Yet this is all forgotten when you reach the end and trigger one of seven possible endings, each of which is determined both by the relationships you made in previous episodes, and - more importantly - your relationship with Daniel. Because Daniel’s powers amount to a proxy action (namely, Sean asking him to do something, and only at certain times), there’s a certain detachment in the resulting melee on screen which isn’t quite as satisfying as taking control yourself. Ultimately, the final episode was always going to ramp up the action - letting the Diaz brothers get an easy ride to Mexico wouldn’t have made for an interesting game - and the latter half of Wolves certainly does that, although at a price.

Even simple moments where you’re alone and choosing whether to go along with his flights of fancy or not feel weighty. The game makes you care for Daniel as much as Sean does veering away from that paternal instinct feels wholly unnatural. Sean and Daniel have grown tremendously since the first episode (Daniel in particular is far less bratty here), and while the option is there for you to teach Daniel to be a bad person rather than a good one, the relationship between the pair makes it far easier to choose the latter path. Kudos to the developer for being unafraid to portray “othering” and its effects on society, and for doing so in such a matter-of-fact way.īut at the heart of it all is the brothers’ love for each other. When the events of the past eventually force the brothers to move on from their safe haven to their ultimate destination of Mexico, I expected the border wall to make an appearance - what I didn’t realise was how much of an emotional impact it would have.

Whether it’s a gay couple forced into the desert by homophobia, a pregnant immigrant couple trying to get into America to make a life for their new family, or a militant pair of right-wing bigots blaming the brothers for everything that’s wrong with the country, the dialogue is handled carefully but pointedly. For the finale, Dontnod has thumbed its nose at keyboard warriors complaining that their earlier chapters (particularly the first) were politically charged, and it benefits the game no end. Story-wise, Life Is Strange has always been better when it has a focused tale to tell.

Life is strange 2 episode 5