It was the summer time of 2017 when all the season of Life is Unusual went up as a free title on the PS Plus month-to-month tier. And whereas this was only a typical auto-download for me, as I at all times do with each different prior PS Plus freebie, I by no means realized how this sport/sequence would form my complete adolescence. Particularly with a personality that I grew so personally connected to, Chloe Elizabeth Value.
See, I have been right here each step of the way in which, from Sean and Daniel’s harrowing highway journey in Life is Unusual 2, Chloe’s prequel rollercoaster journey in Earlier than the Storm, the peculiar but oddly cathartic story of Alex Chen in True Colours. Heck, I even turned infatuated with the unique creators (Dontnod) to the purpose the place I obsessively performed Misplaced Information: Bloom & Rage simply final 12 months.
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Be sure you have some tissues helpful.
Evidently, would DeckNine pull me again within the saddle with Double Publicity? They certain did, even when half of my evaluation for that entry (admittedly) had grace marks written throughout it due to my rose-tinted nostalgia goggles for an grownup Max Caulfield. Look, we do not speak about that sport, and even its half-baked ending. I am certain each different Pricefield stan would agree in a heartbeat, kind of.
However with the revealing of Life is Unusual: Reunion, my expectations have been at a extra cautious state than ever, and my interior teenage self was scared out of his wits about how they have been going to deal with Chloe right here.
And with the credit rolling just some hours in the past on my display screen, I am unable to consider I’ll say it with confidence to you all: DeckNine really managed to hit a full-blown victory lap right here that faithfully concludes this beloved duo’s journey. Simply how did they pull that off, you ask? Nicely, you are going to have to leap within the mosh pit with me right here to search out out.
This evaluation won’t comprise or showcase spoilers associated to the foremost story occasions of Life is Unusual: Reunion. Nevertheless, opinions on sure character developments and revelations will nonetheless be mentioned to an extent.
Starring Mad Max and Her Ravenous Companion in Time
Twin Protagonists, yup, they lastly went forward and did it. You play as each Max and Chloe on this (closely implied) final iteration of their saga, and there’s no higher approach to shut out their remaining chapter than to steer each their fates collectively. You lastly get the prospect to undo the harm to Chloe from Double Publicity by having the ability to form her character motives your self. Nicely, most of them.
However does that mechanically erase the ending or implications of that sport? Nicely, there is a little bit of technicality right here through the beginning choices, which allow you to select the apparent Bay or Bae canon, being mates or having romanced Double Publicity’s romantic pursuits, in addition to whether or not you supported Safi’s actions. It is fairly self-explanatory, however extra on that in a bit right here. Life is Unusual: Reunion kicks off quickly after the fallout from Double Publicity. After impossibly combining two completely different realities in an ex machina try to save lots of each Safi and Caledon College, Max will get roped into one other heated turmoil, actually.
A distressing textual content from Moses makes her rush again to campus from her highway journey, solely to search out all the things set ablaze and in disarray. In a determined try to save lots of everybody and presumably discover out what occurred, she makes use of a Polaroid picture of herself to rewind time sufficient to present her a number of days to trace down the thriller again at Caledon in Lakeport, as an alternative of occurring her gallery journey.
As Max and Moses start to unravel this ticking-bomb arson thriller, we shift to everybody’s favourite (former blue-haired) wildcard punk gal, Chloe Value, who’s sadly going by her personal ordeals as a Music Band Supervisor. Concurrently, Chloe’s having an existential disaster with unusual, nightmarish visions involving her, Max, and Safi. Clearly, who higher to assist her resolve them or discover out their trigger than her ex, whom she broke up with over a darn letter of all issues and hasn’t been involved with for a number of years?
Twin Protagonists, yup, they lastly went forward and did it.
The sport is formally set afoot when Chloe rushes from the Snapping Turtle Bar to rescue Max from her disastrous sneak-in mission on the Abraxas Home – Which I hope the remainder of the DE gamers nonetheless bear in mind, because it is likely one of the central plot components of this sport, with a complete cultist backdrop, to not point out the opposite disastrous arson assault on the campus itself.
Reunion has a comparatively sturdy basis right here for this gameplay loop of constructing you turn between its two foremost characters. The sport is not episodic this time, so it is a one-way lengthy shot the place you swap periodically between each Max and Chloe as they attempt to accomplish their targets and motives to tug the curtain down on this loopy conundrum surrounding Caledon. Each of those characters have their very own method of doing issues, some higher or worse relying on the way you take a look at them.
Take a Shot Each Time You Use Rewind or When Chloe Makes use of Her Sharp Tongue
Everyone knows it would not be a Life is Unusual entry with out you working into the results of your actions, or quite, a few of the decisions that your morbid curiosity bites into alongside the way in which. And with the way you management and deal with two characters this time, what on earth might presumably go fallacious with a quasi-famous photographer with time-warping skills and her Companion in Time, who’s always haunted by the ghosts in her previous? Nicely, non-spoiler alert; it hits the fan tougher than you’d think about, particularly after the subpar high quality from Double Publicity.
Firstly, the factor that stood out to me about this sport instantly was how grounded and laser-focused the narrative felt. A good bit of the plot components, like the entire Avengers-esque ending or everybody in Caledon figuring out about Max’s powers, have been retconned with a easy rationalization: Moses known as it “Storm Amnesia.” A really daring transfer, however not shocking given the (rigorously) excessive expectations from longtime followers for this sport after the earlier iteration’s travesty.
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Good guys end final.
There’s nonetheless quite a lot of floor to cowl, however I needed to rapidly level out the gameplay presentation right here. After she merged realities, this additionally brought on Max to regain her OG Time Rewind potential, and to my shock, they dealt with its inclusion extraordinarily nicely. I actually imply that, even when I desire Dontnod’s design philosophy extra. You might have segments the place you consecutively use Rewind to squeeze a unique reply out of somebody, carry out an motion in a unique method, or use it as a final line of protection; I will not spoil that one, however it’s incredible.
Then again, for all my Earlier than the Storm enjoyers, Chloe’s backtalk segments are again, they usually’re simply as cool as you’d’ve remembered them. Nevertheless, I apologize should you get too overzealous with my assertion there, as a result of there’s fairly actually solely three whole Backtalk encounters. When the completion trophy for all of them popped up, I sat there like Patchy the Pirate, saying, “That is it?”
Fortunately, a smidgen of that disappointment is offset by Chloe’s total rebellious and eccentric demeanor.
Both that or simply going by the briefly up to date journals and the back-and-forth textual content messages on this sport are an absolute delight, and nearly sort of assist break the ice between some intense or quite heated exchanges between the sport’s foremost plot intricacies.
Collectibles make their apparent return with Polaroid Snapshots as soon as once more being the primary focus for Max, whereas Chloe can doodle up some sketches from key factors of curiosity. And should you’re questioning about any puzzles, damaging on that as nicely. Most, if not all, are fairly self-explanatory to finish, they usually simply find yourself feeling like minor setbacks to our two characters – Particularly since most of those are your typical discover X merchandise or interplay spot within the setting quests.
Firstly, the factor that stood out to me about this sport instantly was how grounded and laser-focused the narrative felt.
Additionally, talking of setbacks, the marginally rushed manufacturing high quality was so noticeable right here as a result of there have been numerous events when the character’s face rig glitched out, nearly creating an uncanny impact of them creepily smiling mid-sentence or simply their mannequin being uncharacteristic. That, and the lighting would generally break in some chapters or transitions, requiring full checkpoint resets or sport restarts. This was very annoying to take care of, however then once more, one thing I obtained accustomed to in Double Publicity on an analogous scale.
Certain By Time, Trauma, Existential Dread, and the Phantasm of Alternative
On the core of the sport, you should keep in mind that it nonetheless carries the golden torch that made the primary sport particular. Max and Chloe nonetheless have their signature cringey, tacky one-liners and quips they throw out in environmental interactions. In a single interplay, Max will most likely play out a heartfelt conjecture, however should you work together with the identical factor as Chloe, you may get a wholly reverse end result — throwing out her typical dose of snarky angle with out giving a care if it is a bit greater than somebody might chew. Both that, or she’ll make her occasional witty remarks on different factors of curiosity; simply your common Chloe Pricefield in her pure state.
All the narrative and thriller components of Reunion are genuinely well-written, from begin to end. This is not Double Publicity, the place all of it got here plummeting down halfway and felt like a large trainwreck by the top of it. Precise care went into making this spider-webbed thriller story really feel like a correct front-end detective case, much more so once you understand the sport outright tells you to look and search in every single place for clues or probably hidden deets in regards to the circumstances.
Like, critically, there is a hidden trophy/achievement for locating all of the optionally available proof, and half the playerbase that I interacted with on-line could not discover all of it on their preliminary playthrough. The secrets and techniques and hidden divergences right here can nearly definitely throw you right into a state of skepticism over something you may’ve missed within the sport as a result of, consider me, selecting the true culprits behind your circumstances can instantly influence a number of of the sequential moments within the finale.
Nevertheless, as a lot as I might ramble on about how they launched these surprising stakes or the eye to element to a few of the slow-burning thriller elements of the sport, it simply sadly feels too held again by shoestrings. Once more, making an attempt to keep away from making any comparisons, however simply can not help however really feel as if the repercussions and total ramifications are non-existent on this sport. It has been a recurring case for me since LiS: True Colours, as a result of even in LiS: 2, I knew Sean and Daniel had a lot to lose at each step of their journey, particularly with the brilliantly designed ethical scale for Daniel that would tip the ending’s steadiness in several methods.
Even saying it outright makes me really feel like I am appearing too hypocritical about this entire factor, however darn it, I am standing by it; it nearly felt akin to the Phantasm of Alternative impact, the place my choices and even penalties barely felt multifaceted. And I believe a part of which will stem from how I did not look after half of the characters on this sport, even when they’re unintentionally handled like an afterthought.
Max and Chloe nonetheless have their signature cringey, tacky one-liners and quips they throw out in environmental interactions.
Loretta, Reggie, and Vinh? I used to be really stunned to see them present up for the sport’s ending. Moses? He is most likely the MVP of this sport, particularly with how he acts because the big-brained mental but extraordinarily caring massive bear to each Max and Chloe. Safi? We’ll go over to her in a bit. Amanda’s an absolute darling. I 10/10 would get Princess Leia buns completed simply to twin together with her. As for the remaining, like Yasmin, Owen, and even Lucas? They often simply grow to be fixated on the overarching plot as recurring but integral characters.
I did not really feel the slightest connected to most of them, irrespective of how exhausting I attempted. The highlight is rightfully on Max and Chloe, however that also does not make me wish to sweep this flawed route beneath the rug. They may simply enhance it in the event that they needed to. Correctly incentivize me to take dangers, and if they do not repay, let me face large or in any other case deadly outcomes; do not simply save them for the top, particularly for characters I actually did not assume or care about within the earlier sport/entry. However hey, perhaps that is much more of a sign of Double Publicity’s writing high quality.
Rewinding the Previous, Redeeming the Current, and Discovering Reunion for the Future
To have cherished somebody is to have lived. Heartbreaks actually damage probably the most once you’re infatuated together with your previous, craving for a similar affection as that when important different gave you that nobody else might present thereafter. Max and Chloe’s relationship, relying on which finish of the spectrum you are on right here, was the straw that broke the camel’s again for a lot of. Each the Bay and Bae canons are notoriously mishandled in DE. And going into Reunion, I used to be downright afraid of what they have been going to do with not simply that, however Chloe Value herself, as a result of it nearly appeared like Deck 9 had a private vendetta in opposition to her existence previous to this sport.
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And, scene.
I legitimately cannot consider I am saying this, however Life is Unusual: Reunion felt like probably the most endearing type of relationship reconciliation in video video games to this point. Even when the sport is on-rails, with the entire race-against-time to save lots of Caledon, there are a handful of treasured moments of respite between Max and Chloe, the place they individually attempt to harmonize their fractured pasts. It particularly provides weight to that one scene from Double Publicity through which Max is confessing her previous with Chloe to Safi.
It is additional amplified by the truth that you possibly can management each characters’ dialogue in main eventualities after they’re collectively. It might really feel jarring at first, however I can guarantee you it provides so many variables to their mutual redemption; to how they could not open up, discuss their compressed emotions or regrets about each other, or simply yearn whereas sustaining eye contact. Regardless of my adoration for Ashly Burch and my wanting her to return as Chloe, each Hannah Telle and Rhianna DaVies did an outstanding job reprising their roles, rightfully deserving their flowers.
I legitimately cannot consider I am saying this, however Life is Unusual: Reunion felt like probably the most endearing type of relationship reconciliation in video video games to this point.
Even with these two stealing the highlight at each flip and sign, part of me felt relaxed figuring out we additionally acquired a correct sendoff for Safi as nicely, contemplating no matter that they had deliberate for her beforehand should’ve been revamped. There is a very particular scene together with her and Chloe in direction of the top that I will not spoil, however I can promise you, as somebody who’s been avoidant, self-destructive, and decomposing for a majority of his life, it hit me like a freight practice. And that is excluding others, the place, once more, I am unable to even inform what occurs in them, however let’s simply say that the sport self-consciously mocks one of many intimate moments between Max and Chloe; it is so darn lovely and playful.
I am going to fully agree with anybody any day of the week that LiS 1’s magical feeling and emotional resonance cannot be outmatched, however what I can confidently say with each ounce of my fibre is how Reunion celebrates these two characters in a method you would not count on in any respect. It actively rewards your endurance for sitting by their gradual, awkward moments initially by repaying in full curiosity, with a closure that satisfies followers like me who grew up with them, sufficient to bid them farewell while holding again the tears.
Life is Unusual: Reunion appears like one thing I wasn’t certain we’d ever really get—a honest, tender, and heartfelt goodbye to Max and Chloe that understands why individuals fell in love with them within the first place. It’s removed from excellent, with its technical hiccups, underdeveloped aspect forged, and that lingering phantasm of selection holding it again from true greatness. However the place it actually issues, it delivers. The thriller narrative holds its floor with a slew of twists and pink herrings thrown at you. Most significantly, the emotional depth (lastly) lands with a sort of honesty the sequence has been chasing for a number of years. This isn’t about surpassing the unique; it’s about making peace with its previous. And in some way, in opposition to all of the stacked odds, Deck 9 manages to tug that off in a redeeming vogue. When you’ve been on this journey because the starting, it appears like closure, the sort that quietly sticks with you lengthy after the credit roll as you are waving goodbye.
- Launched
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March 26, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Delicate Violence, Robust Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Medicine
- Writer(s)
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Sq. Enix
- Robust narrative basis with a compelling thriller
- Emotional and satisfying reconciliation between Max and Chloe
- Hidden particulars, new journal entries, and optionally available proof add replay worth
- Laser-focused pacing and dual-protagonist components
- Main decisions usually really feel like they lack actual penalties
- Weak aspect characters with little emotional influence
- Minor but noticeable technical points
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A cheerful ending shouldn’t be at all times assured.
