In Life is Strange: Reunion, Max Caulfield is once again trying to cope with the mess her own powers have created throughout the series. Deck Nine’s latest entry is supposed to close the saga of Chloe and Max that began with the first game back in 2015. Get ready for yet another narrative-driven experience that forces you to make all the hard choices.
One Last Dance
I quite liked Life is Strange: True Colors and thought Deck Nine had found a new direction. It offered a fresh take on the Life is Strange formula without Max and Chloe, introducing a new mechanic that felt like the way forward for the series. In 2024, Life is Strange: Double Exposure took a U-turn and refocused on the original storyline. Max returned as the main character, and the introduction of Safi as a shapeshifter added a new layer to the series’ supernatural elements. Life is Strange: Reunion promises to build toward an epic finale, concluding Max Caulfield’s story by reuniting not only Max and Safi, but also Chloe.
If you’ve never played the previous games, you might feel a bit lost at first. However, the game includes a hefty recap that gets you up to speed on prior events. Returning players will recognise the familiar formula: your choices shape the story. The game allows you to carry over past decisions by answering a series of questions, letting you stay true to your personal version of events or tweak them if you feel like it.
Life is on Fire
Max is now, in her own words, a somewhat famous photographer who teaches at Caledon University. She’s trying to avoid using her powers to prevent causing more damage. However, after returning from a weekend photoshoot, she witnesses Caledon engulfed in flames, with innocent students and her friend Moses dying in the chaos. This forces Max to use her powers once again. Through a photo taken before the trip, Max rewinds time to that earlier moment, giving her only a few days to uncover the cause of the fire and prevent the disaster.
Reunion
The story sees Safi returning, but more importantly, Chloe makes her comeback as well. Depending on the key choices you select at the start, Chloe’s return may require some narrative gymnastics… but the writers manage to make it work. Ultimately, it becomes clear that Safi and Chloe have more in common than just being deuteragonists in yet another Max’story. Characters from Double Exposure also return, helping justify the “Reunion” title.
Not-So-Though Choices
By now, players should know what to expect from narrative-driven games. The Life is Strange series built its reputation on meaningful choices and consequences. That’s still present here… but this time, player agency feels significantly reduced. Many of the “tough” decisions are simplified to the point where there’s an obvious best option. This is reinforced by the endgame statistics, which show heavily skewed player choices.
Narrative adventure games like this are often labelled “walking simulators,” and Reunion leans heavily into that category. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if the exploration, storytelling, and immersion are strong enough. Unfortunately, this final chapter falls a bit short in those areas. The story is still good, just not among the series’ best. Exploration is limited to a handful of areas. While these locations are well-designed and inviting, they’re reused a bit too often, reducing variety. All of this adds up to a less immersive experience than expected. Perhaps the original game simply set the bar too high. This final entry doesn’t quite reach the same emotional or atmospheric impact. That said, it’s far from bad.
Picture Perfect… Mostly
The voice acting is excellent, with Hannah Telle returning as Max and Rhianna DeVries as Chloe, both delivering strong performances once again. Visually, the game is a treat. The improvements made over the years are clearly visible, resulting in one of the best-looking entries in the series. The only technical issue I encountered was a scene where the contrast was excessively high, making it difficult to follow what was happening. It’s the kind of issue that will likely be patched soon. The soundtrack also deserves praise. The inclusion of an IDLES track, perfectly matched to its scene, is a standout moment.
Conclusion
Life is Strange: Reunion wraps up the story of Max and Chloe in roughly 9 hours. It’s best experienced in one or two sittings to maintain its emotional momentum. While it never quite reaches the high standard set by the original game, it remains an enjoyable and worthwhile conclusion. Just don’t expect particularly challenging choices or complex time-bending puzzles.
