Calum Petrie reviews Life is Strange #2…
When we left Chloe and Max last issue, the pair had been living in Seattle since the storm that tore apart Arcadia Bay. Max had not manipulated time since the events of the game a year earlier, though the resurgence of Arcadia Bay in the news triggered some strange effects on Max. When Chloe finds Max bleeding from the nose and having an episode during a band performance, the decision to return to Arcadia Bay was swiftly made.
The pair spend most of this issue in the dialogue heavy section that made the game so brilliant – the inner workings of a teenager’s mind is far more vast and complex, while also being over-dramatic and naive. While Chloe is determined to get Max back to normal so they can leave Arcadia Bay quickly, Max wants to make sure the Chloe will cope with returning to her home town now both parents are not there.
The issue does play this angle on the long run, and its impact is certainly felt in the later stage of the book; the way in which Chloe comes to terms with her feelings are heartbreaking. It is almost as if she finally understands what burden Max has had to carry and how it weighs against her own issues.
The return of faces, locations and memories are as strong for fans of the game. The issue reflects a timeline that many did not dare to chose for the story, yet this is shaping up to be the chapter we needed to find out – the “what if” story line that should never have been.
Rating – 7/10
You can find me on Twitter – @Cetrie
Originally published January 7, 2019. Updated January 6, 2019.
