Review: Life is Strange “Episode Two: Out of Time”

I was ready to write Life is Strange “Episode Two: Out of Time” off as more of the same… and then DONTNOD flipped everything on its head at the end of the instalment.

I’m speechless.

That’s not to say that ‘more of the same’ is a damning thing; a similar slow-burn like “Episode One: Chrysalis”, “Out of Time” sees Max leave the confines of Blackwell Academy to explore Arcadia Bay with her newfound old friend, Chloe.

Chloe sucks, by the way.

A whingy, self-involved, useless lump of a girl, Chloe’s like that idiot you’re told to avoid in every after-school video you’ve ever seen. I dislike her immensely; needless to say, the bits of “Out of Time” where you need to babysit her are frustrating. Thankfully, the rest of the episode is quite relaxing and rewarding. With events occurring only a day after episode one — though it’s been months for players — Max explores new leads in Kate’s mysterious story, Rachel’s disappearance, her ever-budding romance with Warren and what’s come of other stories Max started in “Chrysalis”.

Chasing up on leads really drives home the fact that this is a high-school drama; on the whole, super-dramatic events from the day before prove to be far less of a big deal than Max — and possibly, players — made them out to be. Things are a crazy mix of mature and immature at the same time. Max, on numerous occasions, stops to wonder if people like her rather than properly investigate a missing girl.

Of course, some situations aren’t for kids at all. There’s a lot of gunplay in this episode, alongside references to drugs and suicide. Some situations escalate quite quickly, leading you to make some massive decisions by the episode’s end. It’s a strange mix, and one that needs to be refined for future episodes; things sometimes happen to a bit too convenient for my liking.

In breaking the episode down for reviewers, DONTNOD has said that there are multiple endings to “Out of Time”, but not all can be achieved by playing this episode in different ways. If you’ve a desired outcome, you might have to go and replay “Episode One” to steer Arcadia Bay in the direction you’d like. It’s a strange contrast; as much as Max can affect the world around her by rewinding time, she can’t do it all. Sometimes, you can fix something in the long term, but as this episode reinforces, it mightn’t be right for your long game.

Looking at some of the scenario results — as provided by DONTNOD on the provision I didn’t share them — I’m amazed at how different my story could potentially be from that of anyone reading this review. I want you all to play this episode immedidately to get your ending; then, I want to stand around a watercooler and discuss it all with every single one of you. It’s exhilarating.

Less thrilling is that time-travel-as-a-do-over mechanic where “Out of Time” forces you to talk with Arcadia Bay’s inhabitants only to rewind proceedings to choose a new dialogue option in that go-around. It happens way too much. This episode, DONTNOD adds in a memorisation angle to that already tired mechanic not once, but twice. There is a ray of hope though; new developments with Max’s power near the end of this episode have what I believe to be big ramifications for the next.

Besides, any game that references Twin Peaks so blatantly gets a reprieve for any wrong-doing in my book. Though more time spent on interesting characters in Arcadia Bay — Nathan, Victoria and David — rather than Chloe would be even better.

“Out of Time” is a bit of a slow burn at the start, but well worth it. Grab it. Play it. Let’s talk.

Life is Strange “Episode Two” was reviewed using a promotional code on Xbox One, as provided by the publisher. We’re holding off on a final review score until the entire season has been released.