In the first extensive look into the upcoming Life is Strange game, Double Exposure, the developers share their insight in respecting player’s impactful choices from the first game, confirming that the new title will honor both outcomes.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure Will Feature Both Endings of the First Game
Players Get to Continue in the Timeline From the Consequences of their Actions Nearly a Decade Ago
Life is Strange: Double Exposure’s announcement took the internet internet by storm in the Xbox Games Showcase from the recently concluded Summer Game Fest event, wherein fans were treated with a thrilling return of the first game’s protagonist, Max Caulfield, starring in a full-fledged Life is Strange sequel–a first for the series. In a deep-dive into the sequel, game director Jonathan Stauder and Narrative Director Felice Kuan reveal that they intend to respect and implement both of the endings
Obvious spoiler warnings ahead for the original Life is Strange.
It has been nearly a decade since the original Life is Strange was released and concluded back in 2015, where Max Caulfield discovers her time-rewinding powers after saving her childhood friend Chloe Price get shot in their highschool bathroom. The game achieved a cult-like status, where the community cites its engrossing mystery plot, its heavy emotional storytelling, charmingly unique art style, and its ‘hella cringe’ dialogue which has endeared its way into people’s hearts.
The game’s final choice brought upon a heartbreaking decision between sacrificing the entire town of Arcadia Bay along with all of its residents to save Chloe Price, or to rewind back to where Max discovers her Rewind powers and let Chloe die in the bathroom uninterrupted. The decision between the two has been an astonishing 50/50 split, where the people between those who chose to sacrifice Chloe and those who chose to sacrifice Arcadia Bay, or the "Bay or Bae" decision as dubbed by the community, have been in a constant argument throughout the decade.
The following Life is Strange titles that take place in the same world have since woven in the major decision in each of their titles. Life is Strange 2 asks players which choice they made at the start of the game, and in their travels, eventually reach Arcadia Bay either fully intact, or with a memorial at its entrance. Life is Strange True Colors also has connections to the original game, where one of the main love interests, Steph Gingrich, was one of Chloe’s friends who left Arcadia Bay before the events of the first game.
What’s different now compared to these sequels is that the main protagonist herself, Max Caulfield, will be returning to the forefront after nearly over 9 years of absence. The time for easter eggs and cameos is over, and the developers at Deck Nine must now fully flesh out a sequel concerning the evenly-split ending of the original Life is Strange.
How Life is Strange: Double Exposure Will Deal With Your Past Choices
In the middle of the the extensive Reveal Livestream, former Funhaus member and interview host Elyse Willems asks the burning question that has been on every fan’s minds ever since it was revealed that Max will once again be taking the spotlight.
"For returning players like me, who made really hard decisions that we now have to live with, do we bring those with us, to Life is Strange: Double Exposure?"
Game Director Jonathan Stauder acknowledges the very important decision that everyone had to make at the end of the game, and assures fans that the writers and developers would have to respect both endings, claiming it to be a necessary requirement for Max Caulfield to return.
"Yes. So, the returning players from Max’s first adventure will remember that there is a massive decision to make at the end of that game, results in two very different endings. And it was really important at Deck Nine, if we were gonna make another Max adventure, that the game would have to respect both those endings."
Stauder then goes on to enumerate how the world will be influenced by either decision, listing off Max’s inner thoughts, her journal, her past text messages, and through her interpersonal interactions from what she reveals about her past to her new friends. It will also feature a built-in scene for those who are new to the series or no longer have their old Life is Strange save file to create a new scenario based on their dialogue choices in order for the game to determine in which timeline you’ll fit in.
"There’s no canon ending, in our book, to the first game."
