Life is Strange Sequel Seeks Feedback After Sales Disappoint

Square Enix Seeks Fan Input Following Life is Strange: Double Exposure's Underwhelming Reception

Square Enix is conducting a post-launch survey targeting Life is Strange fans, following the less-than-stellar reception of the latest installment, Life is Strange: Double Exposure. The survey delves into key aspects of the game, even directly asking players about its perceived value. Feedback gathered will likely inform the development of future titles in the Life is Strange franchise.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure, released in October 2024, featured the return of fan-favorite protagonist Max Caulfield from the original 2015 game. Despite this, the title received mixed reviews, achieving a Metacritic score of 73 (critics) and 4.2 (users) on PS5. This underwhelming performance is largely attributed to controversial narrative choices within the game.

The situation worsened with Deck Nine Studios, the developer, announcing layoffs in December 2024. In an effort to understand the game's shortcomings, Square Enix distributed a 15-minute questionnaire to Life is Strange fans. This survey probes various elements of Double Exposure, including narrative, gameplay, technical performance, and ultimately, whether players felt the purchase was worthwhile and if their experience impacted their interest in future installments.

Analyzing the Fallout of Life is Strange: Double Exposure

Square Enix clearly anticipated a more positive response to Double Exposure, making the survey results crucial for identifying the game's weaknesses. This contrasts sharply with the overwhelmingly positive reception of Deck Nine's previous work, Life is Strange: True Colors, praised for its compelling narrative and emotional resonance. Alex Chen, the protagonist of True Colors, also resonated more strongly with players than Double Exposure's characters.

While Double Exposure hinted at potential storylines for future entries, the feedback collected by Square Enix will significantly impact the direction of the Life is Strange franchise. The balance between fan service and creative vision remains a key consideration, and the extent to which future games will incorporate player feedback remains to be seen.