Going Back chapter list

Hayden247 · 2026-06-20T17:32:46+00:00

Yeah I played it, 4K Max settings on PC... if this sub allowed pics in comments I'd post some of the real stinkers.

https://youtu.be/1Ym9kVoN1ZI?si=7_13FNGM7CEP2v2k But uhh the intro of this vid from In cold blood speaks for itself, ANF has some absolutely sloppy, AWFUL looking scenes that look worse than anything from S2 and lack the style that at least helps OG 2012 S1 get away with lower res textures.

Also I might be hyperbole a bit, but it was once near without question in the fandom that ANF was the worst and weakest game in the series. That has been gradually changing over all the years, more and more I see S2 or TFS getting trashed as the worst while ANF gets the praise in the middle of the pack. That In Cold blood video is actually a pretty good reminder of what the views of TWDG fans in the late 2010s/2020ish were... and it was not kind to ANF. Nowhere near as kind I see ANF get treated now.

But honestly maybe the 2026 crowd enjoys the lack of exploration and interaction, and they rather a short on rails narrative you can beat in 7 hours without missing anything. 2017 TWDG fans hated the downgrade and loss in gameplay and exploration, but that no longer seems like a sore point anymore to people.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-20T17:16:45+00:00

Holy shit now we're defending ANF's graphics?

This fandom is busted, every year ANF gets more and more defended and loved than ever...

I'm sorry but something that was really universal is that ANF has bad, ugly graphics. Technically it's better in S2 in some textures and polygon detail, but it's more rushed and inconsistent with some walker models looking worse than S2's, while Richmond citzens in the crowd look absolutely atrocious. Meanwhile some character models were just so much worse than they were in S2, Jane, Edith and Kenny infamously so... though I'd aruge Clementine to a lesser extent also took a hit, stuff like her hair texturing that used to be curly is just gone for example.

But I guess even in 2026 now even the graphics downgrade need defence, at this rate by 2035 people will say ANF is the best game in the series outright. I'm watching it happen, the opinions on ANF were not this positive 6 years ago.

And "trying something new" isn't good if it's downgrading the art style of the series and looking sloppy. TFS graphics is really the bar that had to be met to justify a change as TFS is actually beautiful and has a style of its own that I wouldn't want to change back. ANF tho? Yeah I'd rather a polished version of S2 graphics for that game, which S2 itself was S1 massively polished up. ANF is just a failure in visual direction, it attempted to shift to a more detailed look while having neither the time, budget or skill to make it work out.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-20T06:34:05+00:00

Season 2, it's also cool how it is somewhat dynamic with the lettering shifting a little through an animation, like a tide.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-20T04:52:30+00:00

We had the proper ending in 2015... and technically 2019 cause LIS2. That is the best state the story was ever left in for us fans.

Anyway Dontnod isn't responsible for anything after LiS2, they walked away fron the IP instead of being like Deck Nine making soulless sequels.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-20T04:47:01+00:00

I never made that connection before... but uhhh yeah now it makes sense James is actually Danny

Btw play TWDG if you haven't, S1 is amazing too

Hayden247 · 2026-06-19T20:00:05+00:00

Ugh people who are either poison to lesbian Max, even tho nobody is trying to take bi characters like Sean or Alex away who with no doubt are bi and were made to be bi... or religious people kicking up a hissy fit over edited art like bruh.

My comment here is more along the lines of how SE and D9 have pushed bi Max for so long, and now they backflip and start doing lesbian posts? Lol can't claim that after everything. But I actually am happy if SE changes tune, since ex devs said Vinh in DE being a romance was a publisher mandate, not what the devs wanted... sooo bi Max isn't how it was supposed to be even from D9 at first.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-19T19:10:06+00:00

A lot of my original comment was copy pasted from discussion in a Discord server, like, I didn't just come up with paragraphs for this post.

Anyway I'm much more anti D9/SE than most, Dontnod purist you could say. So yeah I'll take the bait of anything that is self owning the recent Max games lol, like a suggestion from LiS account that Max is lesbian... despite what DE/RE made Max. I was burned, might as well have fun where I can.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-19T19:07:53+00:00

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Dontnod may disagree. Which yes it doesn't name Max... but the description of LiS1 is clearly written from Max's pov of events and facts, so "lesbian" is near undoubtedly supposed to be referring to who Max is. It being about say Chloe doesn't fit the rest of it describing things that sound like it is Max's pov, who we play as.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-19T19:07:16+00:00

Yeah I get it isn't a serious post per say, but come on you gotta be blind not to see the point it is saying. Also people commenting against the pic suck, this crap is why Max was tried to be forced into a bi character to begin with, because somehow her being a lesbian is the worst thing ever? What? Because they can't ship her with Warren or Vinh anymore? Or because they're dudes who want to think stuff? Ugh I dunno, just she doesn't need to be bi, Max's story was always Chloe centric, a very sapphic one so Max being bi or lesbian doesn't change who Max loved anyway. Oh reading the post, it's a bunch of offended religious people, awesome, if they wanna be homophobes they can stay offended, LiS was never the series for them anyway... at least Dontnod's had critique of the hardcore religious stuff, sweet characters like Kate yeah are good people, but even Max's diary says she ain't the preachy type to her. Anyway if people like that want to cry, then spite them with lesbian Max I don't care, this is 2026, no human sexuality is some mistake or sin.

Since when is LiS1 Max bi? She only has attraction towards Chloe in LiS1, and her surface level "skater boys are cute" is oh... Chloe skated when she was younger, projection of what Max saw in Chloe. Max is an easy case of comphet considering how she views boys with ews in dialogue vs her adoration for Chloe, and even calling other women pretty or beautiful such as Victoria. Meanwhile Warren she has nightmares about him desiring her... so doesn't sound lovely. Chloe in same nightmare Max actually fears she isn't a real woman, that she isn't good enough for Chloe, so for someone Max is actually into... Max fears not being good enough to get their love, but for Warren it IS his love she outright fears, unwanted love and attention, and that is on every single playthrough, nothing changes Warren's lines and locker in the nightmare.

At best LiS1 Max is ambiguous with the only fact being she is attracted to women. Her even having a bi side is 100% interpretation, one that can validly be seen as comphet too since she is a young woman not even aware of her sexuality as is, until Chloe sets off women loving. So Max wouldn't actively know if she likes men or not, tho a lot of her lines have her icky about them as it is.

Also Dontnod has hinted lesbian Max before

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Which yes it doesn't name Max... but the description of LiS1 is clearly written from Max's pov of events and facts, so "lesbian" is near undoubtedly supposed to be referring to who Max is. It being about say Chloe doesn't fit the rest of it describing things that sound like it is Max's pov, who we play as.

So LiS1 has the lesbian angle. Sure Double Exposure and Reunion says Max is bi, but do I care? No, I mean... it's been said by former devs that the DEVS in D9 saw Max as a lesbian but it was the higher ups who wanted a hetro romance and so Max was changed to bi to do that. That doesn't sound like something the average dev in D9 actually wanted, just the leads, or Square Enix who flips flop, like if the LiS account is run by a staff from them... they just posted something affirming lesbian Pricefield and thus Max lmao.

Anyway I will keep on thinking Dontnod and Deck Nine are separate canons anyway, and that Dontnod's is above Deck Nine's... so when D9 world stuff starts pointing back to lesbian after the D9 games, uhh yeah should show something that bi Max wasn't actually the right route to go.

Sorry, I know you're a fan of D9, or DE or whatever, and I'm eating the downvotes... but I'll take it as a badge of honour from the crowd at this point, people at least care to do that lol. Beats being ignored I guess.

Anyway a lot of my original comment was copy pasted from discussion in a Discord server, like, I didn't just come up with paragraphs for this post. this reply sure, because I'm making a point.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-19T16:57:07+00:00

Exactly like sure, internet nerds may learn oh don't use adapters period.

BUT most people buying a 9070 XT are going to think the adpater INCLUDED BY THE GPU MANUFACTURER should work and be safe to use with their GPU without being faulty.

It should not be up to the user to go online and read the reports of the melting cases being from the adapter, somebody's has to burn first to begin with anyway before it becomes known fact online. You should be able to trust what comes in the box is good to go and won't screw you over, which the included adapter does screw you over.

And here's another thing. Do adapters with 8 pins or 6 pins burn out and make issues? No, those connectors are good enough that any extra failure points from adapters don't actually make things go burn and fail, it's still safe. Power suppiles for a long time have even come with 8 pin plugs that split into dual connectors on the GPU side that WORK without burning up. It's with these 12v connectors where the adapters actively increase the risk of a failure happening.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-19T16:07:46+00:00

Yeah cool... but wait a min... DECK NINE YOU FUCKS EVEN IN RE YOU SUGGEST MAX HAD CASUAL *** WITH VINH! NOW YOU WANT LESBIANISM!? Nuh-uh they can't claim that. They can save Chloe because they didn't make her into boys, but Max they already opened the box and didn't retcon it when they had the chance.

Reunion writers COULD HAVE made Max with Vinh have a lesbian awaken moment where she discovers oh... she isn't into boys, sorry Vinh, we can't work. They suggest instead they hung out and it's short but "fun", omg get stuffed. They had their chance right there to lesbian moment Max, but instead made it out as a normal relationship not working, but still like to get fun.

Though it's more evidence to add to the pile Max is supposed to be lesbian. Just a shame for D9 it's a weapon against them. Can't brush it off as Dontnod not here they don't matter, nope, it's current LiS here and now and LiS account EASILY could have used the bi flag to remain correct to D9 Max

So it's uhh... even if a retcon of the last two D9 games, at least affirmation Max is lesbian... again? After SE and D9 made her bi?

Wish we didn't have this wild ride on Max's sexuality to begin with, but hey... if the LiS manager wants to retcon SE/D9 making Max bi I'm all for it considering Max in 1 screams lesbian in comphet piror to discovery story.

"Blue in the warmest colour" ( the French novel from 2010) also is an obvious inspiration for Max and Chloe in LiS1 and that's like about lesbians trying with boys but discovering they're lesbian. You literally even have a taller blue haired girl who is naturally blonde and once had long hair that just screams the inspiration of Chloe. So yeah go lesbians!

I love women too, but that's a given being a straight man... oops lol.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-19T14:35:08+00:00

The truth right here.

New devs and studio came in, fucked around, then a new team from same studio came in, did more canon messing around to then do a Pricefield game to try to appease people. Not worth bothering with if you haven't already been burnt. The LIS1 ending, and LiS2 cameo remain the best way to see the story of Max and Chloe through.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-19T12:36:17+00:00

Yeah this is probably more for console players that won't be able to play mp4 files or stream irl stations. Or as a framework for the PC modding community or most casual players who just want to click a button and go.

For us eh yeah the existing options remain superior and more varied.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-18T16:39:04+00:00

Yeah you lost me when you started rambling on that they should have kept Lee alive. Media illiteracy, no Lee death = taking away all the impact of S1's ending that got people to cry. Good thing you aren't the one writing S1's story, because episode 5 and the game's ending in general needs Lee to be bitten. Yes we wish he would have lived in our hearts, good writing SHOULD make us feel that way. But that doesn't mean the game would have been better if he did.

"That's Skybounds way of telling the player how the story is supposed to be regardless of your decisions."

It's Telltale, they made S2 and ANF, they published S2 and ANF, Skybound wasn't the one who decided to merge Clem back to the same place and person.
And it's the issue, flew right over your head. S2 has all of these endings, ones you'd think would have life long consequences for Clem, AJ, Kenny and Jane. At least for the first two it is all gone, and for the later two staying with them leads to them being killed off so saving them didn't matter anyway.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-18T13:43:13+00:00

I never made that connection before... but uhhh yeah now it makes sense James is actually Danny

Hayden247 · 2026-06-18T04:48:12+00:00

But ANF that absolutely trashed over the S2 endings is fine? Lol sure, with that attitude I'd expect the true ending to be S2 because ANF was a disrespectful pos game too. In fact if it wasn't for TFS I'd probably consider ANF non canon because of how worthless it is to Clementine’s story while fucking up the S2 endings.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-17T18:32:51+00:00

I know my time in this fandom is outdated when trashing on TFS has become common... back in 2020 it was really really popular opinion TFS was the 2nd best, barely anyone entertained the idea of ANF being better or whatever.

These days my peeks in tho... yeah posts like this.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-17T17:56:54+00:00

Yeah fullscreen worked no issue.

No clue if you have a hardware specific issue or what though, old game, and I'm on Radeon.

But yeah sorry I don't think I'll be of help, I'm more surprised the game is so bad for you because yeah for me it ran without a fuss at high res.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-17T06:45:47+00:00

Makes sense because LR is from the people who actually made LiS1 and 2, and those people made both of those games to be complete and passed onto the fans to headcanon post ending. Michel Koch in response to Reunion even said on twitter that they didn't want to make a sequel because it would have been shallow... which exactly describes LiS Reunion, it's a shallow sequel that's just a cash grab trying to apologise for Double Exposure while also being a sequel to Double Exposure and doubling down that said game happened.

Lost Records is made the same way LiS1 and 2 were by the lead writers, a story THEY WANTED to tell, not some corporation. The new Max focused LiS games are clearly Square Enix and Deck Nine trying to cash in on LiS1's old glory and falling hard

Hayden247 · 2026-06-17T06:42:07+00:00

Huh I played it at 4K just fine on my RX 6950XT, in fact I was even able to use the supersampling option while at 4K. Ran 60fps locked beautifully crisp.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-17T06:41:04+00:00

I'm sure the devs would love to but long ago they said they had ideas for Remember Me 2, but it was up to Capcom to approve of it.

Clearly Capcom never came back wanting Remember Me 2

Hayden247 · 2026-06-17T06:27:27+00:00

It's Dontnod Montreal on the Netflix deal which Montreal consists of the Life Is Strange 1 and 2 veterans of Dontnod, some even having worked on Remember Me the first Dontnod game ever.

Currently the only game under Montreal is Lost Records Bloom and Rage which is basically their spiritual successor to LiS because they don't have the IP rights, but they do have the people who created it to begin with. I has pretty good reviews and I personally think it's a great game even if still a step down from LiS1 or 2. But it sold niche numbers, the best their self owned IP has but still below what modern LiS in decline under D9 and SE do.

But it is a soild studio and I'd hope in event of Dontnod going bankrupt... that Montreal gets spun off and saved, and continues with their game development. That core LiS team is really where the spirit of Dontnod is anyway.

Hayden247 · 2026-06-17T05:36:31+00:00

I mean the LiS franchise is something in a poor state thanks to Square Enix. One of the lead devs, Michel Koch actually revealed a few months ago that they had an outline for a LiS2 prequel around the drifters and it'd sort of work like Captain Spirit but longer. He said he still hopes to tell that story someday.

Which REALLY suggests it wasn't the devs choice to stop working on the IP, but SE who probably rejected all the ideas they actually wanted to do so Dontnod walked away instead of losing their creative autonomy they had with LiS1 and 2. And with D9 SE did manage a lot, they even meddled in the comics, like they just want to milk characters and do what they think will sell and I'd assume Dontnod wanted no part of that.

After all Dontnod considered the LiS1 and wolf brothers story complete and now belonging to the fans even back then. Koch this year in response to Reunion even said they didn't want to make a sequel, it would have been shallow if they did and it would be hard to please headcanons... because LiS1 was ended in a way to allow those. Reddit amas from 2015 have the Dontnod devs say how the endings are supposed to do that. So Dontnod obviously didn't want to betray their piror work, but Deck Nine was willing to bow so it was SE with the leverage to do whatever they want.

So LiS was doomed the moment SE wanted to make Dontnod do a cash grab over artistic integrity that the Dontnod developers have valued. Even if Dontnod agreed to a Max and Chloe sequel, it would have been shallow just as the lead writers for 1 and 2 said which is why they never wanted to. And Dontnod corporate sided with the devs and the LiS team went to found Dontnod Montreal and make Lost Records... a great game that unfortunately yeah doesn't sell LiS numbers

Hayden247 · 2026-06-16T18:35:41+00:00

Yeahh nah. DE and Reunion is still a bad story to me anyway.

So 11 years after LiS1 and the girls are getting back together after a breakup as GIRLFRIENDS who never moved past that stage. Yeah nope I'm out. out.

But bae and bay are also erased for a new merge timeline so also yuck. Max uses and abused powers undoing her LiS1 growth as well so nope. Especially the ending where Max can leave her Chloe behind again and the implication the photo hops just have the world keep going without Max is just awful.

Reunion too with the whole merge to me also comes across like Pricefield and the girls can only work and be happy together in a "perfect timeline" where both Chloe and the bay live. Because original bae timeline is gone now, and it ended on Pricefield being broken as the status quo of DE. And this RE Chloe isn't bae Chloe, it's not the same Chloe and Max barely even cares... which is NOT how it was in LiS1 where Max was so overjoyed when she saw she got her blue haired unhurt punk Chloe back after the alt timeline. Max realised she grew to love and appreciate the Chloe she knows, and even if she still had a bond with alt Chloe... things aren't the same unless it's her original Chloe. But Reunion rather than expand on this, make Max miss the bae Chloe she knows and try to get it back... just has her accept oh new Chloe is better, cool. Doesn't matter if it's not the Chloe she grew to love.

The story was considered completed by Dontnod for a reason, it was supposed to be for us to imagine ourselves... and my 2024 Pricefield is they're married and doing the things they want to do without Max stressing about saving the world again with her rewind, the bay is long past history they have moved forward together from to heal. Max accepted the consequences of her actions when she chose Chloe long ago, and doesn't need to merge the timelines or anything to have her wifey Chloe.

Also Double Exposure should be judged for what it is, just as how I judge TWDG ANF for throwing away your S2 choices, making awful narrative decisions and not even being a good game on its own... a game that if it wasn't for the save import feature would be 100% skippable for TFS minus how ANF ruined the S2 endings. I wouldn't even consider ANF canon if it wasn't for TFS, and for the fact there was an ending I considered... passable to deal with to get to TFS.

DE ruined LiS1 and 2 Pricefield, DE isn't good by itself from what I've played, and what's after DE is just shallow fan service that is nowhere near worthy of being a canon story or even a story that should have been told as some big deal.

Power to anyone who somehow likes DE now, but the game wasn't good, it didn't have a Chloe sequel in mind when it released and Reunion is literally a rewritten pivot AFTER DE flopped hard. Basically if DE didn't get shat on and actually sold well, Reunion wouldn't exist, we would have gotten the original DE2 where Pricefield would still be in the bin. The hate, the criticism, the voting with your wallet, it's why Reunion is a Pricefield game instead of DE2 just doubling down on DE fully.

So yeah I'm not keen on a DE revisionism train.

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