episode 2

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Life Is Strange: Is Chloe Destined To Die?

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Chloe

It seems like the universe really wants Chloe Price to die. At least, that’s what it’s starting to look like by the end of the second episode of Life Is Strange. Are the game‘s writers trying to give us a hint? Let’s take a look at what’s happened so far:

  • Chloe was shot in the school bathroom.
  • Chloe will accidentally shoot herself if you tell her to aim for the car bumper in the junkyard.
  • Chloe is just about squished by a train.

That’s three near-death incidents in two days, and two of them were identical – she gets shot in the exact same place (her stomach) two days in a row. Now we can write off the first incident in the bathroom as the story’s inciting scene, but what about the other two? For those who didn’t explore this option, when Chloe and Max are shooting bottles in the junkyard, Chloe asks Max to tell her where to shoot a rusty old car to make it destroy the remaining 3 bottles. If you tell her to shoot the car’s bumper, the bullet will bounce back into Chloe’s stomach.

Wait, what? The bullet bounces off a car bumper and hits Chloe right in the stomach? What are the odds? Okay, so maybe it wasn’t the smartest idea to be playing with a gun while drinking, but still! Of all the directions that bullet could have flown off in, it went straight for Chloe’s stomach. It’s extremely unlikely, and even more so if you take into account that Max saw Chloe shot in the exact same spot the day before by Nathan.

But let’s call the two bullets Chloe’s taken to the stomach a coincidence. There’s still the train drama to deal with. After chilling on the train tracks for a while, Chloe (somehow) gets her foot stuck and can’t get up. And, of course, as soon as you realise this, the train is on its way. The path Max has to take to free Chloe is convoluted and not immediately obvious, so it’s likely you had to rewind at least a couple of times before you got her free – which means you got to watch your friend on the verge of being smooshed several times before you set her free. And let’s not forget how weird it is that she got stuck in the first place. Unless she decided to shove her foot in between the tracks, it’s not exactly clear how she managed it.

In episode 2 alone, both incidents were accidental and, presumably, could just as easily have happened to Max. But it was Chloe who copped it both times. It could be that Life Is Strange adopts the theory in physics that time is immutable. Perhaps Chloe was “destined” to be shot, and all of these near-death incidents are actually just the universe trying to correct itself after Max stuffed it up. It could be that, no matter how many times Max rewinds, she ultimately won’t be able to save Chloe. So are the writers trying to tell us that Chloe’s days are numbered? Maybe they’re tying to soften the heartbreak we’re going to suffer when we watch one of our favourite characters die by making us practice watching it happen over and over again, so we’ll be desensitised to it. It will be interesting to see if Chloe’s habit of dancing with death continues in episode 3, but for now, I’ve got a bad feeling about what’s to come for her.

Guides & Cheats

Where To Find All Optional Photos In Life Is Strange Episode 2

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Life Is Strange Episode 2

Photo

Episode 2 of Life Is Strange was released a couple of days ago. Like the first episode, Out Of Time contains 10 photo opportunities for Max’s scrapbook. In case you missed it, here’s last episode’s photo list. But remember – this article may contain spoilers, so proceed with caution!

Optional Photo 1: Field of View

When you’re in Kate’s dorm room to return her book, you’ll notice a bunny rabbit in a cage tucked away in the corner. All you have to do is stand close to it to make the “Photo” option appear.

Optional Photo 2: Full Exposure

Remember the photo of the squirrel you took in episode 1? We’re heading back to the same place – the tree behind the bench outside the girls’ dorms. You’ll know you’ve got the right tree when you find the words “make art” etched into its trunk. Go to the trash can next to the bench and choose “Use”. (You may have to choose “Look” first.) You’ll pull a half-eaten doughnut out of the bin and leave it for the squirrel. Take a few steps back to get it to approach, and while it’s eating, take a picture.

Optional Photo 3: Processor

You’ll have to be standing in just the right spot for this photo. When you’re outside the Two Whales Diner, you’ll be able to look up at the whale sign on top of the building. The “Photo” option will only be present if you’re standing at the right angle. You need to make sure the sun is just to the right of the whale’s tail. Take a look at the photo hint in your scrapbook to see exactly where it should be and then get into position!

Optional Photo 4: Image Stabiliser

You might have noticed the dirty RV in the diner’s car park. It’s the same one that was in the school’s car park last episode, and if you go up to it now you’ll be chased away by Frank’s dog. If you go to the other side of the diner and through the chain fence next to the homeless woman, you’ll come up behind the dog. Take a picture!

Optional Photo 5: Compressed

Inside the diner, before you meet up with Chloe, go to the bathroom. It’s hard to make out, but that graffiti on the mirror says “Fire Walk With Me”. Take a photo of it.

Optional Photo 6: Pixelated

At the junkyard, Chloe will ask you to bring five bottles for target practice. While you’re looking you’ll see the big old school bus. The number “142” is printed near the top on the side facing the junkyard. This is another tricky angle you’ll have to get – use the hint in your scrapbook for guidance.

Optional Photo 7: Dynamic Range

Beyond the bus, if you go via the train tracks you’ll find a doe on a little hill. It’s the same one from your vision, and it’s kinda spooky. Get as close to it as you can and you’ll add a photo of the doe to your scrapbook. Or will you?

Optional Photo 8: Colorized

After you’ve had fun with the bottles, Chloe will sit back on the hood of a car and hold her gun towards the sky. Before you talk to her, stand on Chloe’s right and take a photos.

Optional Photo 9: Meter Made

When you’re back at school, go visit Warren in the science lab. He’s working on an experiment and he’ll ask you which ingredient he should add. For now, say potassium. His concoction will blow up a little. Now talk to him, and then rewind time. This time, tell Warren to add a LOT of potassium. He’ll now get a slightly bigger explosion. Leave Warren for now and talk to his teacher, Ms. Grant. Choose the “Experiment” option and she’ll tell you to add Chlorine. Now, rewind time again and return to Warren. Tell him to add Chlorine, and this time his potion will nearly blast him out of his chair. Go up to him and take a photos.

Optional Photos 10: Resolution Revolution

The last one for this episode is pretty easy. In your classroom, you’ll see Alyssa standing by the window. Stand behind her and the “Photos” option will appear.

Check back with us once Episode 3 is out for the next round of photo ops.

Reviews & Previews

BioShock Infinite: Burial At Sea – Episode 2 Review

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BioShock

Bioshock Infinite was a bit of a bizarre game. It released to nearly endless praise, only to be called the most overrated game of 2013 weeks after the dust had settled. From the story to the gameplay, it has become quite polarized in its reception as time goes on. Burial At Sea: Episode 1 promised to be as compelling as Infinite, though struck out because of its short length and abrupt conclusion.

Irrational Games assured us that Burial At Sea – Episode 2 would be an intriguing and concrete finale to the series, and it really followed through in this regard.

Burial At Sea – Episode 2 has you playing the role of Elizabeth for the first time in the series, and after a brief and beautiful introduction, picks up exactly where Episode 1 left off. Avoiding spoilers, if you remember what happened at the end of Episode 1, you’re about to have your mind blown at all of the insane twists and turns that are around each and every corner of Episode 2. Like Infinite as a whole, Irrational made the story just as bonkers as before. They managed to tie up Infinite quite nicely, even if there are some iffy parts thrown in.

One of the main problems I had with Infinite and Episode 1 was that they seemed to juggle too many ideas at once, which caused the story to be convoluted and puzzling. The original Bioshock told a story that was JUST as insane, yet made every single twist clear and concise without leaving the player ever feeling unintentionally confused. Episode 2 has the exact same problem that Infinite has, in that you will often wonder what exactly is going on, even when the credits roll.

It’s disappointing to see that they couldn’t flesh out the ideas more, or tell them in a way that doesn’t damage the story itself, but it’s become expectation with Infinite and its DLC at this point. When you manage to figure out everything that has transpired, you will appreciate the story as a whole, as it’s definitely up there on the intellectual scale, offering unique ideas and perspectives that are often not told within the realm of video games. It never manages to hit the level of something like the original Bioshock in my opinion, but it’s a refreshing plot told well if nothing else.

bioshock BAS2

As mentioned earlier, Episode 2 has you controlling Elizabeth. It’s very nice to finally get to see the world through her eyes, as she was undoubtedly the best character in Infinite, and shines even brighter in this piece of content. Every single piece of dialogue Elizabeth speaks is music to the ears, and the writing of her character is top notch. Her personality is strong and consistent, and she’s intelligent, witty and offers a lot of class to the game.
Beyond her, characters such as Atlas and other familiars from Bioshock make their appearances, and it’s wonderful to see them again. Part of what made Bioshock so appealing were the eccentric, deranged, and psychotic characters, and after a brief display with Cohen in Episode 1, we get to see a lot more into the minds of several other standouts.

Unlike Episode 1, Episode 2 doesn’t tease you with the characters. What were brief and seemingly unimportant glimpses at old fan-favourites, become essential key scenes to the plot in Episode 2. They never feel shoehorned in, and it’s actually a pleasant surprise that Irrational gives more insight into the story of the original Bioshock, as well as some of the lore of Infinite. These types of things make the plot and characters very fulfilling for long-time fans, and actually helps with the theories that people have created in response to the often ambiguous aspects of this universe.

bioshock BAS2

Even though the setting and characters are familiar, the gameplay has been drastically changed from Infinite and even Episode 1. No longer are you a gun-toting death machine with octopus vigors and the ability to spawn crows as personal kamikaze fighter jets. Nor are you guessing where the hordes of enemies are hiding and spawning as you get filled with so much lead, that you’d be considered a lethal weapon in some countries. The idea now is that you’re a female Solid Snake. Stealth is the name of the game, and Elizabeth with her vast knowledge, excels in this practice. You must use your new vigors to stalk from the shadows, your sleep-dart crossbow to render foes unconscious, and your occasional weapon to defend yourself when you make a mistake in your tactical approach.
Enemies are laid out cleverly in most areas, but are less in numbers. You will rely on being quiet and using the environment to your advantage to sneak from safe zone to safe zone, as any direct engagement will often lead to your demise. Elizabeth lacks a shield, but makes up for it with her wit.

When not taking part in stealth, you’re often exploring a meticulously designed world filled with nods to previous entries in the franchise and solving basic puzzles to progress. It’s a bite-sized original Bioshock in this regard, as the world is dark and beautiful, but hauntingly devoid of life. Every room is filled with ruin and destruction, but also the leftovers of what was once a beautiful city.

As usual, the set pieces are designed with care in such a way, that you’ll often find yourself stopping to read the many vandalisms and propaganda spread throughout. The environments themselves never get bombastic or over the top like some of the key sections in Infinite, but the design is top notch regardless, and the urge to explore every nook and cranny remains ever present.

bioshock BAS2

Though not perfect in any way, Burial At Sea – Episode 2 delivered a praise-worthy finale to the somewhat disappointing first episode. It wraps up Bioshock Infinite as a whole, while injecting new life into both Infinite and the original Bioshock’s lore. There is a lot of content for people to play with here, and like Infinite, I suspect that Episode 2 will spark endless debates.

Final Score: 8/10