After puzzle platformer Jusant and action RPG Banishers: Ghosts of Eden, Don't Nod Entertainment is going back to the well of narrative driven adventure games with it's next title, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage. It was supposed to be launching later this year, but the publisher has since announced it's being held back thanks to the surprise announcement of a new Life is Strange game from Deck Nine.

According to GamesIndustry.biz, Don't Nod explained this in a press release, confirming a new launch window of early 2025 due to "recent trends and developments in the industry." Life is Strange: Double Exposure was unveiled during the Xbox showcase earlier this month, with it already slated to release on October 29 and bring back the very first game's protagonist Max Caulfield. While Bloom & Rage never had an exact re??lease date, it sounds like Don't Nod was considering an October launch too, or at least intended to have it out within the ??same time frame.

As a reminder, Don't Nod was the original developer on the Life is Strange series, but moved on after Life is Strange 2, with Deck Nine taking over. Despite not being involved with the newest entry, Don't Nod CEO Oskar Guilbert not only hopes for Double Exposure to do well, but believes delaying Bloom & Rage will benefit both games in the long run. "We know that many of our fans are eagerly awaiting [Bloom & Rage], just as they are the recently announced next installment of Life is Strange????," he said, "Let's give both titles the space they need to be enjoyed by our players within the large community we have built."

Guilbert's probably not wrong. Bloom & Rage is shaping up to be quite similar to Life is Strange, not just in genre but also general vibes. Its teaser trailers suggest it'll focus heavily on grounded drama between old high-school friends, while still having some supernatural elements. It may star adults instead of teenagers but, at this early stage, it feels like it could've easily been a new Life is Strange game. Given their similarities, there's a chance consumers would opt to buy Double Exposure over Bloom & Rage? or vice versa if they launched around the same time, thus limiting their sales potential. Both games do stand a better chance if one doesn't launch until many months after the ot??her.

I imagine Double Exposure would've fared a lot better since it's part of an established IP, while Bloom & Rage is entirely new. Plus, Double Exposure bringing back a former protagonist in Max gives it an advantage. Although Deck Nine's reputation did take a hit earlier this year following an IGN report about workplace abuse and Nazi symbols being sneaked into the then unannounced Double Exposure. Time will tell if that will at a??ll hamper the game's launch sales.

By comparison, Bloom & Rage has no such controversy swirling around it. "We firmly believe that the wait for Bloom & Rage will be worth it," s??aid Guilbert. "We look forward t?o sharing this new adventure, which we hope will become another memorable chapter in the Don't Nod universe."

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The D is Shattered.

Dontnod Entertainment, the French studio behind Life is Strange, Vampyr, and Twin Mirror, is going through something of a rebranding, and will hencefor?th be kno?wn by its new moniker of simply "Don't Nod". The developer made the announcement in a statement to the press this week.

"We are reintroducing the apostrophe and the space between the words to truly embrace the meaning ??of DON’T NOD. DON’T NOD is two words to represent our tendency to be non-conventional as a company and in the games that we create �as in, we DON’T NOD along to everyone else’s tune," writes the newly named company. "The D [in our logo] is s?hattered, and the N appears within it, signifying that we are not afraid to break the mold. This new logo links our games �meaningful, powerful stories �with who we are as a company."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1_s94ud6Qg

In addition to the reworked name and logo, Don't Nod also unveiled a new website sporting the fresh branding. The site has a community-focused theme, and includes a section where players and fans will be able to upload content related to Don't Nod titles �such as artwork, short stories, and poetry, as well as testimonies and memories of their personal experiences with the company's releases. The company also recently won plaudits for introducing "work-from-home" options for its workforce, a move that also?? opened up further opportunities for remote and satellite employees.

"I am very proud of the journey that DON’T NOD has been on over the past 14 years, " said Don't Nod CEO Oskar Guilbert. "The company has evolved in many ways with a strong will?? to lead the way in creating and publishing meaningful entertainment, through original and rela?table stories, which empower our talents and players to inspire change, however small. This new brand’s visual overhaul will help us convey our core identity."

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A lot to look forward to from Dontnod... even if it's not Life is Strange

Over the past few years, the Life is Strange series has become one of the most recognizable in gaming. Their releases have at least intrigued me every time I see a trailer, so I always look forward to checking out Dontnod games when they drop. It looks like I'm going to have my hands full over the next few years then, because Dontnod has announced that they want to release eight new games by 2025, two of which they've already announced. They plan to publish two new titles �one from Danish studio PortaPlay called Gerda: A Flame in Winter, and one fr??om Studio Tolima, as well as? six of their own original in-house projects.

There are a few rumors circulating as to what Dontnod Entertainment might be working on next. For example, the studio hasn't expanded much into the action RPG genre, so there's a chance that that's something they'd be interested in exploring soon. They also said last year that Life is Strange is not a part of their strategy at th?e moment, as they want to focus on new IPs, so who knows what they might be cooking up.

Of course??, they have really figured out their take on the narrative adventure slice of the games industry, so I think it's safe to assume that they wil?l continue to explore launches in that genre as well, if not immediately, then in the future.

While Dontnod is best known for the inception of the Life is Strange series (two of the main series entries, Life is Strange: Before the Storm and Life is Strange: True Colors, were developed by their sister studio, Deck Nine), their catalogue also includes some other, ??lesser-known titles.

Their debut title Remember Me did moderately well when it was released back in 2013. Their 2018 title Vampyr was a breakout hit when it was the Epic Games Store's free game of the day after its release, garnering 8 million free downloads, and making it "the studio's biggest financial success to date alongside Life is Strange 1," according to Dontnod's 2021 business review.

There's no telling which direction they're going to take the studio in ne??xt, but whatever they do, I'm excited to give it a shot.

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European offices to adapt flexible workspace schedule

European game developer Dontnod Entertainment has announced that it will introduce permanent "work-from-home" options for its workforce. The developer �whose releases include Tell Me Why, Vampyr, and Life is Strange 2 �will offer its employees a variety of options with which to balance their time spent ??working either at home or in Dontnod's Paris and Montreal studios. Emplo??yees who choose office-based work will still be allocated several work-from-home days.

Many workplaces were pushed into work-from-home scenarios due to the onset of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While a lot of workplaces have since returned to pre-pandemic formats, many employers found that the s??hift resulted in a similarly (or more) efficient workplace, with the added bonus of offering better mental health and less travel stress for those who preferred the home environment. Dontnod is the latest company to consider these alternative working options as the business world struggles to regain a sense of balance and normalcy in the pandemic's second year.

"As a human-oriented company, it was the obvious choice to accelerate the implementation of the Fully Remote Organization (FROG) scheme, initial?ly conceptualized before the health crisis began," said the studios in a press release. "A referendum was held internally in O??????????????????????????ctober 2020 to gather feedback on FROG, which was favored by 87% of Dontnodians."

"Keeping a social link is essential in times of extend??ed teleworking and remains a real challenge today for a studio of more than 250 employees. The well-being of our employees is and has always been paramount, and FROG empowers all team members to work in the best possible conditions for them, according to their lifestyles and ways of working."

An added bonus from Dontnod's new initiative comes in the form of remote staff applications, allowing the studio to widen its scope of pos??sible employees, rather than just limiting them to the areas immediately surrounding the studio.

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The studio is focusing on its own IP

Dontnod Entertainment might be well-known for its work on the Life is Strange series, but it won?'t be helming the next en?try in the series. From the sounds of it, the studio is looking to other options as it moves forward.

In an interview with IGN, Dontnod CEO Oskar Guilbert discussed the road ahead for the studio, which has also produced games like Vampyr and Tell Me Why. The Life is Strange intellectual property is not owned by Dontnod, but by Square Enix, and while that doesn't prevent Dontnod's retu??rn, it sounds like the focus for the studio is on what it owns.

"Never say never," Guilbert told IGN. "But for the moment it's not our s?trategy, yeah. We want to create our own IP. That's what we want to do."

The next entry in the series, Life is Strange: True Colors, is being developed by Deck Nine, who also developed the prequel series Life is Strange: Before the Storm. Dontnod, meanwhile, has been working on other narrative games, including Tell Me Why and Twin Mirror.

According to IGN's interview, the studio now has seven projects in the works, six internal and one it is publishing from developer Portaplay. That's a whole lot to handle, but now we'll get to see how the Life is Strange franchise fares in the hands of a new studio.

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Tell Me Why

Dontnod Entertainment, the studio behind titles such as Life is Strange, Vampyr, and Twin Mirror, has announced that it has sold a minority? stake to Chinese conglomerate Tencent.

The French developer agreed to the Tencent investment as part ??of its ongoing efforts to becoming financially secure enough to self-publish its future releases. Tencent's stake equates to something in the region of €30 EUR (roughly $36 million USD) toward Dontnod's capital. In return, Tencent receives a chair on the studio's board of directors.

"We are delighted to welcome Tencent as a Dontnod investor," said Dontnod CEO Oskar Guilbert. "Through this partnership, Dontnod is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the various growth drivers in the video game industry, in particular in China and on mobile platforms[...] The capital increase announced today will enable us to step up and boost ??the roll-out of our development plan, whi??ch aims to capture more value from our original creations by self-publishing more games."

This is only the latest industry move by Tencent this week, as mere days ago it was announced that the multimedia corporation had purchased a majority stake in another relatively small studio, Klei Entertainment. It should be clarified that the two deals are very different in scale, with the Dontnod transaction more of a co??mpa?ny investment, and not anything close to a studio purchase.

Tencent acquires minority stake in Dontnod ??Entertainment [Daniel Ahmad]

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Anarchy in the UK

In today’s contest, UK residents can win a Twin Mirror custom Xbox controller, along with a free copy of the game!

Are all you chaps in ??the UK sad that you can never win physical prizes because most of the contests are US-based? Well, let’s ??change that up a little bit!

We’ve got this really awesome custom-m??ade&nbs?p;Twin Mirror ;Xbox controller to give away to one lucky UK resident. In addition to the gamepad, you’ll also get ?a digital copy of the game to tes??t out that new bad boy!

Check out our review of the game for more detailed impressions, but good news — it’s pretty good! Dontnod’s formula is pushed to beyond its normal?? scope as this time they employ straight-up psychological thriller motif. Expect lots of drama, interpersonal relationships in turm??oil, and out-there concepts in their newest narrative drama.

Sure, we could just give away the game, but let’s make things more in??teresting. Get your hands on this awesome custom controller and play it?? in style!

This custom controller of course works on your family of Xbox consoles, but also your PC. And from what I hear, the Xbox controller is the best way to play on PC with a gamepad! Also, just look at it! Since you can’t buy it, you’re gonna have to win it here 🙂

To enter to ??win, use the widget below to leave your name and email address. You can enter daily. Be sure to follow through and earn your bonus entries!

We have one controller and one digital copy of the game to give out; we’ll draw our winner January 5. Our contest is split between Dtoid and our sister site, PC In?vasion. This is a UK contest, and as such, you must live on the UK mainland in order to qualify. Better luck next time, USA.

Twin Mirror is available now for consoles and PC.

UK Contest: Win?? a custom Twin Mirror Xbox controller and a copy of the game

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Not enough time for reflection

Things have gone from bad to worse, from?? unfortunate to bizarre, and from Kinda Suspect to Super Murdery. T??hat's Dontnod's MO, and everyone should know it by now. The French developer loves examining personal relationships, amplifying them through the lens of a much larger conflict, and then heaping an avalanche of emotion on top of it all.

Twin Mirror is Dontnod's first attempt at explicitly leaning into the psychological thriller label, something it toyed with in previous games but never outright committed to. In a lot of ways, it feels like Alan Wake by way of Life is Strange. However, Twin Mirror is also Dontnod's first self-published game and that?? might be the reason it falls short of its promise. Everything isn't quite alright in the end.

Twin Mirror (PC [reviewed], PS4, Xbox One)
Developer: Dontnod Entertainment
Publisher: Dontnod Entertainment
Released: December 1, 2020
MSRP: $29.99

Sam Higgs is an investigative journalist who retu?rns to his hometown of Basswood, West Virginia following ?the death of one of his closest friends. Higgs had a good excuse for running away in the first place. He's a social pariah after the town's coal mine was closed down after he ran an exposé in the local newspaper. Popularity isn't priority number one for a good journalist.

The opening hours of Twin Mirror set a very strong foundation with all the interpersonal relationships it introduces. Former bosses, former lovers, goddaughters, people who straight-up hate Higgs' guts -- everyone has an opinion and there's a lot of conversation driving the fi??rst act. As someone who tries drawing the best out of all these situations, it almost felt insurmountable realizing the odds weren't great that we could get to a place where Higgs restored his reputation with even a fraction of these people.

That dissipated quickly because Dontnod isn't able to build on that foundation. Only a few of those relationships matter by the end, and the rest are never really spoken of again. Once we're whisked off to solve the murder of Higgs' buddy, Twin Mirror barrels toward a conclusion without a whole lot of breathing room given to all the stuff on the periphery. The pacing is very disjointed in this sense. The opening act takes its sweet time introducing everyone and their stories; the latter half is mostly only intere?sted in major plot beats ha?ppening at a breakneck pace.

Even though it's kneecapped by a short runtime (my playthrough was five or six hours, but felt set up to be much longer), Twin Mirror experiments with some slick evolutions of the Dontnod formula. Higgs has the ability ??to analytically imagine crime scenes in a place that's called his Mind Palace. Here, we get to live out scenarios step by step, like what progression of events would cause a truck to careen off the road and into a tree. Through a hologram-type filter, we piece together the correct sequence of events to recreate a handful of crucial scenarios. It adds a new layer to puzzle-solving th?at's missing in Dontnod's other narrative-driven games.

The Mind Palace is neat, but the other side to Higgs' introspection ends up stealing the show. There's a character called The Double who lives in Higgs' hea??d and helps analyze social situations. It's a wonderful touch for a protagonist who has great difficulty navigating conversation and emotions. The Double offers advice for how to best interact with others, and Higgs is given the choice of whether he wants to listen to his intuition. Interestingly enough, the less you lean on The Double, the less he'll want to help.

The Mind Palace and The Double start to collide in interesting ways, tearing apart Higgs' psyche. The conflict isn't given enough space to meaningfully take hold, though. It's just another example of how Twin Mirror isn't quite able to fle??sh out its most important ideas. Higgs' inner turmoil, solving the murder of his best friend, and repairing all the damaged relationships around Basswood -- it's all stuff that wraps up before Dontnod can sufficiently do them justic?e.

It feels like a game that was meant to be significantly larger, but production or budget constraints forced a tr?uncated product. Even after the final showdown, I was convinced there had to be a third, more sinister act upcoming. The story had to unfold into even more drama, because all the conclusions had been reached too hastily to be a proper ending.

Alas, it wasn't meant to be. Twin Mirror is the rare game where I love the world, premise, and characters, but can't actually professionally recommend it. The foundation was laid, but a good story needs more than just the building blocks. In hindsight, following Life is Strange's episodic model might've worked wonders here, as it would've bought Dontnod extra development time along the way. All throughout Twin Mirror, people complain that Higgs abandoned Basswood and won't spend any time there. ?As it turns out, we need to ??spend more time in Basswood too.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Lost on Arrival

Things are about to get weird. Dontnod's Twin Mirror launches in two weeks (it's somehow nearly December already), and that means there's a murder mystery to solve. First, we'll have to? figure out how to unlock this dang cell phone. Baby steps.

Dontnod's running an ARG-type thing to promote Twin Mirror. Called "Lost on Arrival," it's a browser-based puzzle game where you have to return a phone to its rightful owner. Sifting through all the apps should give you a decent foundation of information about Twin Mirror's world. Sifting through my preview will do that too.

It's a neat little thing, an experience that took me five-or-so minutes to solve. There's incentive to play it beyond simple background details. Everyone who completes Lost on Arrival will be entered into a drawing to win a Twin Mirror PC made by Gigabyte. There are also 20 copies of the game being given away as second-place prizes. There were no stock photos or specs of this custom PC, but I g??uess this is kind of what it looks like:

Worst-case scenario is you get a little more geared up for Twin Mirror. Best-case scenario is you walk away with an ostentatious and thematically-fitting gaming PC. Either way, unlocking this?? phone will serve as a mental warmup for all the mind-bending that's about to occur on December 1.

Lost on Arrival [Twin Mirror]

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Busy times ahead

A half-dozen. Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, but six. That's now many games Life is Strange developer Dontnod Ent??ertainment has in production rig?ht now.

That ambitious tidbit came from a GamesBeat interview with Dontnod CEO Oskar Guilbert. "Our studio is growing, with six games in production now," Guilbert said. Twin Mirror launches on December 1, and that almost certainly counts as "in production." Apart from t??hat, all of Dontnod's projects are unannounced.

It helps that Dontnod has significantly ramped up its staffing. The developer opened a new studio in Montreal where some key Life is Strange creators will focus on a new narrative-oriented property. Between Paris and Montreal, Dontno??d will have approximately 300 employees.

Dontnod's trajectory is similar to that of Telltale's, episodic games and a whole lot of 'em. Guilbert tells GamesBeat that it's important to learn from Telltale's mistakes and avoid the same outcome. "We don't want to stick to the same thing ever time," Guilbert states. "We innovate. We are reinventing ourselves in terms of quality, mechanics, and t????????????????????????????echnology. Finding new ways of telling stories is really important." With five unannounced games lined up, that's a lot of opportunity to find those new ways.

Dontnod expands with back-to-back games and a new ??studio in Montreal [GamesBeat]

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Remember me?

This all?? feels so familiar. I've been here before but I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe if I look around a bit --really focus and think hard and try to shake the cobwebs off my brain -- it'll all come rushing back.

Oh yeah, I've seen this before just by a different name. First it was Max. Then Chloe. Then the Diaz brothers. I'm playing a Life is Strange game, b??ut with a pulpier feel?? and less import given to teenage relationships. There's no mistaking the Dontnod DNA though.

Twin Mirror will be instantly recognizable to Dontnod veterans. It's a slick and natural evolution of the Life is Strange formula, but without the episodic structure to string things along. The plodding walking, the pull to examine absolutely everything, the stilted interactions and friendships forged -- it's all stuff that Twin Mirror&nb??sp;excels at even t??????????????????????????hough this is a murder mystery first and foremost.

Sam Higgs, a socially-cocooned investigative journalist, has come back to his West Virginia hometown (SHENANDOAH RIVER) to pay respects to his recently deceased friend and former coworker. It doesn't go well. Higgs was run out of town after running a piece that led to the coal mine getting shut down. Mining towns aren't good for much if they don't ha?ve a mine. There aren't a lot of smiling faces greeting Sam's return to Basswood. One guy punches him in the face.

Things go further awry in Basswood. After a memo?rial wake gone drunkenly wrong, Sam awakens in the morning with a killer headache and a lot of blood on his shirt. He traces it back to the bar he where he blacked out and uses his i?nvestigative prowess to figure out that he got in a fight.

This is Twin Mirror's biggest hook. Sam goes to a place called his Mind Palace where he puts his analytical skills to work. It's useful for mentally recreating crime scenes and figuring out exactly what happened. Think Will Graham in the Hannibal TV series or Willem Dafoe in Boondock Saints. ("THERE WAS A FIREFIGHT!")

It's a neat touch gathering clues and applying them to the case in real-time. Twin Mirror uses a hologram-like visual filter to aid in Sam's recreation. When you see each step physically play out, it's easy to piece together how that bar fight progressed from bellied-up squabbling, through a table, into a pillar, and eventually knocking over the memorial decorations. It's also an evolution of the puzzle-solving and action in Life is Strange while still fitting wit??hin the same kind of framework.

But most of Twin Mirror doesn't seem like it'll be that -- at least judging by the two-hour demo I played. It's going to be more Life is Strange than Sherlock Holmes. There's a lot of leisurely exploration of limited-size spaces, chatting up anyone and everyone in hopes of? building a world, and making friends and enemies in equal measure. 

The opening hours do a hell of a job of setting the stage. The demo ended on a big ol' cliffhanger, and I want to see this murder investigation through. However, it's not the flashy violent stuff that most has my attention. I want to see how Sam's failed relationships and his standing in Basswood shake out. I want to see how he influences the life of his grief-stricken goddaughter. I want to see if he gets his shit together. Like Life is Strange, Twin Mirror is best at making you care about the problems? on the periphery of the biggest plot beats.

I've been here before. I just nee??ded a little bit of tim??e to piece it all together. Sam would be proud that I figured it out.

_{[Disclaimer: This preview is based on a PC preview build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Time to reflect

Twin Mirror is nearly ready to show us what it has up its Twin Peaks-inspired sleeve. Dontnod's most bizarre game yet (probably, hopefully)?????????????????????????? is officially slated to launch before the end of t?he year.

Revealed via this new gameplay trailer, we learn that Twin Mirror has a release date of December 1, 2020. We also see more of protagonist Sam Higgs' Mind ??Palace, a place where this journalist goes for crime scene recreation. This sort of thriller-style storytelling seems like it might be right up Dontnod's alley.

Although Twin Mirror is launching in December, it's not getting PS5 and Xbox Series X versions that come with any sort of enhancements. Instead, Twin Mirror is releasing on PC (via the Epic Games Store), P?S4, and Xbox One. However, it'll still be playable?? on next-gen consoles via the backward compatibility that both systems feature.

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Would you like to hear a story?

Dontnod Entertainment has established it as one of the best studios for storytelling in all of video games. Last year, it revealed its next tale would be a story of siblings called Tell Me Why. During today's Xbox Games Showcase, we got a new trailer for the game and the confirmation that its first chapter will launch on Augus??t 27. 

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Man in the Mirror

DontNod is still beavering away at its split-personality murder mystery Twin Mirror. The developer released an intriguing new story trailer during today's PC Gami??ng Show.

As a quick refresher, Twin Mirror follow the adventures of an investigative journalist, Sam, who returns to his woody home town for some R 'n' R, but unfortunately finds himself waking up in bloodied clothes, and with the cops on his case. Yep, it's that chestnut again and in a "Twin Peaks" setting to boot!

Determined to get to the bottom of this amnesiac mystery, Sam explores his old hometown, meeting with the locals, asking questions, and collecting clues. Not alone on his adventure, Sam will be helped - or is that hindered? - by The Double, esse?ntially a far more prickis??h version of himself, who awaits within a dimension buried deep within Sam's psyche: The Mind Palace.

You can check out the new trailer below. Twin Mirror is coming to PS4, PC, and Xbox One "soon". Ori??ginally planned to be an episodic title, it now appears it wil??l be a singular release.

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Life in Canada about to get Stranger

Dontnod Entertainment, the French studio behind a run of great mid-budget releases, has announced that opening of a brand new studio in Montréal, Canada. Staffed by talented folk from the city itself, Dontnod Montr&eacut??e;al is expected to get right to work on a brand new project.

"We are delighted to share our plans of expansion with the opening ??of this new office in Montréal, completing the talented team working out of Paris," said Dontnod CEO Oskar Guilbert in a press release. "Our goal is to create video games as close as possible to our community’s expectations. With this new international team, we will be able to envision even more ambitious ??titles and keep writing wonderful stories for our players."

Dontnod has seen great success in recent years, with healthy sales of titles such as stealth RPG Vampyr and the very popular and critically acclaimed series Life is Strange. Currently on the horizon for the developer are murder mystery thriller Twin Mirror, and coming-of-age drama Tell Me Why?, both of which are scheduled for release at some poi??nt in 2020.

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Vaya con lobos

_{[Yo??u can read reviews for?? past episodes here: Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4.]}

Pangs of guilt washed over me in the final moments of Life is Strange 2. I saw the conclusion to this story -- this long, strange, formative, and tragic roadtrip -- in a manner that felt just and fitting. Throughout everything, I let my moral compass be Sean Diaz's moral compass. I valued, above all else, guiding Daniel toward becoming a r??espectable and responsible young? man. I wanted him to be someone their dad would be proud of.

Somewhere along the way, I had lost track of their ambitions as individuals. Maybe I never really listened in the first place. I let my goals become Sean's goals, and then I forced that upon Daniel. If Life is Strange has taught us anything, it's that?? nothing ever works out exactly as intended. Even the straight and narrow is littered with unforeseeable twists and turns. My heart was in the right place, and I guess that's the consolation I'll?? have to take. 

Life is Strange 2: Episode 5: Wolves (PC, PS4, Xbox One [reviewed])
Developer: Dontnod Entertainment
Publisher: Square Enix
Released: December 3, 2019
MSRP: $39.99 (all five episodes)

Life is Strange 2's fifth and final episode is bisected -- almost in perfectly-timed halves -- between relative comfort and imminent danger. Sean and Daniel have always made the most of their quiet moments. This time it's to greater effect than ever before. They're temporarily set up in Away, a ??hippie commune in the Arizona desert. The carefree attitudes and high-hanging sun mean Away is every bit as slow-moving as you'd expect.

It's here that the brothers make up for lost time with their estranged mother, someone who was finally introduced in-person in Episode 4. She acts true to her character: Sorry that she abandoned the family, but ultimately resolute in her belief that she needed to pursu??e her own happiness. After spending the maj?ority of his life resenting his mom, Sean begins to relent. There's a very real feeling that Sean finally understands everyone has their own story to tell. Considering everything he's been through, he should understand better than most.

Daniel's not as discerning. As Sean points out, Danie??l makes friends everywhere he goes. He's right. Daniel thrives in social situations, charming everyone he meets. We've seen it in literally every episode -- from starting small by befriending Brodie and Captain Spirit, to earning the admiration of all the marijuana farm laborers, to becoming the object of affection of an entire religi??ous sect.

There's not much in Daniel's life that's stable, and maybe that's why he clings to every new person he comes across. It's no different in this sleepy desert community. Everyone loves the Diaz brothers, all of them chatting it up like they've known each other for a lifetime. It's jarring at first, hearing all these names thrown around like they're characters you're supposed to remember. (You'll certainly remember one character though, an important recall from the original Life is Strange.) Eventually, everyone in?? Away proves to be kindhearted and?? eager to help. 

Some painful goodbyes and caring sacrifices set up the second half of Life is Strange 2's finale, the culmi??nation of this entire adventure. It's finally time to cross the border into Mexico. Predictably, things don't go as planned. A heavy-handed sociopolitical plot device separates the brothers and sends everything hurtling toward its conclus?ion.

Though loud and explicit, developer Dontnod has found great nuance in the ways it wraps up this story. This was a critical flaw with the writing in the original Life is Strange, as it stripped away a lot of agency in favor of a binary ending. Life is Strange 2 is a maturation in this sense. All the endings feel like natural sums o?f the journey?? thus far.

Dontnod has released a video that shows all four major endings to Life is Strange 2. You can watch it here but be warned that there are big-time spoilers. I came away with what's probably considered the canonically pure conclusion, t??he lawful good one. It's what I had been building toward all this time. In hindsight, I don't think it's optimal. There's another ending that better takes both Sean's autonomy and Daniel's education into closer consideration. C'est la vie.

The fault's mine because I pursued Daniel's best interests at the cost of Sean's -- something I hadn't realized until those closing minutes. It may not feel as overt and constant, but individualism is every bit the major theme cutting through Life is Strange 2 as family, sacrifice, and responsibility. I igno?red that and I don't feel good about it.

Life is Strange 2 represents a sophistication of Dontnod's storytelling capabiliti??es because it effectively adds up and weighs moral decisions to truly influence the narrative outcome. Every ending comes with some degree of complication -- that much was to be expected -- b??ut it's satisfying because they're all befitting of the characters you molded. Whichever direction you took Sean and Daniel's lives, chances are you'll feel responsible for their fates. It's personal. Because it's personal, it's memorable. That's about the utmost positive quality for this style of story.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game prov?ided by the publis??her.]}

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Coming next summer

Dontnod Entertainment has never been one to shy away from tough subject matter. For its next game, the Life is Strange ??developer is tackling its most sensitive mat??erial yet.

Tell Me Why is the next episodic adventure game from Dontnod. It tells the story of a brother and sister wh?o recount their upbringing in a small ?Alaskan town. Tyler and Alyson Ronan are identical twins, and Tyler is a transgender man.

Throughout the game, Tell Me Why explores formative moments during the siblings' childhood. These points are looked at through the eyes of both Tyler and Alyson, offering a glimpse at the ways everything impacted them individually from their own perspective. Sometimes they'll have conflicting recollections. Dontnod notes that it's up to the player to decide which retelling they choos??e to believe. Whatever the player chooses along the way will eventually end up "[determining] the strength of the twins' bond, and the future course of their lives."

Dontnod mentions that it was careful not to make Tyler's gender identity his entire character. The studio consulted with GLAAD to ensure Tyler ended up a well-rounded and fully-realized person who's "not reduced to simplistic trans tropes." Additionally, the spotlight isn't focused brightest on the brother. Both Alyson and Tyler are playable charac?ters, and they both play equal roles.

Tell Me Why is a three-part game, and it seems as though all three installments will launch close to one another during the summer of 2020. It'll be available on Xbox One and PC -- the latter on both the Windows Store and Steam. Tell Me Why will also be included as part o?f Xbox Game Pass at launch.

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Collector's Edition up for pre-order

Fans of Square Enix dramatic narrative adventure Life is Strange 2 might be pleased to hear that the publisher is planning a physical release for the title, which will compile all five episodes of the second season along with the prelude, The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit.

Life is Strange 2 tells the story of young siblings Daniel and Sean Diaz, whose lives are turned upside-down after a tragedy that takes place outside their home. Now on the run from the police, the two brothers attempt to trek from Seattle to New Mexico, while Daniel comes to terms with some frightening new abilities. The physical edition will feature the first four episodes (and Captain Spirit) on-disc, while episode five will be a digital download. Also in?cluded ??are a selection of fabric patches.

For dedicated LiS fans, a Collector's Edition is available to pre-order. For around $70, the set includes the game itself, a 4x7 vinyl set of its haunting soundtrack, a 32-page art book, and vinyl figurines of the Diaz brothers, all housed in special packaging. If you'd like to pre-order this set, then take a trip over to the official Square Enix store.

Life is Strange 2 physical edition goes on sale for PS4, PC and Xbox One on December 3, 2019 in Europe, but?? North America will have to wait until February 4, 2020.

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Just in time for Halloween

Focus Home Entertainments has announced that DONTNOD's period-piece action-RPG Vampyr will make its debut on Nintendo Switch October 29, following on from its release on PC and console platforms last summer.

Vampyr concerns the affairs of acclaimed medical practitioner Dr. Jonathon Reid, who finds himself overcome with bloodlust following the events of World War I. While still trying in earnest to maintain an ordinary life among his family and colleagues, Dr. Reid attempts to understand the fate that has befallen him, while preventing his new, insatiable appetite from turning him into a ravenous creature of? the night.

Vampyr launches on Nintendo S?witch October 29 and ?is available on PS4, PC and Xbox One.

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Well, I guess it would be nice...

_{[You can read reviews for past episodes here: Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3.]}

Sean Diaz is beaten and bloody and beaten and bruised and beaten and broken. If we're chasing alliteration, blind too -- at least partially. The conclusion to Episode 3 lands Sean in the hospital with major eye damage and frequent int?errogations from the feds.

It never gets easier. The rest of Episode 4: Faith, to put it eloquently, kicks the shit out of Sean. Gut punches -- emotional ??and literal -- come in quick succession. You wonder which one's going to keep him down for the? count. But he always gets back to his feet. That Diaz kid has got a lot of fight in him.

Life is Strange 2: Episode 4: Faith (PC, PS4, Xbox One [reviewed])
Developer: Dontnod Entertainment
Publisher: Square Enix
Released: August 22, 2019
MSRP: $39.99 (all five episodes)

The majority of Faith doesn't feel like the rest of Life is Strange 2. That's because Sean and Daniel are separated, and their familial bond has been the driving force behind the first three episodes. Without Daniel to look after and educate, Faith feels empty. It's lonely.

Although the aim is to find Daniel, a lot of time is spent getting there. Sean takes a mandatory road trip from California to Nevada, committing at least one more felony along the way. (Who cares about a rap sheet at this point?) There's urgency, but not in the way we're used to. All of Life is Strange 2 has been a delicate balance between survival and being a good role model to Daniel. Without the latter at stake, Faith sort of just exists.

That's only the first act, leaving Faith to veer back into familiar territory but with a very different dynamic. Daniel has been taken in by a religious sect with an egotistical preacher. He performs "miracles," leading the congregation to believe the preacher has been chosen by divine intervention. The pre?acher is completely unwilling to let the goose who laid the golden egg just up and walk out the door.

One of Daniel's most dangerous personality traits manifests just as in Episode 3. He's young, so he seeks validation and acceptance. The religious zealots give him that adoration, so he thinks they're family. However, unlike Episode 3, Daniel's willing to cut out his real family this time. I?t's a stark contrast to the first three chapters where no matter how bad things got, at least they had each other.

Sean gets help. A lot of it, actually. A quick appearance by a new cast member rivals Brody (Episode 1) as the most selfless character in the whole story. Two people from his past show up to offer (mostly) unconditional assistance. These characters come with tough conversations, but they're conversations that need to be had. Daniel isn't by his side right now, and Faith expertly reminds us that Sean can't do any?? of this ?by himself.

Faith serves a few important purposes within the Life is Strange 2 story. It shores up some loose ends from the brothers' past, it proves the lengths Sean is willing to go to in order to protect Daniel, and it gives Daniel further autonomy by letting him make his own decisions. It's an exciting chapter that leaves everyone worse for the wear. That's the cadence we've come to expect from Life is Strange, though.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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This trailer is only semi-strange

Life is Strange 2 is doing decently so far. The first episode kicked off nicely according to our resident Life is Strange expert Brett. Episode 2 slowed down that growth a bit and Episode 3 continued that plunge. How will Episode 4 turn out? We'll know soon enough.

You can guess how it's going to go based on the first trailer for it though, which was revealed during the Opening Night Live Gamescom conference. Obviously don'??t watch it if you haven't started the season yet, but suffice to say it'll deal with the adventures of Daniel and Sean once again. I want to be as vague as possible?? here!

Life is Strange 2 Episode 4 is out on August 22.

The post Here’s our first look at Life is Strange 2 Episode 4 appeared first on Destructoid.

It's heartbreak warfare

We expect Life is Strange 2 to hit a crescendo awfully quickly. (Actually, the nature of episodic games kind of demands that eac?h chapter toys with significant emotional dynamics.) Sean and Daniel's cursed roadtrip from hell is coming to an end soon; things are gonna get worse before they get better.

The fourth episode, Faith, releases on August 22. This here isn't the full-blown trailer. It's just a teaser that will lead into the real trailer which is coming August 19. That actual trailer will probably convey more about how this is a dire situation because nothing is ever easy in Life is Strange.

But! This teaser -- only 28 seconds of exasperated fatalism -- already does a good job of letting us know the stakes are about to get upped even further. How you ask? Is it the ominous voiceover? No, that's the obvious and boring answer. Is it the grainy desert air hanging so hot that it makes everything look like a mirage? No, although that particular effect is always great. It's the single tumbleweed blowing left to right across the road. A tumbleweed is ci?nematic shorthand for "shit is about to go down." A tumbleweed means someone is gonna tumblebleed.

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I'm asking him to change his ways

Dontnod Entertainment has announced that their episodic psychological thriller Twin Mirror has been delayed until year, adding that, when it does finally arrive, it will be an Epic Games Store exclusive for its first ye?ar of release.

Twin Mirror, which was first revealed back in 2018, tells the story of a reporter who visits his old hometown in West Virginia, only to find himself embroiled in a vicious murder investigation. Hoping to clear his name and learn the truth behind the killing,?? protagonist Sam must call upon the help on his internal voice, The Double, a somewhat arrogant alter-ego who will help guide Sam throu?gh crime scenes, gathering clues and piecing together the mystery.

Episode one of Twin Mirror was originally penciled in for launch earlier this year, but will now not be surfacing until 2020. Additionally, Dontnod announced that Twin Mirror will be an Epic Games Store exclusive on?? PC for its first year of release.

"The financial terms of this partnership ensure a more advantageous distribution of revenues for Dontnod." stated a press release, with CEO Oskar Guilbert add?ing "This strategic operation demonstrates our ability to leverage new market trends in our favor. The video game industry is currently undergoing major transformation and now offers a major competitive advantage to content creators such as Dontnod."

Twin Mirror is sche?duled to launch in 2020 on PS4, PC and Xbox One.

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Arrested development

_{[You can read reviews for past episodes here: Episode 1, Episode 2]}

"Aww, you'll get scars but you'll [learn to cope]. Part of the fun!" Sean Diaz is told this early into Life is Strange 2: Episode 3 by a peer who's talking about literal scars from their illegal employment trimming marijuana buds. But, it's this same character?? who later sits everyone down by the fire and suggests they bear their emotional scars by telling the story of the worst thing that has ever happened to them.

Sean and Daniel Diaz already have plenty of scars -- physic?al and emotional -- and they're cuts that are far deeper than anything a pair of tiny gardening shears could manage. "Part of the fun" is a stretch, something that only the cheeriest and most optimistic glass-half-fuller wou??ld suggest. Fun or not, it's the reality of the Diaz brothers' circumstance.

Life is Strange 2: Episode 3: Wastelands (PC, PS4, Xbox One [reviewed])
Developer: Dontnod Entertainment
Publisher: Square Enix
Released: May 9, 2019
MSRP: $39.99 (all five episodes)

Life is Strange 2's third episode, much like the second, puts Sean and Daniel in relative comfort. They're temporarily settled in a commune in the California forest, set up with a bunch of social misfits who all live out of their tents. Free spirits and a temporary gig harvesting weed are the only things everyone has in common. Just like the beginning of the second episode, they still shit in buckets. They have gainful employment but not that much has changed.

Wastelands feels like the most stunted of Life is Strange 2's three episodes. It's the shortest, it's the one that puts the least emphasis on family, and it's the most emotionally even keel. Most important, Wastelands&nb??sp;is a chapter where Daniel doesn't really learn any lessons. Halfway through the episode, Daniel makes a grand, emphatic gesture, exclaiming "I'm not a kid anymore!" He believes that he's grown up, meaning that he's resistant to growing further. 

There will almost certainly be a developmental payoff to Daniel's stubbornness in later episodes, but it comes at a cost in Wastelands. Sean is ineffective at getting his message across because Daniel is done listening. In a way, it's encouraging to see Daniel given some autonomy. But, as an adult, it's frustrating to see a child insist that they have all the answers -- especially considering the uniquely terrible situation the Diaz brothers find themselv?es in.

Sean, to his credit, still tries to pla??????????????????????????y the role of father figure. Of the two, Sean is the one who's actively growing as a person because he's taking on new responsibilities. Even though Daniel's convinced he has it all figured out, Sean -- or my version of Sean, anyway -- won't let his guard down. Around the campfire, Sean has the op??tion to smoke weed or drink beer. Sean stayed sober because Daniel was sitting right next to him. He really could've used something to take the edge off, but not with Daniel around. Daniel, a self-proclaimed adult now, tried taking a hit off the joint before Sean intervened.

Because this is a tragic road trip, Sean and Daniel aren't forced to deal with the day-to-day ramifications of a settled life. They're nomads, making a mess of one place before up and leaving for a lower latitude. It affords Life is Strange 2 the conv??enience of always having somewhere?? new to explore. The life around an illegal marijuana grow op is the best setting yet. However, the intensity of the finale is diminished when you remember that relationships, like locations, are fleeting.

There's no question that Sean and Daniel leave Life is Strange 2's third episode with more scars than they began with. Scars have a way of robbing innocence and dispiriting the spirited. It's no wonder Daniel is disillusioned. But that headstrong attitude leaves Wastelands feeling like an episod?e without much development. Deep in the California forest, the weed is growing but that's about it.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

(Previous Life is Strange 2 reviews: Roads, Rules)

The post Review: Life is Strange 2: Episode 3: Wastelands appeared first on Destructoid.

Unhappy Campers

The story continues a little later this week in Dontnod Entertainment's dramatic sequel Life is Strange 2. A new launch trailer gives us a glimpse at the troubles which await sib?lings Sean and Daniel Diaz in episode three, which sees them on the run and seeking s??olace in the Californian woodland.

The road has already been quite rough for the brothe?rs Diaz, with Sean's desperate efforts to keep them safe and away from the hands of the law, whilst Danie??l fails to come to terms with his weird and frightening new abilities. Hopefully, time in the forest - along with some new-found friends - will give our protagonists respite from their recent trail of carnage, though I'm sure there will be plenty of morally grey choices along the way.

It's also wise to note that there will be quite a gap between both Episodes 3 & 4 and then Episodes 4 & 5. After Wastelands launches this week, the next chapter of Life is Strange 2 isn't expected u??ntil late August, with the finale expected to arrive sometime in December. Fans are seemingly in this one for the long haul.

Life is Strange 2 - Episode 3: Wastelands launches May 9 on PS4, PC and Xbox One.

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Sean and Daniel and Mary Jane

It feels like it has been a while since Life is Strange 2's second episode released, and that's kind of the case. Rules came out in January, four months after the initial episode. Now, it's about time for the next installment. Life is Strange 2 migh?t not be committed to a ?quick pace, but it's keeping a steady schedule.

Or should I say it's kiefing a steady schedule because Episode 3 has the dankest sticky icky, the nicest nugs, and the sickest spliffs. For 4/20 (which is now over, no more marijuana for a year), developer Dontnod uploaded this trailer of the boys walking through a greenhouse.

Drugs. Life is Strange 2 has 'em. THSee it in action when Episode 3, Wastelands, releases on May 9.

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Vampyr filled the blood bank

Developer Dontnod Entertainment has announced they are to continue their working relationship with publisher Focus Home Interactive. The two companies came together for the creepy adventure title Vampyr, which launched in June of 2018 and was pretty successful, shifting around a mill??ion copies.

As such, the two teams are expected to work together on a second project, once that is beyond the scope? of Focus' catalogue to date. "We are delighted to continue the adventure with the team at Dontnod," said Focus COO John Bert. "We are proud to once again allow the talent of the studio to express itself on? this new project which is intended to be among the most ambitious in the history of Focus and Dontnod."

Returning the praise, Dontnod CEO Oskar Guilbert praised Focus Interactive's "proven and effective marketing." "Vampyr is a great success and we are very happy to develop this partnership with this exciting new project." No details were released as to what this new title is, or when it was expected to see the light of day. Dontnod are, of course, currently toiling away on episodic adventure series Life is Strange 2.

Vampyr is available? now on PS4, PC and Xbox One, and is? currently in development for Nintendo Switch.

Dontnod and Foc?u??s Interactive announce a key collaboration [Official]

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Focus Home Interactive ports in development

Focus Home Interactive has revealed that two of their 2018 releases are currently being ported to Nintendo Switch. These titles are DONTNOD's grim adventure Vampyr and Cyanide's weird RPG Call of Cthulhu.

Released for PS4, PC and Xbox One in June of last year, Vampyr follows the nefarious noctu?rnal activities of Victorian doctor Jonathan Reid, who is forced to make some pretty conflicting decisions after being cursed with vampirism. Well, you would, wouldn't you? Players guide Reid ??through his journey into the night, using dialogue trees and the doctor's grisly, new-found abilities in a quest to find a cure for his affliction.

Call of Cthulhu, launched on PS4, PC and Xbox One last October. It is the story of a severely troubled investigator, Edward Pierce, who attempts to stave off his demons whilst investigating a mysterious fire that claimed the lives of an entire family. Set in 1920's Boston, Call of Cthulhu blends survival horror with RPG elements for an adventure designe?d to give you the willies.

Vampyr and Call of Cthulhu are currently in deve??lopment for Nintendo Switch.

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The story continues May 9

Square Enix and Dontnod Entertainment have dropped an exceptionally slight trailer for the next episode of their high drama adventure series, Life is Strange 2. The third episode, which is titled Wastelands, will arrive early next month.

This very short teaser features dialogue from the next act of the episodic series, which currently sees brothers Sean and Daniel Diaz buddy up with a community of drif??ters after their unfortunate misadventures in Beaver Creek, Oregon. No doubt there's trouble a'brewin' as the local authorities continue their hunt for the you?ng siblings, while Daniel struggles to contain his newfound abilities.

Life is Strange 2: Episode 3: Wastelands launches May 9 on PS4, PC and Xbox One.

The post Life is Strange 2 trailer te??ases Episode 3: Wastelands appeared first on Destructoid.

Better late than never, I suppose

If you were hoping to finish off the story to Life is Strange 2 anytime soon, you're in for quite the shock. Developer DONTNOD Entertainment has released a roadmap for when the next three?? episodes will be coming ??and the wait is pretty staggering. Episode three will be coming on May 9, 2019, but the final two will be several months apart from each other.

Episode four will premiere on August 22, 2019, and the season finale will be coming on December 3, 2019. I'm all for not rushing things and taking fan feedback into account, but that is a crazy wait between episodes. I suppose this is nothing like Kentucky Route Zero (which still isn't? finished after six years), but an entire year to finish off this story seems excessive.

I do have to wonder how successful episodic gaming like this is nowadays. I su?ppose fan interest will be retained over longer periods, but the novelty of a title receiving regular updates loses its appeal when the story is put on hold for several months. I know with Telltale's work, for instance, I'd usually wait for a complete season before even bothering. At the same time, a longer wait will ensure that any flaws with prior episodes can be ironed out for the next one (potentially).

Whatever the case, strap in for a wait with Life is Strange 2.

There's quite a wait for Life is Strange 2's remaining episodes [Eurogamer]

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