The ending to the original Life Is Strange wrote series publisher Square Enix into a bit of a corner it’s been wrestling with ever since.
Original dev DONTNOD decided to introduce an entirely new cast in Life Is Strange 2, but brothers Sean and Daniel never connected like original protagonists Max and Chloe.
So new studio Deck Nine decided to start over with Alex in Life Is Strange: True Colors, a story very loosely linked to the events in Arcadia Bay.
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While this author liked the game, there was a clamouring for the return of the original cast, so the Colorado studio tried again with Life Is Strange: Double Exposure, depicting a grown-up Max.
Now, it’s finally reviving the relationship between the two heroines in Life Is Strange: Reunion, using the split timelines of Double Exposure to explain Chloe’s return.
Small spoilers follow, so be warned.
Effectively, when Max merged the timelines at the end of Double Exposure, she also brought Chloe back to life if you sacrificed her at the end of the original Life Is Strange. Obviously, the dialogue will differ if you put bae before bay, but that’s how the developer is writing around it.
The game, due out fairly soon on 27th March, will see Max now working as a photography teacher at Caledon University. But after a short break, she’ll return to the academic institution to find it on fire.
Using her original rewind powers, she’ll need to turn back time to solve the mystery of what happened to the university, and that’s when Chloe will return.
Chloe will be played by Before the Storm’s Rhianna DeVries, replacing once again original actress Ashly Burch.
Both protagonists will be playable, with Max using her rewind powers and Chloe able to engage in ‘Backtalk’ battles, similar to in the aforementioned Before the Storm.
You’ll be able to choose whether the pair rekindle their romantic relationship or remain best friends, and obviously you’ll need to save the fate of many of the students at Caledon University along the way.
We do think Deck Nine’s writing itself in circles to try and please an increasingly outspoken fanbase here, but we’ll remain judgement until we’ve played the game.
There’ll be various purchasing permutations available, with pre-orders open now. All versions will include the Max and Chloe Classics Outfits DLC, which will be available as a free bonus for anyone who buys the game within its first month on sale.
Here are your options:
Life Is Strange: Reunion Standard Edition (£44.99/$49.99)
- Full Game
Life Is Strange: Reunion Deluxe Edition ($69.99/£54.99)
- Full Game
- Digital Mini Soundtrack
- Digital Art Book
- Digital Comic
- Behind-the-Scenes Documentary
Life Is Strange: Reunion Twin Pack ($69.99/£54.9)
- Full Game
- Life Is Strange: Double Exposure (Playable Immediately)
Life Is Strange: Reunion Physical Collector's Edition ($69.99/£59.99)
- Full Game on Blu-ray
- Exclusive Box and Sleeve with Ilya Kushinov Artwork
- 12" Vinyl Soundtrack
- Double-Sided DRUGSTORE MAKEUP Poster
- Rewind Symbol Felt Slipmat
- 3x Custom Guitar Plectrums
- 3x Polaroid Art Cards
Are you amped for the return of Life Is Strange or not? What do you think about the way Deck Nine is handling the various story paths? Let us know below.