despite the (at times crushing) disappointment I felt playing this game, I can't bring myself to hit the "don't recommend" button, because as a standalone work it is valuable and beautiful and thought-provoking.
Because this is Life is Strange, and especially because this is Max, I hoped for the same delightful narrative current I felt from previous games in the series, where every decision was emotionally weighty and the stakes felt personal and vital. While the characters here are magnificently designed and rendered and scripted, their cohesion, and that of the story as a whole, lacked in a way that the previous games absolutely did not. There were times while playing Double Exposure when things felt so detached from their context - lighthearted comments in the midst of wildly dark events, completely illogical responses to situations or nonsensical presumptions made by characters who we are being asked to identify with. Things are explained by Max's internal monologue in ways designed to reduce player confusion, but that should really have been made more evident and left for the player to contemplate, as was common in previous installments. One other review I see here quite rightly notes that Detective Alderman's introduction, characterisation, and immediate demise are really jarringly nonsensical. His annihilation was left totally unexplained, as was Reggie's experience at the Overlook. Moses' grey streak of hair is literally never properly considered at all. The presumption that Max would/should respond to Safi's crisis by shooting her was completely out of character and not at all the logical inevitability that it was treated as.. I found myself at several points in the story sitting back in my chair and mouthing "what?!" with dismay at how little sense a character's behaviour made in the current context. I could go on, but I shan't.
I don't think I've ever written a Steam review before, and this one may come across as horribly negative. I think I was moved to write it because of what an attachment I feel to the previous games in the series, and how masterfully they handle the continuity of each character's vibe between scenes. That aspect was what I loved most about Life is Strange, and it was missing here, and I'm sad about that. With that said, I'm glad I played it, and you probably will be too. Just make sure to play the others first.

[h3]a marvelous and very disappointing game[/h3] despite the (at times crushing) disappointment I felt playing this game, I can't bring myself to hit the "don't recommend" button, because as a standalone work it is valuable and beautiful and thought-provoking. [h3]however;[/h3] Because this is Life is Strange, and especially because this is Max, I hoped for the same delightful narrative current I felt from previous games in the series, where every decision was emotionally weighty and the stakes felt personal and vital. While the characters here are magnificently designed and rendered and scripted, their cohesion, and that of the story as a whole, lacked in a way that the previous games absolutely did not. There were times while playing Double Exposure when things felt so detached from their context - lighthearted comments in the midst of wildly dark events, completely illogical responses to situations or nonsensical presumptions made by characters who we are being asked to identify with. Things are explained by Max's internal monologue in ways designed to reduce player confusion, but that should really have been made more evident and left for the player to contemplate, as was common in previous installments. One other review I see here quite rightly notes that [spoiler]Detective Alderman's introduction, characterisation, and immediate demise are really jarringly nonsensical. His annihilation was left totally unexplained, as was Reggie's experience at the Overlook. Moses' grey streak of hair is literally never properly considered at all. The presumption that Max would/should respond to Safi's crisis by shooting her was completely out of character and not at all the logical inevitability that it was treated as.[/spoiler]. I found myself at several points in the story sitting back in my chair and mouthing "what?!" with dismay at how little sense a character's behaviour made in the current context. I could go on, but I shan't. [h3]in confused closing[/h3] I don't think I've ever written a Steam review before, and this one may come across as horribly negative. I think I was moved to write it because of what an attachment I feel to the previous games in the series, and how masterfully they handle the continuity of each character's vibe between scenes. That aspect was what I loved most about Life is Strange, and it was missing here, and I'm sad about that. With that said, I'm glad I played it, and you probably will be too. Just make sure to play the others first.