For me, the magic of Life Is Strange wasn’t the gameplay. Interacting with objects in the various suburbs the series has taken us to, conversing with a colorful cast of characters, and making increasingly difficult decisions is fun enough, but it’s the series’ hipster, edgy style that sets it apart in the genre. I’m writing this review three days after finishing the game, and the soundtrack is still playing endlessly in my head as I reminisce about epic moments and gorgeous cinematic shots of those quiet moments Max takes in during her tumultuous time at Caledon University. And yes, I’m still debating whether or not I made the right decision on about seven separate occasions.

Double Exposure reunites players a few years later with the somewhat socially awkward Max Caulfield, the prodigal son of an Arcadia Bay photographer. She’s settled into life as a photographer-in-residence at the prestigious Caledon University, trying—and failing—to put the events of her past behind her. She’s made some new friends in the form of the vivacious, ever-confident Safi—a writer with a lot of potential—and a wickedly intelligent, heart-on-his-sleeve astrologer, Moses. The three are seemingly inseparable, bringing out the best in each other, joking around and seemingly telling each other almost everything. Safi, who supports Max’s efforts to shoot some new photos for the next Caulfield Collection, accompanies her to an abandoned bowling alley in the game’s opening scene, teasing Max about her photography philosophy and making witty remarks throughout the excursion. Their relationship feels real, and also a little too familiar. The same kind of friendship Max and a certain tough guy with blue hair probably had in Arcadia Bay.

After almost certainly avoiding death, the two return to campus and meet up with Moses to watch a meteor shower, and that's when things start to get a little weird. Strange brain pains for Max, a mysterious owl, and oh yeah, Safi dies, seemingly murdered under circumstances almost as mysterious as the aforementioned owl.

Desperate and refusing to let another person she cares about meet an untimely end, Max sets out to identify the perpetrator, only to realize that she has wormed her way into a parallel timeline. A timeline in which Safi is still alive. With this ability to shift between timelines, Max sets out to not only unravel the mystery of Safi’s murder, but to prevent it from happening again.