First off I love the video a lot!! You made so many great points ... But I have to say something about your points about Daniel and the Choice Mechanics I see a lot of people hating on Daniel and while I understand he can be a handful at times, it's important to consider that Daniel isn't just 9: he also went through EXTREME trauma, was homeless for months and as a 9 year old has the strongest power someone could have. I see a lot of people defending Chloe's bratty and impulsive behavior with her trauma however, Chloe is 20 and acts as bratty as Daniel while Daniel is a 9 year old. He is overly attached to Sean due to having lost his father, all of his friends and never having a proper mother figure. I mean we find out in episode 3 in a flashback that Daniel has always been rather jealous of sean spending time with other people (to which his dad then says that the reason is because sean is somewhat of a parental figure for him)... I mean sean isn't just the older brother. He's kinda his parental figure now. Also another reason why Daniel acts up is because through different dialog options you can find out that Daniel blames himself for A BUNCH. Like the kid has so much shit to deal with. He blames himself for his mother leaving, he blames himself for the cop's death, he blames himself for leaving all of his friends. He literally says that he sees himself as a monster. I get his behavior is annoying but I genuinely can't ever dislike him for it because he could've turned out worse. Also with the low morality and high morality, i think it gives the game a huge replay factor. But the effects definitely show in Daniel's behavior before episodes 4. Mostly in dialog tho. For example in episode 3 if you follow daniel and finn to the heist with cassidy, low morality daniel will actually choke Cassidy (yea that's a thing). But especially the dialog makes it very apparent in very tiny details. Another example would be episode 2 at the Christmas market when that one guy insults Cassidy and Finn: High morality daniel will say "should we do something about this" while low morality daniel will say "We should kick his ass" Like it's a super tiny detail but there are so many dialog changes throughout the game which depend on your choices. You don't teach him skipping stones in episode 1? He'll mention that in episode 3. Your brotherly bond isn't too good? Daniel won't hug sean when freeing him in episodes 5- Personally I find these changes so interesting they really make you feel like you have an impact on Daniel The game in general is a lot more subtle, calmer and grounded than lis1. It plays a lot more on character interactions and the journey, both plotwise and character wise. Obviously that isn't for everyone but I honestly prefer it over the usual typical story telling structure.
Thank you so much for your feedback! In making this video, I tried to partition my personal thoughts as well as what other people seemed to dislike about the game, so my thinking was that since the episodes are a bit longer and more slower-paced than LIS1, people wouldn't be eager to replay the game a second time just to get a few different dialog options. I do love that the game feels more dynamic when you consider all of these different interactions that can be affected by your choices, but for some I imagine it's just not enough for them to play the game a second run through. The first go is sometimes all people will give a full five episode game like this, and my wish was that the game could've illustrated these kinds of differences early on, instead of learning of them after the fact. I don't know how they would do that, but for someone like me who likes the game and has played it twice now, I appreciate the more nuanced take to our decisions this time around. Also, I see your point about Daniel. Prefaced in the intro, I'm not a huge fan of kids, so that definitely fuelled a bit of my bias going into his section of the video. That is most likely just another player to player case of how their perceive Daniel. When I was steering him through the good path on my second play-through, it felt a bit wearing to have most options I chose be whined about by Daniel, so as the player it didn't help incentivize me to pursue the high morality path, except for filming footage for the video. You make great counterpoints though, and that was what I was hoping I would get going into making this video. Thank you so much for watching!
@@Jexonite Hello Lad. I know you made this video a while ago, but I have to ask, where did you learn video editing, and do you enjoy it? I might wanna be one, so Im starting on Filmora 9, and I would love to hear your thoughts
Here's some other little differences that weren't mentioned in the original comment. If you steal a sufficient amount in ep1, it causes Daniel to steal a hula girl toy from Brody. But everyone knows that, right? But did you know that if you don't then confront Daniel about it and tell him stealing is wrong he will steal the Submarine toy from Chris's bathroom in episode 2? The game never makes mention of this. It just appears in his inventory. Another thing is the choice over whether to say Mushroom is in Heaven or not. 96% of players chose in ep2 to say she's in Heaven, but if yoy say Nah (she's just in our thoughts) then Daniel has a different response to Jacob at the campfire in ep3, and depending on your dialogue choices in ep4 you may hear a couple different lines of dialogue from Daniel and Lisbeth. Also, after the ep2 choice on letting Daniel swear or not, there are several lines of dialogue in eps2&3 which are different depending on if he swears. (Daniel can have good morality but still swear.) And then there's the toy Chad steals and potentially breaks. If you got the Power Bear from ep1 he'll take that. Otherwise, he'll rake the etch-a-sketch. And one more thing. The items scattered around the Blood Brothers and Lone Wolf endings are based on which items you got in the game.
I really had a totally different experience when playing this and god I did not know what I was getting myself into. I Had such a big connection, I even became a bit obsessed. it spoke to me because I also lost my dad when I was young and he died when it was only me him and my little sister. So of course I could pretty easily put myself in Sean's shoes. Because I knew how it felt on a certain level. I'm also a big supporter and advocate of BLM and against police brutality in the USA, so that added an emotional connection as well, just knowing the current climate in The USA. having to see your father die in such a cruel injustice way, and having your whole life just shatter in a few seconds, to then later getting blamed for it and having to runway, because you know the law won't side with you. Then trying to raise/protect a younger sibling on the road while being on the run, really seems so heartbreaking and difficult, so I really respect Sean for keeping it together for god know I wouldn't be able too. And the worst part was that a part of me knew, even though this is just a game its a reality for a lot of other people, the story is realistic (except the powers ofc) So many are killed wrongfully by cops every day in the USA, many are put in prison for crimes they did not commit and so many are risking their lives trying to cross that damn border, even if we in this story was on the other side. After Trump and "build the wall" it's no an understatement to say that the treatment of Latin American immigrants in the USA has become worse, hence the racism we can see in this game is also realistic. The scene that killed me the most was the scene with those assholes in episode 5, I chose the option to sing because I was so scared Sean was going to get beat up and damn that was one of the most heart wrecking scenes in the game, especially him driving away saying "FUCK" that was so filled with emotion I had to take a break. It really did make a good job to put you in the shoes of people having to deal with this type of bullshit. Many would say the game was a bit uncomfortable because if you're white, or not of ethnicity in the USA you wouldn't be used to this type of reality. It's the reality we ourselves wish not to see, and something we hope wouldn't be real. Its shows another look of the USA, the darker parts, of a country built on immigrants and the backs of slaves, is now so against the idea of honouring that. Immigrants are one of the most hardworking people and they only wish for a better life, where I live I have a friend with immigrant parents and they really are the sweetest most hardworking people I know. My dentist is the sweetest lady I have met and she is an immigrant and she had to flee her homeland because of war, she talks fondly about her past, and it's just so sad the journey these people had to go through, just to get here, And then get treated as less, seen as just criminals or living off welfare, it's so cruel. Many dismiss the game because its an "SJW leftist game" or "trying to push and SJW agenda" or "it too political" and honestly it's so hilarious how out of touch these people are. it the same people who were really into Detroit become humans and sides with the robots. Or any other science-fictional symbolic for the current race dynamic in the USA. Look at the most popular movies its movies like Hunger games, like Brody said, "Everything is political nowadays" Because it is, look around you. I got the redemption ending the first time because I thought sean looked so tired and done, I didn't think Daniel would actually be able to make it through all those cops. But damn when the cut scenes hit I cried like a baby because it was all so fucking unfair. Everything Sean had to go through and do then just ends up wasting away in prison for a crime he did not commit. So heartbreaking and unfair. The story connected with me on another level, maybe because I could relate to part of it, other because I knew that this story might be fiction but the scenario isn't, and might just be someone reality right now and that totally crushed me.
5:18 I think you missed something pretty crucial here: they weren't going to get paid anyway! Merrill was having trouble paying off the corrupt cops who would shut down the farm if he didn't pay them. Source: listen to Penny in the morning (if you ask him "Cops?") and listen to Merrill's phone call in the other room while you're trimming weeds. Sure, Daniel still went inside when he was told very firmly to stay outside, but he wasn't the reason they didn't get paid. My conspiracy theory is that Daniel was petting Big Joe's dog but when Big Joe walked inside the front door of the building his dog came in and followed him and Daniel was bored so he went where the dog went. But I admit this bit is just a wild theory. The other stuff, however, about Merrill struggling to find money to pay off the corrupt cops - that's canon.
Also, they might NOT need that money to get to Puerto Lobos. IIRC, one of Sean's random thoughts while walking around the camp in ep3 was that they're about at the right amount of money to get to Puerto Lobos but maybe he'd rather stay here with the group longer. Idr if it was more along the lines of "we almost have enough cash" or "we probably have enough cash", but either way, Sean is considering staying in Humboldt longer than he needs while he knows Daniel's getting sick of staying there and working on the farm.
I really like your video. I disagree with part of it but I still liked it. As an 18 yr old Latino-American with a younger brother the story really spoke to me. Daniel’s character reminded me of when my little brother was younger and it just made me feel stuff. My experiences are definitely not universal though so your feelings about Daniel are super understandable.
it spoke to me as well having lost a father young and him dying with only me and my sister there, I know how that feels on a certain level. I'm also a big supporter of BLM and against police brutality in the USA, so that added a lot as well. having to see your father die in such injustice and then later getting blamed for it and having to runway, with trying to raise/protect a younger sibling on the road, really seems so heartbreaking and difficult, so I really respect sean for keeping it together for good know I probably wouldn't be able if it was me. I got the redemption ending the first time because sean looked so fucking tired and I didn't think Daniel would actually be able to make it through all those cops. But damn when the cut scenes hit I cried like a baby because it was all so fucking unfair. Everything Sean had to go through and do then just ends up wasting away in prison for a crime he did not commit. So heartbreaking and unfair.
Is it just me or did anyone else really enjoy the opening and was really looking forward to the party then felt disappointed when shit hit the fan so suddenly
Same, it helped me empathize/sympathize with Sean. I wanted him to be normal and that was the feeling that lingered for me throughout the game. “I just wanted you to be normal.”
personally i really liked to wait until the next episode coming out even if i had to wait four months.. i mean i got attached to life is strange 2 from the first trailer and the time between the episodes didn't bothered me much. it was fun waiting and coming up with theories while the fandom was lively and excited too
Wow, I really really enjoyed this video. And disagreed with almost all of it, haha. Hope you don't mind a short essay in this comment! I will preface this by saying that I played the game through almost entirely in one sitting (well... an episode a day for five days, which is almost the same). So your point about the lack of cliffhangers and eagerly awaiting the next episode was one I disagreed with, but that is probably fueled by the fact that I didn't have to wait four months between episodes. But even then, at the end of each episode I was DESPERATE to start the next episode immediately, but had to hold off until the next evening to play. As for further points about the pacing - the extended length of each episode for me, even though I agree at times it felt too slow and grueling, actually helped connect me even more with the story. It felt like a lot of things really were playing out in real, difficult time. This was never a fun roadtrip that two brothers set out on for fun. While there are moments of genuine happiness and tenderness scattered through, the fact that some parts were incredibly long and difficult to slog through genuinely helped me connect with the characters. In a sort of "if this is hard for me to play, imagine how hard it must be for Sean and Daniel to LIVE." "Daniel is a brat" - yes. But I think, at least to me, it's painfully obvious why he's a brat. The comment by Victoria Foley, which you replied to, definitely summed that up best. However, using the example you give in the video - Daniel abandoning his post to cause chaos and stop Sean getting paid - that was only ever a logical thing for me to happen, at least in my playthrough. Yes, it's not a changeable event, because it needs to happen to progress the story, but I think with all the lead up to that moment it never felt changeable to me. Daniel is jealous of Sean spending time with the other people on the weed farm, and he'd already acted out in several ways before then. He's latched on to Finn as a substitute brother figure, because Sean is too much of a parent to him now, and so when Sean lays down the law YET AGAIN, of course Daniel was going to test those boundaries. He never signed up for the wild roadtrip the pair ended up going on, and so many new rules have been put on to him, by someone who he's probably never had to obey and take heed of in that way before. Acting out and pushing the rules and testing Sean seemed natural to me. As did most of the other ways he acts out, again as detailed very beautifully in the other comment I mentioned. The lack of connection that was felt to the characters I think perhaps comes from different people and different experiences. For me, I was attached to Sean and Daniel almost from the get go. I think anyone who's had to look after a younger sibling probably felt the same as me. Through my whole playthrough I found I had one goal: make sure Daniel stays with Sean and make sure that Daniel is safe and cared for. I barely even noticed the morality portion of it because all I cared about was "was Daniel's cough something more sinister" and "had he eaten enough today?" and "if I steal this camping gear, Daniel will be warm and that's all that matters". Even with the moment with the cougar, I let Daniel kill the cat, not because I was thinking on a morality basis but because I was terrified that if he didn't kill the cat, the cat might hurt him in some way. With the other characters, I found ways to connect to all of them in some way. I felt like the game demonstrated beautifully that people can come and go like the wind and you might see them again and you might never even have an opportunity to comment on their blog to let them know you're safe (I am VERY salty that I wasn't able to tell Brody that we were safe when we sneak onto the Granddad's laptop in episode 2!). However, I will say that I agree with you that Lyla was underutilised. I never called her in my playthrough because I was too genuinely scared that the police might track our phone or be monitoring our Grandparents' house for it to be safe. But if that had been an option again in episode 3, I think I would have started doing so. I think, in summary, I agree wholeheartedly with one point that you made: the game was never designed to be like LiS1, where it's two quirky tumblr chicks solving a supernatural (and not so supernatural) mystery, which nearly everyone could insert themselves into on some level. It was much more specific in who it would be relatable to, and that means that it was never going to have the same impact on a massive group of people like LiS1 did. But I don't think that lessened the impact that it did have on the people who were able to relate and connect to the story or characters. But I really did enjoy this video, it made me think a lot about why it hit me very differently than it seems to have hit other players. And for that, I thank you, because as you say in the intro: it's really interesting to watch or read a criticism of something you've enjoyed and to begin thinking critically about it yourself, or at least to analyse why you felt differently about that piece of media.
Wow! First off, thank you very much for your kind compliments and I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Secondly, really REALLY well-written response. Put's my video to shame, honestly. I've been very fortunate that everyone who had disagreed with my opinions had very mature and well-written responses as opposed to something more vicious and vulgar, and your's is no exception. But I think you made a great point about how people who have had to take care of younger siblings could connect more with this game than others. I am an only child, so I didn't have that instant bond that you and many others seemed to have. It's great to hear that you had such a connection to Daniel that it affected how you played the game, with the focus on maintaining his safety and well being. I think that's exactly how they'd hope you'd respond when fashioning certain decision sequences. However, since I didn't have this attachment to them from the start, those sequences left me thinking differently in terms of how to approach them. However, that mostly comes down to how I played it, and perhaps I shouldn't have been as harsh to criticize it from a gameplay perspective, but I was speaking as someone who didn't have this connection to the characters that others did. On your point about the characters that come and go throughout the season, I still think the vignettes we are greeted with could've been stronger. Episode 2 was my least favourite of the bunch, and that's because I didn't feel like Chris' character had much of a well-rounded narrative. I'm sure he had his affect on Daniel and there's a whole sort of conundrum regarding Daniel and his powers in that episode, but I never felt like I was getting through to anything worth wild with Chris or his father. Forgive me, since it's been a while since I revisited these episodes, but the only moment I felt engaged with their stories was when Sean talked to Chris' dad in the car as they got home from tree shopping. Granted, it felt like that episode was more focussed on the brothers' relationship with the grandparents, but I think because that episode left a poor taste in my mouth, it took away some immersion when getting to know the next group of character's we would meet in Episode 3. I think that type of narrative that I was looking for was done better in the fourth episode with Karen. I think how they handled her character and how Sean's perspective of her shifts somewhat in their face-to-face chat was fantastic. It was EASILY the most enthralled I was with this game and that's probably because I saw a bit of MY life sprinkled in those conversations. So while I didn't feel much of a bond with the brothers, I did feel a connection to her in that episode, so it was more effective in reeling me into the world. Plus, I felt like her character had more of an arc that was being achieved. She was regretful for leaving them, and now that she had suddenly re-entered their lives, there's this want to try and repair some burnt bridges with Sean whilst also saving Daniel. I felt like this was quite an emotional climax for Sean and it just hit me different than the other interactions, especially since your responses to her can reflect your real life opinions. I think that for the game to succeed in it's mission, one has to connect with the various different characters we see on their journey, but because they all have different stories that can be effective to different people, I didn't feel that same personal connection to all of them, thus the game didn't work for me like it might've for others. I think because I didn't have that connection to the main characters, I looked at this season more from a technical perspective than one fuelled by immersion. I still feel that the longer episodes at times didn't warrant their length even though I'm sure for many the interactions made in that time were well worth it. What you said about Daniel at the weed farm is a good point, and perhaps I connected more with the anger Sean felt than in terms of putting myself in Daniel's shoes, but it still bothered me from how it was played out. You could also argue that because I had a more bitter temper for Daniel than other players, that affected how I played the game from thereon out and thus got a story that didn't appeal to me as much than if I had played it with my soul interest being in Daniel's livelihood. Generally, I think you make great points about your experience with the game, and I'm glad that you had a more positive time with it than I did. These are, of course, my opinions and so even though you made well founded arguments, I'm still a little reserved when it comes to how I feel about it. Many of these comments in fact have opened my eyes to how MUCH of this video was just my opinion. That being said, it makes me very happy to see people who do disagree with me say why the game means so much to them, because it reminds me of how I felt playing the first game. I love the fact that people who may have more personal associations with these games and these characters can connect with them on such an emotional level. It's what makes Life is Strange such a wonderful series in my eyes. Thank you very much again for watching the video!
Thank you, Madison. you conveyed everything I wanted to say perfectly. My English and grammar isn’t as good as I wish it could be. I just finished this game and played 1 chapter a day, and at the end I thought the game was a solid 9. It never deserved the hate it got. I felt connected to Sean and Daniel more than I did with Chloe an Max. I never thought about the morality of the game as well; because as a big brother to my little sister. I would do anything to keep her safe even if it means stealing food or even begging for food so that she doesn’t have to go to bed hungry. And yeah, I don’t get how some ppl dislike a 9 year old and saying how It’s a deal breaker in game’s writing. sure, he’s a brat sometimes and sometimes they don’t listen to their elder siblings but Daniel could have turned way worse with all the shit he and Sean had to go through. sometimes your little brother or sister, they get jealous When you hang out with your friends it’s perfectly normal. so, I honestly Felt the portrayal of Daniel was very real accurate as little brother to Sean Oh and yeah 2:42 dude was so wrong about LiS2 not having cliffhangers. I was hooked from begging to end. I love how deep the story and adventure was glad I played it.
I connected with LIS2 a lot more than the first game, and listening to your video finally made me realize why. It's because I'm a bigger fan of strong character development & relationships over plot. LIS1 felt to me like a blatant ripoff of the movie The Butterfly Effect, and in a couple cases, it even has the exact same scenes. The characters come off as high school stereotypes until you crack the deeper meaning of what's going on, and some puzzles, I just didn't have the patience for (don't even get me started on Chloe lol). I liked the pacing of LIS2 that gave you more time to absorb everything, but I understand not everyone is a fan of that. I still highly encourage everyone to play this game for the better character development, brotherly relationship, and how racism affects them along their journey. The writing was pretty solid (aside from the few small instances where the narrative can take precedence over player choice, though I think that's one of the pitfalls of choice-based games in general). The game did a great job of portraying the nuances of systemic racism too in things like newspaper articles and Claire's offhanded comments. Overall, the journey was a more raw, emotional one. But if the drastic changes between 1 and 2 aren't your thing, I'd say pass on it.
I like this one a lot more too. Character development >>> Tho I feel like the racist characters were too cartoony and I couldn’t help but laugh at some scenes.
@@disgusting2208 Prior to 2016, I would've thought the same, but sometimes you don't know your neighbors until you know them. At my job, I'd never heard anyone make racist remarks until Trump got elected. Suddenly, this white kid I worked with who I'd thought of as a decent person started going off about trans people and immigrants, and when our black and Latino coworkers were out of earshot, I'd hear the occasional slur from him, as well as an older woman I worked with. Another kid got fired for racial slurs. A few days later, Trump came on the news talking about immigrant caravans and I overheard a couple men in lobby saying "send em all back where they came from", even as my Latino coworkers tried not to lose their shit behind the next wall. Then a man in my hometown was arrested for storming the Capitol this year. Everyone used to think he was "pillar of the community" too. Mind you, I live in the suburbs in the north. I heard worse stories coming out of the midwest where I used to live of several people of color getting beaten, and one disappeared from a bar never to be seen again. The cops did nothing to look for him. So LIS2 didn't seem like much of a stretch to me.
I still feel as if this game is one of the best I’ve ever played, if not THE best. Regardless of your feelings of the game as a whole, we can all agree it’s better than the other two (at the time of writing, True Colors has not released yet.)
I really struggled with liking this game, while still caring about sean and daniel the game has to many under developed characters and a lot of unnecessary side plots. but personally I loved the first game even with its many flaws I really connected with arcadis bay and its residents.
@@tabris95Agreed. I don’t want to get a whole rant into it because I’m too lazy but I HATED True Colors. TLDR; Boring protagonist with no personality (worse than Max,) excruciatingly bad voice acting and a severe lack of good side characters. (Steph is not the saint that people pretend she is, however she wasn’t unwelcome to me. Ryan is one note but I do like him. Jed was fun and respectable but had the dumbest plot twist ever. The cop who I don’t remember was fine. I hated the kid. So much. I purposely didn’t tell my brother where he was going in hopes that it killed him. ) Anyways I hated the game and the lack of endings made he hate the price tag more. Before the Storm was worth more money than that trash pile.
@@itgetsdarker And here's me... I HATE LiS2. The main protagonist is not the problem but everything else is, the brother is annoying, any good character is at max 1 ep in the game, I APSOLUTLY HATED Keren(that selfish bitch) and the church plot is just... dafuq. And the thing that pisses me off the most is HOW FUCKING RETARDED is the whole thing that happened in ep1... the whole thing hinges on "White MURICA bad, yu go jal" with logic being trown out the window.(P.S. Im not even from America and I found it wtf) And LiS True colors is my favorite, no over the top story, no weird bs excuses... Its a uplifting story about characters and finding home. LiS1 and LiSTC fight for my N.1 slot in the franchise depending on the day and mood.
Finally finished lis2 the other day, after starting it, idk, months and months and months ago? A year ago? I legit don’t remember. I think the lack of plot beats might be a part of why it didn’t grab me, maybe the fact that in LIS1 the town itself felt alive with all the characters and the sequel has none of that. I’m not sure, but it didn’t ever connect with me the same way LIS1 did. i liked the ending, i liked all the possible endings, and i loved the references to LIS1 in episode 5. The third LIS that was just announced looks like it’s gonna take the parts i love about the first game (constant characters, in a constant setting), and apply the improvements that LIS2 made (better choice system, more believable dialogue) and HOPEFULLY will measure up to the first game, or even surpass it? Fingers crossed, i truly think that if they stick the landing, this game can cement the LIS series as an all time great, but that hinges on them learning from the mistakes of past games.
i played lis2 for the first time about a month ago (because i forgot this game existed lol) and the ending left me devastated. i felt helpless at the end, in my opinion i did everything i possibly could have done to protect daniel and ended up with the worst possible ending. daniel was so annoying and ungrateful all of the time no matter what i did. my biggest problem with this game is that there's literally no reason for daniel to have his power. very briefly, in lis1 max discovered her power when she tried to save chloe, and as a consequence of that she had to choose between sacrificing arcadia bay or chloe at the end. so maxine's power = huge consequences. daniel's power = really nothing at the end? besides their person shit they both have to deal with throughout the whole game. but it's literally nothing compared to lis1. don't know if anyone understands what I mean but whatever.
Nope, don't understand. What is the reason for Max's power? It seems like you summing it up as her ability to change things at the end. Daniel's power changes throughout
@@CherryWisienka I see why you'd think that, but there is no point to the power. It just is. Same with Daniel. In case of your opinion Daniel's power saves the brothers.and others throughout the game
This game isn't for casual players or people who don't understand nuance. I honestly think playing the game a second time makes it even better though I totally get why that would turn some people off. Literally just in reading comments about people's game play experience shows me how much my decisions matter. And you can't rewind and do it again. That really makes the game more impactful as we don't have rewind powers in real life. I mean we don't have telekinesis either but you get what I mean. Lol
It certainly didn't help that Dontnod decided to release these episodes 3-4 months apart. I was checked out by episode 3 because it didn't feel worth it to wait all that time just for the story to be filled with nothing
They do poke fun at people forgetting about Jacob IN ep3 though, where Merrill forgets Jacob's name a couple times. So they know you're likely to forget him. Anyway, I was expecting that Jacob took Daniel since I played ep3, so people who were invested in the story could certainly remember Jacob.
They didn't have a good enough reason to escape to Mexico, which is the whole point of the game. Everything would've been better if they just surrendered immediately. Devs could've actually made up for this by having an ending that's actually better compared where they started, but none is. I couldn't understand Sean's motivation, and rather than making choices I felt more like I was in the back seat for this one. Finally, you called out pacing and I agree. The game is about escaping the world rather than getting to know it and the world is what makes these games so special to me. World and story, and this game had none.
so it wasn’t just me who kept getting stuck in a corner while daniel would block me especially at the reynolds house (oh also another opinion on this game) why did they think that they could just break the boarder and go thru?? mexico has border control too and works super closely with the US border control. the foot they stepped into mexico they would be taken to the US and arrested for the murder of the cop
Lol the irony in 10:26 - you're saying that before ep4 there's not much to show in how our raising of Daniel affects the game, and yet you're showing the scene where Daniel prays with Claire in the bedroom. If you had told Daniel Mushroom wasn't in heaven earlier in ep2, he wouldn't be praying with Claire. The options are instead "Claire prayed alone" or "no one prayed." IIRC, whether or not Daniel curses also plays into how he delivers his lines to Claire there. Idr exactly. But then after the weeklong timeskip when Daniel randomly walks over to the photo of Claire's old dog the topic of the dog either "being in Heaven with Mushroom" or being in our thoughts can come up too.
Excellent video, my compliments! I really agree with the things you mentioned. For me, Life is Strange 2 is/stays such an interesting game! I have never played LiS or BtS (but only watched it on RUclips (and liked it)), but this one I purposefully bought (when all episodes were out) and played (over a couple of days) because of its premise - two brothers on the run (on a 'road trip' through America) after a tragic incident, where the older one - the protagonist - has to be (balance being) brother and father at the same time. Ultimately, I love it deeply (it truly was an amazing 'ride'; at times really emotional and heartbreaking) but 'hate' it at the same time (it frustrates me to no end), which is a really strange feeling to have :) (or maybe it is really fitting with the game I played, life _is_ strange after all xD). I was obsessed with it for some time (and still am to some (a lesser) degree), and really can think/talk about it (my active decisions, Seans other decisions, the actions of Daniel and other characters, and the (lack of) impact of your choices on the overall story/oucomes) for hours. Overall though, I am so glad that I actually bought and actively played this one since it really impacted me. I especially bonded with Sean (looks, voice, as well as personality) - love everything about him as a main character! Anyway, thank you for making the video!
There’s a lot I disagree with in this video. However, I have the most to say about your assessment of Daniel when it comes to how Sean’s choices affect his. You say the effects aren’t prevalent until episode 4. However, there are plenty of indicators in the earlier episodes as well: Episode 1 - choosing to steal results in Daniel stealing the toy in the car. Episode 2 - failure to warn Daniel about his swearing leads him to continue it while they’re at Grandma’s house. Episode 2 - Daniel can choose to ignore you when you tell him to tell Chris the truth about his powers, leading to Chris either getting hurt physically or emotionally. Episode 3 - Daniel can, again, choose to ignore your order if you tell him to stay put during the confrontation with Merrill, leading to him getting hurt. Yes, they’re smaller things than in episode 4 where Daniel can choose to kill; however, they’re still important as the earlier decisions lead to the ones in the later episodes as Daniel’s morality is further solidified. All that being said, I enjoyed your video, and I hope you make more!
That ep3 example is really unfortunate because I've seen a streamer complain that their choice on whether or not to use the power didn't matter after they saw Daniel used it anyway. They lacked the context to know that their choice did matter but so did prior choices leading up to it - and it's just that in their case the result was that Daniel still used his power anyway.
Hey dude i know it's still super early on in you youtube career but i know you're gonna blow up soon. I've had youtube reccomend tons of people to me just before their content really took off and i get the same vibe of your stuff. Good luck!
Also, it wasn't mentioned here, but I absolutely love the character arc David went through with the payoff in chapter 5. He was a paranoid asshole who, ultimately, meant well even if he wasn't exactly capable of being productive. But, especially if you picked the Sacrifice Arcadia Bay ending, seeing him have a heartwarming and healthy relationship with Chloe was genuinely a pleasant surprise and I'm happy to see that in a character. Especially one as odious as David.
5:02 honestly, by the end of the game I was ready to loose it on Daniel. Not to mention all the ridiculous abusive shit that happens to Sean. That poor guy got the major short end of the stick in this shitty 8 month journey.
idk tho.. i like it but the whole theme of the game would have to change. would it still be set in the beginning location or follow the same sorta story as Lis2
i found it very difficult to get through this game simply because of how much daniel irritated me. i'm glad im not the only one who disliked his character lol
6:49 okay so… no. the ONLY reason why daniel went to finn was because sean was too busy running around with cassidy to even consider looking in daniel’s direction. so finn took the initiative to stand as a “sean substitute” for daniel simply because daniel knew that sean would just push him away if he went to him. so it wasn’t a “oh he went to finn to rub it in our face” it was a “he’s forced to hang around all these adults on a WEED FARM as a 9 year old child because his big brother refuses to give him emotional support” that’s all👍
I feel like this video missed a LOT of the point. He talks about how helpless they seem and how much of a struggle Daniel can be or that it's less engaging without being able to use your powers, but.. that's the point. Sean is put in a position where he doesn't know anything about being grown, he has to deal with racism despite not knowing how, and Daniel (a 9 year old) has a LOT of playful energy that is wasted due to the horrible circumstances they're given. It's not supposed to be a happy story at all. Sean has to raise his brother correctly and is given more of a burden to carry due Daniel having powers too, and I'm willing to bet that the creator of the video (and similar players) would probably not care about Daniel, or even hate him, if Sean was the one with powers. I see it as a metaphor for Daniel being given "special treatment" as a younger sibling, when in reality, Daniel just needs to be raised forgivingly. A la the scene where the siblings break Esteban's trophy. Basically, I think this video missed the mark with trying to understand the game's point.
I was never a fan of Chloe and Max’s relationship as Chloe just does some really questionable to very messed up things. Although LIS 2 I wouldn’t say is a great game, I did have a better reaction to the sibling relationship. Maybe cause I’m willing to give Daniel more leeway (although not unlimited) vs Chloe where she’s a grown ass adult yet has issues paying drug dealers, is self centric, unwilling to look at different perspectives, wants to steal from the poor, and other things that infuriated me to no end. Although I will admit Daniel can be a little shit a times as well.
I really enjoyed your perspective on this game even if I didn't agree with some of the points. I think a big issue, since it's pitted as a sequel is that expectation that it would be very similar to life is strange. For me, I got more out of walking round listening to Mac's thoughts and having interactions with smaller characters so I got a lot out of conversations like with Chris in life is strange 2. Daniel is an ass but also a young kid and I think him acting out is a interesting mechanic with whether you will stick to your guns on how you raise him. There's a finality that you don't get with max as you can redo even main choices as many times until you leave that area so it felt like my choices had a lot more weight.
The thing that got me about this game is not the social commentary, but the mechanics. The amount of time clipping weed. Oh my god. And having a kid innocently ask ‘Why are they trying to build a wall and keep us out 🥺🥺🥺’ Like I’m white as hell and even when I was 9 I had a fair grasp on what racism was (granted I was 9 and my understanding was essentially ‘be nice to everyone hehe’). This is a poc. They’re going to understand it probably. Also maybe it’s just me but I’m so tired of kids being written as complete brain dead idiots. He’s 9, not 4.
The game series isn't about sequels. It's going to be forever, a new formula each time, a new original idea. Lis1 should never have been made since all of you act like this.
For me, the first life is strange game, before the storm, and true colors are some of the best narrative games I've ever played, (imo), I despised how in your face and incoherent lis2 was, it just completely missed the mark, (again, imo), but no hate anyone that loves it, I respect why they do, it just wasn't for me. 😊
if sean was a pessimistically smarter character it could've hooked me. ffs its 2 kids that don't know what the world is capable of and now with mutant powers that world is about to eat them alive. i feel helpless playing it and every time daniel does some crap i wanted to drink myself to quench the rage. playing a clueless minority just enrages me because i had to be smart to survive the states, i remember working there someone told me if i get punched by an american, i don't get to punch back. these kids are just pity fuel in my honest opinion.
First off I love the video a lot!! You made so many great points
... But I have to say something about your points about Daniel and the Choice Mechanics
I see a lot of people hating on Daniel and while I understand he can be a handful at times, it's important to consider that Daniel isn't just 9: he also went through EXTREME trauma, was homeless for months and as a 9 year old has the strongest power someone could have. I see a lot of people defending Chloe's bratty and impulsive behavior with her trauma however, Chloe is 20 and acts as bratty as Daniel while Daniel is a 9 year old. He is overly attached to Sean due to having lost his father, all of his friends and never having a proper mother figure. I mean we find out in episode 3 in a flashback that Daniel has always been rather jealous of sean spending time with other people (to which his dad then says that the reason is because sean is somewhat of a parental figure for him)... I mean sean isn't just the older brother. He's kinda his parental figure now. Also another reason why Daniel acts up is because through different dialog options you can find out that Daniel blames himself for A BUNCH. Like the kid has so much shit to deal with. He blames himself for his mother leaving, he blames himself for the cop's death, he blames himself for leaving all of his friends. He literally says that he sees himself as a monster.
I get his behavior is annoying but I genuinely can't ever dislike him for it because he could've turned out worse.
Also with the low morality and high morality, i think it gives the game a huge replay factor. But the effects definitely show in Daniel's behavior before episodes 4. Mostly in dialog tho. For example in episode 3 if you follow daniel and finn to the heist with cassidy, low morality daniel will actually choke Cassidy (yea that's a thing). But especially the dialog makes it very apparent in very tiny details. Another example would be episode 2 at the Christmas market when that one guy insults Cassidy and Finn: High morality daniel will say "should we do something about this" while low morality daniel will say "We should kick his ass"
Like it's a super tiny detail but there are so many dialog changes throughout the game which depend on your choices. You don't teach him skipping stones in episode 1? He'll mention that in episode 3. Your brotherly bond isn't too good? Daniel won't hug sean when freeing him in episodes 5-
Personally I find these changes so interesting they really make you feel like you have an impact on Daniel
The game in general is a lot more subtle, calmer and grounded than lis1. It plays a lot more on character interactions and the journey, both plotwise and character wise. Obviously that isn't for everyone but I honestly prefer it over the usual typical story telling structure.
Thank you so much for your feedback! In making this video, I tried to partition my personal thoughts as well as what other people seemed to dislike about the game, so my thinking was that since the episodes are a bit longer and more slower-paced than LIS1, people wouldn't be eager to replay the game a second time just to get a few different dialog options. I do love that the game feels more dynamic when you consider all of these different interactions that can be affected by your choices, but for some I imagine it's just not enough for them to play the game a second run through. The first go is sometimes all people will give a full five episode game like this, and my wish was that the game could've illustrated these kinds of differences early on, instead of learning of them after the fact. I don't know how they would do that, but for someone like me who likes the game and has played it twice now, I appreciate the more nuanced take to our decisions this time around.
Also, I see your point about Daniel. Prefaced in the intro, I'm not a huge fan of kids, so that definitely fuelled a bit of my bias going into his section of the video. That is most likely just another player to player case of how their perceive Daniel. When I was steering him through the good path on my second play-through, it felt a bit wearing to have most options I chose be whined about by Daniel, so as the player it didn't help incentivize me to pursue the high morality path, except for filming footage for the video.
You make great counterpoints though, and that was what I was hoping I would get going into making this video. Thank you so much for watching!
@@Jexonite Hello Lad. I know you made this video a while ago, but I have to ask, where did you learn video editing, and do you enjoy it? I might wanna be one, so Im starting on Filmora 9, and I would love to hear your thoughts
This is a great comment!
Here's some other little differences that weren't mentioned in the original comment.
If you steal a sufficient amount in ep1, it causes Daniel to steal a hula girl toy from Brody. But everyone knows that, right? But did you know that if you don't then confront Daniel about it and tell him stealing is wrong he will steal the Submarine toy from Chris's bathroom in episode 2? The game never makes mention of this. It just appears in his inventory.
Another thing is the choice over whether to say Mushroom is in Heaven or not. 96% of players chose in ep2 to say she's in Heaven, but if yoy say Nah (she's just in our thoughts) then Daniel has a different response to Jacob at the campfire in ep3, and depending on your dialogue choices in ep4 you may hear a couple different lines of dialogue from Daniel and Lisbeth.
Also, after the ep2 choice on letting Daniel swear or not, there are several lines of dialogue in eps2&3 which are different depending on if he swears. (Daniel can have good morality but still swear.)
And then there's the toy Chad steals and potentially breaks. If you got the Power Bear from ep1 he'll take that. Otherwise, he'll rake the etch-a-sketch.
And one more thing. The items scattered around the Blood Brothers and Lone Wolf endings are based on which items you got in the game.
@@Dreamprism If you got Chris's cape, it's shown in their safe in Blood Brothers, it was that important to them :'(
I really had a totally different experience when playing this and god I did not know what I was getting myself into. I Had such a big connection, I even became a bit obsessed. it spoke to me because I also lost my dad when I was young and he died when it was only me him and my little sister. So of course I could pretty easily put myself in Sean's shoes. Because I knew how it felt on a certain level. I'm also a big supporter and advocate of BLM and against police brutality in the USA, so that added an emotional connection as well, just knowing the current climate in The USA.
having to see your father die in such a cruel injustice way, and having your whole life just shatter in a few seconds, to then later getting blamed for it and having to runway, because you know the law won't side with you. Then trying to raise/protect a younger sibling on the road while being on the run, really seems so heartbreaking and difficult, so I really respect Sean for keeping it together for god know I wouldn't be able too. And the worst part was that a part of me knew, even though this is just a game its a reality for a lot of other people, the story is realistic (except the powers ofc) So many are killed wrongfully by cops every day in the USA, many are put in prison for crimes they did not commit and so many are risking their lives trying to cross that damn border, even if we in this story was on the other side. After Trump and "build the wall" it's no an understatement to say that the treatment of Latin American immigrants in the USA has become worse, hence the racism we can see in this game is also realistic. The scene that killed me the most was the scene with those assholes in episode 5, I chose the option to sing because I was so scared Sean was going to get beat up and damn that was one of the most heart wrecking scenes in the game, especially him driving away saying "FUCK" that was so filled with emotion I had to take a break.
It really did make a good job to put you in the shoes of people having to deal with this type of bullshit. Many would say the game was a bit uncomfortable because if you're white, or not of ethnicity in the USA you wouldn't be used to this type of reality. It's the reality we ourselves wish not to see, and something we hope wouldn't be real. Its shows another look of the USA, the darker parts, of a country built on immigrants and the backs of slaves, is now so against the idea of honouring that. Immigrants are one of the most hardworking people and they only wish for a better life, where I live I have a friend with immigrant parents and they really are the sweetest most hardworking people I know. My dentist is the sweetest lady I have met and she is an immigrant and she had to flee her homeland because of war, she talks fondly about her past, and it's just so sad the journey these people had to go through, just to get here, And then get treated as less, seen as just criminals or living off welfare, it's so cruel.
Many dismiss the game because its an "SJW leftist game" or "trying to push and SJW agenda" or "it too political" and honestly it's so hilarious how out of touch these people are. it the same people who were really into Detroit become humans and sides with the robots. Or any other science-fictional symbolic for the current race dynamic in the USA. Look at the most popular movies its movies like Hunger games, like Brody said, "Everything is political nowadays" Because it is, look around you.
I got the redemption ending the first time because I thought sean looked so tired and done, I didn't think Daniel would actually be able to make it through all those cops. But damn when the cut scenes hit I cried like a baby because it was all so fucking unfair. Everything Sean had to go through and do then just ends up wasting away in prison for a crime he did not commit. So heartbreaking and unfair. The story connected with me on another level, maybe because I could relate to part of it, other because I knew that this story might be fiction but the scenario isn't, and might just be someone reality right now and that totally crushed me.
Damn.. I’m sorry for your fathers passing. I enjoyed reading your Comment also:
Thank you for your comment
second video I've watched of yours and honestly I feel like you are destined to get a lot more subs in the future
I'll second that, although third video I've watched now
my first video
5:18 I think you missed something pretty crucial here: they weren't going to get paid anyway! Merrill was having trouble paying off the corrupt cops who would shut down the farm if he didn't pay them. Source: listen to Penny in the morning (if you ask him "Cops?") and listen to Merrill's phone call in the other room while you're trimming weeds.
Sure, Daniel still went inside when he was told very firmly to stay outside, but he wasn't the reason they didn't get paid.
My conspiracy theory is that Daniel was petting Big Joe's dog but when Big Joe walked inside the front door of the building his dog came in and followed him and Daniel was bored so he went where the dog went. But I admit this bit is just a wild theory. The other stuff, however, about Merrill struggling to find money to pay off the corrupt cops - that's canon.
Also, they might NOT need that money to get to Puerto Lobos.
IIRC, one of Sean's random thoughts while walking around the camp in ep3 was that they're about at the right amount of money to get to Puerto Lobos but maybe he'd rather stay here with the group longer.
Idr if it was more along the lines of "we almost have enough cash" or "we probably have enough cash", but either way, Sean is considering staying in Humboldt longer than he needs while he knows Daniel's getting sick of staying there and working on the farm.
LiS2 was so sad but relevant to what's going on in the world. Doesn't deserve the hate. I really cared for Sean and wanted the best for him.
I really like your video. I disagree with part of it but I still liked it.
As an 18 yr old Latino-American with a younger brother the story really spoke to me. Daniel’s character reminded me of when my little brother was younger and it just made me feel stuff.
My experiences are definitely not universal though so your feelings about Daniel are super understandable.
I'm a single child and an immigrant, it spoke to me a lot as well :) Especially the last episode.
it spoke to me as well having lost a father young and him dying with only me and my sister there, I know how that feels on a certain level. I'm also a big supporter of BLM and against police brutality in the USA, so that added a lot as well. having to see your father die in such injustice and then later getting blamed for it and having to runway, with trying to raise/protect a younger sibling on the road, really seems so heartbreaking and difficult, so I really respect sean for keeping it together for good know I probably wouldn't be able if it was me.
I got the redemption ending the first time because sean looked so fucking tired and I didn't think Daniel would actually be able to make it through all those cops. But damn when the cut scenes hit I cried like a baby because it was all so fucking unfair. Everything Sean had to go through and do then just ends up wasting away in prison for a crime he did not commit. So heartbreaking and unfair.
Is it just me or did anyone else really enjoy the opening and was really looking forward to the party then felt disappointed when shit hit the fan so suddenly
Same, it helped me empathize/sympathize with Sean. I wanted him to be normal and that was the feeling that lingered for me throughout the game. “I just wanted you to be normal.”
this came totally out of nowhere, but is super well done!! love it.
personally i really liked to wait until the next episode coming out even if i had to wait four months.. i mean i got attached to life is strange 2 from the first trailer and the time between the episodes didn't bothered me much. it was fun waiting and coming up with theories while the fandom was lively and excited too
Wow, I really really enjoyed this video. And disagreed with almost all of it, haha. Hope you don't mind a short essay in this comment!
I will preface this by saying that I played the game through almost entirely in one sitting (well... an episode a day for five days, which is almost the same). So your point about the lack of cliffhangers and eagerly awaiting the next episode was one I disagreed with, but that is probably fueled by the fact that I didn't have to wait four months between episodes. But even then, at the end of each episode I was DESPERATE to start the next episode immediately, but had to hold off until the next evening to play. As for further points about the pacing - the extended length of each episode for me, even though I agree at times it felt too slow and grueling, actually helped connect me even more with the story. It felt like a lot of things really were playing out in real, difficult time. This was never a fun roadtrip that two brothers set out on for fun. While there are moments of genuine happiness and tenderness scattered through, the fact that some parts were incredibly long and difficult to slog through genuinely helped me connect with the characters. In a sort of "if this is hard for me to play, imagine how hard it must be for Sean and Daniel to LIVE."
"Daniel is a brat" - yes. But I think, at least to me, it's painfully obvious why he's a brat. The comment by Victoria Foley, which you replied to, definitely summed that up best. However, using the example you give in the video - Daniel abandoning his post to cause chaos and stop Sean getting paid - that was only ever a logical thing for me to happen, at least in my playthrough. Yes, it's not a changeable event, because it needs to happen to progress the story, but I think with all the lead up to that moment it never felt changeable to me. Daniel is jealous of Sean spending time with the other people on the weed farm, and he'd already acted out in several ways before then. He's latched on to Finn as a substitute brother figure, because Sean is too much of a parent to him now, and so when Sean lays down the law YET AGAIN, of course Daniel was going to test those boundaries. He never signed up for the wild roadtrip the pair ended up going on, and so many new rules have been put on to him, by someone who he's probably never had to obey and take heed of in that way before. Acting out and pushing the rules and testing Sean seemed natural to me. As did most of the other ways he acts out, again as detailed very beautifully in the other comment I mentioned.
The lack of connection that was felt to the characters I think perhaps comes from different people and different experiences. For me, I was attached to Sean and Daniel almost from the get go. I think anyone who's had to look after a younger sibling probably felt the same as me. Through my whole playthrough I found I had one goal: make sure Daniel stays with Sean and make sure that Daniel is safe and cared for. I barely even noticed the morality portion of it because all I cared about was "was Daniel's cough something more sinister" and "had he eaten enough today?" and "if I steal this camping gear, Daniel will be warm and that's all that matters". Even with the moment with the cougar, I let Daniel kill the cat, not because I was thinking on a morality basis but because I was terrified that if he didn't kill the cat, the cat might hurt him in some way.
With the other characters, I found ways to connect to all of them in some way. I felt like the game demonstrated beautifully that people can come and go like the wind and you might see them again and you might never even have an opportunity to comment on their blog to let them know you're safe (I am VERY salty that I wasn't able to tell Brody that we were safe when we sneak onto the Granddad's laptop in episode 2!). However, I will say that I agree with you that Lyla was underutilised. I never called her in my playthrough because I was too genuinely scared that the police might track our phone or be monitoring our Grandparents' house for it to be safe. But if that had been an option again in episode 3, I think I would have started doing so.
I think, in summary, I agree wholeheartedly with one point that you made: the game was never designed to be like LiS1, where it's two quirky tumblr chicks solving a supernatural (and not so supernatural) mystery, which nearly everyone could insert themselves into on some level. It was much more specific in who it would be relatable to, and that means that it was never going to have the same impact on a massive group of people like LiS1 did. But I don't think that lessened the impact that it did have on the people who were able to relate and connect to the story or characters.
But I really did enjoy this video, it made me think a lot about why it hit me very differently than it seems to have hit other players. And for that, I thank you, because as you say in the intro: it's really interesting to watch or read a criticism of something you've enjoyed and to begin thinking critically about it yourself, or at least to analyse why you felt differently about that piece of media.
Wow! First off, thank you very much for your kind compliments and I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Secondly, really REALLY well-written response. Put's my video to shame, honestly. I've been very fortunate that everyone who had disagreed with my opinions had very mature and well-written responses as opposed to something more vicious and vulgar, and your's is no exception.
But I think you made a great point about how people who have had to take care of younger siblings could connect more with this game than others. I am an only child, so I didn't have that instant bond that you and many others seemed to have. It's great to hear that you had such a connection to Daniel that it affected how you played the game, with the focus on maintaining his safety and well being. I think that's exactly how they'd hope you'd respond when fashioning certain decision sequences. However, since I didn't have this attachment to them from the start, those sequences left me thinking differently in terms of how to approach them. However, that mostly comes down to how I played it, and perhaps I shouldn't have been as harsh to criticize it from a gameplay perspective, but I was speaking as someone who didn't have this connection to the characters that others did.
On your point about the characters that come and go throughout the season, I still think the vignettes we are greeted with could've been stronger. Episode 2 was my least favourite of the bunch, and that's because I didn't feel like Chris' character had much of a well-rounded narrative. I'm sure he had his affect on Daniel and there's a whole sort of conundrum regarding Daniel and his powers in that episode, but I never felt like I was getting through to anything worth wild with Chris or his father. Forgive me, since it's been a while since I revisited these episodes, but the only moment I felt engaged with their stories was when Sean talked to Chris' dad in the car as they got home from tree shopping. Granted, it felt like that episode was more focussed on the brothers' relationship with the grandparents, but I think because that episode left a poor taste in my mouth, it took away some immersion when getting to know the next group of character's we would meet in Episode 3.
I think that type of narrative that I was looking for was done better in the fourth episode with Karen. I think how they handled her character and how Sean's perspective of her shifts somewhat in their face-to-face chat was fantastic. It was EASILY the most enthralled I was with this game and that's probably because I saw a bit of MY life sprinkled in those conversations. So while I didn't feel much of a bond with the brothers, I did feel a connection to her in that episode, so it was more effective in reeling me into the world. Plus, I felt like her character had more of an arc that was being achieved. She was regretful for leaving them, and now that she had suddenly re-entered their lives, there's this want to try and repair some burnt bridges with Sean whilst also saving Daniel. I felt like this was quite an emotional climax for Sean and it just hit me different than the other interactions, especially since your responses to her can reflect your real life opinions.
I think that for the game to succeed in it's mission, one has to connect with the various different characters we see on their journey, but because they all have different stories that can be effective to different people, I didn't feel that same personal connection to all of them, thus the game didn't work for me like it might've for others.
I think because I didn't have that connection to the main characters, I looked at this season more from a technical perspective than one fuelled by immersion. I still feel that the longer episodes at times didn't warrant their length even though I'm sure for many the interactions made in that time were well worth it. What you said about Daniel at the weed farm is a good point, and perhaps I connected more with the anger Sean felt than in terms of putting myself in Daniel's shoes, but it still bothered me from how it was played out. You could also argue that because I had a more bitter temper for Daniel than other players, that affected how I played the game from thereon out and thus got a story that didn't appeal to me as much than if I had played it with my soul interest being in Daniel's livelihood.
Generally, I think you make great points about your experience with the game, and I'm glad that you had a more positive time with it than I did. These are, of course, my opinions and so even though you made well founded arguments, I'm still a little reserved when it comes to how I feel about it. Many of these comments in fact have opened my eyes to how MUCH of this video was just my opinion. That being said, it makes me very happy to see people who do disagree with me say why the game means so much to them, because it reminds me of how I felt playing the first game. I love the fact that people who may have more personal associations with these games and these characters can connect with them on such an emotional level. It's what makes Life is Strange such a wonderful series in my eyes.
Thank you very much again for watching the video!
@@Jexonite Great video man! It invited such great academic discussions.
Thank you, Madison. you conveyed everything I wanted to say perfectly. My English and grammar isn’t as good as I wish it could be.
I just finished this game and played 1 chapter a day, and at the end I thought the game was a solid 9. It never deserved the hate it got. I felt connected to Sean and Daniel more than I did with Chloe an Max. I never thought about the morality of the game as well; because as a big brother to my little sister. I would do anything to keep her safe even if it means stealing food or even begging for food so that she doesn’t have to go to bed hungry.
And yeah, I don’t get how some ppl dislike a 9 year old and saying how It’s a deal breaker in game’s writing. sure, he’s a brat sometimes and sometimes they don’t listen to their elder siblings but Daniel could have turned way worse with all the shit he and Sean had to go through.
sometimes your little brother or sister, they get jealous
When you hang out with your friends it’s perfectly normal. so, I honestly Felt the portrayal of Daniel was very real accurate as little brother to Sean
Oh and yeah 2:42 dude was so wrong about LiS2 not having cliffhangers. I was hooked from begging to end. I love how deep the story and adventure was glad I played it.
Came here after the Taskmaster video. I love your video style. Subscribed! Expecting your channel to grow soon
I connected with LIS2 a lot more than the first game, and listening to your video finally made me realize why. It's because I'm a bigger fan of strong character development & relationships over plot. LIS1 felt to me like a blatant ripoff of the movie The Butterfly Effect, and in a couple cases, it even has the exact same scenes. The characters come off as high school stereotypes until you crack the deeper meaning of what's going on, and some puzzles, I just didn't have the patience for (don't even get me started on Chloe lol).
I liked the pacing of LIS2 that gave you more time to absorb everything, but I understand not everyone is a fan of that. I still highly encourage everyone to play this game for the better character development, brotherly relationship, and how racism affects them along their journey. The writing was pretty solid (aside from the few small instances where the narrative can take precedence over player choice, though I think that's one of the pitfalls of choice-based games in general). The game did a great job of portraying the nuances of systemic racism too in things like newspaper articles and Claire's offhanded comments. Overall, the journey was a more raw, emotional one. But if the drastic changes between 1 and 2 aren't your thing, I'd say pass on it.
I like this one a lot more too. Character development >>>
Tho I feel like the racist characters were too cartoony and I couldn’t help but laugh at some scenes.
@@disgusting2208 Prior to 2016, I would've thought the same, but sometimes you don't know your neighbors until you know them. At my job, I'd never heard anyone make racist remarks until Trump got elected. Suddenly, this white kid I worked with who I'd thought of as a decent person started going off about trans people and immigrants, and when our black and Latino coworkers were out of earshot, I'd hear the occasional slur from him, as well as an older woman I worked with. Another kid got fired for racial slurs.
A few days later, Trump came on the news talking about immigrant caravans and I overheard a couple men in lobby saying "send em all back where they came from", even as my Latino coworkers tried not to lose their shit behind the next wall.
Then a man in my hometown was arrested for storming the Capitol this year. Everyone used to think he was "pillar of the community" too.
Mind you, I live in the suburbs in the north. I heard worse stories coming out of the midwest where I used to live of several people of color getting beaten, and one disappeared from a bar never to be seen again. The cops did nothing to look for him.
So LIS2 didn't seem like much of a stretch to me.
Your videos are really well-made, keep it up
I still feel as if this game is one of the best I’ve ever played, if not THE best. Regardless of your feelings of the game as a whole, we can all agree it’s better than the other two (at the time of writing, True Colors has not released yet.)
I really struggled with liking this game, while still caring about sean and daniel the game has to many under developed characters and a lot of unnecessary side plots. but personally I loved the first game even with its many flaws I really connected with arcadis bay and its residents.
Hi, I'm from the future and LiS 2 definitely ended up being better than True Colors
@@tabris95Agreed. I don’t want to get a whole rant into it because I’m too lazy but I HATED True Colors. TLDR; Boring protagonist with no personality (worse than Max,) excruciatingly bad voice acting and a severe lack of good side characters. (Steph is not the saint that people pretend she is, however she wasn’t unwelcome to me. Ryan is one note but I do like him. Jed was fun and respectable but had the dumbest plot twist ever. The cop who I don’t remember was fine. I hated the kid. So much. I purposely didn’t tell my brother where he was going in hopes that it killed him. ) Anyways I hated the game and the lack of endings made he hate the price tag more. Before the Storm was worth more money than that trash pile.
@@itgetsdarker And here's me... I HATE LiS2. The main protagonist is not the problem but everything else is, the brother is annoying, any good character is at max 1 ep in the game, I APSOLUTLY HATED Keren(that selfish bitch) and the church plot is just... dafuq. And the thing that pisses me off the most is HOW FUCKING RETARDED is the whole thing that happened in ep1... the whole thing hinges on "White MURICA bad, yu go jal" with logic being trown out the window.(P.S. Im not even from America and I found it wtf)
And LiS True colors is my favorite, no over the top story, no weird bs excuses... Its a uplifting story about characters and finding home. LiS1 and LiSTC fight for my N.1 slot in the franchise depending on the day and mood.
Finally finished lis2 the other day, after starting it, idk, months and months and months ago? A year ago? I legit don’t remember. I think the lack of plot beats might be a part of why it didn’t grab me, maybe the fact that in LIS1 the town itself felt alive with all the characters and the sequel has none of that. I’m not sure, but it didn’t ever connect with me the same way LIS1 did. i liked the ending, i liked all the possible endings, and i loved the references to LIS1 in episode 5. The third LIS that was just announced looks like it’s gonna take the parts i love about the first game (constant characters, in a constant setting), and apply the improvements that LIS2 made (better choice system, more believable dialogue) and HOPEFULLY will measure up to the first game, or even surpass it? Fingers crossed, i truly think that if they stick the landing, this game can cement the LIS series as an all time great, but that hinges on them learning from the mistakes of past games.
i played lis2 for the first time about a month ago (because i forgot this game existed lol) and the ending left me devastated. i felt helpless at the end, in my opinion i did everything i possibly could have done to protect daniel and ended up with the worst possible ending. daniel was so annoying and ungrateful all of the time no matter what i did.
my biggest problem with this game is that there's literally no reason for daniel to have his power. very briefly, in lis1 max discovered her power when she tried to save chloe, and as a consequence of that she had to choose between sacrificing arcadia bay or chloe at the end. so maxine's power = huge consequences. daniel's power = really nothing at the end? besides their person shit they both have to deal with throughout the whole game. but it's literally nothing compared to lis1. don't know if anyone understands what I mean but whatever.
Nope, don't understand. What is the reason for Max's power? It seems like you summing it up as her ability to change things at the end. Daniel's power changes throughout
@@silentj624 i don't understand anything you've written
@@CherryWisienka let's start slow. You say there's no reason for Daniel to have his power. What is the reason for max to have hers?
@@silentj624 to save arcadia bay or to save her friend
@@CherryWisienka I see why you'd think that, but there is no point to the power. It just is. Same with Daniel. In case of your opinion Daniel's power saves the brothers.and others throughout the game
This game isn't for casual players or people who don't understand nuance. I honestly think playing the game a second time makes it even better though I totally get why that would turn some people off. Literally just in reading comments about people's game play experience shows me how much my decisions matter. And you can't rewind and do it again. That really makes the game more impactful as we don't have rewind powers in real life.
I mean we don't have telekinesis either but you get what I mean. Lol
It certainly didn't help that Dontnod decided to release these episodes 3-4 months apart. I was checked out by episode 3 because it didn't feel worth it to wait all that time just for the story to be filled with nothing
I’m part of the fan group that chose to save Chloe and expected continuation of first game
11:51 biggest problem: I didnt even recognize the church guy
They do poke fun at people forgetting about Jacob IN ep3 though, where Merrill forgets Jacob's name a couple times. So they know you're likely to forget him.
Anyway, I was expecting that Jacob took Daniel since I played ep3, so people who were invested in the story could certainly remember Jacob.
They didn't have a good enough reason to escape to Mexico, which is the whole point of the game.
Everything would've been better if they just surrendered immediately. Devs could've actually made up for this by having an ending that's actually better compared where they started, but none is.
I couldn't understand Sean's motivation, and rather than making choices I felt more like I was in the back seat for this one.
Finally, you called out pacing and I agree. The game is about escaping the world rather than getting to know it and the world is what makes these games so special to me. World and story, and this game had none.
so it wasn’t just me who kept getting stuck in a corner while daniel would block me especially at the reynolds house (oh also another opinion on this game) why did they think that they could just break the boarder and go thru?? mexico has border control too and works super closely with the US border control. the foot they stepped into mexico they would be taken to the US and arrested for the murder of the cop
Lol the irony in 10:26 - you're saying that before ep4 there's not much to show in how our raising of Daniel affects the game, and yet you're showing the scene where Daniel prays with Claire in the bedroom.
If you had told Daniel Mushroom wasn't in heaven earlier in ep2, he wouldn't be praying with Claire. The options are instead "Claire prayed alone" or "no one prayed."
IIRC, whether or not Daniel curses also plays into how he delivers his lines to Claire there. Idr exactly.
But then after the weeklong timeskip when Daniel randomly walks over to the photo of Claire's old dog the topic of the dog either "being in Heaven with Mushroom" or being in our thoughts can come up too.
Excellent video, my compliments! I really agree with the things you mentioned. For me, Life is Strange 2 is/stays such an interesting game! I have never played LiS or BtS (but only watched it on RUclips (and liked it)), but this one I purposefully bought (when all episodes were out) and played (over a couple of days) because of its premise - two brothers on the run (on a 'road trip' through America) after a tragic incident, where the older one - the protagonist - has to be (balance being) brother and father at the same time. Ultimately, I love it deeply (it truly was an amazing 'ride'; at times really emotional and heartbreaking) but 'hate' it at the same time (it frustrates me to no end), which is a really strange feeling to have :) (or maybe it is really fitting with the game I played, life _is_ strange after all xD). I was obsessed with it for some time (and still am to some (a lesser) degree), and really can think/talk about it (my active decisions, Seans other decisions, the actions of Daniel and other characters, and the (lack of) impact of your choices on the overall story/oucomes) for hours. Overall though, I am so glad that I actually bought and actively played this one since it really impacted me. I especially bonded with Sean (looks, voice, as well as personality) - love everything about him as a main character! Anyway, thank you for making the video!
I enjoyed life is strange 2 mucj more than the first. Max and chloe were like caricatures and i couldnt relate to them at all
There’s a lot I disagree with in this video. However, I have the most to say about your assessment of Daniel when it comes to how Sean’s choices affect his. You say the effects aren’t prevalent until episode 4. However, there are plenty of indicators in the earlier episodes as well:
Episode 1 - choosing to steal results in Daniel stealing the toy in the car.
Episode 2 - failure to warn Daniel about his swearing leads him to continue it while they’re at Grandma’s house.
Episode 2 - Daniel can choose to ignore you when you tell him to tell Chris the truth about his powers, leading to Chris either getting hurt physically or emotionally.
Episode 3 - Daniel can, again, choose to ignore your order if you tell him to stay put during the confrontation with Merrill, leading to him getting hurt.
Yes, they’re smaller things than in episode 4 where Daniel can choose to kill; however, they’re still important as the earlier decisions lead to the ones in the later episodes as Daniel’s morality is further solidified.
All that being said, I enjoyed your video, and I hope you make more!
That ep3 example is really unfortunate because I've seen a streamer complain that their choice on whether or not to use the power didn't matter after they saw Daniel used it anyway.
They lacked the context to know that their choice did matter but so did prior choices leading up to it - and it's just that in their case the result was that Daniel still used his power anyway.
Hey dude i know it's still super early on in you youtube career but i know you're gonna blow up soon. I've had youtube reccomend tons of people to me just before their content really took off and i get the same vibe of your stuff. Good luck!
hell yes was looking for a good life is strange 2 video
Same I just finnished the game as the third was announced lol x
a surprise sure , but a welcomed one
Also, it wasn't mentioned here, but I absolutely love the character arc David went through with the payoff in chapter 5. He was a paranoid asshole who, ultimately, meant well even if he wasn't exactly capable of being productive. But, especially if you picked the Sacrifice Arcadia Bay ending, seeing him have a heartwarming and healthy relationship with Chloe was genuinely a pleasant surprise and I'm happy to see that in a character. Especially one as odious as David.
I love your way to go about these topics and making this video
5:02 honestly, by the end of the game I was ready to loose it on Daniel. Not to mention all the ridiculous abusive shit that happens to Sean. That poor guy got the major short end of the stick in this shitty 8 month journey.
I don’t know what it was about Finn. But man he bothered me and I was so frustrated with him 😅
16:21 I actually do like what they did with Karen
It honestly should’ve been:
Sean (with the powers) and Lyla as his duo
Y e s
Ngl that would’ve made the game a lot more better
idk tho.. i like it but the whole theme of the game would have to change. would it still be set in the beginning location or follow the same sorta story as Lis2
Great video! Life is strange true colors is out now! And in a week wavelengths too
i found it very difficult to get through this game simply because of how much daniel irritated me. i'm glad im not the only one who disliked his character lol
Daniel got on nerves too especially at episode 3
6:49 okay so… no. the ONLY reason why daniel went to finn was because sean was too busy running around with cassidy to even consider looking in daniel’s direction. so finn took the initiative to stand as a “sean substitute” for daniel simply because daniel knew that sean would just push him away if he went to him. so it wasn’t a “oh he went to finn to rub it in our face” it was a “he’s forced to hang around all these adults on a WEED FARM as a 9 year old child because his big brother refuses to give him emotional support”
that’s all👍
I feel like this video missed a LOT of the point. He talks about how helpless they seem and how much of a struggle Daniel can be or that it's less engaging without being able to use your powers, but.. that's the point.
Sean is put in a position where he doesn't know anything about being grown, he has to deal with racism despite not knowing how, and Daniel (a 9 year old) has a LOT of playful energy that is wasted due to the horrible circumstances they're given. It's not supposed to be a happy story at all. Sean has to raise his brother correctly and is given more of a burden to carry due Daniel having powers too, and I'm willing to bet that the creator of the video (and similar players) would probably not care about Daniel, or even hate him, if Sean was the one with powers.
I see it as a metaphor for Daniel being given "special treatment" as a younger sibling, when in reality, Daniel just needs to be raised forgivingly. A la the scene where the siblings break Esteban's trophy.
Basically, I think this video missed the mark with trying to understand the game's point.
Actually they made Chloe's Character like that is to keep the game INTERESTING... the video will not change my perspective about CHLOE 🤗
I gotta say i agree but i still love life is strange. It made me cry
I was never a fan of Chloe and Max’s relationship as Chloe just does some really questionable to very messed up things.
Although LIS 2 I wouldn’t say is a great game, I did have a better reaction to the sibling relationship. Maybe cause I’m willing to give Daniel more leeway (although not unlimited) vs Chloe where she’s a grown ass adult yet has issues paying drug dealers, is self centric, unwilling to look at different perspectives, wants to steal from the poor, and other things that infuriated me to no end.
Although I will admit Daniel can be a little shit a times as well.
Holy shit, you’ve earned urself a sub my friend
I cant tell if this is a hate video or a video loving lis2.
I really enjoyed your perspective on this game even if I didn't agree with some of the points. I think a big issue, since it's pitted as a sequel is that expectation that it would be very similar to life is strange. For me, I got more out of walking round listening to Mac's thoughts and having interactions with smaller characters so I got a lot out of conversations like with Chris in life is strange 2. Daniel is an ass but also a young kid and I think him acting out is a interesting mechanic with whether you will stick to your guns on how you raise him. There's a finality that you don't get with max as you can redo even main choices as many times until you leave that area so it felt like my choices had a lot more weight.
So cool
The thing that got me about this game is not the social commentary, but the mechanics.
The amount of time clipping weed. Oh my god.
And having a kid innocently ask ‘Why are they trying to build a wall and keep us out 🥺🥺🥺’ Like I’m white as hell and even when I was 9 I had a fair grasp on what racism was (granted I was 9 and my understanding was essentially ‘be nice to everyone hehe’). This is a poc. They’re going to understand it probably.
Also maybe it’s just me but I’m so tired of kids being written as complete brain dead idiots. He’s 9, not 4.
really enjoyed hearing ur perspective on things. liked and subscribed (-:
You're in for a ride
So when the hell are they bringing back Max and Chloe??? 5 years and still counting.
Chloe and Max are overrated
Read the comics
The game series isn't about sequels. It's going to be forever, a new formula each time, a new original idea. Lis1 should never have been made since all of you act like this.
Dude get over it ffs or read comics
great video, this guy should do more video game analysis like this one and the hello neighbor video
I really hope you get to play Tell Me Why somehow. It's great.
amazing game!!!
Great video! I hope urik sees this!
For me, the first life is strange game, before the storm, and true colors are some of the best narrative games I've ever played, (imo), I despised how in your face and incoherent lis2 was, it just completely missed the mark, (again, imo), but no hate anyone that loves it, I respect why they do, it just wasn't for me. 😊
R0
G1
B8
if sean was a pessimistically smarter character it could've hooked me. ffs its 2 kids that don't know what the world is capable of and now with mutant powers that world is about to eat them alive. i feel helpless playing it and every time daniel does some crap i wanted to drink myself to quench the rage. playing a clueless minority just enrages me because i had to be smart to survive the states, i remember working there someone told me if i get punched by an american, i don't get to punch back. these kids are just pity fuel in my honest opinion.