With the final episode ofLife is Strange 2released in December 2019, a lot of fans are now comparing it to its predecessor from 2015.
In the original, you play Max, a photography student with the power to control time itself. In the sequel, you play Sean whose younger brother, Daniel, has the power to make objects move on their own. Both stories are pretty different despite being in the same universe with the same choice-based gameplay.
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So here are five reasons we think the sequel is better and five reasons the original is better. Keep in mind that spoilers are ahead.
Updated on June 23, 2025, By Allison Stalberg:On March 18th, the third title of the Life is Strange series was announced. It will feature a female protagonist with powers to absorb the emotions of others. In light of this upcoming title to the popular series, players are taking a closer look at Life is Strange one and two. Each had its strengths and weaknesses. It makes one wonder what the third title will have in store. Will it do a lot with a little and have that dash of humor in Life is Strange one or delve into a journey of mature themes like racism, immigration, and police brutality like in the second title? Both games are brilliant, but their traits make certain players like one more than the other.
14Life Is Strange 2 Is Better: It Has More Endings
The content creators definitely learned from the original that fans were not happy with just two endings. So in the sequel, they doubled the endings you can get. Two of them depend on your final choice, which is to either go to Mexico or turn yourself into the police. The other two are dependent on your younger brother and what you have taught him. Based on what you have taught him, he will also decide whether he agrees with your final choice.
13The Original Is Better: Has Better Pacing
InLife is Strange 2, there are a lot of time skips. In fact, every episode has a time skip happen between them. That sort of story can make players feel more disconnected from the characters and what they are going through.
The originalLife is Strangedoes not utilize time skips like that, even when Max has time-bending powers. While a time skip can happen, it’s always from the perspective of Max who has also time skipped with the player. Players always are part of Max’s journey, while they are not a part of the brother’s journey between the episodes.
Some fans prefer a story of good guys versus bad guy, as it can be satisfying. That is the case in the first Life is Strange. Max and Chloe have one real enemy in their town, the man who kidnapped Rachel. Other conflicts with characters, like Chloe’s step-dad are part of normal teenager problems.
Life is Strange 2takes conflict a major step further in its storytelling. There is no single bad guy to blame their troubles on, because the real monster is the society they travel in. The brothers face abuses from simple shopkeepers, farmers, cops, and even a pastor. While this darker conflict may not make players of the original happy, it is a story much more rooted in reality.
11The Original Is Better: You Spend More Time With Minor Characters
In the original, it feels like there are a lot more characters that matter. This is because you are in one place for the whole game. InLife is Strange 2, you move around so much that you don’t get to stick around with minor characters for very long.
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InLife is Strange, you have a lot of relationships with various characters that are consistent throughout all five episodes rather than just one.
10Life Is Strange 2 Is Better: All Your Choices Matter
This is connected to the fact that this game has four endings instead of just two. InLife is Strange, all your choices may feel like they don’t matter in the end. All that really matters is your final choice: save Chloe or the town. By the end, nothing else you did in the game feels like it mattered.
InLife is Strange 2though, you spend all five episodes teaching your brother about the world and how to deal with his powers. These decisions build up to whether he agrees with whatever decision you make in the end.
9The Original Is Better: You Have The Powers
Being a character with powers utilizes more mechanics and choices in a story. InLife is Strange, you have the power to change the world around you. Most players prefer that kind of game rather than playing a narrative where instead you have to deal with a younger brother with powers.
Having powers in the original added an extra layer to the gameplay. You could discover little secrets, like rewinding time to get someone’s name correct or to get a girl out of the way of a thrown basketball.
8Life Is Strange 2 Is Better: It Is More Of A Journey
InLife is Strange 2, you are on a journey to Mexico. This is an epic undertaking that feels like an adventure. It is more book-worthy in terms of story. You are introduced to new characters in every chapter and end up in new places as well.
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The game even treats the journey like a story from a book, with Sean telling the story from the point of view of wolf brothers who are running away from hunters.
7The Original Is Better: A Dog Doesn’t Die
InLife is Strange 2, a dog dies. It is a cute puppy and while the brothers are not keeping on eye on it, the dog gets killed by a mountain lion.
Seeing people die in video games is one thing, but dogs are different. This is why there arewebsitesdedicated to whether a dog dies or not in a movie, book, or show. It can be too much for our hearts to take.
6Life Is Strange 2 Is Better: Is More Mature
Life is Strange 2deals with some heavy topics and brutal situations. While the original did this too, it was not on a societal level. When we say heavy, we mean mature content about racism, politics, and police brutality.
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The whole journey starts because of Sean and Daniel’s dad being shot by a police officer just because he wanted to check on his kids outside. You also meet a lot of bigots on your way down South.
5The Original Is Better: Has More Humor
While the second game may be more mature, there is also the other end of the spectrum. The original game has some pretty funny moments. Some of the dialogue was especially memorable such as, “Ready for the mosh pit shaka brah?” or “Release the Kra-CAN!”
You could also just find funny things around the school, like inappropriate grafitti and students just being idiots.
