There were a lot of big announcements to come out of the Xbox Showcase, but the actual biggest announcement was likely the new Life is Strange and the return of original protagonist Max Caulfield.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure was dropped seemingly out of nowhere at the Xbox event in a franchise that many assumed was dormant, if not done entirely. Not only does the franchise live on, but it’s also bringing back fan-favorite Max, the original game’s master photographer with the ability to travel through time.
Fans are having a huge response on Twitter, and it’s honestly heartwarming to see so many people excited for the return of Max after so long.
Max Caulfield is the protagonist of 2015’s Life is Strange, an episodic series about a college student who discovers she can travel backward in time by looking at photos. With her newfound power, Max sets about trying to solve a murder and prevent her friend’s death.
The game infamously ends by facing the player with an impossible decision: go back in time and allow the murder of your friend and possible romantic partner, Chloe, to happen, or allow the entire city of Arcadia Bay be destroyed by a massive hurricane.
Why didn't i know of this before. Plus WHERE IS CHLOE?!
— Archer (@ArcherofChaos) June 9, 2024
You cant bring max back without chloe.
While the game never directly followed the aftermath of Max’s decision, it has enjoyed multiple sequels with different protagonists and gimmicks, including the Chloe-focused prequel Life is Strange: Before the Storm.
The last main release in the series was 2021’s Life is Strange: True Colors, a game which probably would have been my game of the year if it hadn’t come out at the same time as that year’s Guardians of the Galaxy.
No word yet on if the game will canonize one of the original’s endings or feature the protagonists from the other sequels, but none of that matters right now. All the fans really care about is that Max is back.
