This is definitely an unpopular opinion, but here's the deal: I think Life is Strange 2 beats Life is Strange.

There's just something about the bond between the Diaz brothers that is so special. Yeah, sure, Daniel is annoying a lot of the time. But if you can get past that, you can really see just how close they grow to each other. Being responsible for Daniel's morality as he grows up is quite a daunting task but it really helps shape the whole game. It actually does feel like you're caring for a younger brother. The whole "wolf brothers" thing is also heartwarming (despite the cringy howling).

Along their journey, the brothers see so many beautiful landscapes typical of the Pacific Northwest region of the US, which is an aesthetic I adore. They travel from Washington to Oregon to Northern California, across to Nevada, down to Arizona and even further (depending on your choices throughout the game). Being able to interact with so many different environments which - if I do say so myself - are so divinely portrayed, is something I will never forget about this game.

Another thing I heavily respect this game and its developers for is the portrayals of racism (both general and institutionalised), police brutality, LGBTQ+ relationships/issues, and vagrancy. I feel like including these sensitive topics really helped strengthen the connection between me as a player and the characters, and made them seem much more relatable.

Speaking of, something I see a lot of people complaining about is how difficult they found it to resonate with the characters due to constantly being on the move. I personally disagree with this. Sure, there are some characters I feel like we deserved to see more of, but you can't deny there are characters that you just can't get enough of. Obviously, for me, Sean is one of them. Something I admire about Sean is (at least in my case) how well he puts up with everything that's going on around him despite only being 16 years old. As someone with extreme anxiety, I can't even imagine dealing with what he has to deal with. Yet, I don't even have to, because the game exists (thank you, Dontnod). I also like the character development, especially of Sean, Daniel and Karen. Obviously, I can't say much without spoiling the game, but that just gives you all the more reason to play it! Right?

If you liked the first Life is Strange game, don't hesitate to try Life is Strange 2 just because of the heavy amount of criticism it gets. You never know, you may be surprised (I can tell you I was). I've now completed it twice, and I actually cried much harder the second time I finished it. Never has a video game ever been better during my second playthrough before.

That must mean something.