Life is strange 2 sean11/7/2023 ![]() ![]() The disbelief, the pain and the anger Sean expresses over the course of the rest of the episode is a powerful exercise in empathy, calling to mind the numerous families and communities that have been torn apart by police shootings (at the time of writing, The Washington Post claims that 732 people have been shot and killed by police so far in 2018). Sean and Daniel's father is taken from them both suddenly and senselessly and it's hard to escape the feeling he was killed for who he was, not what was happening in the moment. This scene, punctuated by nine year-old Daniel's tearful shouts of fear and confusion, sets the stage for the rest of the game but also makes a chilling example of those instances in which police procedures go horribly wrong. This incident triggers Daniel's latent telekinetic powers and the officer himself is killed, forcing the boys to go on the run. This being Life is Strange, of course, that sense of security and unity is torn violently away as a twitchy police officer reacts badly to a situation and ends up shooting Sean and Daniel's father dead. The Diaz family dynamic is, for Life is Strange, nothing short of remarkable. Chloe Price's family is one of discord and tension, always threatening to bubble over Max's parents are only ever in touch by text message by the time we meet Rachel Amber's folks, we already know that her father is living a lie. The Diaz family is one built on trust, honesty and emotional openness and in terms of Life is Strange it's fairly extraordinary as it's not something we've really seen before. ![]() Life for the Diaz boys isn't without its foibles, of course, but all in all the immediate sense is one of a loving and cohesive family unit - even if the absence of the boys' mother comes painfully into focus for Sean in the odd moment of quiet. The Diaz family home is alive with both witty chatter and a rich seam of emotional honesty. Thankfully, Life is Strange 2 does a great job of swiftly introducing its new characters and giving us reasons to invest in them. It's no secret that the Life is Strange fan base adores original characters Max and Chloe, so the game's first hurdle was always going to be convincing those players that new protagonists Sean and Daniel Diaz are worth caring about. Oh, and before we go ahead, a word of warning: whopping spoilers lie in wait for Life is Strange 2 Episode 1, as well as Life is Strange and Life is Strange: Before the Storm. Having played the first episode in its entirety, I am thoroughly convinced - Life is Strange 2 is already turning out to be something special. Would the protagonists be relatable? Would Life is Strange 2 work as a road movie, rather than sticking to the same town? Could it capture the same sense of magic without fan favourites like Chloe and Max, and could Life is Strange 2 really touch on its chosen subjects such as racism and police brutality with meaning and sensitivity? While I certainly liked the look of the characters and was intrigued by the game's premise, I had a number of questions as I sat down to play for the first time. Before playing Life is Strange 2 for myself, I was as skeptical as I was hopeful. ![]()
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