To this day, Life is strange 2 is the only game in the Lis franchise where your choices actually matter and effect the ending, but nobody talks about that.
@@lachdownproductionsyt LiS true colors isn't LiS 3, or so i thought. There's a rumor that they're working on LiS 3, means that LiS true colors and LiS 3 are diff
YES! This is why it's my favorite. I've watched other peoples playthroughs of it and saw how different their Daniel acted from mine just because of the choices they made. It's the only Life is strange where I felt my choices actually made a real difference in how the story played out.
Okay, I think I can be one of the few people that can talk about the relatable aspect of this game and why I have such a deep and strong love for this game. When LiS 2 came out I was close to Sean’s age in the game. Not to mention the game was set in 2016 when I was 16. And Daniel was only just a few short years behind my little brother. This game genuinely made me realise how little time I spent with him and how much I would shun him away from just the first hour before the EVENT happens. The scene where Sean throws Daniel out of his room when Daniel is trying to tell him about his Zombie cosplay because Sean is Skyping with Lyla really made me feel shitty because that’s something I always did. Or in a way similar to that. And, as the game progressed and you really do see how much Sean loves, cares and sacrifices for Daniel, it made me realise that I only had a short amount of time left to get closer with my little brother before he got older. And by the end, it hit me so emotionally that it’s hard to express. Every ending of this game is tragic in my eyes. And it made me want to get closer with my brother. I ended up getting the consequences icon (that’s the wolves loading icon) tattooed down my right arm as a reminder of not just how much I love this game and it’s characters, but also how much it changed my own view on being an older brother. I love every LiS game deeply, but LiS 2 is really another thing entirely for me. It became so personal for me that it made me love and appreciate it even more. And I’m so grateful it exists and that there’s still a lot of people who like it just as much as me.
Your story is so sweet, thank you for sharing! I'm glad there are others out there who have been touched by this game, it goes to show that it is always worthwhile making something different.
Same here dude, I feel like this game hits different if you are an older sibling. Some of my friends that dont have siblings ended up getting the bad endings lmao. Out of curiousity, which ending did you get?
@@lincoln5775 just to butt in here, but I'm actually a younger sibling and this game made me appreciate how much my older siblies do for me, it seriously hurt when Sean was getting beaten up in the Church scene 😭 I also got the Redemption ending!
@@lincoln5775 I got the blood brothers ending the first time around where you both make it to Mexico. It’s actually my favourite ending in the game but still genuinely sad because of how they both turn out. Not to self promote at all because I don’t really do UA-cam anymore but I have a playthough on the game on my channel with my reactions to the ending if you’re curious what my first hand reactions were :)
I honestly really loved this game. I liked that we always met new characters and found it refreshing to have all of these different locations. In my Opinion this game felt more realistic and grounded. It was special because we weren´t in control of the power and it kinda forced us to make smarter decisions in order to control daniel. I felt like the story was verry well thought out and i symphazited a lot with the characters. It discussed a lot of darker themes and i´m glad it did because it showed the struggles that real people go through. Also i liked the fact that we got 2 male maincharacters and tat they were brothers, because i think that family is something most of us can relate to and it was a nice change, seeing 2 Boys instead of 2 Girls. I genuinely believe that LIS 2 was an amazing game and that it doesn´t deserve so much harsh criticsm.
As a 32-year-old now, I've experienced many times getting to know people a bit and then my life just moving on without those people, so I can relate to how the game doesn't fully develop characters. It leaves enough to consider the possibilities, but possibilities might be all it is.
I really enjoyed this game. I think growing up with a brother or having kids in your family like Daniel really affects the experience. He never seemed annoying to me but rather as someone I needed to protect. Great breakdown video of this game.
After almost 1 year has passed after I played this game, it still ‘hits’ me somehow. Id say this is one of the best games that I’ve ever played, money well spend!
Oh dont say that, that means I’ll never recover having finished this like last week😢 (I got the parted ways ending so ım honestly happy with it. Everyone is alive and well for starters!)
I played this game for the first time last year, going in with no expectations and no idea what to expect. Episode 1 was so extremely strong to me.. Honestly one of the strongest attached I felt to a story in a *long* time, I was absolutely hooked the entire time and in tears on multiple occasions. Holy shit that was a strong opening episode which I think about till this day... Then episode 2.. The pacing went from having to survive together with your little brother in the middle of the forest with basically no cash, all while needing to figure out how to tell your brother that his father is dead and you're not returning home while you haven't even had time to process it yourself yet, life suddenly placing you into a father figure position out of your control and shit just being fucked up. It went from that to doing chores inside of the same house for an entire episode while the characters talk like they feel surpressed, and then suddenly an emotional ending saying goodbye to the people the characters seemed to dislike for an entire episode? This episode really did not work for me, especially after such a good first one I was really disappointed. Episode 3 and 4 slowly got better each, and it was only at the end of episode 5 that I felt as attached to the story again as I did in episode 1. I am soo glad that I really loved the ending, it truly redeemed my view of the game as a whole. It has an *extremely* strong start and end. The middle starting low slowly going up again. I think the game is worth it just for episode 1 alone. (and that one is free, lol). The game as a whole stayed with me *far* stronger than life is strange 1 did. Somehow I just am not able to really let go of it. I still often think about it and draw new inspiration from it. This is something that life is strange 1 never did for me. It was just a fun game that I played and then moved on from. Life is strange 2 doesn't let me move on, somehow.. Truly a special thing. Lil side note at the end, this game did inspire me to start a sketchbook similar to sean's in the game, journaling and sketching the days. It's very fun and satisfying. I also still love to play many of the instrumental songs on guitar. Into the woods is just such a vibe.
At the begining I was little sceptical about LIS2. I missed Max and Chloe of course, but it was also very odd for me when I found out that this game is going to be released through like 1,5 year period. First episode was in September 2018 I think? And the last one in December 2019.. it is soooo long for episodic game, first LIS had much shorter time. But after some time in May 2020 when this game was on sales, and was finally complete I said, "why the hell not, it is LIS after all" and so I bought it and I must say, I think it was even more emotional for me than first game. Maybe because I really enjoy games with travel theme, moving from one place to another, meeting always new people. I loved it in this game so much! I loved the places we explored. The soundtrack as you said was also great and waaaay more memorable than LIS TC OST. I really liked the fact that choices mattered much more, like I actually felt that I am changing the story. Also Daniels AI and how our choices impacted him, was very impressive. I enjoyed Sean as main protagonist, though Max was more relatable for me. All in all LIS2 was great experience, and wasn't in any way worse than LIS1 for me.
I slept on this game for ages, until finally playing it during lockdown, it was hard to get through the first episode as there wasn’t a lot of action, but as the game went on, I got so attached to Sean and Daniel (and even some of the side characters). The game was also really raw in emotions, having me cry at almost every single episode, plus I got to experience something I always wished for since I was a little girl : having a little brother. I really felt a deep bond with Daniel and I didn’t mind him being childish and annoying at times, because that’s how kids are, and it made it more realistic in my opinion. The end still has me crying, sometimes just thinking about it, and that’s when I know it’s a good game/story, it was able to make me feel real emotions and truly immerse me into the story. Lis2 holds a really special place in my heart, and made me feel things that no other game or story has been able to. So I guess it’s more of a personal thing. I know the game is flawed, but I’m sure if more people gave it a chance, especially emotional ass people like me, they would see just how special and impactful this game can be :) I also love the fact that it’s a more mature and grounded game, there wasn’t any high school drama like in the previous games, it just felt like a really good coming of age story mixed with real issues, and dark subjects.
Dismissed this game for years, finally decided to play it during lockdown and was blown tf away. I can understand why some people dont like it, its such a radically different game than LiS was. If it wasn't for the namesake and a few minor plot points, there really wouldnt be any connection to the first game, they are completely different beasts with different themes and goals. That being said, I love both games for entirely different reasons. Not to be that guy, but as a young hispanic dude with a 9 y/o brother irl, I was able to relate to the protagonists almost instantly. Daniel was a POS sometimes but I guess thats just how little brothers are. I loved the dynamic between them and by the end of episode 5 my ass was in tears LMAO. (that scene w the standoff against the police) I do agree that some of the politics may have been a bit heavy-handed but I was overall glad that they included those scenes. Definetely one of my faves and I think i'm due for another playthrough soon. Just found this channel yesterday from the Remastered collection review lol, enjoying it a lot so far!
@@lincoln5775 122 people did now, including me! 😌As a minority myself (black) I too appreciate and applaud the writers for incorporating such an overlooked, seriously important issue (such as prejudicial amongst America) in a video game. I never got bored playing it. The scenery was beautiful, and storyline overall is phenomenal. This edition was the best one imo. I love this game, therefore I enjoyed reading your very well said comment.
@@mimiglamz22 I agree totally, the inclusion of characters that might resonate with a larger and often less heard audience is always appreciated. It always feels good to see a protagonist that breaks away from the standard "30 year old white man with brown hair" trope. Lee Everett and Clementine, Javier Garcia, CJ, Ellie from the last of us, Miles Morales. Those are some of mf fave characters from the games Ive played recently. They make me feel at home because they possess an element of familiarity that feels nice to be reminded of. Thank you for your kind response :) take care out there friend!
I absolutely love LiS 2, it's my personal favourite in the series and I have happily replayed it four times, on top of watching youtuber Lets Plays. I loved the cosy atmosphere as the brothers travelled and tried to make little hideouts for themselves (like the lodge in episode 2!). The game was also relatable to me on so many levels. The strong sibling bond, the dealing with racism (which isn't as subtle in real life as many negative reviews of this game seem to think), even the aspect of losing a comfortable life and home. I know not everyone has to deal with this stuff, but I see nothing wrong with stories that share a different experience. And finally I just love the wolf brothers. Daniel is so cute despite being understandably difficult at times, and Sean is just the most amazing big brother. Honestly the love he has for Daniel and how far he would go to protect him shows how strong he is even without superpowers. You can bet that this was a heartbreaking and emotional journey at so many points, but in the best way possible!
I started this game just after the 5th episode came out. I think what immediately stuck out to me was that the story sounded grittier and more interesting. What really sucked me in though was Sean's character. A lot about his life and interests reminded me of my best friend Rey who passed away. He was Puerto Rican-Colombian and a skater, and everything about his room looked very similar. He was also really close with his cousin Gio, and when they were together, it was very much a Sean & Daniel dynamic. I think being that close to such an amazing & caring Latino family drew a lot of my passion for LIS2, as well as the politics of the time. I do however think this game would've done better in some ways: - Switching characters between Sean and Daniel to solve more puzzles and getting their different perspectives would've been interesting. - Resource management should've been highlighted more, like spending money on food, clothes, lodging, and travel. Also the ability to hitchhike at different points, and meeting either nice or bad people at random on the road could've added to the tension and broken up the length a bit. - Lyla definitely deserved her own DLC, and out of my desire for that, I've been in the process of writing a short fic where she goes back to the Diaz house with friends to retrieve a bunch of Sean and Daniel's belongings before the cops get to it, as well as leading protests in the community. - I think some of Daniel's behavior doesn't always make sense based on the choices you make (especially the contrast between episode 2 and 3), which I think is something they should've paid more attention to. But I suppose that's the issue with choice-based games, you can only affect the narrative so much. - The political aspects could've been handled with more care at times, because it almost makes it seem like racism is random, rather than a systemic issue. And with them being homeless, I don't think enough people realize how much homelessness can make people more vulnerable to racist attacks, so that aspect wasn't really emphasized enough, it's always their name or skin color that gets focused on. I feel it would be a little different considering they're half-Mexican and US citizens as well, but then again there were some US citizens who were deported or detained for varying lengths time during Trump's presidency, so most of what happens in this game isn't too far outside the realm of reality. Overall, I love it as is, but those are some things it could've done better. I often play Road 96 in between playing LIS2, because that was another great game with a lot of aspects LIS2 would've benefited from.
A few comments: Sean and Daniels relationship: When I played this game, Daniel was an annoying bastard, I'm going to be completely honest. But as someone who grew up with a little brother, this made complete sense. Sean is a 16 year old taking care of a 9 year old kid that still has some growing up to do; of course Sean or the person playing as Sean is going to get annoyed with Daniel. To be, it feels very realistic and relatable, even if it seems like its a negative to some. Racism: I can understand why some people don't want to play a game where popular issues like racism in our society are prevalent. But to me personally, I feel like LIS is a series where it doesn't like to sugar coat ongoing issues (i.e. depression from LIS 1 with Kate). I'm not Mexican, so I can't directly relate to what its like to be looked down on because of stereotypes, but I am a Person of Color, so I can understand it by being a minority. Powers: Personally, I feel like this game would have been over in episode 1 if Sean did have the power of telekinesis. Sean is pretty much a grown adult, and is able to make smarter choices compared to his younger brother. Giving it to Daniel was a good move since now there's the pressure of not only taking care of this kid while the characters are on the run, but making sure this kid doesn't become evil and destroy the world. Closing thoughts: To me, this game was meant to be a story that talks about what it's like for minorities to escape a country that hates them because of their race. The media makes it look like Sean and Daniel killed a Cop, but not once was it ever mentioned that the Cop killed their dad for no reason. I felt like this was a story that was meant to tell the tale of two brothers fighting for survival, while also teaching them the world is field with a lot of people. Some that will want to destroy you, and some that will be willing to help you. Tier Rank: High A-Tier
İts sad how real is the thing with the cop shooting their dad tho. The first episode escalated so, so quickly I think I should’ve known the endings would be just as brutal. I didnt even realise the cop was panicking because of the fake blood on the kid. But I cannot express How a n g r y I was when he shot Esteban like an idiot. Honeslty… I hate how real this game is and I hate how it made ke care and love it so much. Absolutely Hate it…
I think one of the reasons people struggled to love these characters in the same way they did Max and Chloe is that the game gives you the option to almost completely dismiss Daniel. Most people that loved this game probably felt protective over Daniel (as I did) and connected to the characters because of this. But, unlike the first game, the bond between Sean and Daniel is based on choices that the player makes, so it's constantly tested and can make Daniel seem annoying in doing so.
Life is Strange 2 is meant for people who have had brothers (especially younger brothers). When I first played Lis2, I immediately felt a strong connection to the game because Daniel reminded me of growing up with my little brother, so Daniel's immaturity didn't really phase me it actually made him more relatable. People who haven't had brothers will write Daniel off as annoying and probably mistreat him which just makes the game worse and worse because Daniel's behavior is directly correlated with how well you "parent" him.
LIS 2 felt like the most relatable game for me. When I first played it, I was also 16 with a younger sister who was 11. I had spent so much time wanting to run away and travel, and this game made me realise how much I had at home, how I would be leaving my sister behind. I understand it has its flaws (the biggest probably being the underdeveloped side characters), but I have a deep personal connection to it, making it my favourite overall :)
For me, the third episode was a little bit like the thirst LIS game. In the 3 episode, you have the camp, wich was a little bit like the campus. You moved often there, and you dont run to the next station so fast. So the third episode is my personal favorite Sorry for my English
@@wullero right, you have time to bond with people who are free and living with nature. There’s a point to be made for bonding with your environment, the forest felt peaceful.
I think my biggest problem with the game was it’s constant changes. I actually really liked the concept of each chapter being a different place, but I think some sort of certainty would have been a nice anchor. Like meeting the group from chapter 3 earlier and going on the whole journey with them. That way you could still have the story be “on the run,” but give the player time to make relationships that actually matter instead of each person you meet being a one and done deal.
i totally understand where you’re coming from in terms of the game not being anchored, especially since that’s what we got for a lot of the other games. This made a lot of the characters have little to no development/ the audience might of wanted more of them on screen.
I personally liked this one a little bit better than the first. The only reason why was because your choices really did matter and had consequences. Another reason why is it was alot more emotional I really felt a couple of those scenes. The last reason is the endings. The first lis only had 2 and this one has 5 and each ending really gives you something to think about. Now I do understand why some people did not enjoy this one because of the serious topics and not much of a fun matter but I honestly liked this one.
I finished playing this game a few months ago and I felt numb and empty for weeks afterwards. The story of the two brothers resonated with me and hit me harder than the original LIS. Idk what it was about LIS2, but it still stays with me today.
i agree with most of what you said but at 12:54 i personally think that's exactly why the game was made, it's meant to be shocking, sometimes even a little uncomfortable, the fact that not everyone can relate to it is why it was important, sure sometimes it was a little forced but i think even though a lot of people who played it couldn't exactly relate to the characters it was a great story and really made you step back and revaluate the way you think of the issues addressed in the story. tbh it was probably my favorite lis game :)
As a huge Life is Strange fan, I decided to play LiS2 during lockdown and it definitely was a good decision. It became my favorite videogame so far due to the intense experiences it gave me! I enjoyed every second of the walkthrough due to how realistic and grounded it is. Even tho I disliked Daniel in some parts of the story, it made me empathize even more with them bc that's how little brothers usually are. The fact that you have to be his mentor is a very well thought idea, since u have to be very careful with the choices you make in order to see which final you'll get. With that being said, I absolutely love the way all the characters are introduced in the story. I could empathize with Sean during the whole walkthrough (loved Finn and Cass, hated those two racist guys you meet in episode 4 as well as Lizbeth, understood Chris's father and even Karen; and felt kinda uncomfortable around the bros' grandparents bc of their rules). I personally think that it's great that the gameplay was so long since it gave me the chance to watch out every detail or decision and also made me enjoy all the landscapes and magic of it. This game definitely has some kind of magic
Fun story: This game introduced me to one of my favorite artist, Sufjan Stevens so i can't hate it that much like i used to. I will definitely replay it in the future and i hope it will grow on me. One mistake i made during playing Life is Strange 2 is that i played it on Ge Force Now Cloud and i run into some issues that really messed up with my save game and i needed to replay same sections over and over again
I love games that involve travel, like an interactive road trip movie. And it's only just now I realising there aren't a lot of games like that, but when I played this game I also played Red Dead Redemption 2 around the same time which is also a game about being on the run from the law across America lol
I really appreciate your balanced review! I personally really like this game. I thought that these characters were a lot more realistic than the LiS 1 characters. Sean is a great protagonist and the voice acting was amazing! Sean felt like a more balanced character than Max in my opinion. I agree that this game can get emotionally draining. I would have liked to have more lighthearted moments with Sean and Daniel, Chris, and their grandparents. I also understand the criticism with the politics in this game. It really felt forced at some points which takes from the realism and emotional impact. I’m half Mexican as well, and I think the writers could have portrayed the racial injustice in the game much better, but overall, it gave me a much more full experience than the other LiS games because I felt like my choices really mattered and connected with every ending.
I’m glad that you mentioned Lyla. She was introduced to players as Sean’s best friend and confidant, but we rarely got to see the significance of their relationship; there was no depth there, no exploration. I’d be interested in knowing more about her illness and how she overcame her previous diagnosis and how Sean was instrumental at the time. Let’s not forget about Esteban and Karen, too; I think their relationship is also worth exploring. The major positives are: character development for Sean and Daniel, multiple endings, and the graphics. However, the major flaw Is the storyline. I think LIS 2 could greatly benefit from another DLC, just to flesh out the story and characters more.
i honestly go back and forth with this game. i really like it, dont get me wrong, but when i played through it the first time, i kinda just felt all the side relationships were kinda...pointless? the first game had the same problem too, but the difference is, you'd see side characters like kate and warren all the time in each episode. even though they never mattered in the end, you went through the game thinking they did. it was that whole "illusion of choice" thing that story-based games like life is strange do to trick the player into thinking their decisions make an impact on the story. ultimately, in the first game, your relationships with characters dont matter, but you dont find that out until the final decision of the game. in life is strange 2, you were constantly moving on, and it made it hard to get immersed in each episode knowing it wasnt going to mean anything once you started the next one. the more i played, the less i started to care about the new characters, because i knew we'd just leave them behind and forget they exist anyway. the one relationship that worked in life is strange 2 was sean and daniel, which makes sense because theyre the main characters, but the only reason i was invested in their relationship is because i could relate to it. im a big sister to two little brothers, one of which i grew up with and the other i watched grow up. see, me and my youngest brother have the same age gap as sean and daniel, and when the game released, we were the same age as sean and daniel, too. i fell in love with daniel because of how much he reminded me of my own brother - really annoying, pestering me constantly, always wanting my attention no matter how busy i am - but doing all that because he loves me and looks up to me. if a kids really annoying and pesters you constantly, its because they love you and you make them happy, and i think thats something this game did super well. their dynamic is super realistic, and there were many times were the game would show them bickering or sean brushing daniel away that made me stop and think about the way i treat my own brother sometimes. in fact, i STILL think about it now, its made a lifelong impact on my relationship with him that im super glad i have. my little brothers gonna be 12 this year. i havent got much time left at all of him still looking up to me and thinking im the coolest person he knows. it wont be long before he thinks im the most embarrassing person ever to walk the earth and wont give me hugs and kisses anymore. hes already started to hold my hand less and less in public. i genuinely think this game has taught me just how much time matters and how precious it is. that it can be gone in an instant, so you live every day full of grattitude and recognition of what you have, so if those things disappear, you dont look back on it with regret.
Man, i love this game. When it came out i couldn't play it, so i watched walkthroughs and it didn't bother me that much. But a month ago i finally got to play it and it's truly the best game i ever saw, no matter what everyone said. Sometimes I'm even sad that the characters are not real, got really attached to them haha
Great review! You right. You right. The friendship aspect is very important and LIS 1 was all about that. Being a good friend to chloe even though she kind of sucked but love her so we accept her. I'll probably wait some years before I reply all these gems and I'm not talking about the remasters
I love LiS, especially this game. I actually enjoyed not having a fixed setting. It felt like more of an adventure, and you never knew where they'd end up next, so it kept things exciting. I totally understand your annoyance with Daniel, but I think I related to Sean because I am the oldest of my siblings, and we also lost a parent unexpectedly. I was forced into more of a parent role and realized I would do anything to keep my siblings safe, just like Sean did, even if they were annoying at times.
LIS2 was absolutely stunning and impactful. It touched on so many deep topics. If you really place yourself in Sean's shoes, he went through so much. Many walks of hell. I loved having so many endings, the majority being actually heartbreaking. To see the characters in the future with consequences of our choices really stuck with me. Even Daniel with the church was a nod at cults and human trafficking. Powerful. Finn's aura and Brody with his Seth Rogen type of voice and laughter were gems to the game. The music was so good. I loved Sean's music at home, the song in the motel, Cassidy and the train song. But the one that really slaughtered me was Red by Mt. Wolf. That song hit so hard with it coming after losing Mushroom (can't believe you didn't mention the puppy), and having no idea how long til Sean and Daniel could feel safe again... But I related in my own personal life to the lyrics and wasn't expecting its haunting slow dance of scenery in the game to hit so hard. I find the game beyond better than LIS/BTS. I wish I could take Max, Warren and Rachel out and put them in LIS2 somehow. Lol. Ah, back to this song though... "Close this wound. Alight my bones. Fall back in, Hide your sin. I'm going away for a long time. I'm going away for a long time. Bring the night. Day comes too soon. Dark its embrace, Scatters all trace."
I love, love, love LiS 2. So far, it's my favorite in the series. Daniel acted a lot like my niece when she was young, and the game made me realize first how mean I may have been to her, how I should have been more patient with her-- or how patient I was, and how impatient I should have been with the family that enabled her bad behavior. Being around Daniel was my favorite part of the game, in other words. He's a good boy, he's a kid. Edit/Also: I found some of the political aspects understated. I grew up white in Texas and the things that you hear (even when you don't agree with other people, what they tell you, assuming you agree), what you witness your friends go through, a lot of this stuff checks out. People with brown skin are singled out, assumed to be criminals and are often mistreated, abused and assumed to be OK with with workplace/OSHA violations. I think some of the stuff that seems over-the-top kind of has to be, by virtue of this being a videogame. Games are always a little "loud", shooters are more rewarding than actually shooting people, mysteries give clues in obvious places and conversations that lead the protagonist,. If a game seeks to discuss something politically real, and deliver a satisfactory gaming experience, then it may too need to utilize those fun Pathos tools we all learned in school. Just a thought.
LIS 2 was amazing. The story was just right for me. I especially liked the fact that the protagonists were constantly moving to new places instead of staying in a certain area like in the first game. These new places would introduce themselves as obstacles, and each time they were left behind, it created a feeling of accomplishment, since you just cleared that obstacle. The most memorable places for me were the home town of Sean and Daniel as well as the small cottage during the winter episode. Its the journey and the friends Sean/Daniel made on the way.
LiS 2 is by far the best LiS game IMO. It's by far the most complex of any of the games. The journey is epic, long, and daunting. The villain is racism or white people really. Trump gets referenced even, the wall. The game even makes it that in order for the boys to GET to Mexico TOGETHER they have to become the bad guys society thinks they are. I genuinely think a lot of the people who dislike this game SO much just don't like the entire game basically going "Hey, racism is real and this is what it's like to be brown in America." Like yeah, sucks to not be white and you SHOULD feel uneasy about it. I don't find the "current events" in the game unrealistic at all. I think statements like that really comes from a place of privilege. Hate crimes in America SKY ROCKETED when Trump won the 2016 election and haven't really calmed down. I think anyone saying this is being really disingenuous. I would agree that Daniel is annoying. I treated him very well and still found him to be a giant ass.
I don’t think the problem is necessarily that Sean has no powers, but that he’s completely helpless. He can’t fight (trying to go hand to hand with anyone will get you demolished every time) and he relies heavily on Daniel to get them out of trouble. There’s a scene where Sean can choose to kill someone, and that doesn’t really change him going forward at all. He escapes the hospital on his own and then goes back to telling Daniel who to blast away. If you take away his brother, what is his personality? Even when he _was_ alone he focused on nothing else but Daniel. An episode of Sean alone and forced to rely on himself to make friends/escape situations could’ve gone a long way.
I think episode 3 of this game is the best episode of any life is strange games ever made. It feels timeless, free, and awesome. It also feels way good to be true, and you sort of expect the shit hitting the fan a bit later.
this game is probably my favorite in the franchise, as someone who loved the first ever since episode 2 of it was out in 2014/15. lis 2 pulls on my personal heart strings in ways no other story has. im an older sibling, and ive had to take care of my siblings through periods of extreme poverty and homelessness. the bond, protectiveness, and tensions shown in this game are super realistic in my experience. daniel and sean bicker a lot but sean will, in the end, do what he believes is best for daniel. also the scene when sean comes out to his dad in his dream if u go the finn route really speaks to me as a gay guy with a dead dad. this game just really calls back specific life experiences of mine that most ppl dont share in an accurate way. ive never seen a piece of media blend these experiences of mine so tastefully and respectfully. it will always hold a special place in my heart and i regularly have an itch to replay it and watch new playthroughs
I love this game so much I’ve played all the games and I think this one is the most relatable and the best one in my opinion. Thank you for this Video this game left game pass and it made me sad so it’s great to see it again
I was 25 when I played this and it absolutely destroyed me. It's such a heartfelt rollercoaster and it perfectly, to me, captures how helpless this stage of your life feels.
As a Mexican person who’s had to deal with family troubles due to the US government, I really wanted to adore this game. While I agree with the general points discussed about the gameplay/pacing/graphics/ost, I do feel like this game was catered to a white audience. The discrimination and horrors of it are taken seriously, which I’m glad for, but as the game progressed it just became torturous. The least they could’ve done was allow the players a good ending that didn’t strain the brother’s relationship or make them criminals, which further emphasizes harmful, preexisting stereotypes .💀 (they really took 1 step forward and 2 steps back with that one.) I enjoyed aspects of it, and really resonated with Sean, but when I heard the complaint that this protagonist “wasn’t as relatable” as the first, it clicked for me. The game wasn’t made with me in mind.
I was looking for this comment. DonNod is a french company and I feel as though they shouldn't have the jurisdiction to talk about these topics. They were handled well yes, but they felt fantastical, not grounded in reality at all. Just goes back to the saying "You can have POC/BIPOC exist in your creations, but don't talk about POC/BIPOC experiences because you weren't raised in that culture." I think LIS 3 handled it a little bit better, with a POC protagonist but they didn't talk about racism attached to it, and Alex Chen's story felt grounded in reality despite the limited exploration.
I quit this game after episode one because it didn’t live up to the first one then gave it another chance and it’s been about a year and it’s my favorite of the series and sticks with me the most. This game has something special the others don’t (not to say they’re bad, they aren’t) but this one is just so good. I think it’s the bond of Sean and daniel and that your decisions have more weight.
Despite the fact that the game is still good, I feel that some of the topics that Dontnod Entertainment wanted to bring to "life" were done in a way that felt forced. There could have been ways to bring up these topics in a natural approach. In addition, topics like protagonists (sean and daniel) and the superpower, leave a lot to be desired. For instance, the fun part of the first life is strange is that you get to have the power, meaning you get to explore/"manipulate" the world around you, consequently making the player feel they have the POWER and freedom to do what they like. However, as you said in the video in Life is strange 2 its basically a "walking simulator". P.S Daniels's character flaws also made me not want to play the game a second time. Like in episode 3 when Daniel tells Sean "I'm Grown, I don't need you to protect me anymore ", and then proceeds to say "You are always with your new friends and you never want to hang out ", and then later when he decides to go sleep with him he's like " You didn't have to come". Make it make sense.
The entire point was he is a kid. They don't have to make sense/they try to act more mature then they really are. As a guy with a younger brother, this is one of the reason I liked the game alot. Younger brothers can be pains but you know you still love them and will do anything for them.
Me and my little sister are the exact same ages as sean and daniel and bc of that, me and her ended up playing together. I'm not hispanic but as a person of color, a lot of the racism hit hard, especially a lot of the more subtle stuff like Claire being suspicious of sean right off the bat and the news article saying the "gentle" cop was murdered while Esteban was unnamed and "left dead". But playing this with my sister and seeing sean and daniel have a lot of the same arguments and conversations me and her did (why didn't we watch showd together anymore? Why didn't i hang out with her as much? Why do i always hang out with my friends instead of her? etc) hit me HARD. After we finished the both of us sat down and a had a long conversation about our relationship and how we've grown so distant. Aside from that, as a queer person i really liked the way they handled queerness as a whole. I do wish we got more from finn and sean and wish that you didn't have to do smth bad to get the queer relationship. But during the office scene with jake, i literally started bawling my eyes out on the spot. And seeing authur and stanely, an old happy gay couple, also made me tear up. One thing i think these games will always do well is showing how beautiful and painful being queer really can be
I agree that Dontnod was trying to change way too many things just for the sake of having a different experience. I mostly agree with the video except about the travel part. I think that was a terrible idea. The who issue about relationships not lasting would've been solved if they boys had just stayed in 1 place. The way Beaver Creek was set up in both LiS2 and CS, I thought it'd be LiS2's version of Arcadia Bay. Staying in 1 location was so quintessential for me that I didn't even think we'd be leaving by the end of ep2. I was speechless when the sheriff knocked on the door. Another issue for me was Daniel. I can sort of understand making mistakes when back with the Reynolds, but he just never learned anything. I thought my eyes would roll back into my skull when he snuck into Merril's house while Sean was getting paid. Daniel, after going through so much trauma and losing the stability of his grandparents couldn't understand that he shouldn't be sneaking into the house of a criminal. All he had to do was stay put for 5 minutes and he couldn't. This is a 9 year old. 9... He was acting like 4 maybe. This is an issue across all LiS games BTW, kids seem to act like they're way below the maturity level most 9 year olds actually are. Personally I would've had the game center fully around Sean, possibly even erasing Daniel. There's a reason ep3 is generally the favourite and that's because for a brief moment Sean could become a teenager with teenager problems, instead of a pseudo-dad. I also would've had the game take place in 1 location and I would've had Sean with the power, which may as well have remained just time travel, the same time travel Max had. The writers could've still explored gun violence and racism, just in different ways.
for me its a really solid game I really like it but its more like a movie then a game and i really want to know more abot the characters like Lyla or Jacob and I kinda think that this game was for me good just because I first play the second game and I fall in love with this series I like even true colors and i kinda think that you made true colors little dirty in this video but thats just your opinion
I personally related with LiS 2 more than the first one. As a Hispanic teenager, I could definitely relate more to Sean and his thought process in some situations. Daniel was annoying at points, but honestly, I was too when I was a kid lmao. I did feel like the story was a bit bland and the plot dragged at some points. I wish that using Daniel's power was more interactive and maybe they could've even allowed you to play as Daniel now and then throughout the game? I feel like it would've deepened the bond between them both and allowed us to see what was going on through Daniel's head throughout the journey. He was only 9 and going through so much. I honestly feel like the OST is slept on, I personally love the guitar present throughout most of the songs. I wish Lyla became a bigger part of the story. Being able to call her at the grandparent's house felt like it left more up in the air and could've even allowed her to join Sean on the journey. Some of the plot points were a bit mixed, but I appreciate that they brought up some important topics in their game. Nowadays you rarely see that. I know that games are supposed to be a way to escape from the real world, but it's also important to address what's going on in the real world as well. Overall, I thought the game gave an alright message while having flaws but also delivered a game with interesting characters and a beautiful world. The art style and most areas in the game were just so beautiful. They'll always be my wolf brothers.
I feel like this story could've been handled better if they highered Hispanics/Mexican peoples to write the script. It doesn't sit well with me that a French company decided to tackle these issues and spoke over people of color who have to face topics like discrimination in their everyday lives. Though as an African American, this plot also felt close to home, it was also too fantastical. yes, these are problems that exist, but they were exaggerated for the sake of shock value and doing something different...
I think where LIS2 fails is it tries to move to fast. You don't get to know any of the characters that well and you don't get to feel like you're part of something. I absolutely love LIS, BTS and True Colors. All of which mostly revolve around single location. Blackwell & Arcadia Bay or Haven Springs. You get familiar with it in some way. You keep re-visiting same locations but with different objectives. In LiS2 you skip across locations and characters and you never meet them again.
I was so shocked of the amount of subs u have wtffff The editing and the script are so nice the vid feels like if it was uploaded to a channel with a million sups good job :3
The fact that you don't control the power really sets this game apart from the other two. I relate to this game as an older brother and a Latino. The score is AMAZING. There is a bit of a pacing issue, but it's still amazing nonetheless.
What annoyed me the most about LiS 2 was the writing in combination with the gameplay. The game tells you that you have to watch out what choices you do, because you act as a role model for your brother... And you can do your absolute best in every episode, but then around Episode 4, the game just decides by itself, that you were a bad brother. Sean even apologizes for it. As someone, who really took care of him, this just felt so incredible stupid, because it felt like all my choices were meaningless. All my decisions were only important for the very last scene it feels like. Oh yeah and Lyla got completly forgotten after episode 2. Don't add a gameplay feature that resolves around being a role model for your brother, if you just write Daniel a certain way ANYWAY. Overall Daniel was the biggest problem for me in this game. There is a limitation of "he is just a kid, he doesn't know better"... He is constantly doing stupid stuff. For example: When you took 100% care for him the entire 3 first episodes, why would he run away at the end of 3???
If the first game was about "fate" or some cosmic order, and the third more of a murder mystery, the second was based on how circumstances and the world around the characters sculpts them into who they are. I honestly find LIS2 the best and most relatable from the main titles.
I loved this game. It had its ups and downs but I really related to the main characters. I am Mexican who just so happened to be born here in the United States, mostly everything that Sean and Daniel experience- I felt before. There were no light hearted scenes because of how realistic the situation was, Racism and being on the run is never going to be lighthearted and easy. I played this game with my sister and I felt bad for Sean and Daniel. I related to Daniel while my sister related to Sean so we understood both sides which left us emotional. Most people that hate the game don’t relate to it. Yeah the pacing is pretty weird but most complaints are mostly how “unrealistic” it is, the hard truth is that- it is real, some players just won’t experience it themselves. I personally hated Karen but I knew that I had to make peace with her for Daniel at least. The game makes us do sacrifices. I didn’t romance anyone but I leaned to Finn until he started talking about using Daniel to his own benefit, that’s when I had to make the decision to just leave him to the dust. I like the game for that. Unlike Life is Strange 1 ( where you basically have no consequences and can just turn back time) Life is Strange 2 makes us do hard decisions.
i looooove this game i dont understand a sliver of hate towards it. the message is incredible and touching and tender. i think the characters are ten times more fleshed out and raw. the story and powers are intense and grasping and it felt like the choices mattered a lot more. every little thing u did was important in developing daniel. there's so much thought put into it and detail and i just cant get enough of it ever. i love everything about it always. the aesthetic of lis and the story are super interesting but i think the character depth and development in this game are more notable IMO. daniel moving the border was cinematic history and i got literal chills. something about it was sooo touching, i cried my eyes out and i never rly shed a tear in first game. i just felt a lot more connected to the characters, felt like there was a lot more on the line and a lot more to risk, it was just totally heartwrenching. not to mention the characters had soooo many layers, each person was deeply flawed but had so many justifications. like finn manipulating daniel into doing the heist with him.......so fucked smh
''If the game wasn't a part of the LiS saga, it would be more respected'': You were really accurate with this observation! Everyone expected that ''Twin Peaks little town mystery'', one of the things that really hit the spot on the first game. I hope LiS 4 is great and tries not to play safe like TC did.
I kinda miss when there was a wait between each episode, even if its super short just so you can have the time to analyze the episodes and theorize what comes next. But what was annoying about this game was having to wait 3 1/2 - 4 months for each episode. I don't blame the people that waited for everyone to come out.
I tried to play twice and couldn’t finish. It’s sad because I ended up watching the endings and actually liked a lot of them. What I didn’t like was how the low-energy moments just sucked the life out of me and weren’t relatable. It was also hard to get immersed when Daniel acts like Ellie from TLOU, like everything happening doesn’t effect him until something bad was directly happening. The drama about his power felt like it was approached like how fanfics are written, just to evoke a reaction from the audience, both in real life or in game. TLDR; Characters reactions to events felt mostly disconnected from what was going on or were more dramatic than needed to be, not really an in between.
I feel this shouldn't had been called Life is strange 2 because Max and chloe started the franchise everyone really wanted a sequel with em, this never works for movie sequels if you find out they drop the characters and location in part two you loved it would disappoint alot, an movies that do do this never do well in the box office, it's like if you're fan of those spiderman movies and go to the theater just to find out spidermans no where to be found and the film follows venom the whole movie granted he's a kool character but he's not spiderman , which is kinda the way me an my friend's felt , that new one has a better title, Life is strange true colors, this title shows we are in the same universe but we we'll be treading new ground so it would be easier to push it in a new direction an draw in new fans , I understand the devs wanna try new things but never forget what got you all the attention in the first place
I suppose it really comes down to a players life experience when interacting like games like LIS. Like you said, damn near everyone can relate to Chloe and Max’s story of reuniting, rebuilding a friendship, parental issues, school drama, etc. But to me, it was just so boring. I personally had zero affinity for Max as a character and could barely relate to her at all. Chloe, however, I really loved. And I couldn’t get as deep into her character as I wanted in LIS 1 until Before the Storm. I related so hard to both her and Rachel in their respective life experiences. Especially when it came to interacting with Frank. I dated a guy in high school who reminded me of Frank so much it was freaky. LIS 2 was so impactful to me as an older sibling, someone who’s experienced police brutality and home instability. And of course, wanderlust. LIS 2 was so incredible for the fact that you never knew what would come next, where you would be or who you would meet. My first play-through i was also super annoyed at Daniel. But when you have younger siblings you know, that they have moments of sweetness or quirks that make you feel like you would sacrifice your whole fuckin life to make them happy. Thats what really connected me to the brothers in the this story. And yes, certain small aspects of the racial politics were exaggerated, but I know for certain these things DO happen. Maybe they wouldn’t all happen to one person, but vigilantes at the border, racially profiling shoppers, predatory religious cults, etc do happen in this country. Saying the game was “too political” or “dark”, to me, is a cop out for not wanted to face the issues that people deal with in this country. This world is fucking dark. Just like Karen said, “this world is pain…” and all you can do is learn to deal with it.
What really killed me with this game was how long it took to put out new episodes. LiS1 unfolded over the course of 10 months in 2015, with 2 months between most episodes and 3 months between 4 and 5. BtS released over a 5 month period, around 2 months between episodes. LiS2, however, released over the course of **15** months (Sept. 2018-Dec. 2019) with an average 3-4 months per episode. The game's story already suffered from a slow start but the long wait made some players, myself included, just forget about it until the finale was released. To this day, I think the visuals were beautiful and I enjoyed some of the characters but I really don't picture myself replaying the game anytime soon.
I'm one of the people who disliked LiS 2. Being in control of superpowers was what allowed LiS to separate itself from other walking simulators. Excluding that feature from our character this time around was a huge miss. This would probably still be okay if we had likeable characters and an interesting plot, but that's not the case either. Aside from the third act, the majority of the game was a painfully boring babysitting simulator. Despite traveling to multiple locations, the game still felt extremely slow and a chore to keep playing.. probably because doing chores is literally part of the game. My biggest problem with LiS 2 is the plot itself, more specifically, how and why their journey began. An idiot cop killed your dad and your first instinct is to.. flee the state? They didn't bother making sure he's actually dead, didn't call an ambulance, and didn't ask anyone else for advice - they just ran. Yeah, they're just kids and the superpower part complicates things but fleeing the scene was quite literally the worst thing they could have done. It effectively absolved the cop from his wrongdoing and now our protagonists are wanted fugitives. As a player of a walking simulator, not having any control over such a pivotal moment is extremely frustrating. I couldn't truly invest or sympathize for Sean during moments when the game clearly wants us to because those moments just remind me of how he created all this mess and there was nothing I could do as a player to stop it. Pros: I liked the music and some of the settings are pretty vibey. I think at the end of the game Sean also acknowledged how stupid he was for taking Daniel on the run with him.
honestly, I delayed playing this game for a really long time simply cause it wasn't max and Chloe, and I regret waiting as long as I did because it very quickly turned into my favorite of the franchise I understand that there are plenty of reasons to dislike it of course (the entire Finn romance route felt half baked and was upsetting) but it just felt more real and grounded and that really is what kept me invested.
Out of all the games this was my favorite. Yeah it gets very political at moments but i loved the fact that it was more of a roadtrip type of game and the dynamic between the 2 brothers and the other characters was awesome. For example, The Cassidy crew was great. Oh and the music was especially amazing in this one.
I actually loved Life Is Strange 2, but because of that love, I also never want to replay it. Since the endings take your choices into account so well, I felt like I was satisfied with the outcomes of my choices, and I feel like future playthroughs would end up defeating that sense of personal identity.
I've played all the lis games, except True Colours. I have enjoyed them all but waited until they were nice and cheap. Just found your channel and your videos are really good quality
Personally i’m a huge fan of lis 2 and prefer it a bit more than the first. Now not to say the first was bad i absolutely loved it, but it never really pulled me in the lis2 did. I would always pop in here and there while lis was coming out, but never felt to strongly connected to it and and because of that i never got into the second game until 3 years after it first came out and playing through it i was so drawn in by sean and Daniels relationships with me being an older brother and, just how much i had in common with sean compared to max, from interest to personality, and how i felt like the story had more this just one focus of political racism, i always felt like the story was fully about injustice, brotherhood/family and coming of age as a person of color and because of it having so many focus alot of people only see it through one out of the three making it feel more incomplete then it actually is. To end this off i’m not trying to say lis2 is perfect in anyway but why i personally love it more than any of the other games
Another reason i feel like why LIS 1 was so great is because alot of people could relate to it, the characters and the school life (the first 2 episodes mostly)
Just finished playing this game. I did overall enjoy it and was very invested in the story. I do like how the choices mattered much more in this game compared to the first and even if it was much darker than the first game, I did appreciate how they tackled serious issues (even if the "politics" did upset some people). I just wish the pacing wasn't so slow at times. And yes, I agree that there were too many side characters. While I understand that the game required Sean and Daniel travelling through different places to reach Mexico, I wish that characters like Lyla, Claire and Stephen, and Chris (yes, I know he has his own "prequel" game, but I loved his friendship with Daniel) would have appeared more.
I played it in like 2018 and started to attach myself to it as my soul-game. It’s not the best game ever but I connected to it so much that I can’t say it’s terrible or even bear to hate it. I am very biased but since I was so similar to Sean; I am Mexican-American, a teenager, an artist, have a dad who is a mechanic/runs an auto body shop, and a brother who annoys me but who loves me and I love him. I cried at Estaban’s death not because it was solely someone innocent dying, it was because I saw my father in him and it made me realize how lucky I was to be so safe and accepted for just being me, I’ve never faced much racial hatred since I was not that old in 2016. So I’ve been pretty lucky, only getting a few remarks about Trump or the wall and maybe a few insensitive insults and such. Never pure hatred from anyone though or violence. So this game was a way for me to reflect on myself and make sure I was happy with what I had at the time. Trying to be better to my brother, learning how to handle situations without violence, and trying to understand more about who I was and become a better person. So yeah, this game is definitely close to me and is one of my favorites.
What I genuinely feel after playing this game, I feel quite happy for them mainly because I get the "good" ending and its all because Daniel has slightly low moral level and it helped them both. And then I feel like not playing this game anymore because everything felt like a journey that doesn't need repeating. Its a good story.
I agree with a ton of your points - my biggest disappointment with Life is Strange 2 as a whole was the lack of connection with the side characters. In the first game, it felt so much more natural to connect with characters other than Max and Chloe. Kate, Joyce, Warren(not a personal favorite but to each their own) - and despite initially disliking them, I was extremely interested in seeing how Victoria and Nathan changed through the course of the episodes. But in LIS2 it was so much more difficult to like the side characters. When the trailers first came out, I was super hyped to learn more about Lyla, but I was let down pretty fast. Even characters like Chris and their grandparents didn't hit nearly as hard because I started getting into an attitude of "why should I care if I'm not going to see them after this episode?". I didn't even realize Finn was a romance option! Traveling stories always have a more difficult time with this aspect of storytelling, but there were definitely other options to make them more impactful or relatable.
I hate the first and the third and I love the second one because of the social issues. How it starts and how it progresses having you teach Daniel how to become a good person. Then towards the end showing the decisions you make actually have an impact because Daniel can choose to ignore or submit to you. I think moving around was the biggest thing for me because it made it feel different and the scenes to me were more exciting to explore around.
More bad then good. I really liked Sean as a protagonist more because as an older brother of a sibling of two, the character and story hits me in the feels, especially being half hispanic. My biggest problem with LIS2 is how none of your choices as Sean seem to matter. The true good ending, Sean goes to jail while Daniel is supervised and has a normal life until Sean gets out really sucks. The bad ending well...is bad. But ultimately I feel the writing quality for DontNod went really downhill here and most of the LIS community agrees. I dont like the clumsy shoved politics in the game, but Sean suffering no matter what choice is made just because the underlying message is "well lifes not fair kid tough shit" feels like such a cop out. Sean did his best and he pays no matter what and that leaves a sour taste in my mouth no matter how I look at this game. #LylaDeservedBetter
Life is Strange 2 is an amazing experience as an older brother. Anyone who has had this experience in trying to navigate dealing with an immature younger brother will easily relate with the main protagonist. So many factors will alter major events in the story and ultimately have a huge effect on the ending. When the first episode revealed how David was affected by your choices I knew this game was going to be amazing. I also heavily recommend Sufjan and Stevens' "Carrie and Lowell" album from which the song "Death with Dignity" comes from. The whole playlist has that whole somber Oregon feel.
I really enjoyed the first episode, but I am having reservations about playing through the rest. Not to mention that you made a good point about it not having the "mystery", it feels like the that major event at the start of the episode is really the biggest turning point, kind of like the storm in lis1, but it really should have been half way through, we already know what was that and who got killed so that's pretty much it and not even the end of the episode
I just felt like typing up how this game made me feel as someone who isn't really going to relate to it as well as others. I am not someone who can relate to any of the things in this game. I am the youngest in my family and am fortunate enough to not have to deal with the very serious topics addressed in this game. However, it really opened my eyes to how bad it really is. Racism in America is a big issue that I'm glad DontNod wasn't scared to talk about and it really helped me to understand the topic more in the eyes of someone dealing with it (I'm not saying I didn't understand how bad it was before, but I definitely understood it more when seeing it happen to a character I loved, even if it was in a fictional game). Plus, this game is a great story about how important family can be. As I said, I'm the youngest in my family. My two older siblings don't talk to me much because they are adults and live with other families (half-siblings) or are just living their lives lol. Because of this I've really been treated as an only child and haven't really had any siblings to look up to, so it was really awesome to be able to watch Sean and Daniel's brotherly bond. I ended up being really connected to it despite not being able to relate to it as well as others. It felt like I was really raising Daniel lol. I think the last 2 episodes are, like said in the video, where the action really comes into play but the first two episodes have their little sparks too! Going from calm to chaos very fast, it felt real. Not everything lasts and you need to cherish what little moments you have with the people you love. Also, the endings completely broke me. I ended up getting the Parted Ways ending, which is my favorite of the main four, and I'm almost ashamed to say that I literally broke out crying. The fact that Daniel and Sean are way different now and separated and that Sean will never be able to go back to America just... hurt. But I don't think that's why I cried lol. I think I cried because I connected to Daniel so much and seeing him all grown up with a stable life just hit me emotionally 💀 Life is Strange 2 is my favorite game from the entire franchise. I don't think you really have to be able to relate to a game to be able to understand it and connect with it.
Interesting nuanced take on LiS 2. I was someone who did not like the game a whole lot and honestly mainly stayed for how ridiculous the plot got. The writing in LiS has always been shifty in some places, but this game didn't have that "campyness" of the first game, where it's dorkingly loveable. I honestly think a lot of the set pieces could really work if DontNod had leaned on them a lot harder, but to me it ended up feeling like a compilation of different short stories with wildly differing quality (long time since I played it, but I remember episode 2 and 4 being a drag). Maybe have consecutive episodes have their own story arcs instead of all feeling like the extension of one another? I love the point they're trying to make with the story and it's super relevant, but I wish there were some nuance in subtlety as it just hammers you over the head with its meaning and to me it unfortunately felt cartoonish at times. It's cool that the choice actually matters, but in an overall lacking plot, it's hard for me to truly appreciate it. The characters were probably the biggest downside of this game for me. Like you, I couldn't stand Daniel and Sean was okay (although I do feel like the VA was subpar at times) and I think they lost a huge potential amount of fans by not developing this couple more. I strongly believe that them being brothers could've been a great twist to the "companion journey story" like in Last of Us, The Walking Dead, God of War. Also I barely remember any side characters by name.
This game is by far one of my favourite games. I can't imagine this game getting bad reviews. I honestly didn't want a sequel to Max or Chloe, I'm one of those players that seriously did not like Chloe (don't come for me, it's just an opinion), so I was actually relieved. I also thought it was really fun to play a character that I wouldn't otherwise relate to. It was a breath of fresh air.
I felt like LIS had a huge variety in its characters, their values, their politics, but politics were actually very rarely brought up blatantly. Max mentions climate change a handful of times, and Chloe mentions gun control (only to change the meaning to “I should control the gun” later) In the end it didn’t matter because more conservative characters like David, Kate, and Joyce were given full character arcs equal to more liberal characters like Dana, Ms Grant, Max, etc. And because you were pm stuck in one location you spent a lot of time developing relationships with these characters and could see running jokes like Alyssa getting in trouble or Lisa the Plant, etc. LIS 2’s politics were VERY in your face and we’re brought up constantly, practically isolating half the audience of the game. They knew what they wanted you to believe, they knew what was acceptable for you to believe while playing, and there were very few positive characters who strayed from that.
This is one I'll probably never get through because of the content being too real and relatable. As a younger Hispanic man, I was held at gun point by several officers just sitting on a bus stop minding my own business. Thrown to the ground, having several officers pile on me to arrest a threatening scrawny scared 15 year old not resisting gave me a first hand lesson about how different I was according to some people. I was lucky to have came out of that situation alive, hate to think if I had more fight than flight in me. It's been two decades since then but not something I like to see depicted even in pixel form.
my one criticism with lis2 is our character didn't have powers. Aside from that, I really liked this game, I felt a deep connection with my character and daniel and how my character was responsible for a kid. i know there are a lot of criticisms about this game, but i liked it so much i have played it 3x and the music was perfect for the overall sadness of the story which with the ending depending on which one you got (all were kinda sad) being very impactful as the choices you made mattered in the end.
i was intrigued by the role playing aspect of the LiS series and i played the main 3 titles out of order, starting with TC and ending with the OG LiS. I saw the first episode of LiS2 was available for free and i started playing it with my little sister. like sean, an unexpected event when i was a teenager forced me to become the parental figure in my two younger siblings' lives, even though i didn't quite understand it at the time. a lot of my love for this game stems from the relationship between sean and daniel, and it sticks out to me more than most "surrogate parental figure looking out for a child" kinds of games, like the last of us or god of war. from what i have seen other reviews i know i am not the only one who feels that way, one going so far as to saying this game helped save their relationship with their own sibling after being estranged for a number of years. this game was definitely made for a specific group of people and that is ok.
To this day, Life is strange 2 is the only game in the Lis franchise where your choices actually matter and effect the ending, but nobody talks about that.
LIS3 Was a GRAVE disappointment!
@@lachdownproductionsyt LiS true colors isn't LiS 3, or so i thought. There's a rumor that they're working on LiS 3, means that LiS true colors and LiS 3 are diff
@@Hibiiiiiinbunny It's the third main installment in the LIS franchise. Until LIS3 comes out I'll continue to call it LIS3.
@@lachdownproductionsyt It's actually LiS4 if you count Before the Storm which you should
YES! This is why it's my favorite. I've watched other peoples playthroughs of it and saw how different their Daniel acted from mine just because of the choices they made. It's the only Life is strange where I felt my choices actually made a real difference in how the story played out.
Okay, I think I can be one of the few people that can talk about the relatable aspect of this game and why I have such a deep and strong love for this game.
When LiS 2 came out I was close to Sean’s age in the game. Not to mention the game was set in 2016 when I was 16. And Daniel was only just a few short years behind my little brother. This game genuinely made me realise how little time I spent with him and how much I would shun him away from just the first hour before the EVENT happens. The scene where Sean throws Daniel out of his room when Daniel is trying to tell him about his Zombie cosplay because Sean is Skyping with Lyla really made me feel shitty because that’s something I always did. Or in a way similar to that.
And, as the game progressed and you really do see how much Sean loves, cares and sacrifices for Daniel, it made me realise that I only had a short amount of time left to get closer with my little brother before he got older. And by the end, it hit me so emotionally that it’s hard to express. Every ending of this game is tragic in my eyes. And it made me want to get closer with my brother.
I ended up getting the consequences icon (that’s the wolves loading icon) tattooed down my right arm as a reminder of not just how much I love this game and it’s characters, but also how much it changed my own view on being an older brother.
I love every LiS game deeply, but LiS 2 is really another thing entirely for me. It became so personal for me that it made me love and appreciate it even more. And I’m so grateful it exists and that there’s still a lot of people who like it just as much as me.
Your story is so sweet, thank you for sharing! I'm glad there are others out there who have been touched by this game, it goes to show that it is always worthwhile making something different.
Same here dude, I feel like this game hits different if you are an older sibling. Some of my friends that dont have siblings ended up getting the bad endings lmao. Out of curiousity, which ending did you get?
@@lincoln5775 just to butt in here, but I'm actually a younger sibling and this game made me appreciate how much my older siblies do for me, it seriously hurt when Sean was getting beaten up in the Church scene 😭 I also got the Redemption ending!
@@bubbamax1990 :))) oh shit, I dont know them by name, I got the one where you end up in mexico together,
@@lincoln5775 I got the blood brothers ending the first time around where you both make it to Mexico. It’s actually my favourite ending in the game but still genuinely sad because of how they both turn out.
Not to self promote at all because I don’t really do UA-cam anymore but I have a playthough on the game on my channel with my reactions to the ending if you’re curious what my first hand reactions were :)
I honestly really loved this game. I liked that we always met new characters and found it refreshing to have all of these different locations. In my Opinion this game felt more realistic and grounded. It was special because we weren´t in control of the power and it kinda forced us to make smarter decisions in order to control daniel. I felt like the story was verry well thought out and i symphazited a lot with the characters. It discussed a lot of darker themes and i´m glad it did because it showed the struggles that real people go through. Also i liked the fact that we got 2 male maincharacters and tat they were brothers, because i think that family is something most of us can relate to and it was a nice change, seeing 2 Boys instead of 2 Girls. I genuinely believe that LIS 2 was an amazing game and that it doesn´t deserve so much harsh criticsm.
Couldn't agree more! It's such an incredible experience.
It was terrible
completely agree omg
I agree. It sucks that people hate this game bc that means we wont get more like it..
@@xeno4693 yep and I’m glad
lyla not having more screentime was a crime
I loved the game. I cried at the end. Sean crying as an adult and Daniel realizing he is no longer the same brother he once had was gut-wrenching
As a 32-year-old now, I've experienced many times getting to know people a bit and then my life just moving on without those people, so I can relate to how the game doesn't fully develop characters. It leaves enough to consider the possibilities, but possibilities might be all it is.
I really enjoyed this game. I think growing up with a brother or having kids in your family like Daniel really affects the experience. He never seemed annoying to me but rather as someone I needed to protect. Great breakdown video of this game.
After almost 1 year has passed after I played this game, it still ‘hits’ me somehow. Id say this is one of the best games that I’ve ever played, money well spend!
Same I played it Nov of 20 and am still obsessed with it.
same, it was worth every penny
Oh dont say that, that means I’ll never recover having finished this like last week😢 (I got the parted ways ending so ım honestly happy with it. Everyone is alive and well for starters!)
@@bilgeakaln63352 years after the 1 year comment and it still hits, but in a good way it was a good game
A@@Louca1i miss the wolf brothers
:(
I played this game for the first time last year, going in with no expectations and no idea what to expect.
Episode 1 was so extremely strong to me.. Honestly one of the strongest attached I felt to a story in a *long* time, I was absolutely hooked the entire time and in tears on multiple occasions. Holy shit that was a strong opening episode which I think about till this day...
Then episode 2.. The pacing went from having to survive together with your little brother in the middle of the forest with basically no cash, all while needing to figure out how to tell your brother that his father is dead and you're not returning home while you haven't even had time to process it yourself yet, life suddenly placing you into a father figure position out of your control and shit just being fucked up. It went from that to doing chores inside of the same house for an entire episode while the characters talk like they feel surpressed, and then suddenly an emotional ending saying goodbye to the people the characters seemed to dislike for an entire episode? This episode really did not work for me, especially after such a good first one I was really disappointed.
Episode 3 and 4 slowly got better each, and it was only at the end of episode 5 that I felt as attached to the story again as I did in episode 1. I am soo glad that I really loved the ending, it truly redeemed my view of the game as a whole. It has an *extremely* strong start and end. The middle starting low slowly going up again. I think the game is worth it just for episode 1 alone. (and that one is free, lol).
The game as a whole stayed with me *far* stronger than life is strange 1 did. Somehow I just am not able to really let go of it. I still often think about it and draw new inspiration from it. This is something that life is strange 1 never did for me. It was just a fun game that I played and then moved on from. Life is strange 2 doesn't let me move on, somehow.. Truly a special thing.
Lil side note at the end, this game did inspire me to start a sketchbook similar to sean's in the game, journaling and sketching the days. It's very fun and satisfying. I also still love to play many of the instrumental songs on guitar. Into the woods is just such a vibe.
At the begining I was little sceptical about LIS2. I missed Max and Chloe of course, but it was also very odd for me when I found out that this game is going to be released through like 1,5 year period.
First episode was in September 2018 I think? And the last one in December 2019.. it is soooo long for episodic game, first LIS had much shorter time.
But after some time in May 2020 when this game was on sales, and was finally complete I said, "why the hell not, it is LIS after all" and so I bought it and I must say, I think it was even more emotional for me than first game. Maybe because I really enjoy games with travel theme, moving from one place to another, meeting always new people. I loved it in this game so much! I loved the places we explored.
The soundtrack as you said was also great and waaaay more memorable than LIS TC OST.
I really liked the fact that choices mattered much more, like I actually felt that I am changing the story. Also Daniels AI and how our choices impacted him, was very impressive.
I enjoyed Sean as main protagonist, though Max was more relatable for me.
All in all LIS2 was great experience, and wasn't in any way worse than LIS1 for me.
I agree :D it was great!
I slept on this game for ages, until finally playing it during lockdown, it was hard to get through the first episode as there wasn’t a lot of action, but as the game went on, I got so attached to Sean and Daniel (and even some of the side characters). The game was also really raw in emotions, having me cry at almost every single episode, plus I got to experience something I always wished for since I was a little girl : having a little brother. I really felt a deep bond with Daniel and I didn’t mind him being childish and annoying at times, because that’s how kids are, and it made it more realistic in my opinion. The end still has me crying, sometimes just thinking about it, and that’s when I know it’s a good game/story, it was able to make me feel real emotions and truly immerse me into the story. Lis2 holds a really special place in my heart, and made me feel things that no other game or story has been able to. So I guess it’s more of a personal thing. I know the game is flawed, but I’m sure if more people gave it a chance, especially emotional ass people like me, they would see just how special and impactful this game can be :)
I also love the fact that it’s a more mature and grounded game, there wasn’t any high school drama like in the previous games, it just felt like a really good coming of age story mixed with real issues, and dark subjects.
Dismissed this game for years, finally decided to play it during lockdown and was blown tf away. I can understand why some people dont like it, its such a radically different game than LiS was. If it wasn't for the namesake and a few minor plot points, there really wouldnt be any connection to the first game, they are completely different beasts with different themes and goals. That being said, I love both games for entirely different reasons. Not to be that guy, but as a young hispanic dude with a 9 y/o brother irl, I was able to relate to the protagonists almost instantly. Daniel was a POS sometimes but I guess thats just how little brothers are. I loved the dynamic between them and by the end of episode 5 my ass was in tears LMAO. (that scene w the standoff against the police) I do agree that some of the politics may have been a bit heavy-handed but I was overall glad that they included those scenes. Definetely one of my faves and I think i'm due for another playthrough soon. Just found this channel yesterday from the Remastered collection review lol, enjoying it a lot so far!
this shit too long bruh. ain’t no one reading all this
@@viboyrator 88 ppl did, bruh.
@@lincoln5775 122 people did now, including me! 😌As a minority myself (black) I too appreciate and applaud the writers for incorporating such an overlooked, seriously important issue (such as prejudicial amongst America) in a video game. I never got bored playing it. The scenery was beautiful, and storyline overall is phenomenal. This edition was the best one imo. I love this game, therefore I enjoyed reading your very well said comment.
@@mimiglamz22 I agree totally, the inclusion of characters that might resonate with a larger and often less heard audience is always appreciated. It always feels good to see a protagonist that breaks away from the standard "30 year old white man with brown hair" trope. Lee Everett and Clementine, Javier Garcia, CJ, Ellie from the last of us, Miles Morales. Those are some of mf fave characters from the games Ive played recently. They make me feel at home because they possess an element of familiarity that feels nice to be reminded of. Thank you for your kind response :) take care out there friend!
I also really love this game. yippie!
I absolutely love LiS 2, it's my personal favourite in the series and I have happily replayed it four times, on top of watching youtuber Lets Plays. I loved the cosy atmosphere as the brothers travelled and tried to make little hideouts for themselves (like the lodge in episode 2!).
The game was also relatable to me on so many levels. The strong sibling bond, the dealing with racism (which isn't as subtle in real life as many negative reviews of this game seem to think), even the aspect of losing a comfortable life and home.
I know not everyone has to deal with this stuff, but I see nothing wrong with stories that share a different experience.
And finally I just love the wolf brothers. Daniel is so cute despite being understandably difficult at times, and Sean is just the most amazing big brother. Honestly the love he has for Daniel and how far he would go to protect him shows how strong he is even without superpowers.
You can bet that this was a heartbreaking and emotional journey at so many points, but in the best way possible!
I love this game so much. Just couldn’t get rid of the sadness at the end for days
I started this game just after the 5th episode came out. I think what immediately stuck out to me was that the story sounded grittier and more interesting. What really sucked me in though was Sean's character. A lot about his life and interests reminded me of my best friend Rey who passed away. He was Puerto Rican-Colombian and a skater, and everything about his room looked very similar. He was also really close with his cousin Gio, and when they were together, it was very much a Sean & Daniel dynamic. I think being that close to such an amazing & caring Latino family drew a lot of my passion for LIS2, as well as the politics of the time. I do however think this game would've done better in some ways:
- Switching characters between Sean and Daniel to solve more puzzles and getting their different perspectives would've been interesting.
- Resource management should've been highlighted more, like spending money on food, clothes, lodging, and travel. Also the ability to hitchhike at different points, and meeting either nice or bad people at random on the road could've added to the tension and broken up the length a bit.
- Lyla definitely deserved her own DLC, and out of my desire for that, I've been in the process of writing a short fic where she goes back to the Diaz house with friends to retrieve a bunch of Sean and Daniel's belongings before the cops get to it, as well as leading protests in the community.
- I think some of Daniel's behavior doesn't always make sense based on the choices you make (especially the contrast between episode 2 and 3), which I think is something they should've paid more attention to. But I suppose that's the issue with choice-based games, you can only affect the narrative so much.
- The political aspects could've been handled with more care at times, because it almost makes it seem like racism is random, rather than a systemic issue. And with them being homeless, I don't think enough people realize how much homelessness can make people more vulnerable to racist attacks, so that aspect wasn't really emphasized enough, it's always their name or skin color that gets focused on. I feel it would be a little different considering they're half-Mexican and US citizens as well, but then again there were some US citizens who were deported or detained for varying lengths time during Trump's presidency, so most of what happens in this game isn't too far outside the realm of reality.
Overall, I love it as is, but those are some things it could've done better. I often play Road 96 in between playing LIS2, because that was another great game with a lot of aspects LIS2 would've benefited from.
A few comments:
Sean and Daniels relationship: When I played this game, Daniel was an annoying bastard, I'm going to be completely honest. But as someone who grew up with a little brother, this made complete sense. Sean is a 16 year old taking care of a 9 year old kid that still has some growing up to do; of course Sean or the person playing as Sean is going to get annoyed with Daniel. To be, it feels very realistic and relatable, even if it seems like its a negative to some.
Racism: I can understand why some people don't want to play a game where popular issues like racism in our society are prevalent. But to me personally, I feel like LIS is a series where it doesn't like to sugar coat ongoing issues (i.e. depression from LIS 1 with Kate). I'm not Mexican, so I can't directly relate to what its like to be looked down on because of stereotypes, but I am a Person of Color, so I can understand it by being a minority.
Powers: Personally, I feel like this game would have been over in episode 1 if Sean did have the power of telekinesis. Sean is pretty much a grown adult, and is able to make smarter choices compared to his younger brother. Giving it to Daniel was a good move since now there's the pressure of not only taking care of this kid while the characters are on the run, but making sure this kid doesn't become evil and destroy the world.
Closing thoughts: To me, this game was meant to be a story that talks about what it's like for minorities to escape a country that hates them because of their race. The media makes it look like Sean and Daniel killed a Cop, but not once was it ever mentioned that the Cop killed their dad for no reason. I felt like this was a story that was meant to tell the tale of two brothers fighting for survival, while also teaching them the world is field with a lot of people. Some that will want to destroy you, and some that will be willing to help you.
Tier Rank: High A-Tier
İts sad how real is the thing with the cop shooting their dad tho. The first episode escalated so, so quickly I think I should’ve known the endings would be just as brutal. I didnt even realise the cop was panicking because of the fake blood on the kid. But I cannot express How a n g r y I was when he shot Esteban like an idiot. Honeslty… I hate how real this game is and I hate how it made ke care and love it so much. Absolutely Hate it…
I think one of the reasons people struggled to love these characters in the same way they did Max and Chloe is that the game gives you the option to almost completely dismiss Daniel. Most people that loved this game probably felt protective over Daniel (as I did) and connected to the characters because of this. But, unlike the first game, the bond between Sean and Daniel is based on choices that the player makes, so it's constantly tested and can make Daniel seem annoying in doing so.
Life is Strange 2 is meant for people who have had brothers (especially younger brothers). When I first played Lis2, I immediately felt a strong connection to the game because Daniel reminded me of growing up with my little brother, so Daniel's immaturity didn't really phase me it actually made him more relatable. People who haven't had brothers will write Daniel off as annoying and probably mistreat him which just makes the game worse and worse because Daniel's behavior is directly correlated with how well you "parent" him.
LIS 2 felt like the most relatable game for me. When I first played it, I was also 16 with a younger sister who was 11. I had spent so much time wanting to run away and travel, and this game made me realise how much I had at home, how I would be leaving my sister behind. I understand it has its flaws (the biggest probably being the underdeveloped side characters), but I have a deep personal connection to it, making it my favourite overall :)
I honestly just wanted more of episode 3, it felt nice and relaxed. More time with Cassidy damn it!
I agree!
For me, the third episode was a little bit like the thirst LIS game. In the 3 episode, you have the camp, wich was a little bit like the campus. You moved often there, and you dont run to the next station so fast. So the third episode is my personal favorite
Sorry for my English
@@wullero right, you have time to bond with people who are free and living with nature. There’s a point to be made for bonding with your environment, the forest felt peaceful.
Being an Hispanic dude and on the run from a young age with my mom the game was instantly relatable and the racism aspects hit hard
That doesn't mean it's good
@@purpleclaws202if a game is relatable to you and reminds you of ur personal experience how is that not good? Ultimately that’s a subjective opinion
I think my biggest problem with the game was it’s constant changes. I actually really liked the concept of each chapter being a different place, but I think some sort of certainty would have been a nice anchor. Like meeting the group from chapter 3 earlier and going on the whole journey with them. That way you could still have the story be “on the run,” but give the player time to make relationships that actually matter instead of each person you meet being a one and done deal.
i totally understand where you’re coming from in terms of the game not being anchored, especially since that’s what we got for a lot of the other games. This made a lot of the characters have little to no development/ the audience might of wanted more of them on screen.
I personally liked this one a little bit better than the first. The only reason why was because your choices really did matter and had consequences. Another reason why is it was alot more emotional I really felt a couple of those scenes. The last reason is the endings. The first lis only had 2 and this one has 5 and each ending really gives you something to think about. Now I do understand why some people did not enjoy this one because of the serious topics and not much of a fun matter but I honestly liked this one.
You're wrong
I finished playing this game a few months ago and I felt numb and empty for weeks afterwards. The story of the two brothers resonated with me and hit me harder than the original LIS. Idk what it was about LIS2, but it still stays with me today.
literally the best lis game
facts
!!
i agree with most of what you said but at 12:54 i personally think that's exactly why the game was made, it's meant to be shocking, sometimes even a little uncomfortable, the fact that not everyone can relate to it is why it was important, sure sometimes it was a little forced but i think even though a lot of people who played it couldn't exactly relate to the characters it was a great story and really made you step back and revaluate the way you think of the issues addressed in the story. tbh it was probably my favorite lis game :)
i totally agree! it’s definitely my favorite out of all the games :)
As a huge Life is Strange fan, I decided to play LiS2 during lockdown and it definitely was a good decision. It became my favorite videogame so far due to the intense experiences it gave me! I enjoyed every second of the walkthrough due to how realistic and grounded it is.
Even tho I disliked Daniel in some parts of the story, it made me empathize even more with them bc that's how little brothers usually are. The fact that you have to be his mentor is a very well thought idea, since u have to be very careful with the choices you make in order to see which final you'll get.
With that being said, I absolutely love the way all the characters are introduced in the story. I could empathize with Sean during the whole walkthrough (loved Finn and Cass, hated those two racist guys you meet in episode 4 as well as Lizbeth, understood Chris's father and even Karen; and felt kinda uncomfortable around the bros' grandparents bc of their rules).
I personally think that it's great that the gameplay was so long since it gave me the chance to watch out every detail or decision and also made me enjoy all the landscapes and magic of it. This game definitely has some kind of magic
Fun story: This game introduced me to one of my favorite artist, Sufjan Stevens so i can't hate it that much like i used to. I will definitely replay it in the future and i hope it will grow on me.
One mistake i made during playing Life is Strange 2 is that i played it on Ge Force Now Cloud and i run into some issues that really messed up with my save game and i needed to replay same sections over and over again
I love games that involve travel, like an interactive road trip movie. And it's only just now I realising there aren't a lot of games like that, but when I played this game I also played Red Dead Redemption 2 around the same time which is also a game about being on the run from the law across America lol
I really appreciate your balanced review! I personally really like this game. I thought that these characters were a lot more realistic than the LiS 1 characters. Sean is a great protagonist and the voice acting was amazing! Sean felt like a more balanced character than Max in my opinion. I agree that this game can get emotionally draining. I would have liked to have more lighthearted moments with Sean and Daniel, Chris, and their grandparents. I also understand the criticism with the politics in this game. It really felt forced at some points which takes from the realism and emotional impact. I’m half Mexican as well, and I think the writers could have portrayed the racial injustice in the game much better, but overall, it gave me a much more full experience than the other LiS games because I felt like my choices really mattered and connected with every ending.
I’m glad that you mentioned Lyla. She was introduced to players as Sean’s best friend and confidant, but we rarely got to see the significance of their relationship; there was no depth there, no exploration. I’d be interested in knowing more about her illness and how she overcame her previous diagnosis and how Sean was instrumental at the time. Let’s not forget about Esteban and Karen, too; I think their relationship is also worth exploring.
The major positives are: character development for Sean and Daniel, multiple endings, and the graphics. However, the major flaw Is the storyline. I think LIS 2 could greatly benefit from another DLC, just to flesh out the story and characters more.
i honestly go back and forth with this game. i really like it, dont get me wrong, but when i played through it the first time, i kinda just felt all the side relationships were kinda...pointless? the first game had the same problem too, but the difference is, you'd see side characters like kate and warren all the time in each episode. even though they never mattered in the end, you went through the game thinking they did. it was that whole "illusion of choice" thing that story-based games like life is strange do to trick the player into thinking their decisions make an impact on the story. ultimately, in the first game, your relationships with characters dont matter, but you dont find that out until the final decision of the game. in life is strange 2, you were constantly moving on, and it made it hard to get immersed in each episode knowing it wasnt going to mean anything once you started the next one. the more i played, the less i started to care about the new characters, because i knew we'd just leave them behind and forget they exist anyway.
the one relationship that worked in life is strange 2 was sean and daniel, which makes sense because theyre the main characters, but the only reason i was invested in their relationship is because i could relate to it. im a big sister to two little brothers, one of which i grew up with and the other i watched grow up. see, me and my youngest brother have the same age gap as sean and daniel, and when the game released, we were the same age as sean and daniel, too. i fell in love with daniel because of how much he reminded me of my own brother - really annoying, pestering me constantly, always wanting my attention no matter how busy i am - but doing all that because he loves me and looks up to me. if a kids really annoying and pesters you constantly, its because they love you and you make them happy, and i think thats something this game did super well. their dynamic is super realistic, and there were many times were the game would show them bickering or sean brushing daniel away that made me stop and think about the way i treat my own brother sometimes. in fact, i STILL think about it now, its made a lifelong impact on my relationship with him that im super glad i have.
my little brothers gonna be 12 this year. i havent got much time left at all of him still looking up to me and thinking im the coolest person he knows. it wont be long before he thinks im the most embarrassing person ever to walk the earth and wont give me hugs and kisses anymore. hes already started to hold my hand less and less in public. i genuinely think this game has taught me just how much time matters and how precious it is. that it can be gone in an instant, so you live every day full of grattitude and recognition of what you have, so if those things disappear, you dont look back on it with regret.
Man, i love this game. When it came out i couldn't play it, so i watched walkthroughs and it didn't bother me that much. But a month ago i finally got to play it and it's truly the best game i ever saw, no matter what everyone said. Sometimes I'm even sad that the characters are not real, got really attached to them haha
Spot on review.
Lis2 is my fav out of the entire series.
Glad I didn't listen to negative reviews at the time and experienced it on my own
Nice to see Lis 2 getting some much needed love.
Great review! You right. You right. The friendship aspect is very important and LIS 1 was all about that. Being a good friend to chloe even though she kind of sucked but love her so we accept her. I'll probably wait some years before I reply all these gems and I'm not talking about the remasters
I love LiS, especially this game. I actually enjoyed not having a fixed setting. It felt like more of an adventure, and you never knew where they'd end up next, so it kept things exciting. I totally understand your annoyance with Daniel, but I think I related to Sean because I am the oldest of my siblings, and we also lost a parent unexpectedly. I was forced into more of a parent role and realized I would do anything to keep my siblings safe, just like Sean did, even if they were annoying at times.
LIS2 was absolutely stunning and impactful. It touched on so many deep topics. If you really place yourself in Sean's shoes, he went through so much. Many walks of hell. I loved having so many endings, the majority being actually heartbreaking. To see the characters in the future with consequences of our choices really stuck with me. Even Daniel with the church was a nod at cults and human trafficking. Powerful. Finn's aura and Brody with his Seth Rogen type of voice and laughter were gems to the game. The music was so good. I loved Sean's music at home, the song in the motel, Cassidy and the train song. But the one that really slaughtered me was Red by Mt. Wolf. That song hit so hard with it coming after losing Mushroom (can't believe you didn't mention the puppy), and having no idea how long til Sean and Daniel could feel safe again... But I related in my own personal life to the lyrics and wasn't expecting its haunting slow dance of scenery in the game to hit so hard. I find the game beyond better than LIS/BTS. I wish I could take Max, Warren and Rachel out and put them in LIS2 somehow. Lol. Ah, back to this song though...
"Close this wound.
Alight my bones.
Fall back in,
Hide your sin.
I'm going away for a long time.
I'm going away for a long time.
Bring the night.
Day comes too soon.
Dark its embrace,
Scatters all trace."
I love, love, love LiS 2. So far, it's my favorite in the series. Daniel acted a lot like my niece when she was young, and the game made me realize first how mean I may have been to her, how I should have been more patient with her-- or how patient I was, and how impatient I should have been with the family that enabled her bad behavior. Being around Daniel was my favorite part of the game, in other words. He's a good boy, he's a kid.
Edit/Also:
I found some of the political aspects understated. I grew up white in Texas and the things that you hear (even when you don't agree with other people, what they tell you, assuming you agree), what you witness your friends go through, a lot of this stuff checks out. People with brown skin are singled out, assumed to be criminals and are often mistreated, abused and assumed to be OK with with workplace/OSHA violations. I think some of the stuff that seems over-the-top kind of has to be, by virtue of this being a videogame. Games are always a little "loud", shooters are more rewarding than actually shooting people, mysteries give clues in obvious places and conversations that lead the protagonist,. If a game seeks to discuss something politically real, and deliver a satisfactory gaming experience, then it may too need to utilize those fun Pathos tools we all learned in school. Just a thought.
LIS 2 was amazing. The story was just right for me. I especially liked the fact that the protagonists were constantly moving to new places instead of staying in a certain area like in the first game. These new places would introduce themselves as obstacles, and each time they were left behind, it created a feeling of accomplishment, since you just cleared that obstacle. The most memorable places for me were the home town of Sean and Daniel as well as the small cottage during the winter episode.
Its the journey and the friends Sean/Daniel made on the way.
LiS 2 is by far the best LiS game IMO. It's by far the most complex of any of the games. The journey is epic, long, and daunting. The villain is racism or white people really. Trump gets referenced even, the wall. The game even makes it that in order for the boys to GET to Mexico TOGETHER they have to become the bad guys society thinks they are.
I genuinely think a lot of the people who dislike this game SO much just don't like the entire game basically going "Hey, racism is real and this is what it's like to be brown in America." Like yeah, sucks to not be white and you SHOULD feel uneasy about it. I don't find the "current events" in the game unrealistic at all. I think statements like that really comes from a place of privilege. Hate crimes in America SKY ROCKETED when Trump won the 2016 election and haven't really calmed down. I think anyone saying this is being really disingenuous.
I would agree that Daniel is annoying. I treated him very well and still found him to be a giant ass.
I don’t think the problem is necessarily that Sean has no powers, but that he’s completely helpless. He can’t fight (trying to go hand to hand with anyone will get you demolished every time) and he relies heavily on Daniel to get them out of trouble. There’s a scene where Sean can choose to kill someone, and that doesn’t really change him going forward at all.
He escapes the hospital on his own and then goes back to telling Daniel who to blast away.
If you take away his brother, what is his personality? Even when he _was_ alone he focused on nothing else but Daniel. An episode of Sean alone and forced to rely on himself to make friends/escape situations could’ve gone a long way.
This game was good but so sad for me. I had to process the ending for a whole day. I liked the social issues involved.
I think episode 3 of this game is the best episode of any life is strange games ever made. It feels timeless, free, and awesome. It also feels way good to be true, and you sort of expect the shit hitting the fan a bit later.
this game is probably my favorite in the franchise, as someone who loved the first ever since episode 2 of it was out in 2014/15. lis 2 pulls on my personal heart strings in ways no other story has. im an older sibling, and ive had to take care of my siblings through periods of extreme poverty and homelessness. the bond, protectiveness, and tensions shown in this game are super realistic in my experience. daniel and sean bicker a lot but sean will, in the end, do what he believes is best for daniel. also the scene when sean comes out to his dad in his dream if u go the finn route really speaks to me as a gay guy with a dead dad. this game just really calls back specific life experiences of mine that most ppl dont share in an accurate way. ive never seen a piece of media blend these experiences of mine so tastefully and respectfully. it will always hold a special place in my heart and i regularly have an itch to replay it and watch new playthroughs
I love this game so much I’ve played all the games and I think this one is the most relatable and the best one in my opinion. Thank you for this Video this game left game pass and it made me sad so it’s great to see it again
I was 25 when I played this and it absolutely destroyed me. It's such a heartfelt rollercoaster and it perfectly, to me, captures how helpless this stage of your life feels.
As a Mexican person who’s had to deal with family troubles due to the US government, I really wanted to adore this game. While I agree with the general points discussed about the gameplay/pacing/graphics/ost, I do feel like this game was catered to a white audience. The discrimination and horrors of it are taken seriously, which I’m glad for, but as the game progressed it just became torturous. The least they could’ve done was allow the players a good ending that didn’t strain the brother’s relationship or make them criminals, which further emphasizes harmful, preexisting stereotypes .💀 (they really took 1 step forward and 2 steps back with that one.) I enjoyed aspects of it, and really resonated with Sean, but when I heard the complaint that this protagonist “wasn’t as relatable” as the first, it clicked for me. The game wasn’t made with me in mind.
I was looking for this comment. DonNod is a french company and I feel as though they shouldn't have the jurisdiction to talk about these topics. They were handled well yes, but they felt fantastical, not grounded in reality at all. Just goes back to the saying "You can have POC/BIPOC exist in your creations, but don't talk about POC/BIPOC experiences because you weren't raised in that culture." I think LIS 3 handled it a little bit better, with a POC protagonist but they didn't talk about racism attached to it, and Alex Chen's story felt grounded in reality despite the limited exploration.
I quit this game after episode one because it didn’t live up to the first one then gave it another chance and it’s been about a year and it’s my favorite of the series and sticks with me the most. This game has something special the others don’t (not to say they’re bad, they aren’t) but this one is just so good. I think it’s the bond of Sean and daniel and that your decisions have more weight.
Despite the fact that the game is still good, I feel that some of the topics that Dontnod Entertainment wanted to bring to "life" were done in a way that felt forced. There could have been ways to bring up these topics in a natural approach. In addition, topics like protagonists (sean and daniel) and the superpower, leave a lot to be desired. For instance, the fun part of the first life is strange is that you get to have the power, meaning you get to explore/"manipulate" the world around you, consequently making the player feel they have the POWER and freedom to do what they like. However, as you said in the video in Life is strange 2 its basically a "walking simulator".
P.S
Daniels's character flaws also made me not want to play the game a second time. Like in episode 3 when Daniel tells Sean "I'm Grown, I don't need you to protect me anymore ", and then proceeds to say "You are always with your new friends and you never want to hang out ", and then later when he decides to go sleep with him he's like " You didn't have to come". Make it make sense.
Daniels still more mature than Chloe was
The entire point was he is a kid. They don't have to make sense/they try to act more mature then they really are. As a guy with a younger brother, this is one of the reason I liked the game alot. Younger brothers can be pains but you know you still love them and will do anything for them.
Me and my little sister are the exact same ages as sean and daniel and bc of that, me and her ended up playing together. I'm not hispanic but as a person of color, a lot of the racism hit hard, especially a lot of the more subtle stuff like Claire being suspicious of sean right off the bat and the news article saying the "gentle" cop was murdered while Esteban was unnamed and "left dead". But playing this with my sister and seeing sean and daniel have a lot of the same arguments and conversations me and her did (why didn't we watch showd together anymore? Why didn't i hang out with her as much? Why do i always hang out with my friends instead of her? etc) hit me HARD. After we finished the both of us sat down and a had a long conversation about our relationship and how we've grown so distant.
Aside from that, as a queer person i really liked the way they handled queerness as a whole. I do wish we got more from finn and sean and wish that you didn't have to do smth bad to get the queer relationship. But during the office scene with jake, i literally started bawling my eyes out on the spot. And seeing authur and stanely, an old happy gay couple, also made me tear up. One thing i think these games will always do well is showing how beautiful and painful being queer really can be
I agree that Dontnod was trying to change way too many things just for the sake of having a different experience. I mostly agree with the video except about the travel part. I think that was a terrible idea. The who issue about relationships not lasting would've been solved if they boys had just stayed in 1 place. The way Beaver Creek was set up in both LiS2 and CS, I thought it'd be LiS2's version of Arcadia Bay. Staying in 1 location was so quintessential for me that I didn't even think we'd be leaving by the end of ep2. I was speechless when the sheriff knocked on the door.
Another issue for me was Daniel. I can sort of understand making mistakes when back with the Reynolds, but he just never learned anything. I thought my eyes would roll back into my skull when he snuck into Merril's house while Sean was getting paid. Daniel, after going through so much trauma and losing the stability of his grandparents couldn't understand that he shouldn't be sneaking into the house of a criminal. All he had to do was stay put for 5 minutes and he couldn't. This is a 9 year old. 9... He was acting like 4 maybe. This is an issue across all LiS games BTW, kids seem to act like they're way below the maturity level most 9 year olds actually are.
Personally I would've had the game center fully around Sean, possibly even erasing Daniel. There's a reason ep3 is generally the favourite and that's because for a brief moment Sean could become a teenager with teenager problems, instead of a pseudo-dad. I also would've had the game take place in 1 location and I would've had Sean with the power, which may as well have remained just time travel, the same time travel Max had. The writers could've still explored gun violence and racism, just in different ways.
I'm very happy you revisited LiS2. It's my favorite in the series and sometimes I feel like it isn't appreciated enough. Great commentary!
for me its a really solid game I really like it but its more like a movie then a game and i really want to know more abot the characters like Lyla or Jacob and I kinda think that this game was for me good just because I first play the second game and I fall in love with this series I like even true colors and i kinda think that you made true colors little dirty in this video but thats just your opinion
true colors was alr, i talk about the better aspects in my tc review!
I personally related with LiS 2 more than the first one. As a Hispanic teenager, I could definitely relate more to Sean and his thought process in some situations. Daniel was annoying at points, but honestly, I was too when I was a kid lmao. I did feel like the story was a bit bland and the plot dragged at some points. I wish that using Daniel's power was more interactive and maybe they could've even allowed you to play as Daniel now and then throughout the game? I feel like it would've deepened the bond between them both and allowed us to see what was going on through Daniel's head throughout the journey. He was only 9 and going through so much. I honestly feel like the OST is slept on, I personally love the guitar present throughout most of the songs. I wish Lyla became a bigger part of the story. Being able to call her at the grandparent's house felt like it left more up in the air and could've even allowed her to join Sean on the journey. Some of the plot points were a bit mixed, but I appreciate that they brought up some important topics in their game. Nowadays you rarely see that. I know that games are supposed to be a way to escape from the real world, but it's also important to address what's going on in the real world as well. Overall, I thought the game gave an alright message while having flaws but also delivered a game with interesting characters and a beautiful world. The art style and most areas in the game were just so beautiful. They'll always be my wolf brothers.
I feel like this story could've been handled better if they highered Hispanics/Mexican peoples to write the script. It doesn't sit well with me that a French company decided to tackle these issues and spoke over people of color who have to face topics like discrimination in their everyday lives. Though as an African American, this plot also felt close to home, it was also too fantastical. yes, these are problems that exist, but they were exaggerated for the sake of shock value and doing something different...
I think where LIS2 fails is it tries to move to fast. You don't get to know any of the characters that well and you don't get to feel like you're part of something. I absolutely love LIS, BTS and True Colors. All of which mostly revolve around single location. Blackwell & Arcadia Bay or Haven Springs. You get familiar with it in some way. You keep re-visiting same locations but with different objectives. In LiS2 you skip across locations and characters and you never meet them again.
I was so shocked of the amount of subs u have wtffff
The editing and the script are so nice the vid feels like if it was uploaded to a channel with a million sups
good job :3
The fact that you don't control the power really sets this game apart from the other two.
I relate to this game as an older brother and a Latino. The score is AMAZING. There is a bit of a pacing issue, but it's still amazing nonetheless.
What annoyed me the most about LiS 2 was the writing in combination with the gameplay. The game tells you that you have to watch out what choices you do, because you act as a role model for your brother... And you can do your absolute best in every episode, but then around Episode 4, the game just decides by itself, that you were a bad brother. Sean even apologizes for it. As someone, who really took care of him, this just felt so incredible stupid, because it felt like all my choices were meaningless. All my decisions were only important for the very last scene it feels like.
Oh yeah and Lyla got completly forgotten after episode 2.
Don't add a gameplay feature that resolves around being a role model for your brother, if you just write Daniel a certain way ANYWAY.
Overall Daniel was the biggest problem for me in this game. There is a limitation of "he is just a kid, he doesn't know better"... He is constantly doing stupid stuff. For example: When you took 100% care for him the entire 3 first episodes, why would he run away at the end of 3???
If the first game was about "fate" or some cosmic order, and the third more of a murder mystery, the second was based on how circumstances and the world around the characters sculpts them into who they are. I honestly find LIS2 the best and most relatable from the main titles.
agreed. love how they wrote sean and daniel.
I loved this game. It had its ups and downs but I really related to the main characters. I am Mexican who just so happened to be born here in the United States, mostly everything that Sean and Daniel experience- I felt before. There were no light hearted scenes because of how realistic the situation was, Racism and being on the run is never going to be lighthearted and easy.
I played this game with my sister and I felt bad for Sean and Daniel. I related to Daniel while my sister related to Sean so we understood both sides which left us emotional.
Most people that hate the game don’t relate to it. Yeah the pacing is pretty weird but most complaints are mostly how “unrealistic” it is, the hard truth is that- it is real, some players just won’t experience it themselves. I personally hated Karen but I knew that I had to make peace with her for Daniel at least.
The game makes us do sacrifices. I didn’t romance anyone but I leaned to Finn until he started talking about using Daniel to his own benefit, that’s when I had to make the decision to just leave him to the dust. I like the game for that. Unlike Life is Strange 1 ( where you basically have no consequences and can just turn back time) Life is Strange 2 makes us do hard decisions.
Lyla is a part of one ending, but it depends on wether or not you choose to accept her call at the motel / contact her at Claire and Stevens house !
And that is one thing I really enjoyed, your choices mattered in morality and relationship and the very unique endings the game had.
My favorite lis game and one of my favorite games of all time. Everything about this game is just amazing i cant explain
I purchased LIS 3 ultimate, and this is the only thing I’m missing in my collection. After watching your review, I think Imma give this a shot!
i looooove this game i dont understand a sliver of hate towards it. the message is incredible and touching and tender. i think the characters are ten times more fleshed out and raw. the story and powers are intense and grasping and it felt like the choices mattered a lot more. every little thing u did was important in developing daniel. there's so much thought put into it and detail and i just cant get enough of it ever. i love everything about it always. the aesthetic of lis and the story are super interesting but i think the character depth and development in this game are more notable IMO. daniel moving the border was cinematic history and i got literal chills. something about it was sooo touching, i cried my eyes out and i never rly shed a tear in first game. i just felt a lot more connected to the characters, felt like there was a lot more on the line and a lot more to risk, it was just totally heartwrenching. not to mention the characters had soooo many layers, each person was deeply flawed but had so many justifications. like finn manipulating daniel into doing the heist with him.......so fucked smh
''If the game wasn't a part of the LiS saga, it would be more respected'':
You were really accurate with this observation! Everyone expected that ''Twin Peaks little town mystery'', one of the things that really hit the spot on the first game. I hope LiS 4 is great and tries not to play safe like TC did.
I kinda miss when there was a wait between each episode, even if its super short just so you can have the time to analyze the episodes and theorize what comes next.
But what was annoying about this game was having to wait 3 1/2 - 4 months for each episode. I don't blame the people that waited for everyone to come out.
I tried to play twice and couldn’t finish. It’s sad because I ended up watching the endings and actually liked a lot of them.
What I didn’t like was how the low-energy moments just sucked the life out of me and weren’t relatable. It was also hard to get immersed when Daniel acts like Ellie from TLOU, like everything happening doesn’t effect him until something bad was directly happening. The drama about his power felt like it was approached like how fanfics are written, just to evoke a reaction from the audience, both in real life or in game.
TLDR; Characters reactions to events felt mostly disconnected from what was going on or were more dramatic than needed to be, not really an in between.
I feel this shouldn't had been called Life is strange 2 because Max and chloe started the franchise everyone really wanted a sequel with em, this never works for movie sequels
if you find out they drop the characters and location in part two you loved it would disappoint alot, an movies that do do this never do well in the box office, it's like if you're fan of those spiderman movies and go to the theater just to find out spidermans no where to be found and the film follows venom the whole movie granted he's a kool character but he's not spiderman , which is kinda the way me an my friend's felt , that new one has a better title, Life is strange true colors, this title shows we are in the same universe but we we'll be treading new ground so it would be easier to push it in a new direction an draw in new fans , I understand the devs wanna try new things but never forget what got you all the attention in the first place
I suppose it really comes down to a players life experience when interacting like games like LIS. Like you said, damn near everyone can relate to Chloe and Max’s story of reuniting, rebuilding a friendship, parental issues, school drama, etc. But to me, it was just so boring. I personally had zero affinity for Max as a character and could barely relate to her at all.
Chloe, however, I really loved. And I couldn’t get as deep into her character as I wanted in LIS 1 until Before the Storm. I related so hard to both her and Rachel in their respective life experiences. Especially when it came to interacting with Frank. I dated a guy in high school who reminded me of Frank so much it was freaky.
LIS 2 was so impactful to me as an older sibling, someone who’s experienced police brutality and home instability. And of course, wanderlust. LIS 2 was so incredible for the fact that you never knew what would come next, where you would be or who you would meet. My first play-through i was also super annoyed at Daniel. But when you have younger siblings you know, that they have moments of sweetness or quirks that make you feel like you would sacrifice your whole fuckin life to make them happy. Thats what really connected me to the brothers in the this story.
And yes, certain small aspects of the racial politics were exaggerated, but I know for certain these things DO happen. Maybe they wouldn’t all happen to one person, but vigilantes at the border, racially profiling shoppers, predatory religious cults, etc do happen in this country.
Saying the game was “too political” or “dark”, to me, is a cop out for not wanted to face the issues that people deal with in this country. This world is fucking dark. Just like Karen said, “this world is pain…” and all you can do is learn to deal with it.
What really killed me with this game was how long it took to put out new episodes. LiS1 unfolded over the course of 10 months in 2015, with 2 months between most episodes and 3 months between 4 and 5. BtS released over a 5 month period, around 2 months between episodes. LiS2, however, released over the course of **15** months (Sept. 2018-Dec. 2019) with an average 3-4 months per episode. The game's story already suffered from a slow start but the long wait made some players, myself included, just forget about it until the finale was released. To this day, I think the visuals were beautiful and I enjoyed some of the characters but I really don't picture myself replaying the game anytime soon.
I'm one of the people who disliked LiS 2. Being in control of superpowers was what allowed LiS to separate itself from other walking simulators. Excluding that feature from our character this time around was a huge miss. This would probably still be okay if we had likeable characters and an interesting plot, but that's not the case either. Aside from the third act, the majority of the game was a painfully boring babysitting simulator. Despite traveling to multiple locations, the game still felt extremely slow and a chore to keep playing.. probably because doing chores is literally part of the game.
My biggest problem with LiS 2 is the plot itself, more specifically, how and why their journey began. An idiot cop killed your dad and your first instinct is to.. flee the state? They didn't bother making sure he's actually dead, didn't call an ambulance, and didn't ask anyone else for advice - they just ran. Yeah, they're just kids and the superpower part complicates things but fleeing the scene was quite literally the worst thing they could have done. It effectively absolved the cop from his wrongdoing and now our protagonists are wanted fugitives. As a player of a walking simulator, not having any control over such a pivotal moment is extremely frustrating. I couldn't truly invest or sympathize for Sean during moments when the game clearly wants us to because those moments just remind me of how he created all this mess and there was nothing I could do as a player to stop it.
Pros: I liked the music and some of the settings are pretty vibey. I think at the end of the game Sean also acknowledged how stupid he was for taking Daniel on the run with him.
honestly, I delayed playing this game for a really long time simply cause it wasn't max and Chloe, and I regret waiting as long as I did because it very quickly turned into my favorite of the franchise I understand that there are plenty of reasons to dislike it of course (the entire Finn romance route felt half baked and was upsetting) but it just felt more real and grounded and that really is what kept me invested.
Out of all the games this was my favorite. Yeah it gets very political at moments but i loved the fact that it was more of a roadtrip type of game and the dynamic between the 2 brothers and the other characters was awesome. For example, The Cassidy crew was great. Oh and the music was especially amazing in this one.
Ahhh, big brother simulator, complete with parentification and trauma
I actually loved Life Is Strange 2, but because of that love, I also never want to replay it. Since the endings take your choices into account so well, I felt like I was satisfied with the outcomes of my choices, and I feel like future playthroughs would end up defeating that sense of personal identity.
I've played all the lis games, except True Colours. I have enjoyed them all but waited until they were nice and cheap. Just found your channel and your videos are really good quality
Personally i’m a huge fan of lis 2 and prefer it a bit more than the first. Now not to say the first was bad i absolutely loved it, but it never really pulled me in the lis2 did. I would always pop in here and there while lis was coming out, but never felt to strongly connected to it and and because of that i never got into the second game until 3 years after it first came out and playing through it i was so drawn in by sean and Daniels relationships with me being an older brother and, just how much i had in common with sean compared to max, from interest to personality, and how i felt like the story had more this just one focus of political racism, i always felt like the story was fully about injustice, brotherhood/family and coming of age as a person of color and because of it having so many focus alot of people only see it through one out of the three making it feel more incomplete then it actually is. To end this off i’m not trying to say lis2 is perfect in anyway but why i personally love it more than any of the other games
Another reason i feel like why LIS 1 was so great is because alot of people could relate to it, the characters and the school life (the first 2 episodes mostly)
Just finished playing this game. I did overall enjoy it and was very invested in the story. I do like how the choices mattered much more in this game compared to the first and even if it was much darker than the first game, I did appreciate how they tackled serious issues (even if the "politics" did upset some people).
I just wish the pacing wasn't so slow at times. And yes, I agree that there were too many side characters. While I understand that the game required Sean and Daniel travelling through different places to reach Mexico, I wish that characters like Lyla, Claire and Stephen, and Chris (yes, I know he has his own "prequel" game, but I loved his friendship with Daniel) would have appeared more.
I played it in like 2018 and started to attach myself to it as my soul-game.
It’s not the best game ever but I connected to it so much that I can’t say it’s terrible or even bear to hate it. I am very biased but since I was so similar to Sean; I am Mexican-American, a teenager, an artist, have a dad who is a mechanic/runs an auto body shop, and a brother who annoys me but who loves me and I love him.
I cried at Estaban’s death not because it was solely someone innocent dying, it was because I saw my father in him and it made me realize how lucky I was to be so safe and accepted for just being me, I’ve never faced much racial hatred since I was not that old in 2016. So I’ve been pretty lucky, only getting a few remarks about Trump or the wall and maybe a few insensitive insults and such. Never pure hatred from anyone though or violence.
So this game was a way for me to reflect on myself and make sure I was happy with what I had at the time. Trying to be better to my brother, learning how to handle situations without violence, and trying to understand more about who I was and become a better person.
So yeah, this game is definitely close to me and is one of my favorites.
What I genuinely feel after playing this game, I feel quite happy for them mainly because I get the "good" ending and its all because Daniel has slightly low moral level and it helped them both.
And then I feel like not playing this game anymore because everything felt like a journey that doesn't need repeating. Its a good story.
I agree with a ton of your points - my biggest disappointment with Life is Strange 2 as a whole was the lack of connection with the side characters. In the first game, it felt so much more natural to connect with characters other than Max and Chloe. Kate, Joyce, Warren(not a personal favorite but to each their own) - and despite initially disliking them, I was extremely interested in seeing how Victoria and Nathan changed through the course of the episodes. But in LIS2 it was so much more difficult to like the side characters.
When the trailers first came out, I was super hyped to learn more about Lyla, but I was let down pretty fast. Even characters like Chris and their grandparents didn't hit nearly as hard because I started getting into an attitude of "why should I care if I'm not going to see them after this episode?". I didn't even realize Finn was a romance option! Traveling stories always have a more difficult time with this aspect of storytelling, but there were definitely other options to make them more impactful or relatable.
It´s a really solid and unique sequel. It´s stay with you for a while when you finished.
I hate the first and the third and I love the second one because of the social issues. How it starts and how it progresses having you teach Daniel how to become a good person. Then towards the end showing the decisions you make actually have an impact because Daniel can choose to ignore or submit to you. I think moving around was the biggest thing for me because it made it feel different and the scenes to me were more exciting to explore around.
More bad then good. I really liked Sean as a protagonist more because as an older brother of a sibling of two, the character and story hits me in the feels, especially being half hispanic. My biggest problem with LIS2 is how none of your choices as Sean seem to matter. The true good ending, Sean goes to jail while Daniel is supervised and has a normal life until Sean gets out really sucks. The bad ending well...is bad. But ultimately I feel the writing quality for DontNod went really downhill here and most of the LIS community agrees. I dont like the clumsy shoved politics in the game, but Sean suffering no matter what choice is made just because the underlying message is "well lifes not fair kid tough shit" feels like such a cop out. Sean did his best and he pays no matter what and that leaves a sour taste in my mouth no matter how I look at this game. #LylaDeservedBetter
Yes I agree, Sean did not deserve to go to jail for 15 years, he did nothing wrong. That point has always bothered me. But I still love this game
@@rjdbah As you should, its still a great addition to the LIS universe.
Life is Strange 2 is an amazing experience as an older brother. Anyone who has had this experience in trying to navigate dealing with an immature younger brother will easily relate with the main protagonist. So many factors will alter major events in the story and ultimately have a huge effect on the ending. When the first episode revealed how David was affected by your choices I knew this game was going to be amazing.
I also heavily recommend Sufjan and Stevens' "Carrie and Lowell" album from which the song "Death with Dignity" comes from. The whole playlist has that whole somber Oregon feel.
I really enjoyed the first episode, but I am having reservations about playing through the rest. Not to mention that you made a good point about it not having the "mystery", it feels like the that major event at the start of the episode is really the biggest turning point, kind of like the storm in lis1, but it really should have been half way through, we already know what was that and who got killed so that's pretty much it and not even the end of the episode
I just felt like typing up how this game made me feel as someone who isn't really going to relate to it as well as others.
I am not someone who can relate to any of the things in this game. I am the youngest in my family and am fortunate enough to not have to deal with the very serious topics addressed in this game. However, it really opened my eyes to how bad it really is. Racism in America is a big issue that I'm glad DontNod wasn't scared to talk about and it really helped me to understand the topic more in the eyes of someone dealing with it (I'm not saying I didn't understand how bad it was before, but I definitely understood it more when seeing it happen to a character I loved, even if it was in a fictional game). Plus, this game is a great story about how important family can be. As I said, I'm the youngest in my family. My two older siblings don't talk to me much because they are adults and live with other families (half-siblings) or are just living their lives lol. Because of this I've really been treated as an only child and haven't really had any siblings to look up to, so it was really awesome to be able to watch Sean and Daniel's brotherly bond. I ended up being really connected to it despite not being able to relate to it as well as others. It felt like I was really raising Daniel lol. I think the last 2 episodes are, like said in the video, where the action really comes into play but the first two episodes have their little sparks too! Going from calm to chaos very fast, it felt real. Not everything lasts and you need to cherish what little moments you have with the people you love.
Also, the endings completely broke me. I ended up getting the Parted Ways ending, which is my favorite of the main four, and I'm almost ashamed to say that I literally broke out crying. The fact that Daniel and Sean are way different now and separated and that Sean will never be able to go back to America just... hurt. But I don't think that's why I cried lol. I think I cried because I connected to Daniel so much and seeing him all grown up with a stable life just hit me emotionally 💀
Life is Strange 2 is my favorite game from the entire franchise. I don't think you really have to be able to relate to a game to be able to understand it and connect with it.
Interesting nuanced take on LiS 2. I was someone who did not like the game a whole lot and honestly mainly stayed for how ridiculous the plot got. The writing in LiS has always been shifty in some places, but this game didn't have that "campyness" of the first game, where it's dorkingly loveable. I honestly think a lot of the set pieces could really work if DontNod had leaned on them a lot harder, but to me it ended up feeling like a compilation of different short stories with wildly differing quality (long time since I played it, but I remember episode 2 and 4 being a drag). Maybe have consecutive episodes have their own story arcs instead of all feeling like the extension of one another? I love the point they're trying to make with the story and it's super relevant, but I wish there were some nuance in subtlety as it just hammers you over the head with its meaning and to me it unfortunately felt cartoonish at times. It's cool that the choice actually matters, but in an overall lacking plot, it's hard for me to truly appreciate it.
The characters were probably the biggest downside of this game for me. Like you, I couldn't stand Daniel and Sean was okay (although I do feel like the VA was subpar at times) and I think they lost a huge potential amount of fans by not developing this couple more. I strongly believe that them being brothers could've been a great twist to the "companion journey story" like in Last of Us, The Walking Dead, God of War. Also I barely remember any side characters by name.
I love this game so so much. I literally sobbed when I was done with it.
This game is by far one of my favourite games. I can't imagine this game getting bad reviews. I honestly didn't want a sequel to Max or Chloe, I'm one of those players that seriously did not like Chloe (don't come for me, it's just an opinion), so I was actually relieved.
I also thought it was really fun to play a character that I wouldn't otherwise relate to. It was a breath of fresh air.
I felt like LIS had a huge variety in its characters, their values, their politics, but politics were actually very rarely brought up blatantly. Max mentions climate change a handful of times, and Chloe mentions gun control (only to change the meaning to “I should control the gun” later)
In the end it didn’t matter because more conservative characters like David, Kate, and Joyce were given full character arcs equal to more liberal characters like Dana, Ms Grant, Max, etc.
And because you were pm stuck in one location you spent a lot of time developing relationships with these characters and could see running jokes like Alyssa getting in trouble or Lisa the Plant, etc.
LIS 2’s politics were VERY in your face and we’re brought up constantly, practically isolating half the audience of the game. They knew what they wanted you to believe, they knew what was acceptable for you to believe while playing, and there were very few positive characters who strayed from that.
This is one I'll probably never get through because of the content being too real and relatable. As a younger Hispanic man, I was held at gun point by several officers just sitting on a bus stop minding my own business. Thrown to the ground, having several officers pile on me to arrest a threatening scrawny scared 15 year old not resisting gave me a first hand lesson about how different I was according to some people. I was lucky to have came out of that situation alive, hate to think if I had more fight than flight in me. It's been two decades since then but not something I like to see depicted even in pixel form.
I’ve played and loved all four LIFE IS STRANGE games and I have to admit LIS 2 is my favorite out of the four
my one criticism with lis2 is our character didn't have powers. Aside from that, I really liked this game, I felt a deep connection with my character and daniel and how my character was responsible for a kid. i know there are a lot of criticisms about this game, but i liked it so much i have played it 3x and the music was perfect for the overall sadness of the story which with the ending depending on which one you got (all were kinda sad) being very impactful as the choices you made mattered in the end.
The best lis2 ever
i was intrigued by the role playing aspect of the LiS series and i played the main 3 titles out of order, starting with TC and ending with the OG LiS. I saw the first episode of LiS2 was available for free and i started playing it with my little sister. like sean, an unexpected event when i was a teenager forced me to become the parental figure in my two younger siblings' lives, even though i didn't quite understand it at the time. a lot of my love for this game stems from the relationship between sean and daniel, and it sticks out to me more than most "surrogate parental figure looking out for a child" kinds of games, like the last of us or god of war. from what i have seen other reviews i know i am not the only one who feels that way, one going so far as to saying this game helped save their relationship with their own sibling after being estranged for a number of years. this game was definitely made for a specific group of people and that is ok.