Life is Strange Struggling, Square Enix Seeks Solutions

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

Square Enix is conducting a post-launch survey targeting fans of the Life is Strange franchise after the latest installment, Life is Strange: Double Exposure, received less-than-stellar reviews. The survey delves into various aspects of the game, even directly asking players if they felt the purchase was worthwhile. The feedback gathered will likely shape the direction of future Life is Strange titles.

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 game's reception was muted, scoring a 73 on Metacritic (critic score) and a 4.2 (user score) on the PS5 version. This underwhelming performance is largely attributed to significant narrative choices within the game itself.

Following disappointing sales and subsequent layoffs at developer Deck Nine Studios in December 2024, Square Enix deployed a 15-minute survey to gauge player sentiment. The questionnaire covers key areas of Life is Strange: Double Exposure, including narrative quality, gameplay mechanics, and technical performance. Crucially, it also assesses whether players believed the game was worth the purchase price and how their experience impacts their anticipation for future installments.

Analyzing the Fallout: Why Did Double Exposure Underperform?

The survey results are critical for Square Enix to understand where Life is Strange: Double Exposure fell short of expectations. This contrasts sharply with the positive reception of Deck Nine's previous title, Life is Strange: True Colors, which was lauded for its compelling narrative and emotional resonance. Alex Chen, the protagonist of True Colors, also resonated more strongly with players than the characters in Double Exposure.

While Life is Strange: Double Exposure hinted at potential storylines for future games, the community feedback collected by Square Enix will significantly influence the development of upcoming titles. The balance between fan service and creative vision remains a key consideration, and the extent to which future games will respond to player feedback remains to be seen.