| Life Is Strange 2 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Dontnod Entertainment[a] |
| Publisher(s) | Square Enix[b] |
| Director(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Luc Baghadoust |
| Designer(s) | Kevin Poupard |
| Programmer(s) |
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| Artist(s) |
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| Writer(s) |
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| Composer(s) | Jonathan Morali |
| Series | Life Is Strange |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 4 |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | 27 September 2018
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| Genre(s) | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Life Is Strange 2 is an episodic adventure game developed by Dontnod Entertainment and published by Square Enix. Its five episodes were released between September 2018 and December 2019 for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One and later for Linux, macOS and Nintendo Switch. A main sequel in the Life Is Strange series, the game's plot features Hispanic American brothers Sean and Daniel as they travel along the US West Coast as fugitives from the police after the younger brother discovers his telekinetic abilities. In the game, which is played from a third-person perspective, Sean must make crucial decisions that will lead to different branches in the storyline, while serving as a surrogate parent for Daniel.
Following the unexpected success of Life Is Strange (2015), development of a second game started in 2016 after the team completed the retail edition of the first game. The primary creative team behind the original returned for the sequel. The team chose a road movie structure in contrast to the original game, and was inspired by films and novels like Into the Wild and Of Mice and Men. While the game features supernatural elements, the story is mostly grounded in reality, and the team used the opportunity to explore contemporary social issues such as racism, gun violence, and bigotry. The game was teased in May 2017 and a free demo, The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, was released in June 2018 in order to introduce the new setting.
The game received generally positive reviews upon release. Critics praised the story, the relationship between Sean and Daniel, and the gameplay, while reception of the portrayed political themes was divergent. The sparse episodic release schedule and the dialogue were criticized. It received nominations for multiple year-end accolades. Dontnod stated to have shifted its focus to develop their own intellectual properties in May 2021. The series' next main game Life Is Strange: True Colors, developed by Deck Nine, was released in September 2021.
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