Life Is Strange: Reunion Review – A Decade-Long Story Comes to an Impassioned Close
PlayStation 5 (version tested), Xbox, Nintendo Switch 2, PC; Deck Nine/Square Enix
Max and Chloe, the two teen protagonists of the groundbreaking 2015 game, reunite as adults in Life Is Strange: Reunion, giving players the long-awaited opportunity to finally complete their emotional journey. This final chapter delivers a powerful conclusion to a story that has captivated gamers for nearly a decade.
A Groundbreaking Legacy Revisited
When Life Is Strange first launched in 2015, it distinguished itself through two revolutionary elements: its female protagonists, which were depressingly rare in gaming at that time, and its unique brand of millennial cringe that somehow resonated deeply with players. While the thirtysomething French developers may not have perfectly captured 2010s teen vernacular, they demonstrated remarkable insight into what truly matters in coming-of-age narratives—the authentic relationships between characters.
Max Caulfield, the shy, time-traveling aspiring photographer, and Chloe Price, the traumatized punk-rock rebel, shared a memorably intense friendship that formed the heart and soul of the original game. Now, eleven years later, they reunite as adults in this concluding chapter of their intertwined story.
From Friendship to Romance
For countless players, Max and Chloe always felt like more than just best friends. While the original developers hesitated to make this explicit in 2015, newer custodians Deck Nine retconned a romantic relationship between the characters into 2024's Life Is Strange: Double Exposure. Players can still approach Reunion as if the pair were merely friends, though this choice creates some awkward ambiguity in certain scenes.
Regardless of interpretation, this game fundamentally explores first love and how it remains with us forever, even when the object of that affection does not. The emotional impact is undeniable and deeply affecting.
A Campus in Crisis
Another disaster threatens Max's new home at Caledon University in Vermont, where she has fortuitously secured a position as a photography professor. Actually, two disasters loom: a deadly, all-consuming fire destined to destroy the campus and claim several friends' lives, and a new president hostile to the arts who aims to transform Caledon into a technical institute.
After witnessing the blaze, Max employs her time-traveling abilities to return to the past and prevent the catastrophe, interrogating students and faculty to identify the future arsonist. This investigation takes an unexpected turn when Chloe suddenly appears.
An Unexpected Reunion
Depending on players' choices at the conclusion of 2014's Life Is Strange, Chloe should be either deceased or estranged from Max. Her appearance therefore comes as a complete surprise. Almost immediately, the relatively straightforward detective drama transforms into a rekindled love story between two individuals who could never fully release each other from their hearts.
Max and Chloe's narrative has always centered on how far one would go to protect loved ones and the inevitable pain of loss. Even time travelers cannot shield themselves from this universal truth. Reunion somewhat undermines this theme by granting Max the opportunity to make everything right: a second chance with Chloe and with Safi, the friend who drove Double Exposure's plot.
Gameplay and Narrative Strengths
The fire threat never feels entirely convincing, and players can potentially fail by rushing through the story without gathering sufficient evidence or making incorrect narrative choices. However, the deduction elements remain light, and Max's time-rewinding powers are never particularly challenged.
"We are a kaleidoscope of all the choices we make and all the people we could be," Max declares in one of her impassioned monologues. Life Is Strange has evolved through various iterations over the years, both successful and less so, but Reunion focuses on the series' greatest strengths.
The most convincing and likable characters return, including Amanda the sharp-witted bartender and Moses the gentle nerd, while weaker characters from Double Exposure have been either banished or relegated to minor roles. Rather than burdening Max with additional powers, the game liberates her with the ability to rewind time, replaying conversations to manipulate people or uncover information.
A Satisfying Conclusion
The plot remains simple yet free of narrative gaps. At its center stands Chloe: less self-destructive as an adult but still intelligent, unpredictable, and magnetic. Players will likely share Max's delight at seeing her return.
If Life Is Strange were a Netflix series, many might have abandoned it after a few episodes. Instead, it's a game that has engaged players for over a decade, fostering genuine care for these characters. A touch of the original's millennial cringe persists—a Foals song plays over the credits—but this only enhances the nostalgic experience.
Life Is Strange has always been corny yet earnest, grounded in friendship and authentic emotions. Max and Chloe deserved this opportunity to conclude their story—and players deserved this chance to experience it with them. Life Is Strange: Reunion is available now across multiple platforms.
