Summary
Max Caulfield is back as the protagonist inLife is Strange: Double Exposure, a sequel to the beloved game from 2015. It is developed by Deck Nine, the team behindLife is Strange: Before the StormandLife is Strange: True Colors, and published by Square Enix. UnlikeTrue Colors, which featured a new protagonist,Life is Strange: Double Exposureputs the player back into the familiar role of Maxine Caulfield, now visibly older compared to her original appearance in the first game.
Double Exposurereturns the series to its roots, by setting up a supernatural murder mystery and using Max’s time rewind mechanic to drive the narrative forward. Thetime rewind inLife is Strangehas widely been viewed as one of the best features in the first game, as it allowed players to creatively engage with the environment and characters to solve puzzles, discover new information, or even escape dangerous situations.Life is Strange: Double Exposurewill seemingly allow players to do the same, but with an added twist – Max will get to experience two parallel timelines, attempting to solve the murder of Safi in one, and preventing it in the other.
Thereveal trailer forLife is Strange: Double Exposuremade its debut during the Xbox Games Showcase, where Deck Nine also revealed its release date of July 05, 2025. The newLife is Strangegame will launch for PC, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. While the trailer confirmed the return of Max Caulfield, other popular characters fromLife is Strange, such as Chloe Price, did not make an appearance. Given that Chloe’s fate is tied to player choices in the first game, it will be interesting to see how Deck Nine handles any possible cameo.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure Brings Back Max Caulfield
Earlier in 2024,Deck Nine announced a string of layoffs, losing roughly 20% of its employees, with many reports that the team also experienced massive crunch during the development ofBefore the Storm,True Colors, andDouble Exposure. While it remains to be seen how it affectedLife is Strange: Double Exposure, layoffs in the gaming industry continue to be a worrisome trend.
Players have long been excited about the possibility of anewLife is Strangegamewith Max Caulfield as the protagonist. While Sean Diaz and Alex Chen are worthy protagonists in their own right, Deck Nine is pivoting back from the anthology model of theLife is Strangefranchise to tell the next chapter in Max’s story. Fans can experienceLife is Strange: Double Exposureand attempt to solve its supernatural murder mystery on July 02, 2025.
