It's been some time since the explosive events of Haven Point, and even longer since Sean and Daniel Diaz's journey first began in Seattle, but the end of Life Is Strange 2 has finally arrived, and with it a satisfying conclusion to the tumultuous and emotional story we've witnessed thus far. Episode 5 abandons the goofy villains and cliches of Episode 4 and reconnects us with what makes Life is Strange 2 work best: nuanced characters, deep relationships, and a narrative that is unafraid to show the ugly side of present-day America while still spending plenty of time unearthing the beauty that lies beneath.
No matter what kind of
relationship you've built between Sean and Daniel so far, the game kicks
off with the two camping out under the stars in Arizona, during which
Sean says to Daniel, "I love you no matter what happens, okay?" This
scene illustrates a significant strength of the series which has carried
through from Episode 1--while you can guide Sean's choices and morality
and the impact that has on his little brother, no choice you make will
change the love they have for each other. Even a low-morality Sean with a
penchant for stealing who swears like a sailor will still love Daniel
and protect him at all costs. The stellar performances delivered by each
of the brothers continue to make their connection believable and their
sibling affection palpably relatable.
Sean's
spot-on characterization makes him a fantastic conduit to understanding
the beauty in the characters you meet, the pain in the vile
circumstances he so often finds himself in, and the overwhelming
adoration he has for his brother. You love Daniel because Sean does, do
your best to trust your estranged mother because Sean does, and feel
palpable terror in the face of the worst of America because Sean does.
His sense of self remains intrinsic to any version of his character and
that is vital to your ability to empathize with him. As for the impact
you can have, Daniel's personality can shift depending on how you've
treated him and the choices you've made in previous episodes. He will
have increased or decreased morality, and that trait will drastically
change how he acts in the dramatic final moments of the series. As a
result, your ending to the story will likely feel earned and
satisfyingly in line with the events in your journey.
The
inclusion of Sean and Daniel's mother is explored in more depth and
with greater nuance than in Episode 4, where her appearance was
overshadowed by the tonally inconsistent plot. The layers of her
character and preference for isolation are cleverly mirrored by the
first major location you explore in Episode 5, called Away, a community
of people who have shunned society in favour of a self-sufficient life
in the desert. The strength of Life is Strange 2's writing buoys up its
new characters in the final episode, most of whom feel complex and well
rounded. You meet a middle-aged gay couple whose familes' homophobia has
driven them to a quieter life outside the city, a familiar face from
Life is Strange 1 who gets the chance to exhibit the growth they
appeared capable of in the previous series, and Diego and Carla, a
Mexican man and his pregnant wife trying to build a better life by
immigrating to America.
The latter example in particular is a testament to another
of Life is Strange 2's greatest strengths: its willingness to ask
complicated questions, amplify marginalized voices, and attempt to
explore the complicated sociopolitical climate of present-day America.
This difficult undertaking isn't always executed flawlessly, and some of
the more extreme representations of xenophobic Americans can come off a
little on-the-nose. But the larger themes of politics, racism, and
differing perspectives as a result of ethnicity and privilege are
effective due to the nuance and believability behind Episode 5's
characters. Because of this, it's the quieter moments that deliver the
themes most effectively, such as when the Diaz brothers arrive at the
Mexican border and Daniel asks if there is also a towering border wall
between America and Canada. Or when a particularly tense moment in the
game is broken up by Sean meeting Carla and Diego, who engage with Sean
entirely in Spanish and explain why they're so desperate to flee Mexico
to provide a better life for their child.
However, some
interactions in Episode 5 remain a little too hard to swallow. An entire
encampment of social outcasts deciding they aren't phased by a
10-year-old with superpowers is unlikely, and sometimes otherwise
intelligent characters seem to have inconsistent lapses in judgment or
logic. That said, ignoring the social impact of Daniel's powers lets the
plot to move forward without belabouring well-trodden ground, which
returns the focus to the characters whose stories often paint a
relatable picture of people's attempt to do right by others as they do
right by themselves.
The impact of Episode 5's
interactivity also falls flat in some places. Despite some
heart-pounding events late in the game, the use of Daniel's powers
doesn't amount to much as a mechanic. While awe-inspiring to behold in a
cutscene, there is little weight behind actually using them. You mostly
point at very clearly highlighted interactables and watching Daniel
unleash his power on them. Save for a section with some variable choices
late in the game, this is almost always too simplistic, as was the case
in previous episodes, making the act of using Daniel's powers feel less
exciting than it should, even in the emotionally-charged final moments.
The
multiple endings to the series are significantly different and largely
reflected how I had interacted with Daniel in both of my playthroughs.
Both endings I reached were truly satisfying in their own way, and in
the case of my main playthrough, heart-wrenchingly sad. There are no
easy answers which feels appropriate, but there is positivity to be
found in each possible conclusion. Coming to the realization that there
is unlikely to be a purely happy ending for the Diaz brothers is
disheartening, but it works to solidify the thematic undercurrents of
Life is Strange 2's story--the troubled state of the current
sociopolitical climate, identity, brotherhood, and what it means to be
American.
Saying goodbye to the Diaz brothers is as
difficult as it was to leave Chloe and Max in the original Life Is
Strange, which is a testament to the extraordinary strength of the
game's character building. Though the story of the Diaz brothers arrives
at some kind of ending, the larger implications of the story and its
politically-charged themes raise more questions than they can possibly
hope to answer, though to even ask them feels like an admirable feat. As
the game itself states within the blog of a gone-but-not-forgotten ally
from Episode 1, "It's not a happy ending, but maybe it can be a hopeful
one."
