A new Life is Strange game is rumored to be in development after eagle-eyed fans spotted “Life is Strange: Reunion” rated on PEGI. One major discovery from this leak is how Chloe Price, Max Caulfield’s eternal best friend, is making her comeback. But what gives?
Life is Strange, a series that’s near and dear to people (including me) thanks to its appealing characters, dreamy soundtrack, and emotional storytelling, hasn’t been the same since Sean and Daniel broke down that wall. After the poorly received release of Double Exposure, there was no need to bring Chloe Price back.
Bringing Chloe Price Back Hurts the Original Life is Strange Story
The first Life is Strange game is always special. It was Don’t Nod’s lightning in a bottle, creating an acclaimed franchise that spawned multiple forms of media like comics, spin-offs, and an upcoming TV show. Bringing back a character that was central to Max’s growth and trauma completely misses the whole point of the first game’s two major endings.
Whether you picked the Bae or Bay ending, Chloe Price’s chapter was essentially over. She was a herald of destruction, an anomaly that entered Max’s life. Despite all the good memories they’ve made, the universe continues to reject Chloe’s existence, and the first game was proof enough for that.
That closure was the whole point. Chloe, as a character, is both risk and consequences personified, and players have already made their peace when Spanish Sahara by Foals or Obstacles by Syd Matters played at the game’s credits.
Bringing Chloe Price back only feels like an attempt at nostalgia. And it’s cheap.
Life is Strange Has Bigger Problems
The Life is Strange series has bigger problems it needs to work on before bringing back a character just for the sake of... well, bringing her back. In the 'alleged' synopsis of Life is Strange: Reunion, it seems like Max is retreading the same steps she’s taken in the first game. Once again, she races against time, hoping to avert another disaster.
There doesn’t seem to be an end to Max’s mental torture, and bringing the story back after Double Exposure’s lukewarm ending just isn’t ideal. The series needed a fresh start. A whole new character like Alex Chen from True Colors wouldn’t save the series completely, but it would’ve been a great way to continue on with the franchise’s appeal of original storytelling and not recycling the same plot threads again.
Narrative issues are also one of the common complaints of Deck Nine’s Double Exposure. The characters aren’t well-written, and its off-the-rails Avengers-like ending felt like a copout for fans who’ve been waiting for something completely fresh from the franchise. The collective disappointment from the Life is Strange community led many fans to mentally write Double Exposure out of the series.
Now, with a sequel coming our way, Deck Nine is completely torn between two fanbases: those who want something fresh and those who want to relish the Chloe Price nostalgia. They picked the easier option, and that hurts.
Chloe Price was a great and complex character, but bringing her back won’t fix the Life is Strange series’ dwindling quality. Her absence was never the series’ core issue; it was the newer games' lack of focus that made it lose its luster.
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