Life is Strange: Reunion

In Life is Strange: Reunion, players revisit the setting of the game, Caledon University, where Max Caulfield works as a photography teacher. After returning from a weekend away, she finds the university ablaze, with a raging inferno destroying the grounds and claiming the lives of her friends, students, and colleagues. Max only escapes the devastation thanks to her Rewind power, which she originally acquired in the first Life is Strange game. This supernatural ability allows her to reverse time. Jumping back in time through a selfie, she now has just three days to work out how the fire began. Chloe Price then arrives at the university, much to Max's surprise - a repercussion of Max merging the timelines at the end of Life is Strange: Double Exposure (2024). Haunted by nightmares of a past she never experienced and with her grip on reality slipping, Chloe needs Max's help. Reunion is thus the successor to Double Exposure - the fact that this game got a sequel at all is surprising, given that it reportedly caused "large losses" at Square Enix and wasn't widely acclaimed by players.

For the first time in the series, players can control both Max and Chloe in the same game - including in conversations, which also influences the chemistry between the characters. They can alternate between the two characters' perspectives as the story unfolds, solving puzzles, collecting information, and saving as many people as possible. Players can use Max's Rewind power to undo and redo decisions, change the course of conversations, and manipulate the environment to solve puzzles. They can also use Chloe's Backtalk ability, quick wits and take-no-prisoners attitude to sway key suspects and access areas that Max cannot reach. Echoes of the burning future can sometimes be perceived by her, and this also provides her with useful information. Building on all the character-led storytelling with mostly binary choices, this game culminates in a finale to the Max and Chloe saga.

Life is Strange: Reunion is more focused than its predecessor and serves as the conclusion to the story of Max Caulfield and Chloe Price — and that's what the entire, nearly ten-hour playthrough is really all about. The game places great emphasis on the relationship between the two protagonists, and the pacing is better handled than in Double Exposure, even if some sections feel too rushed and others too slow. Some supporting characters also receive short shrift. Nevertheless, the game relies on the series' familiar strengths, barely breaks new ground and remains somewhat limited in terms of gameplay. However, it relies entirely on the great characterisation of Max and Chloe, and this works very well.

Life is Strange: Reunion was developed by Deck Nine, an independent game developer based in Westminster, Colorado. They specialise in narrative adventures and describe themselves as immersive storytellers. Deck Nine is best known for its work on recent games in the Life is Strange series, which are published by Square Enix. This includes Life is Strange: Double Exposure, Life is Strange: True Colors and Life is Strange: Before the Storm and Life is Strange: Remastered Collection. However, Life is Strange 1 and 2 were developed by Don't Nod. However, Deck Nine also developed The Expanse: A Telltale Series for Telltale.

The publisher of the game, Square Enix, develops, publishes, distributes and licenses Square Enix and Taito-branded entertainment content throughout the Americas as part of the Square Enix group of companies. Its well-known intellectual properties include Final Fantasy, which has sold over 207 million units worldwide, and Dragon Quest, which has sold over 95 million units worldwide. Their next release is The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, developed by Square Enix and Claytechworks. This new action RPG from the creators of Octopath Traveler and Bravely Default combines HD-2D visuals and action-adventure gameplay for the first time. Unlike the turn-based games, it features real-time combat with seven different types of weapon and Fairy Magic.

Life is Strange: Reunion was released on 26 March 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via the Steam and Microsoft Stores. The Standard Edition of the game for consoles is available at the recommended retail price of €49.99/£44.99. The game is also available in four editions: Standard, Deluxe, Twin Pack (with Double Exposure) and Collector's Edition in the Square Enix Store.

Conclusion

Life is Strange: Reunion is a much better and more focused game than Double Exposure. It's a really satisfying conclusion to Max and Chloe's story.

Features

• Emotional focus on Max and Chloe
• Better pacing and more mystery elements
• Atmospheric setting and great soundtrack