Life Is Strange 2

No one will read this comment so i just say that i'm gay

Dedicated to my little brother: I love you lil man, you're one of the only reasons i'm still here <3

My Playtime: 17.3h (100% achievement, finished the game)
Grindy Achievement(s): No.
Optional Achievement(s): Yes (40 achievements).
Difficult Achievement(s): No.
Intro
Life is Strange 2 is a story-heavy game about two brothers who are moving from place to place. In it, you'll act as the big brother who is trying to survive while raising your younger brother. Your actions and your teaching will shape the younger brother which will affect his actions and the ending.
Pros:
- 4 major endings with variations
- Your actions matter for the endings
- Collectibles to find
- Beautiful-looking scenery
Cons:
- No fast-forward or skip cutscenes
- So many idle waiting times when you have to watch the scenery from different angles
- Sometimes the game will require you to respond quickly to the conversation if you want to take part in it
Specs
Intel Core i5-9300H 2.40GHz, 8GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
Should you buy this game?
Yes.
Parents or those who have younger siblings, or want to get the feel of having one will resonate well with this story. If you like story-heavy games, especially those in that category, buy this game.
In-Depth Review
Visuals
The visuals are what set Life is Strange 2 apart from other games within the same genre. It boasts its beautiful environment a lot, showing them from different angles whenever they can to make every moment matter. This is also emphasized by its beautiful, breathtaking scenery with its nature theme. The characters are also made well. They might not be as detailed as other AAA games with their hair and textured skin, but they capture the expression of each character well and blend perfectly with the background.
Story
Before I start, let me say that you don't have to play any other Life is Strange series to enjoy this game. The story doesn't make sense in the beginning. It feels as if the premise of the game was forced. Things that can be solved in civil escalated way too high until two children are forced to go on their journey. That being said, I liked the warmhearted feeling that the game gives from time to time. You'll see people's kindness towards strangers, and how people who are in similar situations support each other. It's a nice feeling.
What gets me going is how the game tries to put humanity at its core. It tends to test your humanity in the darkest times, whether you have to become a bad person and set a bad example to your younger sibling or not. The choice is very tempting in that regard, and the result will always vary. You'll be rewarded differently in both cases, but is it always worth it compared to what you have to sacrifice? Your younger sibling is still a 9-year-old who will mimic whatever you do and listen to you, provided that they still trust you.
I like that the game doesn't always focus on the tragedy or the lighthearted moments. You'll have ample time to relax before the bad thing happens, and when it does, you'll always have to prepare for the worst. It's not always bad depending on your actions, but again, your actions and your choices matter. The result will vary slightly if you are not able to finish the objective without many mistakes. It will also vary if you choose a different action. And all of that will accumulate little by little, either for the end of the chapter or the story.
However, the game is very slow-paced. It tries to be as atmospheric as possible, letting you savor every moment that the game has. It backfired on me, though. As someone who prefers to enjoy the story rather than the scenery, I found it boring when the game forced me to walk slowly for miles or wait for minutes to see the scenery change from one thing to another from a different angle. Don't get me wrong, though. I enjoy looking at the scenery, but I don't want to be forced to see it for minutes when I could just see it in a few seconds or so. I felt like the game was padded out a lot in this regard, and it started to feel like filler at times. Moreover, you mostly can't skip these sections.
As for the endings, I'm feeling conflicted about it. Most of them are realistic considering that you forget about the plotholes that the story has, which are a lot, by the way. I couldn't seem to find the best ending out of them and the fact that things happen that way despite how unrealistic things become, especially from the forced premise, doesn't sit right with me. I found some endings to be unrealistic as well because of the same reason, and there should be a better way to end it. Or maybe I'm just too invested with the characters to feel that way, which is always a good thing.
The Game
Gameplay
Life is Strange 2 doesn't have much in the gameplay department. You'll mostly just walk around the area and interact with objects or talk to people. In doing so, you'll get to know them better, with them telling you about their background or other things. Interacting with objects is usually what you tend to do to progress the story, although there are also some optional objects that you can see like in point-and-click games. Optional collectibles are also available sometimes, although it's more hidden.
What I don't like with this gameplay is how you're forced to look at some objects first before you can do more with them. Some objects that are meant for story progression behave this way, and I tend to get stuck several times in the game because of it. Moreover, there isn't an option to highlight all interactable objects. There was one section where I had to find an object in a very dark room, and I didn't realize that I could enter the room until I searched for it a few minutes later.
That being said, I liked how the game has several ways of getting out of a problem. It will change the result slightly, with one option being better than the rest, and it's usually obvious which one is the better one. However, finding how to achieve better results can be challenging due to the reasons I explained before.
Length and Replayability
I finished the game in 17.3h. You can replay the game from certain chapters to see different results, but honestly, the game is very slow-paced. Unless you have the patience, it's better to just watch the endings on YouTube.
Conclusion
I sympathize well with the characters. I couldn't stand seeing how the characters get hurt, but it's always your choice how you want some characters to end up. That's how convoluted Life is Strange 2 is. Your choice matters, although it's always hard to decide which one is more important. The story mostly focuses on how you raise your younger brother and survive the harsh conditions, and if you don't know already, raising a kid is the toughest job in the world. I could recommend this game to those who like story-heavy games, especially those who know how hard it is to raise a kid or younger sibling.

I hate kids even more after this game

MY LIFE IS STRANGE
The entire Life Is Strange series has a permanent spot in my heart. I vividly recall rewinding time in a bathroom during Life Is Strange's prologue, playing it on iOS. Despite the small screen, the experience felt more significant than anything I'd encountered.
Completing the first series was an emotional farewell, tears flowing during the closing sequence of Before The Storm (the prequel). I wrapped up the entire series within a week, finding solace after losing my biological mother a month earlier.
Fast forward several years, and I'm older, scarred by grief, life, lost love, with my abandoned heart seemingly scattered across the sidewalks of the Philippines, New York, or Cape Town. Technology changed since the first Life Is Strange, yet I never had the means or opportunity to play Life Is Strange 2. I watched it from afar, silently yearning to dive into a new Life Is Strange universe—a selfish wish carried around in the lining between my skin and my soul.
Rain, both my ISP and ironically my name, launched Nvidia GeForce Now in South Africa. With Xbox Play Pass Ultimate back in the States (as a dual citizen), it wasn't available on the service then. Rain (my ISP, not me) launched GFN a couple of months ago, changing everything with 5G internet, no queues, and a friend named Timbo helping me figure out the Steam GFN thing. And BAM. Life Is Strange 2. Finally.
**MY EXPERIENCE**
A little prologue (Adventures of Captain Spirit), a gaming controller, and PLAY...
I held back my initial thoughts, not wanting disappointment in a potentially crappy sequel. I played a bit, stopped, bought a couple of other games, played some more, and then, without warning, Life Is Strange 2 punched me in the figurative gut (you'll see what I'm alluding to).
I've been playing it in bursts because, firstly, it's extremely languid, like heady red wine during the first couple of episodes. Don't mistake this for boredom or grinding; no, definitely not. It's like falling in love, slowly at first, and then realizing you've fallen through the universe, unable to sleep, with everything stirring beneath your skin. It's a violent delight, you know?
A couple of nights ago, after finishing work for the day (I help with Gaza), I took my Android with its huge screen, booted up the game, and allowed myself to feel, just like I did during the first series.
I found existential meaning within the choice-heavy world of Sean and Daniel. I fell in love, both literally and figuratively, and I realized why I fight against injustice and racism. Most importantly, the game forced me to confront my purpose, and I realized that my purpose is to always stand up for what is right and to believe in the goodness of people while being cautious of the darkness in people.
I played Life Is Strange 2 on GFN using my Android, and although the screen was huge, it still couldn't contain the magnificent multitudes of this masterpiece. I had to use subtitles because I cried so much that I barely registered them anymore.
Now, I face the daunting task of completing the final episode. And I know I won't be the same person when the credits roll.
The first series changed me. The sequel shaped me. And I am certain that True Colors will mold me.

While the game's title could easily be renamed "Life is cruel AF," it remains one of my favorite games of all time, offering a uniquely human and empathetic perspective that resonates long after the credits roll.
"Life is Strange 2" tackles challenging topics like Trump's wall, racism, abuse, and police brutality on a politically charged level, making it stand out from its predecessor.
The game's difficult choices, particularly the final one, present players with a challenging dilemma where there is no preferable outcome.
As an immigrant, I found myself connecting deeply with the characters and their struggles, which felt all too familiar and realistic.

Definitely my favorite LiS game <3.