Life is Strange: Reunion (PlayStation 5)

My fav game series ever, and will continue to be!! So good! And SO proud of the devs! Amazing game as always:)

It’s a present for my husband for his birthday! He will love it

LIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVEN'T PLAYED YET. My only criticisms of the game stem from the illusion of choice. Other than that it's a decent game. They sidelined Amanda and Vinh. Safi too really thought she wasn't a romance option. Safi's a great character. She's honestly worthy of her own game, but she’s an afterthought in this one. Amanda is also a great character, but she was basically demoted to a background character. Wish we knew more about Diamond. I thought she was going to have a bigger role with what happened at the end of Double Exposure. Vihn and Max had some great chemistry, and she mentions in the beginning of the game that she was seeing him casually and they’ve been “hanging out”. The tiny conversation about their breakup, which sadly happened off screen, over text is kind of hard to believe after seeing that. Then he’s put into the same background limbo as Amanda (You break up off screen with her as well) and Safi. Now Chloe. Even if you chose your past friendship, they still give you two separate chances to make things romantic with her. They also have several talks where it’s emphasized how much the two of them mean to each other. It’s almost like the game ignores your previous choices in Double Exposure. I never felt that Max and Chloe were more than friends in the past, but there are so many moments in this game that just feel like that’s the dialogue they wrote only for that scenario. Whether you chose Vihn or Amanda, they go from kissing in the last game to awkward friends who act like they barely know each other in this one. I was disappointed to see that Moses is the only person who remembers what really happened in Double Exposure, and that’s a missed opportunity. They explain it as storm amnesia which I still don't really understand considering they didn't really elaborate on it. All that was really said about it was that Max didn't want Moses to forget so she kept reminding him not to be alone. Why not remind her other friends? Especially the one she romances if you choose to do so. Her powers are a huge part of her life. She wouldn't be able to hide them forever. Reunion made the ending about talking about her powers to her friends, except for Moses, in Double Exposure pointless. I feel that Reunion's possible original story plans changed with the unnecessary hate that Double Exposure received and Chloe's involvement was heightened afterwards, forcing the save Chloe ending instead of balancing it. I was okay with Chloe coming back because you do have to acknowledge that other players chose to save her, but it feels like the Chloe died ending is waved off and highly favors fan service. Don't get me wrong, I love Chloe, but I think it was wrong to sideline the other characters for her. I wanted to love Reunion as much as I did Double Exposure, but after playing Reunion, I feel like it had turned into a fanfiction for Chloe fans. In a game about choices and consequences, I felt like my choices were taken and chosen for me. The ability to see three romance routes would have been great. I love a good girl/girl romance but I felt like the Chloe romance path was being forced on me. I made them stay best friends because of it. Reunion could have had many more choices and paths if it hadn't focused so hard on Max and Chloe's romance path. Reunion basically made romance in Double Exposure useless and pointless in favor of Chloe fans. The excitement for extra replay value is practically gone after collectable hunting at this point. I wholeheartedly believe Reunion got turned into damage control for Double Exposure, which isn't as bad as people made it out to be, and it makes me very sad. I feel like people only hated it because Chloe wasn't in it. Max needed her own game. Chloe got one. Max can stand on her own without her for one game. But people complained and I feel like Reunion suffered for it. After playing Reunion, I reluctantly don't feel truly satisfied and am left wanting more.

Me and my fiance play this together we both love the series

It was good, I love it

Great game

This game was much more than I even expected. There are so many different variations on endings, and you are able to play Max and Chloe. While I wasn’t a fan of Chloe is the original game, I felt like she grew into a likable character as an adult. My only criticisms of the game stemmed from the illusion of choice, and sidelining Amanda, Vinh, and Safi. Safi is a great characters, worthy of her own game, but she’s an afterthought in this one. Amanda is also a great character, one that feels almost real, and she was demoted to background character here. Vihn and Max had some great chemistry, and she mentions in the beginning of the game that she was seeing him casually and they’ve been “hanging out”. Then he’s put into the same background limbo as Amanda and Safi. Safi is spun as chaotic and manipulative, someone Max isn’t sure that she recognizes anymore. And Chloe, even if you chose past friendship, they still give you 2 separate chances to make things romantic with her. Even if you decline, they have you hold hands regularly afterwards, and they have several talks where it’s emphasized how much the two of them mean to each other. It’s almost like the game ignores your choice. I never felt that Max and Chloe were more than friends in the past, but there’s so many moments in this game that just feel like that’s the dialogue they wrote only for that scenario. When she and Vihn go from kissing in the last game to awkward strangers in this one, it feels like the illusion of choice, and the discarding of two characters (Amanda was an alternate romantic choice in the last game) I’d love to see the trio on a quest to find more people like Max and Safi, with Moses there to sponsor, and Amanda brought into the group. I was disappointed to see that Moses is the only person that remembers what really happened in Double Exposure, and that’s a missed opportunity. Last, there is a white haze bug at the party (see photos of other reviews), and resetting the game fixed it for me.

Beautiful come back between Chloe and Max!!! I am thrilled the developors did that, and got my hands on this thankfully same day it was released. The entire Life is Strange series of games, is one of my absolute favorites to play. I'm certain every game they do won't disappoint. I can only hope for more and more !!!! But this one is really special especially. The reunion is a powerful story , and with knowing what you know from their first game.... it's just beautiful in every way. My favorite character is Chloe and max together, it was the developers first Life is Strange game and it makes this one even more special. I love this game. I can not even put any more words in it , how much I appreciate their games. For the stories and lessons in life they give insight too. I am adored with the soundtracks of course too!!! Had to have them all. Keep up the amazing work as I know you will. : ) If you love , very deep emotional video games with the options to chose your path. then this is 100% a must get !!!

Totalement

After watching a trailer, I thought this game would be like a bad fanfiction story. I thought it’ll be my guilty pleasure.. but I’m already on a second play through, and am enjoying every bit of this game. Max and Chloe forever ❤️

Product was as advertised, but disc was loose in case. Luckily not scratched but not the point either