Life is Strange Episode 2: Out of Time Review

Things are getting pretty crazy in Arcadia Bay. Square Enix and DONTNOD Entertainment’s narrative-driven, episodic adventure game Life is Strange picks up where it left off, taking place just a day after the events in Chrysalis. Because of that, this review might have a few spoilers in it.

It should first be noted that I didn’t review the initial episode for Life is Strange. I played it, but our editor-in-chief Mike Splechta was the one who initially reviewed it for us. Because of that, some of the initial impressions may be a bit different. That being said, I absolutely loved the first episode, despite its technical shortcomings.

As I mentioned, Out of Time takes place directly after the events in Chrysalis. Again, you take on the role of 18-year-old student Max Caulfield, wielder of an epic power to rewind time and alter the course of events.

Whereas Chrysalis was shaped as more of an introductory to the story, getting us familiar with the game and its mechanics, Out of Time finally moves the story forward. There’s a lot going on in Arcadia Bay — almost too much. Max is dealing with a ton of a sh*t right now, way more than your average teenager. You’ve got the mystery of a missing person in Rachel Amber, a feud between Chloe and Nathan Prescott, a bully problem with that bi*ch Victoria, and weird visions of a tornado wrecking Arcadia Bay. Episode 2: Out of Time drives all of these storylines — which I believe are linked to an overarching plot involving your ability to rewind time — forward. And with your decisions from Episode 1 carrying over, Life is Strange wastes no time showing you the consequences for your actions.

As you may recall, the first episode was filled with choices to make. Even the most subtlest decisions impact how characters react to you. It’s refreshing for an episodic adventure to so quickly reward (or punish) me for past actions. It makes me feel like my decisions as Max are actually impacting the world around me.

There’s no denying Life is Strange has its technical deficiencies. And as painful as some of the writing, dialogue, and delivery can be, Life is Strange does a decent job of making you feel for the characters and their situations. There’s a sense of realism to the story, as Life is Strange doesn’t shy away from potentially uncomfortable topics like bullying, drug and alcohol abuse, suicide and even rape — all subjects that are prevalent in Episode 2.

It all starts with Kate Marsh, a devout Catholic with no memory of a humiliating event that has gone viral. Her portion of the episode brings the uncomfortable topic of sexual abuse front and center. As the player, it’s up to you to decide how Max reacts to Kate’s unfortunate situation, and it doesn’t take long for you to see the outcome of your decisions.

Beyond Kate, much of the episode involves reconnecting with Chloe, Max’s childhood best friend who has seemingly become a rebellious troublemaker. During her portions of the episode, Life is Strange feels like much more of a game — but an annoying one that tasks you with repetitive objectives like proving to Chloe you can rewind time and searching a junkyard for bottles. It’s also during this portion that you further explore the mystery of Rachel Amber, a fellow studio who has gone missing. In the junkyard, you learn more about Rachel and her relationship with Chloe, and see a side of Max I didn’t know existed. There’s some great character development during these scenes, although another twist in the story is added in when another new character pops up.

It’s not until a powerful twist at the end of the episode that I understood the real meaning of DONTNOD hammering home Max’s ability to rewind time at will. I don’t want to spoil too much, but let’s just say the title of the episode “Out of Time” takes on new meaning at the end of the episode. It’s here when you’re forced with the toughest decisions to make, and the outcome of your choices — both present and past — are immediately noticeable. It’s by far the most intense moment I’ve experienced in this young adventure.

At this point, there’s a ton of sh*t going down in Arcadia Bay. It isn’t until the end of the episode that you get a sense for how it’s all coming together in an overarching plot. There’s still a lot I’m unsure about, but a cliffhanger at the end of Out of Time has me waiting on edge for the release of Episode 3: Chaos Theory.