Game Trailer: Life Is Strange 2 Uses Animation To Tell A Challenging Original Story

Square Enix debuted a teaser trailer today for Life is Strange 2, the follow-up to its bestselling 2015 game Life is Strange.

The game appears to use animation to tell a story that pushes beyond the realm of much of what we see in linear narrative film and tv animation, forcing the player into moral dilemmas while exploring real-world themes like brotherhood, education, and coming of age. Like the earlier game, it will be released across five episodes.

Here’s the synopsis from Square Enix:

Discover a story of two brothers, 16-year old Sean and 9-year old Daniel Diaz, who have to flee their home in suburban Seattle after a tragic event that changes their lives forever. On the run from the police, Sean makes a difficult decision; to take his brother and go to Puerto Lobos, Mexico. Life on the road is dangerous and the brothers will be faced with tough decisions as they bravely undertake a journey that will test the bonds of brotherhood.

The game, produced by Paris-based Dontnod Entertainment, is tied in to the recent release The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, but introduces a new cast of characters, new settings, new gameplay features, and a new power for players to discover. However, the events of Captain Spirit have significance in the storyline of Life is Strange 2.

“The release of Captain Spirit was a great moment for the team and we can’t wait to introduce the players to the new story and characters of Life is Strange 2” said Raoul Barbet, co-creative director of Life is Strange 2 at Dontnod Entertainment. “We have worked hard with the original team to keep what I personally loved to craft in the first game: the mood, the cinematographic work, and of course, the music.”

Adds Jon Brooke, v-p of brand and European marketing at Square Enix External Studios, “After the overwhelming success of the original, we knew that crafting a sequel that is every bit as compelling and powerful as the first game would be a real challenge. We are confident that the talented team at Dontnod, who have been working closely with the Square Enix External Studios team, have truly outdone themselves.”

Life is Strange 2 will release on September 27 on XBOX One, PlayStation4, and Windows PC platforms. It can be pre-ordered here. If you want to prepare for the game, it’s recommended to play The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, which is currently available for free download on Xbox One, PS4, and Steam on PC.