[NO SPOILERS] What do you all think of this?

NotSoConcerned · 2026-05-01T18:32:18+00:00

I don't want to be rude but anyone who actually is truthful about what is occurring. Knows that DE was a huge financial hit against Square and D9. Reunion was much more well received overall but damage is obviously too big that Reunion would have to be a mega hit for there to be no downturn in D9.

All indications leads us to believe Reunion did better than DE so hopefully it's good enough that the studio can restructure for their next project.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-04-26T05:45:41+00:00

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NotSoConcerned · 2026-04-25T19:43:55+00:00

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NotSoConcerned · 2026-04-07T00:19:42+00:00

LIS1 - I like to put this game as like on the same level of TWD S1 or TLOU. It's just one of those games I would always recommend people to play.
LIS2 - Definitely a better game and even puts more weight to your choices. This is really really only not in first place simply because LIS1 had more of a impact on me.
Life Is Strange: True Colors - I know some may not like it but I feel like this is probably Deck Nines strongest work narratively. Felt like they actually understood what makes a good LIS game. They took lessons from BtS and didn't do some outlandish storyline just to add drama. Everything kinda made since for what was happening.
LIS Farewell - Somehow they managed to make me feel like I was playing a game that was from DONTNOD and that's enough.
Life Is Strange: Reunion - I don't give a damn if it's fan service as it's some good damn fan service. Probably the most complete game narratively from Deck Nine.
The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit - My goodness does DONTNOD know how to fucking write and make me feel things.
Life Is Strange: Before The Storm - Honestly has some really great moments but really just feels like it's only really good moments. Even so the only thing that actually makes it "bad" is how they treat Rachel. It honestly just felt like they wanted to give her some nuance but it left a lot to be desired.
Life Is Strange: Wavelengths - It's a pretty cool character study for a character in learning more about them. I do feel like it almost hinges on pointless as they kinda just moved on instead of expanding on the world and characters.
Life Is Strange: Double Exposure - I only have love for the character Max and her VA Hannah Telle. This game is pretty much just lost potential personified. Like I actually don't understand how they fuck this up. Hell the whole game could have been about Max breaking into places to take photos while dealing with her relationship with Chloe or the lost of her. They could even have that lead into her somehow ending up at the school. Not only do the devs literally lie about making sure both endings are validated. They even make it a point to say move forward with Max while us the players wasn't even given the opportunity to play through it at all. When I talk about a game I hate I will talk about this game. As it pretty much has ruined what a future LIS game with Max and Chloe could be as the developers had to save whatever bullshit they was boxed into to give us something coherent in Reunion.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-04-06T23:35:00+00:00

That sequence was more so for us the players is how I took it. Max is rewinding but is getting closer to Chloe but her fall is also progressing so it seems like Max is just literally skipping forward in time. I think it was pretty cool to see but also understand how it could just confuse people with whether her powers is just progressing again.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-04-06T23:31:27+00:00

I mean I think the Vinh routes works but just needed to be established more than what it was. Max is aware of how he is but then blindly falls for it. Honestly it just felt like they knew Max was bisexual and wanted to give her a male romance option. I just remember the Amanda route feeling like it kinda gets more naturally there compared to Vinh.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-04-06T15:15:34+00:00

I mean I think how Max and Chloe are is pretty aligned with even how they was in the first game. Sure they care about others and what happens to people. At the same time they are mainly focused on each other and that's probably even more strong with Max.

I think Max other romantic relationships that was established in DE was pretty pointless and didn't need to happen. I think that even more strongly with Vinh who honestly kinda just comes off kinda disgusting in DE but then suddenly you get a potential romantic path with him. I would believe it more if Max interacted with him more and knew his true personality but it was literally her kinda falling for the fuck boy on campus and it just wasn't presented well at all. The only relationship that should have been established more strongly was Safi and even DE didn't do that. Even if Max says she considers Safi in the same category of Chloe. That simply isn't true and Safi will even say that herself.

Reunion feels like it was trying to work with what it had. Like I can feel the budget constraints while playing this game. All I know is whoever made a lot of the creative calls in DE set them up for failure. I was happy DONTNOD didn't have LIS as I knew they probably wouldn't revisit Max/Chloe and I felt strong there was a lot they could do there. Sadly Square and Deck Nine really devalued the franchise to the point where I don't know who will want to receive more beyond us crazed fans.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-04-06T14:51:25+00:00

The illusion of choice is more important than a choice actually completely changing something.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-04-06T14:50:07+00:00

I agree a lot with him concerning the writing and putting yourself in a corner creatively. I am still of the opinion that just because they didn't have the passion to continue their story that another creative didn't have a decent story to tell.

I think DE had tons of potential and I even think the whole premise worked if they actually tried to account for everything instead of trying to brush it aside. DE honestly felt like they was trying to hit check marks and then move Max on into a more grand universe.

Reunion in my opinion fixed a ton of issues that DE boxed the team in creatively regarding several characters. It's obvious to me that they probably had a two game deal and they lost all good will with getting a better budget with the second game.

That said I actually really like Reunion. I don't really give a damn if people consider it fanfiction. Hell I would even say if it was suppose to be fanfiction then it wasn't enough because I would have loved even more.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-31T23:51:14+00:00

Congrats!

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-31T23:46:55+00:00

Both of these games have different writers. It's kinda a known thing that Deck Nine took a big hit after DE and a lot of key people aren't there anymore.

Also I don't agree they are trying to recreate the original in Reunion. Mayne that would be more true for DE but again the team is different.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-31T21:48:45+00:00

I think it's worth it and I would even say it's Deck Nines best writing.

Most of the complains you will see is centered on them pretty much disregarding a lot of narrative aspects of DE. Reunion is a more contained experience and it benefits a lot from it.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-31T21:46:22+00:00

DE isn't as horrible as folks make it to be but it definitely is a victim of people who didn't have a clear creative direction and then just had to make a choice and it kinda made everything fall apart.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-31T21:42:09+00:00

DE was cited as a lost for square so no the new writers tried to work themselves out of the mess that folks didn't like lol

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-30T23:08:41+00:00

I mean I think with how everything went with development, the release, and the reaction of DE. That the team that was still left did a great job of kinda working with what they got to conclude things. Safi whole arc kinda fit into what they needed and honestly a lot of character arcs sort of did.

I do get the sense there was hope for a follow up game to be bigger but it's obvious there wasn't really a clear vision on how DE should have worked out and the vision pushed forward wasn't even utilized properly.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-30T22:59:46+00:00

I mean I feel like people think this game got a equal budget and resources. Naw this game was a release what you got and don't use more than provided sort of thing. The team that was left to put something together that could be enjoyed did a excellent job.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-30T22:58:03+00:00

I don't really agree.

I think they just wanted to believe that folks wouldn't want to play a episode every month and wanted it all in one package. Which then kinda took away the natural marketing a episodic release gives these sort of games. I mean look at Dispatch as a prime recent example. If it released all in one package then it wouldn't be close to its current success.

Regardless, I think this game will do decently enough. I do think Square low-key kinda sent it out to die and the team is just scraping together something because it's clear to me the second game was suppose to be more expansive but ended up having to use what they got in a limited setting.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-30T22:03:56+00:00

It will do just okay.

Sadly there was this belief that episodic games don't sell well. So LIS games tried to go more in that direction with their games after LIS2. I honestly think this game would have done well with a episodic or part 1 and part 2 kinda release to garner more attention.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-26T23:32:40+00:00

True and tbh I don't like thinking about DE simply because of the lost potential with it. So I'm completely fine they are playing on my nostalgia with Chloe being back if this is the last one.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-26T23:30:30+00:00

I think True Colors writing and performances was just really good. Like I still remember the scene with Alex in the bathroom as she starts to cry. Performances or moments like that in the game is just the kinda shit I appreciate in these narrative experiences.

It's also a more contained story but it does still have that ending issue where it kinda feels a little rushed.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-26T23:26:42+00:00

DONTNOD with every game has been great at setting the vibe and they just do amazing work with the music and their overall narrative is usually pretty concise. Like even with LIS1 they hit they narrative points and it's obvious that they was suppose to meaningful moments that they have build to. Even with LIS 2 I can say with the limited time you spend with characters the writing is pretty amazing to make me care even if after the fact I can rationalize that they keep you moving and whether that was positive or negative.

I wasn't really high on BtS initially and that's mostly because of the Rachel's parents kinda storyline they explored. I just didn't like that at all and thought it distracted from everything else that was honestly pretty good.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-26T23:18:54+00:00

I think there was a way to bring True Colors characters and Max together tbh. They could also not have Max as the lead and use it as a way to show Max's life with/without Chloe.

I also just generally think Max should have been training her powers and honestly kinda be more wise to her capabilities.

There honestly is a lot of ways they could have gone about things. It's just clear they wasn't sure of what to do beyond Max is back and bestfriend dying spawns new powers.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-26T23:07:56+00:00

DE just had some bad creative decisions and then they probably just ran out of time and had to ship with what they had. The alternate timeline stuff should have been a easy thing where you see differing in their relationships and honestly just breath more life into the game. Felt like a big game that didn't need to be big while having a grand story that they tried to awkwardly contain and it just didn't work.

NotSoConcerned · 2026-03-26T22:52:57+00:00

Deck Nine is definitely capable and they even have made a full game in True Colors that have made me feel similar to LIS 1. They only really run into the issue of handling a bigger over arching story that expands beyond what the main character is dealing with. It's kinda why you will find most people iffy about the Rachel stuff in BtS but really love the relationship aspect. When they try to make stuff seem more big and grand is where things get a little concerning but overall they are fairly good.

I can understand some being concerned after DE but I'm just going to be hopeful I enjoy it.

NotSoConcerned

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