Developer Deck Nine Games and publisher Square Enix have officially separated the real from the rumor with the confirmation of Life is Strange: Reunion. Picking up after Life is Strange: Double Exposure's ending, the title sees the return of beloved protagonist Max Caulfield and, this time around, Chloe Price.
Of course, it's worth noting that the release of Life is Strange: Double Exposure received mixed reactions among the community. Some were upset with the title because of how it handled Max and Chloe's relationship. Others, like myself, were not fans of how Life is Strange: Double Exposure Marvel-izes the franchise, down to a credit ripped straight out of an MCU film. Still, there was some promise in the content, direction based on its events, and confirmation that Max's new story wasn't over yet. And that's where the new Life is Strange game picks up.
Max and Chloe Return in Life is Strange: Reunion
"Thrilling Finale...A Second Chance"
In Life is Strange: Reunion, Max is dealing with a new crisis: a major fire destroying Caledon University. As she deals with this harrowing new chapter of her life, Chloe Price returns and comes to the University seeking Max out. Losing Max is described as Chloe's greatest regret, though that may be an exaggeration given the events in Arcadia Bay. Chloe also needs Max's help, as she is dealing with nightmares and "impossible" memories. It turns out, according to the livestream, that Max melding the timelines in Double Exposure brought back a Chloe caught between both.
- March 27 Release Date
- Max's Rewind Powers and Chloe's Backtalk Abilities Manifest in Gameplay
Chloe Price is a playable character in Life is Strange: Reunion, with developers promising that players will get to decide Chloe and Max's relationship in ways they prefer. It's uncertain how, by the end of the story, Chloe's mind and life are determined, especially if players choose the timeline where she died in the first game. Regardless, the handling thereof is hopefully done with more tact as players explore this new chapter.
Criticism of the narrative and player agency aside, it's quite surprising to see Deck Nine and Square Enix moving forward with a new game. Square Enix reported "Large Losses" for Life is Strange: Double Exposure commercially, perhaps suggesting that Deck Nine and Square Enix are either confident in this new direction or want to wrap up this new chapter of Life is Strange the right way. Fans will find out in due time, and while some may not be happy about this new direction, it's still possible that the franchise turns it around. After all, stranger things have happened