Life Is Strange 2 Arcadia Bay

Life is Strange 2's surprise cameo explained [spoilers]

Life is Strange 2 got a surprise cameo in its terminal episode and Shacknews breaks down what information technology ways. (Alert: Contains spoilers for episode 5.)

Warning: The following contains spoilers for "Wolves," the fifth and last episode of Life is Foreign ii. If y'all have not played this episode, plough back at present.

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(Update: This story has been revised with a statement from Dontnod Entertainment's Michel Koch.)

Life is Strange two concluded its flavor earlier today, wrapping upward the story of brothers Sean and Daniel Diaz. While the story of the Diaz brothers has been a self-independent narrative, by and large free of Dontnod Entertainment'south previous efforts, this is yet a Life is Strange story. That means the door has been open to other elements of the universe that Dontnod has crafted. And information technology looks like fans of the previous game got a special treat in the final episode in the form of an unexpected cameo.

Yes, that'southward David Madsen, who fans of the first game will recognize as Chloe Price's stepfather. He was the former security guard at Blackwell Academy, which acted every bit one of the first game'south primary settings. Hither, it looks like he's mellowed out into a new life in the Arizona desert alongside Sean and Daniel's female parent and the rest of the community members living there.

What makes David'due south appearance interesting is that his cameo acts as an epilogue of sorts for the original Life is Strange. David openly talks with Sean about his past, talking well-nigh how difficult it is to heighten kids who are growing upward and discovering themselves, clearing referring to Chloe. Where the epilogue portion comes in is that he notably refers to his relationship with Joyce, Chloe's mother, in the past tense, stating that they're no longer together. David also discusses what led to his current life, talking about Chloe's death in Life is Strange and how she was gunned down by Nathan Prescott during the first game. He noted that his inability to prevent her death was his greatest failure and led to him completely reevaluating his life. It's presumed that he and Joyce broke up before long after Chloe'south death, which ultimately led David to Arizona.

What's particularly fascinating about David's appearance is that it essentially (inadvertently?) confirms one of the first game's endings as catechism. In the first game, players had the option to sacrifice Arcadia Bay in order to save Chloe by leaving the town to exist destroyed past a massive tornado or to cede Chloe by going back in fourth dimension and allowing her to be killed by Nathan. David's presence implies that Chloe was indeed killed by Nathan and Arcadia Bay is still standing. Afterward, David can exist heard talking on the telephone with Joyce, where they hash out the killing and make information technology sound like the Prescotts are working with their lawyers to accept their son freed from police force custody or prison.

What'southward doubly fascinating nigh that revelation is that Dontnod never meant to brand any of the original LiS endings canon. Let'south go back in fourth dimension to this Shacknews interview with Michel Koch from 2016:

"We were always thinking it would be quite a heavy decision, and I'm not certain of the statistics, only I recollect it'due south about 50/l. It's good, considering we never wanted to accept one ending be the "correct" one and one exist the "wrong" i. It'due south actually the right the i, because the player is choosing it. Y'all are presented with saving Arcadia Bay or Chloe and we actually wanted this conclusion to be yours. We are not saying one is better than the other. You accept to make the determination and sacrificing Arcadia Bay, for usa, is not a bad decision, it is your determination."

[Update: And indeed they haven't. As noted by Koch himself on Twitter, Life is Strange 2 starts out past asking players if they chose to save or sacrifice Arcadia Bay, and then this really suits itself to the player choice. So there is withal no "catechism" ending to LiS1. Shacknews regrets this fault.]

Make of this cameo advent what you lot volition, but also be sure to take it as a fun necktie-in to the original game. Dontnod previously hinted that such a thing might happen. From that same interview:

"I think if we take a take chances to explore Life is Foreign again, of course it would be within the same universe. Peradventure not in Arcadia Bay, just we would accept links. Even if nosotros have new characters, nosotros would take some ties within the stories."

Life is Strange 2's final episode is out now. Look for the Shacknews review for the total season to be up soon.

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at historic period five. He has been into games e'er since, but briefly stepping abroad during his college years. But he was pulled dorsum in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, more often than not spending time helping to button forward the Guitar Hero serial at its peak. Ozzie has get a large fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to proper name a few genres, but he's also a huge sucker for annihilation with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if yous can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?

Source: https://www.shacknews.com/article/115280/life-is-strange-2s-surprise-cameo-explained-spoilers

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