Life is strange 2: The Good and Bad 

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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 love this game so much. Just couldn’t get rid of the sadness at the end for days

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 honestly just wanted more of episode 3, it felt nice and relaxed. More time with Cassidy damn it!

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

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.

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 :)

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 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

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 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.

literally the best lis game

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 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.

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

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.

Nice to see Lis 2 getting some much needed love.

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.

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!

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 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.

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."

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.

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

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 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!

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 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.

You're doing a great job with these videos! Would love to see your opinion on before the storm!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Yo, yo editing crazy and this vid looking reall good u deserve way more subscribers cuz this is really good content 🦍

Hi! Thank you for making this review on Life Is Strange 2! LiS2 is such an interesting game to me, on the one hand I love it so much and it really had a great influence on me (I still think about it regularly) but on the other hand it also contains a lot of things that annoy me greatly, most of these things are understandable given the limits on story paths (branches) and character development in a video game, but they remain jarring nonetheless. All in all, I really like the premise of the game (two brothers on the run on a road trip through America where the older one - in the absent of both parents - has to balance the known role of older brother and the unknown role of father/mentor figure, while at the same time being confronted with the younger brother's developing superpowers), but the execution was far from flawless (to say the least). There just are a lot of things you have no control over and happen anyway, regardless of your decisions or intentions, and some of them could be easily solved by a little explanation and discussion (exchange of arguments) between the characters, but often no option is provided to actually do so (which leads to frustration on the part of the player, or at least for me). The highlight for me and the reason to keep playing is the protagonist, Sean Diaz - he truly is a great character and it's really cool and interesting to see him (having to) change throughout the story. I really liked Daniel in episode 1 (which is my favorite btw), but after that it quickly went downhill for me. I worked a lot with children from his age and in my experience most of them are more mature / less troublesome than him, especially given the fact that his father Esteban has recently died, his mother Karen is out of the picture, and Sean is the only person he still has (most children in such a position would understand the importance of sticking/working together as a team against the world, instead of continuing the 'silly' brotherly fights and still behaving as if they would both be still living in Seattle and their father had not died). On the other hand, Sean's communication with Daniel is also not that good in all circumstances: his explanations and argumentations are often seriously lacking ('Dude, Stop!') which only leads to more miscommunication/misunderstandings between the brothers and Daniel disobeying/distrusting him even more. I tried everything I could (tried to be the best brother/mentor) and can really defend every choice I made, but in the end it only led to Daniel not listening to me/Sean and a low brotherhood, and since there was no option to explain things (better) to Daniel or since things happened off screen or out of my control that influenced their relationship in a negative way, Parting Ways was the ending I got and I am actually fine with that (given the limitations of the game). But all this is/remains nagging, so yeah (the effect of all) those choices will continue to haunt me in some way, which only attests to the quality of this game - this aspect really makes it a Life is Strange game in my 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.

And that is one thing I really enjoyed, your choices mattered in morality and relationship and the very unique endings the game had.

I can relate to this game more and personally I like it more than the first life is strange for many different reasons. Its different and has way more to offer than most story driven games, also you did a very good job narrating this video

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.

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.

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 !

Great review. I could be wrong but I wonder if the game creators wanted to do a non LiS game but felt pressured to include it in that universe. Whether due to studio pressure or because they thought it would simply sell better marketed as a Sequel but it definitely doesn't feel like an LiS game 🤔

Congratulations on 1K

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 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.

''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 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.

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 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

I really liked the way Daniel was kind of a second 'choice maker', his choices influenced by how you teach him and influence him. Just a really cool mechanic when coupled with the choices you are making. Also, Lyla can show up in the prison ending, but only if you called her.

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 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...

The game was enjoyable. I get it had to be different from the first one but I don't think you can beat the depth and complexities of the Max/Chloe friendship with the traumatic background, the rebuild and the adventure as well as the Rachel dynamic. Because you had to really like Daniel and Sam to get on with this game and I found them average and that was it. It was an enjoyable experience but I missed the element of going back into Blackwell school, Chloe's junkyard and having such depth. Its definitely one I wanna cover on my podcast some day. Great review!

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)

As this was the first LiS game I played I will say that I really loved it and and found the story to be beautiful, and I absolutely loved the Brotherly bond between Sean and Daniel even through there hardships. As a big brother myself I saw well how deeply Sean cared for his younger brothers safety even if it meant for him to be hurt in the process, I related in a way of being a older brother, I would do anything to keep my siblings safe. All in all though I would highly recommend this game, some may need to play it twice to get the story and others not, myself having played it through 5 times just to get different endings or choices, though I have yet to get one ending. True Colors was a different story for me I did not find it as good but still good enough to play it twice. Just recently I started the first LiS game and so far I am liking it.

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.

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???

this review is exactly what i think about this game. i love 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.

Ahhh, big brother simulator, complete with parentification and trauma

The best lis2 ever

My favorite lis game and one of my favorite games of all time. Everything about this game is just amazing i cant explain

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

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.

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.

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.

Really enjoyed your thoughts on this game kudos you make some great points. I played it again and again to get as many endings as I could, and a BIG pro for me is the weight of your choices - it makes so much come alive, and the way some bad choices or good choices in the short term come back to bite your bum is just great. That being said, every ending did not have to be so nitty gritty, I felt like either you sacrifice Sean or you sacrifice Daniel and that did not sit well with me, at least make it so that one ending is happy for both. Another pro has to be the effort put into the game mechanic, where it's not you, the player as Sean, that has an actual power. Instead you'r the guiding hand of that power - that was a bold move, and yes, it felt a bit boring sometimes, but I gotta hand it to them, becuase I actually really like the idea, and the execution of it in generel. It would be super interesting if other games tried to do this as well. The easter eggs were great as well, but I maybe a bit biased on that since I LOVE the original, and have bought all the comics to the original story as well just to keep that story alive for me - actually, you can also find a picture or pictures Max has send to Madsen in his RV just to let you know. Pro/con - I actually felt the start of this game was so bad, but as it progressed it got better, the span of the gameplay is a little over 2 years which I found so stale at the start, but then toward the middle we got smaller time jumps and all in all was closer together and more well thought out I felt. Especially during and after the weed farm, I loved that part and onwards, everything before that was a bit hmm missing in continuity imo. But I maybe biased here again beacuse I liked how game 1 was put in the span of like 3-4 days and you felt the clock tick as we drew closer to the date in Max's vision - but in this we had no idea when it was gonna end, we had no endgame just an escape. A big con for me are the many not bad yet not good endings, belive me I like that it's not all jolly and good - but I felt like no reward was given for moral gameplay execept(spoiler alert) being thrown in jail until your an old man, so Daniel can live his life out I mean what the fluff is that - and then they meet after he gets out(fun fact Lelia is also there to meet you if you do the right things) Con Seans abillity to draw, was so under utilized, in ep 3 you can draw Cass and this brings about an interaction - this should have happend more often, you never got this kinda feedback from anyother of his drawings, it was cool to see him sketch(maybe a bit boring) but it was kinda useless to so at any other time then with her.. as his only abillity it was so weak.. Again loved your thoughts!

It´s a really solid and unique sequel. It´s stay with you for a while when you finished.

I really enjoyed this game. I went into this game blind and not knowing what was going to happen in the end. I do agree that there is a lack of power usage from Daniel, but again, this story focused more on Sean and how the actions you choose affect Daniel. When it came to make those split screen choices, I felt there was the consequence because you weren't able to rewind and choose different. Of course, some of the little actions affected the end as well. Fast forward to the end of the game, I really enjoyed you got a shot of getting one of seven endings. Sad to say on my first play through I got the ending with Sean getting shot. The endings tease you as well because at the end, do you want the brothers to be together, separated or Daniel being alone? With these extra endings, it almost forces you to go back a play again if you got a bad ending. I got more to say but there is only soo much space to respond.

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.

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.

i really like ur vidz. Regardless of how you feel about it, you provide a neutral & honest overview. 👌🏼🙃

I liked how in life is strange 2 your not the one who has powers but it is intact Daniel that has them, i can also relate to the looking out for your younger brother aspect as I've got a younger brother and Daniel reminded me of him when we were younger

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 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.

Yeah~ I will play Life is Stange 2 again these days 😊💪🏻

I love this game so so much. I literally sobbed when I was done with it.

i loved this game i wish i could play it for the first time again