Max Caulfield’s Return In Life Is Strange: Double Exposure Has Me Hyped

Fans of Life Is Strange, get ready! After a successful debut in the 2015 original, Max Caulfield is making a comeback in the upcoming title, Life Is Strange: Double Exposure. It was quite thrilling news for me. Alright, sit back a moment, because it is high time to explain why.

There are two sides to Max’s comeback in Double Exposure. I do not doubt that this story could potentially be an incredibly powerful, mind-bending tale. However, questions remain regarding whether the new developer will be able to authentically convey Max and the series.

Max’s Return To Life Is Strange

To us gamers, Max Caulfield was not only the hero of Life is Strange but also an icon. Her journey of self-discovery, her budding relationship with Chloe, and the heart-wrenching choices we made alongside her. We excelled at photography classes with her, traveled back in time several times to save several lives (and create headaches in the process), as well as having to deal with one of the most contentious plot decisions.

Max is back in Double Exposure, but this time it isn’t Max, the college student, but rather an older and hopefully somewhat wiser character. Max possesses a new time-based power, allowing her to navigate two parallel timelines. In one, her new friend is tragically murdered. In the other, they live but remain in grave danger. This creates the premise for an exciting plot with the promise of Max using her talents to crack the murder. Get ready for Double Exposure as it has the potential to be a mind-bending masterpiece.

A Familiar Face, A Different Studio

Don’t Nod, the creative minds behind the concept that brought the very first Life Is Strange into existence, are not involved anymore. Instead, Deck Nine, responsible for the prequel Before the Storm and the critically divisive Life Is Strange: True Colors replaced the previous devs. All in all, despite the positive experiences provided by Deck Nine, they could not recreate the same level of experience.

True Colors has received praise for its emotional aspect, but at the same time, it was criticized for being not well-developed enough. Life is Strange Remastered Collection also had problems with the performance and was full of bugs. I found Max Caulfield to be quite intriguing as a character. Can Deck Nine effectively adapt Max’s story or will Double Exposure be nothing more than a shallow spinoff? Only time will tell.

[ALL] Life Is Strange: True Colors had a lot of promise, but ultimately I’m a bit disappointed. Is there a trend of Deck Nine vs. Don’t Nod games?
byu/FalafelBall inlifeisstrange

Nostalgia Bait Or A Genuine Evolution?

Okay, gamers, let’s be honest, don’t you think Max’s return is all strategically planned? The shift from the prior four protagonists in each sequel of Life Is Strange is interesting and provokes questions. Is Double Exposure a worthy sequel to the story of Max, or just another money-spinning trick in this case of fans’ nostalgia? The pessimist in me feels it is the latter.

New stories have always been Life Is Strange’s strength, as are the characters that inhabit the game. Will Double Exposure have the same emotional resonance for Max or will it be a cash-grab? Here is hoping Deck Nine uses Max’s return to drill deeper into the Life is Strange universe offering something new, refreshing, and powerful as the original.

[ALL] Anyone else not sure how to feel about Double Exposure?
byu/SlammerOfBananas inlifeisstrange

Exploring The Growth of A Hero

Another interesting factor to consider is the prospect of some character development for Max. Time has changed and moved forward several years since the events of the first game. This is no longer a story of a girl in her teens with little understanding of the world and what high school holds for her.

Well, she is a grown woman, most likely having a different outlook on life and different experiences behind her. Can Deck Nine explore this change? Will there be a grown-up or even rougher version of Max who is now struggling with the experiences she had in the past along with using her powers for other reasons? This character development offers amazing opportunities for getting Max’s portrayal to more levels.

The game’s success depends on various factors; if well-balanced, it will add value to the game. Deck Nine needs to find a way to respect the core spirit of the Life Is Strange series while telling a new story. The potential for a new entry in the Life Is Strange franchise is enormous, but whether Deck Nine can meet that challenge remains to be seen. One thing is for sure: I will be in front of my computer on October 29th to see what happens to Max.