Verdict
This is the weakest episode of Life is Strange 2 to this point, however that doesn’t make it a foul one. DONTNOD has determined to deal with quite a lot of courageous, progressive themes and discover extra of characters I’ve come to like.
Pros
Tackles quite a lot of courageous and progressive themes
Many character interactions fill genuinely plausible
Sean confronting his emotions is an emotional highpoint
Cons
Sean and Daniel’s relationship is dropping steam
Dialogue remains to be regularly corny
Not sufficient time devoted to massive moments
Key Specifications
Review Price: £32.99
Genre: Adventure
Developer: DONTNOD Entertainment
Release Date: Out now
Spoiler warning: We’ll be spilling the beans on earlier episodes all through this assessment.
I’ve eight siblings, and I’m one of many youngest, so the familial wrestle on the core of Life is Strange 2 hits very near residence. Sean and Daniel’s journey throughout America following the tragic dying of their father has been a heartbreaking one as they search to discover a residence in a rustic that merely doesn’t welcome them.
DONTNOD by no means shies away from this truth, both. Sean and Daniel’s Mexican heritage has already thrust them within the firing line by bigots within the shadow of Trump’s election. Now, the subject of weed legalisation, homelessness and sexuality come into fray, and plenty of of them are dealt with with a deft that helps this third episode shine.
The dialogue nonetheless reeks of adults having no concept how younger individuals talk, however between the clumsiness sit quiet moments of contemplation that assist the general story shine.
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After fleeing from the security of their grandparents on the final episode’s climax, Sean and Daniel discover themselves dwelling within the wilderness alongside different younger and deserted individuals. With nothing however a crumbling backpack and low-cost tent to name residence, relationships are paramount. They’re the one issues you may put religion in proper now, and the best way during which Wastelands emphasises that is virtually at all times efficient.
Unfortunately, you’ll have to do that among the many tumultuous local weather of a Marijuana farm. The legalisation of the drug looms, and thus the fishy people who’re hiring our heroes to have a tendency the fields are testy and unpredictable. It’s one more instance of DONTNOD tackling fashionable political dialog with no beating across the bush (or kush, on this occasion).
It’s not possible to not commend when so many AAA titles are inherently apolitical, determined to keep away from a dialogue within the worry of alienating even a small a part of its participant base. The dialogue of drug legalisation and immigration tackled in Life is Strange 2 aren’t excellent. At occasions, they’re downright ham-fisted, however the truth we see them addressed so fearlessly with notable weight makes this excess of a private story.
Cassidy, the rebellious woman launched within the final episode performs a much more distinguished position in Wastelands, appearing as a possible love curiosity alongside one other character I received’t spoil right here. Depending on the selections you make, Sean will start to discover his sexuality in delicate methods, clumsily confronting a private aspect of his improvement whereas merely making an attempt to remain alive. He’s nonetheless a teen, so in his sneakers this might make him much more of an outcast.
Having gone by this myself as a teen, it’s a tough, isolating state of affairs to search out your self in. Sean has no one to open up to concerning his emotions, and the hesitance in which you’ll be able to act on them with dialogue decisions feels fittingly anxious. It’s dealt with effectively, however isn’t given practically sufficient room to breathe. Life is Strange 2 would profit from specializing in one branching story as a substitute of making an attempt to deal with so many wildly totally different themes without delay.
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Throughout the episode you’ll befriend a bunch of your campmates, lots of whom possess personalities you’ll both admire or conflict with, creating some worthwhile conflicts. However, many confrontations don’t really feel earned, or new faces aren’t fleshed out sufficient throughout the quick runtime to make them worthwhile.
Like DONTNOD’s regular output, dialogue is sincerely clumsy, usually failing to seize the essence of younger individuals and the way they’d actually talk. But the vocal performances usually carry it, hurling you into dramatic conditions with selections that really really feel like they matter. Given I had only some hours to befriend so many new characters, the connection I felt with lots of them as credit rolled was palpable.
I want the identical reward might be lauded upon Sean and Daniel’s relationship. The communication between them has been the collection’ crux to this point, and this episode has it falter considerably with an animosity that comes out of nowhere. Daniel has change into pissed off that Sean’s consideration is now not targeted on him alone, now break up throughout new pals, a job and the act of crossing the border into Mexico.
Daniel comes throughout as an obnoxious teenager, his tantrums clouding motivations that merely aren’t expanded sufficient to make him a rational character. Unlike earlier episodes, he comes throughout as a toddler moaning endlessly as a result of he hasn’t gotten his means. To me, this goes towards the expansion we’ve seen as Daniel adjusts to his telekinetic powers and grows as an individual.
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Compared to the primary two episodes, I stumbled upon a larger variety of technical issues. Character fashions would pop into place upon participating dialogue, or their limbs would transfer unnaturally when reaching for close by objects. Dialogue additionally went out of sync at sure factors. While uncommon, points resembling these do add as much as hamper the general expertise.
Verdict
This is the weakest episode of Life is Strange 2 to this point, however that doesn’t make it a foul one. DONTNOD has determined to deal with quite a lot of courageous, progressive themes and explores extra of the characters I’ve come to like.
These characters aren’t expanded practically sufficient to be impactful to the general plot, however assist to create a compelling continuation as we head in direction of our ultimate vacation spot.
Wastelands concludes in a means that blows your entire collection open for one thing super-exciting, and I hope it’s capitalised upon to make one thing actually particular.
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