Away.

[rionaleonhart]

I can't believe the last episode of Life Is Strange 2 is actually out. Will I be able to protect my boys? I'm going to try extremely hard.

I've just played through the scene where they reach the wall.



The opening took me very quickly from 'aww, Sean and Daniel are sleeping cuddled up together, that's adorable' to 'DON'T SLEEP RIGHT NEXT TO THE EDGE OF A CANYON, WHAT ARE YOU DOING'

Part of this opening was previously released in teaser trailer form, and this was my response to it at the time:

Riona: They've just released a teaser trailer for the final episode of Life Is Strange 2, and it's the brothers hugging and saying that they love each other, and then the two of them howling like wolves for ten full seconds like the fucking furries they are.
th_esaurus: i'm so glad this game is going to bless you with everything you could ever want

This setting is absurdly beautiful and Sean and Daniel are being absurdly cute, and I have a feeling I'm going to end up absurdly heartbroken.

I think I've raised Daniel well? I hope I've raised Daniel well. He seems to have a sense of morality and to get along well with Sean.

I wasn't sure whether the final episode would go straight into PLOT PLOT PLOT, so I'm glad we still have slow, relaxed exploration scenes.

Daniel's treasure hunt! He's such a kid and it's adorable.

When David said he was a stepdad, 'or, in her case, a stepdouche', I exclaimed 'HOLY SHIT' so loudly that Ginger called out to check on me. I wasn't expecting him to be that David! (I am completely incapable of recognising a character if they've changed their hair.)

It's strange that Sean doesn't really react to David mentioning the death of his stepdaughter. It's a bit of an oversight and makes me wonder whether the David cameo was a last-minute addition. (I wonder what you get in its place if you sacrificed Arcadia Bay.)

The 'climbing up to the canyon and releasing lanterns' part was a very Life Is Strange scene. Just a quiet, beautiful moment, without any stakes: a moment to breathe before the plot hits.

David kept Chloe's 'Parental Advisory: Explicit Content' sign! I'm weirdly touched; it's so opposed to the person he is, but he kept it because it was hers.

Riona: oh no, there hasn't been a major choice yet in this episode, what horrible decision are they going to ask me to make
Game: So, do you hug your mother or not?

I told Daniel we'd be okay in Mexico and he said 'okay, I trust you' and I'm very concerned about whether we'll actually be okay in Mexico. I just want to be worthy of your trust, Daniel!

Daniel's asking why Mexico is walled off but Canada isn't. This poor kid.

I was extremely unhappy when Daniel got shot. That's the second time he's been shot in my playthrough, which is entirely too many times for a ten-year-old.

I do, however, love that this game's creators are just as dedicated to Sean's suffering as I am. Pinned down by bounty hunters and panicking about his brother! Look, yes, I ultimately want Sean to be safe and happy, but I also want him to be knocked around a bit first; half my love for the boy comes from how well he suffers.

I said 'whoops' aloud when Sean called out for Daniel while the police officer was checking on him and the officer went 'er, wait, are you Sean? fugitive Sean Diaz? okay, you're under arrest.'

SO, YES, DANIEL'S UNCONSCIOUS AND SEAN'S BEEN ARRESTED, EVERYTHING'S GOING GREAT.

I wonder if there's going to be a Chrono Trigger-esque 'put on trial for your actions' scene. I, er, might be about to regret going along with Joey's 'make it look like you attacked me' plan for escaping the hospital in episode four.



This game is so stressful, but I'll miss being stressed out by it when I've finished.