location of hidden objects. After receiving the response that he kept a potentially dangerous teapot in an unknown safe, the telescope nearly toppled over, and Moses was caught red-handed holding it. He requested us to locate his colleague, Carla, to retrieve her borrowed allen wrench. With no time for that, we found a Shift position atop a staircase in his lab and returned to the initial timeline, stealthily moving around his dimly lit office while Moses and Alderman stood guard outside.
Regarding Max’s Shifting abilities, we have discovered two applications so far. Initially, certain regions are highlighted by a shimmering halo, allowing us to traverse different timeframes. Additionally, this power can be utilized to observe discrepancies between timelines, such as observing boxes in the lab that exist in one timeline but not another.
In a flash, we located the Allen wrench and transported it back to the older version of Moses in the other timeline, only for Max to crack a dad joke: “I stumbled upon a chap named Allen, yet he was clueless about a wrench.” There’s no question about it now – despite his maturity, Max remains Max at heart.
After adjusting the telescope, we request Moses for a cup of tea and watch as he retrieves the teapot from his safe. We also engage him in conversation about some writing on the wall that seemed to relate to celestial constellations, an intriguing piece of information. This detail appeared crucial. Following our conversation, Moses leaves briefly, giving us the opportunity to grab the key and return to another timeframe. Upon unlocking the safe with the obtained key, expecting Safi’s camera to be inside, we instead find a brief note that was not present in the other timeline, suggesting it could be a clue. After more exploration, we deciphered that the note corresponded to a specific star. Activating the space projector, we illuminated the room with the star’s image, aligned it accordingly, and discovered Safi’s camera hidden within a vent beneath the corresponding star.
Despite being obstructed by some bulky crates, Alderman has somehow entered the office. Not only do we need to move those heavy crates without him noticing, but we also mustn’t get caught ourselves. We ventured back to the Alive timeline to acquire a noisy Christmas ornament, returned to the Dead Life is Strange: Double Exposure timeline, and used it to divert his attention towards another part of the room. To tackle the problem with the crates, however, Max found a new application for her Shift ability: we moved those crates into the other timeline, replacing them with a telescope that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Moving items between the two timelines will undoubtedly introduce fresh gameplay elements, but here we managed to snatch the camera, traveled back to the Alive timeline, and then returned to the Dead timeline, ensuring Moses’ safety in the process.
The demonstration concluded as the Alderman requested us to inform him if we had any information, particularly if we already knew something. He seemed suspicious, much like a crooked cop, and we were faced with a decision: either telling him we would or telling him we wouldn’t. Without a doubt, he will recall our response.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure’s Powers and Trauma Develop Throughout the Game
Following our demonstration, we had the opportunity to converse with Game Director Jonathan Stauder and Writer Aysha Farah about the character Max. During their discussion, they emphasized that while Max has grown, they aimed to preserve her essential qualities. They also delved into how the ending of the original Life is Strange influences Max’s traumatic experiences. It was made clear by the team that no specific Life is Strange ending is considered canonical; instead, players can reflect on those events through Max’s journal. We inquired whether this aspect was more for flavor or if it still influenced the gameplay, to which Stauder replied that it indeed affects the game significantly because “one central concept is that regardless of the ending you receive, Max carries this trauma she must deal with.” This trauma shapes Max’s progression throughout the game.
As Max’s understanding deepens during the game, her powers also advance. It has been confirmed that her latest Shift abilities are connected to her earlier Time Rewind skills; this is an evolution rather than a completely new power. Moreover, her powers expand throughout the game. Stauder hinted at additional variations of Shift based on situations such as high-action sequences, chases, or detective scenes, and so forth.
In October, we can look forward to the release of Life is Strange: Double Exposure, stirring great excitement among fans due to its imminent arrival. This demo alone has made it apparent that the game has a firm grasp on who Max is, acknowledges the broad sentiments of the fanbase regarding the ending of the first game, and continues to deliver intriguing supernatural and real-world advancements for Max, keeping things fresh and engaging.
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2024-08-29 00:24