I have been a huge fan of Max and Chloe since the original Life Is Strange. So when Life Is Strange: Reunion promised to bring their story full circle, it felt like the ending I had been waiting a decade for. Unfortunately, this reunion doesn’t quite stick the landing.
What made the original so special was its unique storytelling, the weight behind every decision — oh, and the sweet indie pop soundtrack. Those elements remain in Reunion but don’t hit with the same force. Instead, it feels like a rushed farewell with a disjointed story that exists solely to bring Max and Chloe back together.
Rewind, Reconnect, Repeat
Max has traded in time travel chaos for a quieter life, now working as a photography teacher at her old college. While on a short break, she receives a message alerting her to a devastating fire. Rushing back, she finds the school engulfed in flames.
With Safi causing chaos, students trapped in burning classrooms, and Moses and Chloe stranded on a collapsing roof; Max has no choice but to rewind time and try to change the outcome. The opening is immediate and intense, hooking me in the way this series does best.
The strong opening, however, leans heavily on the player’s connection to past entries. Reunion is a direct follow-up to Life Is Strange: Double Exposure, and if you have not played it, you may struggle to connect with the characters. As a result, it often feels more like an extension of that story than something new.
I was also disappointed that we never properly returned to the setting of the original game, Arcadia Bay. Aside from a few glimpses of the lighthouse, there is little room to reflect on what made these characters truly special.
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A Reunion That Feels Rushed
Seeing Max and Chloe reunited is undeniably exciting, especially as a long-time fan. Chloe looks fantastic, with a more mature design that reflects her growth. She still carries that rebellious edge, but there is a clear sense that she now sees the world differently.
Their reunion starts off awkward, which makes sense given how much time has passed. However, that tension fades far too quickly. Before long, they slip back into a comfortable dynamic, almost like no time has passed at all. That shift felt off. After years apart, I expected more weight in those early interactions.
There are key moments where you can choose how far to take their relationship. During one of these, I chose to hold hands instead of kissing Chloe, as it felt like they were still rediscovering each other.
Interestingly, at the end of the game, you can see how other players responded to these choices. A much higher number chose to make them kiss, which surprised me and reinforced how differently I viewed their relationship.
Less Power, Less Impact
In Reunion, Max’s powers have been restricted to her original rewind ability, a noticeable step back from the dimension-hopping time travel seen in Double Exposure. As someone who appreciates the roots of the series, I liked the return to basics, but it does feel strange that her abilities are more limited in what is meant to be the grand finale.
The rewind mechanic remains simple to use, letting you revisit moments and try a different path if things go wrong. While this has always been part of the series, it feels less impactful here, as the ease of rewinding removes the weight behind each decision.
This reduced sense of consequence carries through to the bigger moments. Major choices rarely feel like they shape the outcome of the story, causing key scenes to land a little flat.
The final chapters do raise the stakes, introducing tension and forcing you to make important decisions as you piece together the ‘right’ path to the ‘good’ ending. Even so, by that point, I was already feeling underwhelmed by this reunion.
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Still Pretty, Same Old Tune
Visually, Life Is Strange: Reunion plays it safe. It closely mirrors Double Exposure, seemingly reusing many of its assets. While it still looks good, there is little here that feels new, which is a shame.
There are performance and quality modes available, though the performance option noticeably reduces visual clarity. I found the quality mode, with its cleaner presentation and stable 30fps, to be the better choice.
The indie pop soundtrack has always been a defining part of Life Is Strange, creating those quiet, reflective moments the series is known for. But Reunion leans more into action, leaving fewer opportunities to sit with the music and let those emotional moments land. What is here is great, but I found myself wanting more.
They Deserved a Better Ending
In the end, I am left conflicted. I am glad Max and Chloe’s story has a conclusion, but I am not convinced it is the one they deserved. It feels like a game made for dedicated fans of the series, yet it left me feeling strangely empty.
Life Is Strange: Reunion carries glimpses of what made earlier entries special, but it is time for the series to move forward. A fresh start with new characters, new settings, and reimagined powers could bring back that spark. Most importantly, choices need to carry real weight again.
I would still recommend playing Life Is Strange: Reunion if you want closure for Max and Chloe, even if it didn’t quite reach the heights I was hoping for.
Quest Daily scores Life is Strange: Reunion
7/10
Life Is Strange: Reunion is available now on Playstaion 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam.
A review copy of Life is Strange: Reunion was supplied to Quest Daily for the purpose of this review.
