A big problem with the sacrifice Arcadia Bay ending most people gloss over is that Chloe is not the only person Max has strong feelings for. Kate, Joyce and Warren are people Max also cares about deeply, with Kate being a very important part of the story and someone who becomes a very close friend to Max, Joyce basically being a second mother to Max and Warren becoming as much as a romantic partner depending on the player's choices involving him. Max also grew up in Arcadia Bay and often shows she has feelings for the town itself.
how is that a problem? max loves everyone she just loves chloe more so thats why its a decision. the person you love most or everyone else you love. thats not a problem thats a hard choice
This game had such a dreamy atmosphere and at the time, absolutely broke me with its story. I've never wanted to be in a game universe as much as I did back then.
I never realized it before but essentially the final choice comes down to the Trolley/Train problem/dilemma. Let one person die from the train and the others live or let the others die from the train and let one live. In this case the train is the tornado.
Time travel wasn’t the reason Jefferson was caught early, it was the reason why Jefferson wasn’t caught early, if Nathan shot Chloe as it happened in the beginning of he game, he tell on Jefferson and led everyone to where Rachel was buried, max didn’t do shit in that timeline, so it was time travel’s fault that Jefferson got away with shit for longer to begin with, so Kate, was actually your fault or Max’s, although she didn’t intended it
I hear your point. However I don't think it's a guarantee by any means, that nathan would snitch on Jefferson at the beginning. In fact I'd say its incredibly unlikely. For nathan is under Jefferson thumb and is heavly manipulated and subservient to him. Not to mention Nathan could change the facts. For example, nathan could say chloe brought the gun and she threaten him. Making it look like he was just defending himself. Altough max is a witness, with Nathan father, who's know what he could get away with? At the end when max corrects the timeline. Max has all the facts and in doing so, makes his capture easy. Before the time travel shenanigans, nothing is for certain. In fairness, I made some assumptions in this video to make my arguments work. but by that same token, your comment has also.
@@tbcoop the ending was meant the play out exactly as it would have with one exception, max got to spend time with Chloe and save her from the regret of never reconnecting before she died, max didn’t do shit, nor did she have to, the pictures clearly shown it was all Nathan
@@tbcoop even if max never time travelled she can easily be a witness if Nathan claimed Chloe was the attacker. Also how could Nathan claim to be on the defensive when he was in the girl’s bathroom?
I’ve seen a metric fuck-ton of videos about this game, some of them three or four times, but yours was the first time I was told that this story’s meaning was to make choices and not run from problems. Usually people just comment on how max seems psychopathic for doing all the shit she does in game, but not once had I seen someone justify this with the message of the game. Overall great review, and love your accent
I always questioned why we would use the rewind power to sacrifice Chloe when the game was trying to teach the player that the powers were the cause of the storm. It seemed so antithetical to the destined ending. Your video explained beautifully what i couldn't explain myself. Growth as a person is to accept the consequences of our decisions, no matter what decisions were made.
I love the way you articulated how the 'Sacrifice Arcadia Bay' ending seems like the ending that most develops Max's character. I think I now know one of the reasons why I always chose that one back in the day. Great Video! I'll likely re-watch it to see if I notice more details that I had not before.
My opinion is that both endings are about responsibility. In one you accept you messed up with the timeline and let it runs its true course. In the other, you own that Chole is more important to you than the entire town. You accept the burden of their deaths. It's why Max witness the destruction of the town, she owes them at least that.
I completed this game a day ago and I feel you. Were you able to stop thinking about the game? If you could, please help. This story consumed my entire day today😭 I was crying at random times the entire day remembering my choices. I feel like this is going to continue for several days.
@@divyaakashdutta4038I still think about this game/play it occasionally and I first played it probably 6 or 7 years ago. I've come to the conclusion that it's a great game (flaws and all) with a nostalgic feel to it that really touched me. I dont know the right words to describe the feeling it gives me. But it reminded me to make memories that mean something. Taught me to not be afraid to get out of my shell. I dont know if I'll experience a game like this again that affected me on such an emotional/personal level. It feels timeless. Thinking about it makes me want to go back in time to play it again for the first time, but that's what makes the game such a great experience to remember.
@@divyaakashdutta4038 experiencing the same thing rn 😑 I completed the game an hour ago and I just cant stop thinking about it I literally watched 10 diffirent theory and story videos just to get satisfied and I still cant stop watching them🥲 last time I was this mind blown by a game was when I completed nier automata the story behind that game was also incredible
You can also see this from a moral-philosophical standpoint. The two endings represent 2 differing moral ideologies. Utilitarianism: The best outcome is the one that benefits the most number of people. Save the Town Kantian Deontology: Act on principal, standing by while a second degree murder is performed on your best friend is a bad thing to do without any context, therefore it should never be done under ANY circumstances, sacrifice Arcadia Bay. Two differing stances, one in which consequences are what decides morality and one where morality is absolute. Throughout the game, the outcomes of your actions are wildly unpredictable, making it unclear what is best for the most number of people. You are never given any prior trolley problems and at no other point beyond the ending is it even suggested that saving Chloe is what causes the storm, something Chloe herself only guesses might be the case. Your choices are almost exclusively about small interactions that impact the lives of singular people and if there ever is a push and pull of personal benefit, it is only between two different people, such as wether you decide to antagonize either Chloe or David, or decide which person to blame for Kate’s suicide attempt, 1vs1, never a choice which serves to benefit multiple people at one other person’s cost. The game seemingly scoffs at your attempts to make choices based on their outcome, it pulls the rug out from under Max every time she tries to “fix everything”, almost as if priming you to act against utilitarian ethics and simply stop interfering and at least revel in the one good thing you did in saving Chloe. And through the whole game, you’re constantly bombarded with these no-win scenarios where every choice you make is almost just as bad as any other and sees Max try and fail to solve problems with her abilities. Save William? Chloe’s dying instead. Arrest Jefferson? Tornado wipes everyone out. Try to go back and save Chloe? End up back in the dark room. We are given virtually no indication that this is a good way of solving problems, in fact Max herself comments on how futile these uses of her power end up being and they constantly fail her. But then all of a sudden there’s just a simple fix to basically everything when that has failed every single time before? Hell, if you sacrifice Arcadia Bay, Max and Chloe actually end up not knowing wether going back in time again would have actually stopped the storm, nor would they have any evidence to support that being the case. Going back and sacrificing Chloe is just a hail mary, last ditch effort that just happens to work. On a logical level, it doesn’t even seem like it should work at all based on all the information given to you over the course of the game. Guilt and insecurity on a story level is the core of Max’s character as well, and the ending which actually sees her overcome these flaws is when she sacrifices Arcadia Bay. In the final cutscene, you see the emotional rollercoaster Max goes through, where she angrily and with confidence rips the photo apart, making sure she can never go back and let Chloe die. She stares at the tornado but gradually is overcome as she sees the tornado rip the town to shreds, embracing Chloe for comfort. As they drive through the remains of the town, Max mournfully stares out the side window at all the destruction, seemingly fraught with guilt, but Chloe stops the car and grabs Max by the shoulder and after giving her a knowing, comforting glance, Max turns forward and smiles before they keep driving, which seems to signify that she’s ready to move on, indicative that she’s able to let go of the guilt, as guilt means obsessing over a past choice you wish you could change, something she stops doing. This is the ending where she seemingly overcomes her core character flaws, unlike the other which almost seems to show her give in to those feelings, leaving her without that demonstration of true growth as a character. Plus Chloe’s own growth is literally violently tossed aside as it’s all erased from existence (despite being the second most important character in the game). I like this more story conscious ending more.
@@caioaugusto3138 Uhhh... I spend less than 50 words vaguely explaining Kantian ethics. The rest of the first half of the text that actually talks about morality and ethics is spent explaining how the game seemingly deconstructs consequentialism. I’m simply presenting it as an alternative and considering my explanation is as simple as “letting people be murdered is wrong, so never do it”, I don’t think you can accuse me of personally demonstrating why kantian ethics is so convoluted. And you could just as easily flip the script and call out the convoluted nature of utilitarianism. All moral systems become complicated when you present them with complicated moral dilemmas.
This is a good video until the end. I believe the author got it exactly backwards when it comes to the two endings. Sacrificing Chloe shows Max is ready to face life without a "cheat". It shows she is ready to make a decision and live with the consequences. It also validates Chloe's own "come to Jesus" moment. Saving Chloe is little more than inaction on Max's part and her being unwilling to let go and make a hard choice for the better good. It also robs Chloe of her one moment of true clarity.
@@VGSpoonium definitely if max doesn't do the heoic thing she's both rejecting fate and her power in terms of facing her horrors while being called running away. While the other is letting the storm fades and let destiny plays to Chloe's death with max help brings everyone justice while being accepting that *she has let destiny control her and she isn't owning every consequences than sitting and being taught a lesson* that also can be seen as not facing her price and running away letting Jesus take the wheel. In my inconclusive opinion if she choose bay. It means she is human flawed but learning. In order for her to own up the consequences and learned from trying to fix it sacrificing bay means the term "burn it all down" her price is to not be the hero and come to terms that rejecting her powers means the death of others.She can't can't save anyone, not everyone when saving Chloe she is burning down 5he 5hings holding them restraint by the laws of nature and destiny by destroying it or storm devours arcadia. It also represent they're own choices with dire consequences is Max accepting she is now ready to faced it. Humans are flawed, max is clearly flawed. Death may claim Chloe later but max is now ready to faced it
Great video! I love how there are multiple views to the game's ending. I actually saw it the opposite way. Max in the "Save Arcadia Bay" ending didn't seem to use her powers anymore after that final time. She accepted the fact that no matter what she does with her powers, it will lead to disaster, hence a rejection of it. She cannot fight destiny; things that are meant to happen should and will happen, ie. Chloe's death. Chloe dying results in Nathan being found out, which leads to an investigation of Jefferson, getting HIM caught. At the point of Chloe being shot in the bathroom, Kate has already been kidnapped and drugged and bullied. The police just needed to investigate. Max did not use her powers at all. On the opposite side, her letting the town die as a result of her powers is her accepting her powers and the consequences of it. It's likely that Chloe, who was meant to die, will probably need to be saved again, which means a usage of Max's powers. That's her accepting her powers. Still, this was a nice analysis and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing your take on it.
@@JohnnyRaven69 Sure, you're free to think what you will. But that wasn't what the game was going for. Just because you don't believe in it doesn't mean it can't be represented in media or be interpreted as such. It's kinda stupid to think there can only be one interpretation of how we shape our futures.
@@JohnnyRaven69 And in fact you contradict yourself, many times you do irreversible things, making the fact that something bad, good or neutral happens to you in the short or long term. this is how it works, you do many things and change your future But you also change the direction you are going and as I said, you do things that you can no longer go back and choose something else, such as fixed decisions.
The way I thought of the two choices was in more of a multiverse type of way. No matter what timeline Max chose, they would all still exist, you’re just choosing what reality you’re living in. For example, if you went back in time and killed baby Hitler, would that undo all the pain and tragedy that had already happened? No, the reality would still exist, you’re just choosing which one you’d be in. With either decision, there would always be a reality where Chloe was alive, Chloe was dead, the town was alive, or the town was dead, or both and vice versa. Everything already exists is how I think of it, so just choose what you want.
I also think with the ending sacrifice chloe she accepts the death of her friend. Though she is still in grief because of it while i still think she accepts consequences of her actions. This is because she made to realize not all her problems can be solved by time traveling. The ending of you choose to it also if means she is selfless. The action because even when she is ready accept her consequences of her actions and her want be able to live with chloe she doen't. She accepts that cloe her self coulnt live with herself if she does it.
I loved your take on the game being about Max growing and learning to stick to her decisions and their consequences. I hadn't seen that before, but it helps me understand why I related and loved the game so much as a senior in high school, which is when the first episode came out for me. I'm indecisive af and I will let you know that each of the big decisions really made me think it over in my head for several minutes.
Finally someone who understood what ending choices trully means. There were some minor points that could be disputed, but overall perfect explanation of Life is Strange story. Even if you refused Pancakes, its like for you. Well deserved.
The best part about this game was the nostalgia and helping me move on from the past. I tried reconnecting with an old best friend I lost touch with and it didn't go well. I've come to terms with realizing people change, things change, time never stops or rewinds.
okay WHY do you not have more subscribers?? this video got recommended to me and I just assumed you were a big youtuber because of the quality of everything about this. I can see you growing big, I'm so looking forward to it. Keep up the great work!
Thought I'd see your post here. 😀 I know I'm a little late to the party, but I really enjoy both channels and your interpretations. Your work is why so many continue to enjoy this story years after being released. Thank you for what you guys do!
I still don't think maxes powers caused the storm. I think given what we know from the comics, the sniptch in 2 and before the storm that it was Rachael's death that caused the storm. The game felt near the end forced in the point it tried to make that max was the likely cause because if she wasn't the decision looses much of its consiquince. This is highlighted further in the comics were we pick off from the sacrifice ending 1 year later, max is having nose bleeds and seemingly flash backs and her and Chloe naturally discuss this, including not knowing for certain what caused the storm the futility on dwelling on it. For the game it's natural and fitting that max blames herself for the storm and we as the audience can also etpithise with her also believing such. With the expanded material we cAn take a further dive into what really happened and so long as max doesn't know at that point that decision sticks. Now we a seemingly infinite number of realities and max can somewhat have access to them all including one Rachel is alive and others out there like Daniel have super natural abilities like her. Ultimately as much as we'd want a clear cut answer like it's maxes powers that's more and more becoming less the reality. The bay is both saved and destroyed in two separate realities and max is fading between them ultimately currently settling in a reality Rachel is alive. Much of the game hints to spirituality, the doe maxes spirit animal was confirmed to be the spirit of Rachel which is huge as the Doe guides or observes max throughout the story. Ultimately we first see it leading max pre power to the lighthouse and we see the storm for the first time. Killing someone with Rachel's powers what effect does it have on the world? In an act of panic and terror as she suffers through Nathan's torment and her eventual death what happens at that point to someone like her? We see in Daniel the deviation potentially caused under high stress too like Rachel. Ultimately if max did nothing let Chloe die and did nothing to stopr Jefferson the storm still comes. Ultimately it seems max has to undergo this journey of experience, hardship and change to ultimately get to the point where the doe aka Rachael brough her. The lighthouse where the final decision is made. Max goes back in time and fixes the problems plauging Arcadia using what she has learnt and been through at the cost of abandoning her powers and thus letting Rachel die or does she let nature take its course, she feels she is the cause but has come so far done so much for her friend that she finally accepts the fate in front of her the bay will go but Chloe will stay, she picks what she wants, not what she feels obliged to do
Love the analysis. My favorite game because choices have consequences. I didn't understand what they were saying until the end. She didn't go see her friend, and then she sat watched her get killed. She will have to live with that
I noticed in life is strange, it starts off with Max having a dream of a EF6 tornado, heading towards Arcadia bay proper, then she wakes up in classroom eventually has to go to the bathroom then witnesses Nathan killing Chloe only after witnessing in the murder, she discovers she can rewind time. Why can she?. what’s the whole point of having the ability. By the end of the story gives you two choices throughout the story they keep giving hints that there is only one choice. “You’ll do the right thing”. Whatever that means. After you decide the fate of Chloe in the town. Then the storm ends. Life is strange 2 and true colors. Both Daniel and Alex have powers that they both use and get the keep. While Max, by the end is supposed to have learned a lesson to not even use her powers to begin with. As she only found out about after witnessing the murder of Chloe. Arcadia bay with the looters where is tornado references. The vortex club. The Prescott’s starting a storm shelter boom. It is as if the storm was inevitable, regardless. It’s as if the town had a prophecy of a storm coming. I play life is strange a few times with Max as. Straight,Bi and 100% Gay and still decided to save Chloe. Watching Chloe develop as a character only to erase all her growth. Did not sit right with me. The only tough. Thing was knowing whether or not Kate was safe. If she was still at the hospital waiting for her parents, she most likely survived the storm. Perhaps her parents never show being victims of the storm. The hospital was nowhere near Ground Zero. So it made me confident in my decision on saving Chloe.
This was beautiful. omg i was in angst trying to figure out everything this story was trying to say and this video brought the thoughts right outta me. thank you ❤️
Until this video I didn't realize that time travel was necessary for both endings. I felt that BAE ending was the time travel ending since it required Max to use the power at the beginning and then continue using it until the end. But the BAY ending also technically does need time travel in order to go back. Either way, it means that this special week was meant to happen and Max then has to choose to keep the week or let it all go. And either way, she has grown as a person in that week but no one else (other than Chloe) is directly affected by her growth since they are either unchanged or they are dead. But this also assumes that Max will always use her power in the first place, meaning that she has to go back at least once in order to even cause the BAY ending to occur - which actually makes sense to me more than if she had never used her powers at all...because why would she have been given them if not to be used?
Man, I can’t believe it’s been 4-5 years since I played the original LiS... just makes me think how much history I have with this game, and how special it still remains to me.
This was a very good explaining video from start to finish, it's kinda cool in my opinion that we still find new theorys to this day even though the game is almost 6 years old, I like that both the endings have almost the same % global and that makes the theorys much more divided and more entertaining what happened during the storm and after the storm, We still also get small hints in future Life Is Strange games that makes so we can connect the missing puzzle pieces and still build it on after all these years,
Great video and analysis. I played this video game without any pretensions and it marked me a lot, because of the parallels I saw with life. I was sorry to see that sometimes people criticized the "poor writing" of the script, for secondary things like the origin of the powers (although if you pay attention it is clear that it has to do with having "captured" the butterfly in the photo), or for the character of Chloe (which in my opinion represents very well what happens when someone suffers such an important loss at her age, and as you say shows the opposite of Max). About the ending, obviously I didn't like it either, you always expect a happy ending, although I understand the message that the creators wanted to convey. I think saving Chloe represents what Max wanted to achieve (to be accepted and save her friend, facing the consequences of destroying the town). Sacrificing Chloe represented not using her powers (and never having them, since she doesn't capture the butterfly, she throws away the photo) and accepting the consequences of life in order to save others. Personally, I chose when I played to save Chloe, as I thought her death would be certain and the death of the rest of the town uncertain (there were people you had helped, people who might have fled or houses that would withstand the tornado). The ending makes for a good conversation about ethics and psychology. There is a bias that the good for everyone is the "good", when genetically we are programmed to care about those closest to us (family, friends...). So the "good" does not have to be for everyone what the creators think it is. Destiny does not exist, the world is a reflection of the actions that all people take, for their own good or the good of all, but this is another topic.
This is why this game in terms of writing I feel is so good. There’s so many layers and so many topics to talk about beyond the characters in the dialogue. The story goes so much deeper than that.
This was my understanding of saving Chloe versus the town. How it would ultimately end still felt uncertain about saving the town. From the beginning I never believed the storm was caused by Max's powers. All the climate change hints throughout had me believe that this was brought on by what mankind has done to the world or in this instance what the townspeople did to their town. Also in the very beginning when Max has the premonition about the storm. She sees this before she discovers her time abilities so it also had me interpreting this as an inevitable ending. This is why LiS has been so great for me. Despite having everything laid out for you to choose, it allows everyone to interpret every aspect in their own way. I felt like Dontnod left so much this way on purpose and chose not to canonize every major choice.
Yes! Validate my decision to sacrifice an entire town! But for real, great video. Despite my love of story telling I often have difficulty picking up on nuances and subtleties, so video essays are very helpful for me.
I get what the video trying to said. But why would you choose your toxic friends over other important people in your life like his guy friend, parents etc
@@btsarmy-xs6cx Can you make a case to save Chloe? Of course you can. You just have to be willing to accept the responsibility. What I couldn't live with is choosing to watch the woman I love die with her not even being allowed to know she is loved.
@@JanetDax but, what about family? Well I guess it depend on who you love more. But i don't understand how max choose/love chloe more than her family that give birth to her, love her and take care of her since she was a baby. Just how madly in love is max??
I absolutely loved your video. I mean not only am i obsessed with all things Irish so i loved listening to you, but this breakdown was great. I started the game, but honestly I’m not a gamer. As much as i want to, I’m just not…but i watched my uncle play a lot of it and he told me things from it. But by watching your video i learned a lot more that i had missed. And your points about having to face your emotions and tragedies…and deal with them…and the problems of being so indecisive…all of those issues are things that I’ve had And do struggle with. So it’s no wonder i related to max…even though it was before i faced many tragedies though since then, and i struggle with facing and dealing…but I’ve had to recently begin to do so…as well as being f forced to be more decisive. Adulting. Fun. lol. Anyway…this is a silly comment i guess, but i just really related to the points you made and really actually want to play the game now. Also, a point my uncle made…i can’t imagine max having to live with arcadia bay being destroyed…but what about chloe? Knowing everyone was killed to save her??? Damn…theyd both be messed up lol. Anyway, thank you again for sharing :)
Late to the party. I love your thought. And I remember thinking about all that's bakc in the day ( minus the example, the mature picture, and your way to talk, love your accent Btw). I remember staying 1 hours in that broken screen. Having to pick a choice. Was a teens back then, That went trought the loss of my big brother. I thought the game has a realy deeper level than just a casual story driven game. It has a deeper meaning, behind grief. Choices. consequences. Facing your mistake and living by them. I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels all that. Anyway, amazing video and essay. Wish you good luck sir.
As someone who has attempted suicide myself, I don’t support the snooping-but I do think it’s important to learn what you can about people you say you care about, to learn how to empathize and connect and above all make them feel SEEN. Also, interestingly, ex was kinda like Max...attempting to avoid conflict everywhere, but instead of her inaction helping our relationship it just hurt us both. She could never deal with her own issues.
34:30 This is a great way of encapsulating why this game is built quite the way it was. I honestly still love the dated look and the weird animations and stuff with these heavily tinted nostalgia goggles of mine. Its not any step above or below what is necessary, like you said for story bits. I would spend hours upon hours in every outdoor space using the cheat engine free cam mod just looking at those hand drawn textures that you never really see, at least not up close.
I've always been so sure that sacrificing Chloe was the morally correct choice. Saving everyone else in the city. Can't possibly give up on Kate, Warren and everybody else right? Every time playing the game, the ending wrecks me, even though I've played it before. But after seeing this video, I don't know what's right or wrong anymore. Makes the ending hit harder, no matter which one it is. Always felt like Chloe ending was a happy escapist fairytale ending where they escape with no consequence. The baggage is the consequence, and it follows you.
kate and maybe warren are the only ones worth saving imo, and kate was in the hospital and those are usually built to withstand natural disasters better than most buildings. plus it wasn't definitive that max caused the storm as she had a vision of it before even using her powers the first time. I cant see how people would want to save that area knowing it was being destroyed by the rich family anyway
I chose to save Arcadie. Cause I think the burdon to just give up so many people only for one person is heavy for Max. Yea she has her soul mate on the future ride but is it worth it though? I dont think so. No Love should put over peoples lifes especially if there are many innocent people involved. I mean its just selfish to put your own feelings over lifes. Cause life is what makes the world beautiful, you see it along the way that Chloe is doomed to die. In many Situations you have to save her over and over again maybe the games tells us to accept things as they are. Chloe supposed to die in that bathroom just as her father supposed to die in that car crash. Her whole life she didnt accept it and I think the game is trying to tell us even IF we have the power to rewind time doesnt necessarliy mean we change the true outcome of things that supposed to Happen. We only change the x-factor nothing more. This is the true Intention of the game I think.
I liked the video but this is so muck closer to what I thought about the ending. It doesn't make sense to me that Max would be okaay with killing so many innocent people just for one person, even if it's Chloe. Her sacrifying Chloe means to me that she can come to terms with how she treated her and stop trying to fix everything
I was pleasantly surprised with how much this game resonated with me especially seeing as how I found it by accident 😆 I was also pleasantly surprised because I was a jock in high school and normally the artsy-hipster stuff isn’t my thing. Also, the video was so well stated, intricate, and deep. I could play this game a billion times and would not have thought about things this way…bravo 👏🏻
Just finished my first playthrough and dispite me not wanting to I sacrificed chole I know she can be selfish flies off the handle and can be jealous but I mean when you lose a parent you can develop abandonment issues you lash out and are angry at the world especially when you feel like you have no one and that really resonated with me as I've also lost a parent and still struggle to this very day ... but I know it was the right thing to do ... sometimes you have to be strong and live with that loss ... I had no expectations of this game and I have to say it was great especially the world building the longer you're in it the more you learn about it and the characters in it
But I think what it is (with tight budget) is what makes it beautiful, it signifies that nothing will be perfect never will be anything, it's just the same logic which the game was trying us to understand, I feel if it would have been a game with bigger budget maybe it would have been more elaborate, more loose ends would have been answered, which would not have been great and community would not speculate over these topics, I think! Also Ik it wasn't on purpose to have I budget to be clear but it's perfect to me none the less, Love your video, and how you were being totally unbiased making this video highlighting the rights and wrong while some other youtuber are just doing either hating or loving the game.
This was a really pleasant piece to watch, your thoughts and analysis on the game were really interesting and well articulated. I liked the concept of Max being faced with all of the consequences of her actions, including avoiding them. Thank you for the great video.
I just realized if you follow the games time travel logic, and Max has been creating alternate realities every time she goes through a picture: If you choose to sacrifice Chloe at the end, it’s only your version of Max going back, there’s technically a different Max still left standing next to Chloe staring at a photo. Once “your Max” is gone, imagine how awkward that was standing next to each knowing the “real Max” just left to go kill her lmao Tldl; if you sacrifice Chloe at the end, technically both timelines still happen. But not vice versa 😅
My first playthrough when Chloe brought up the Idea to use the photo one more time and fix everything. My intiial response was "Are you Insane?! AGAIN? Yes let's fuck with time some more not like that hasn't been a problem the entire episode" yes I know everything got fixed but my initial thought process was nah it's time to own up to our mistakes and stop trying to undo shit.
I agree with your entire video except for some of the conclusion. While I do agree that Max is once again running away from her problems by fixing them through using time powers to save Arcadia Bay, on the other hand, I don't agree with that. She couldn't come to terms with Chloe having to die, changing time more and more, and now has to accept that Chloe has to die, returning to the original timeline, and not being allowed to change anything again because it would once again cause chaos. So she has to accept the original timeline, which she tried to deviate from more and more, and continue to live in that one, living up to the consequences of her actions in the original timeline. Now you could say, "OK, but the actions she did in that week are also actions she has to take consequences for, and by saving Arcadia Bay, she is running away from those." And I do agree, but that would mean that by just choosing the "Sacrifice Arcadia Bay" ending, she now has to swear not to use her power again, having to live with the chaos that will come upon the world. She would have to live with Chloe probably dying as well, as fate is still trying to fix her death. So now she would have to live with Chloe dying and the town being destroyed, and possibly more chaos ensuing with the factor of the timeline. That is what you're saying to me. If returning to the original timeline is an escape, then saving Chloe means letting Chloe and the town die. Otherwise, your explanation doesn't work. So I actually can see both here. But for many fans, saving Chloe actually means saving Chloe. They truly believe there will be a "happily ever after" and that would be it, (As we can see by many people wondering why Chloe isn't in double exposure.) which is not true at all. (At least it wasn't, the way the developers alluded to. Or that I always interpreted into it.) Sacrificing Arcadia Bay means sacrificing Chloe and Arcadia Bay. Sacrificing Chloe means having to live with the consequences of the normal timeline and not using time power again, otherwise the point of sacrificing Chloe would be broken. Ultimately, it's between escaping the consequence of Chloe having to die. Or escaping the consequence of the town being destroyed. That's the choice you make at the end. The latter comes with the factor of returning to the original timeline. Were you then change nothing and just let everything happen normally now without ever using time power again. And the former coming with the risk of Chloe not really being safe and probably further chaos. Now ultimately it doesn't matter what I say since the developer has made it in the second game cannon that the trade off does work. That sacrificing the townspeople is enough for Chloe to be alowd bei fate to lives on since we do know that Chloe lives a normal life in "life is strange 2" And since, unlike the comics and the other LIS parts, this was developed by the same creators of the first part, this canon ending can the most be taken seriously. Since the original intent of the first game is probably most encapsulated.
I'm actually at the dreaded last choice right now for the 1st time and stumbled across your video. So I felt that how every player wants the best possible outcome. My 1st instinct was to save the town.. but filling the role of the character who's every decision thus far was based on or around saving Chloe. I kinda feel obligated to choose bae! Great video btw
Then you are correct. You chose what I loosely call the railways effect analysis. Where you are paired with someone your close and a group of strangers. There's ways to answer but the underlying conclusion is that. Human nature is instinctively wired to prioritized their pack than other fellow species, they rather see another fellow starve than gave food which will feed their offspring. And if you choose bae, congratulations you are true by true cruel and selfish yet Human. Humans are flawed creatures and the greater good is a loose belief that sacrifices are what's best for the people who really aren't even giving a shit to your loss for their wellbeing. You know like Soldiers sent by politicians. Sorry for the rant I'm not really good at parties
your second sentence makes no sense, you're letting your decision be influenced by a video game character rather than your own judgement/rational thinking lol.
@@inxine and if she dies, mark jefferson is exposed and goes to jail, nathan never is killed by mark, kate doesn’t try and commit, etc.. chloes death was meant to happen, no matter how much we love her.
It is crazy that I played LiS at the age of 13 and now I realize how much it shaped my character and helped me to deal with depression. I believe I played it nearly 9 times but still never saw some of the scenes in video. Wierd that I mostly identified as Rachel. Still got a lot of wallpapers of LiS
For me... I saved town. Not bcos i care them or whatever. Its bcos i didnt want to continue the chain. If saving Chloe caused problem. u starting more strong problem for saving Chloe again and again and again. Its the chain never ends. It wont end bcos u have ability to rewind time. u can get away every time but the problem wont leave u
I really need more videos on LiS as a whole... thanks, your video provided me with some of that :D though ugh I still really want a theory on universe and logic and Jefferson’s powers... I don’t want to think that I have to make a video myself abt this
What powers does Mr Jefferson have? The ability to make teen girls fawn over him before he kidnaps and/or murders them? Interesting ability; they should make a LIS game where you get to do that. Sounds fun, I'd buy that shiz in a heartbeat.
I don't think powers. But why he is the way he is. Even if only a book. But they could go in depth about jeffershit and Nathan. (I hate jefferson) but it would bring so much to the game. LiS would get its true origin story. Not by max and Chloe. But by Jeffershit and why he is. It would make the story alot better to me
I think this is a metaphor to real life. What if you married someone else, or didn't get married at all, or stay with the current choice. Or would any choice really mattered in the grand universe. Your move.
Also the point that the rude Max makes is more of "If you truly care about other people and not yourself why don't you show them that unless you are protected by the consequence-free superpowers?". Throughout the game we see what happens if you don't care about people around you. They can perish in any moment because life is that strange and cruel sometimes. So the main morals of the story are don't second guess yourself and appreciate what you have until it lasts. It the story of growing up, about facing tough reality for what it is and still progressing through life while still cherishing people that are still around you. And also the game is very much about love that love that should be shared instead of being hidden away due to some doubts
I saved Chloe because I didn't think she deserved to die. If there needed to be a sacrifice there were much more deserving candidates. Then too, I didn't want to sacrifice Max. Could she go on after losing Chloe? Maybe, Maybe not. Despite what others have said, I think this was a good story.
@@yopeepthestyle8308 I would go for a sacrifice Max ending. Should have been an option. Otherwise I would have to save Chloe because she is the woman I love and because I could not live with deliberately sacrificing her. It wouldn't be just sacrificing Chloe, which is why I wrote a fanfic where Max got the help she needed.
@@JanetDax the whole point of the game was chloe and max coming to the painful but very real conclusion that chloe had to die as she was supposed to. max messing with time the first time to save chloe is what caused their reality to break. she rewinded time and broke the time space continuum which resulted in their reality to fall into chaos. the snow, the whales and the birds dying, the two moons and eventually the enormous tornado destroying the city. chloe sacrificing herself is the perfect ending. going back in time one last time and letting fate play out how it was originally supposed to. letting chloe die was painful but it saved the world and everyone in arcadia bay. the original timeline would have been chloe being shot by nathan. nathan being arrested therefor jefferson being caught and brought to justice. all of this thanks to chloe dying. her sacrifice solved the arcadia bay serial killer case. max having messed with time alternated everything and had catastrophic repercussions and consequences that ultimately would have lead to the death of thousands of innocent lives. the whole premise of the game and the moral of the journey is max and the player coming to the realization that you cant mess with time. you cant change whats done. we have to let go of the past even tho its hurtful and difficult. we cant live in older days and have to move on. we cant dwell in the yesterday. instead we have to look forward and live our lives without looking back. thats the whole point of the story. its a powerful message and has profound meaning. saving chloe again just to have more people die eventually would be a pointless ending. the moral of life is strange is that we sometimes have to let go of what happened and look forward to a better future.
@@yopeepthestyle8308 I have to reluctantly agree. Storywise the save Chloe ending doesn't work all that well and we cannot assume the "happily ever after" outcome we want
As many times as I've played and analysed this game, I never exactly considered your perspective. Honestly, I was just expecting you to frame the "sacrifice Chloe" ending as the correct one, but you surprised me. Your perspective makes a lot of sense. You obviously just thought about it differently. I will point out, though, that I feel sacrificing Chloe was the most moral decision out of the two. But, like you said they are both valid. It's all just a matter of perspective.
I must be on the minority that thinks Chloe manipulates Max... (the whole secuence where they shoot botttles, and the multiple times she makes Max rewind over and over even when Max says it hurts?) Chloe's drug dealing decisions cant be blamed on Max neither, and her way of not paying others/black mailing/ bringing guns to arguments /and other unsafe decisins were going to get her killed anyway (even if Max never comes back, or the storm never happens)
An excellent summary of the events and motivations behind the developers' decisions. I also basically agree with the conclusions about character growth and learning responsibility and consequences for your actions and so on. However, I think you got the ending flipped. Saving Chloe is not rejecting her time travel powers, it's embracing the timeline where she used them to save her friend and letting everyone else die. Accepting that some things are out of her control and her actions have consequences means going back to the beginning and not breaking the timeline to begin with, which means letting Chloe die. And like @jyllianrainbow points out in a different comment, there's more to Max's relationships and the good people of Arcadia Bay than Chloe.
@@Kevin-tl1zs Not sure if you're aware of this, but a few weeks before _True Colors_ was publicly announced, someone managed to leak accurate details of the game online. But what's interesting about this leak is that this person also got word of another _Life is Strange_ game in pre-production... one supposedly involving Max and Chloe. Here's the leak: www.resetera.com/threads/life-is-strange-3-and-4-info.385109/
Did you notice the spiral design the ants make around the dead bird? It's the grand design, a well-organized structure, and one could say in balance vs. the chaos theory, which could be considered out of balance. But this is just my perspective. It could be the other way around, meaning without the chaos theory, there can be no balance. To achieve balance, we must learn from our failures which is the greatest teacher in the universe.
Life is Strange got me interested in fanfic. For me the game narrative wasn't enough. What happens to Max after losing Chloe. Does she go on with her life or does it end? What if Max saves Chloe? I know what I want.
i fucking love life is strange, i only played it recently (like 2 months ago) but its amazing. and the twist where you get kidnapped and it's not nathan is so fucking cool.
For the longest time, I refused to sacrifice Chloe. Just didn’t feel right to go through all we did and try and save her as much as we did just to sacrifice her. Now I get that sacrificing Chloe is probably the right answer. She was clearly meant to die, but the powers gave her a chance to atleast reconnect and show max that while she has power to force changes that she should accept fate. Things happen for a reason, Chloe dying spurs on people getting caught and changes happening the right way. Chloe living causes destruction and changes done the wrong way and then becoming meaningless. Now for a spoiler for Double Exposure chapters 1&2 With how the story progresses and Max’s personality, it feels best to have Max and Chloe in a relationship but Chloe is dead. Because the other choice is bestfriends but distanced or dead; or dated but broken up or dead. Chloe being alive doesn’t feel as impactful now because of it. Chloe being dead makes it feel like Max didn’t use her powers after having to make that choice because she didn’t want to mess with fate and risk another storm situation where she’s put in an impossible situation. But she doesn’t see jumping realities as a potential to cause this since she’s not messing with the timeline. But the end of Chapter 2 proves her wrong. Things are wild and I don’t wanna ruin the surprise for someone who ignored my spoiler warning and continued anyways out of curiosity.
I'm the combination of Chloe and Max haha. Also if I had these powers I know I would extremely quickly turn Into one of those old lady's who accepts everything and how nothing can be everything, and once something happens, it happens. Max: *Ha I can actually have a GF/BF (depending on the player) without being so scared!*
I absolutely love this game! None of the "sequels"ever came close. But according to the developers there is "nothing left to tell about Max & Chloe". Bullshit! The two are the only thing fans are interested in.
See, you say sacrificing Arcadia Bay is Max coming to terms with the consequences of her actions? But I don't know if the developers meant that. I think the developers saw it as Max not being able to let go of Chloe and thereby not being able to live with the consequence of Chloe having to die, with more chaos ensuing. So I can see the point you're making. I just am not sure if the developers saw that same point, since they alluded to more chaos coming and Chloe likely dying, with fate trying to fix itself, with the snow once again falling down while they're driving through the ruins of Arcadia Bay. Also how can the sacrificing Chloe ending be a hero origin story if the whole point of sacrificing Chloe is Max not using her power again after that and staying in the original timeline. I always saw the "SacrificeArcadia Bay" ending as an escape where Max would continue to use her power to save Chloe from dying, rather than coming to terms with the consequences of her actions. In contrast, the "Sacrifice Chloe" ending shows Max coming to terms with the consequences of her actions by acknowledging that she caused all of the chaos and destruction. She finally accepts responsibility by returning to the original timeline and committing to live with it without altering anything further. I believe that was the entire point of that ending.
idk, i think that the sacrifice chloe ending is the one where max owns up to her decisions. by saving chloe, max is basically choosing to ignore what fate has been telling her the whole game in favor of her own selfish desires. chloe is marked for death, and by keeping her alive through this storm max will likely have to keep abusing her powers to prevent chloe's death and subsequently cause more disaster. sacrificing chloe means choosing the timeline where she never reconciles with her best friend and watches her die in cold blood, but in doing so is able to prevent needless deaths that only happened because of her selfishness. i guess it really depends on how you interpret the game's message on fate, though - is it something that can be defied, or will ultimately have its way regardless?
I think it's about fate that no matter what chloe must die our time travel power reminds us how we can't accept the past and that everything happens for a reason.. if chloe just died from the beginning every bad person would've been caught.. game teaches us that we shud learn from our past.. and accept.
One of the easiest "difficult choice" I made, that sacrifice Chloe or Town, I've grown way too attached to her to let her go and I remember thinking, "no looking back now
Same. I never believed Max was the cause for the storm. The whole climate change aspect of the game made the choice an easier pill to swallow. Chloe deserved a second chance as the issues that turned her spiteful were out of her control and not her fault. It just highlights her ability to grow and learn from that pain.
Just finished my first playthrough and while yes Chloe is selfish hot tempered blame everyone and is very jealous I did get attached to both her and max but at the end of the day I did sacrifice her it was what she wanted
@@dannyrivera8300 that is a maybe, theres the possible reasons of she didnt wanna see her best friend suffer going through everything she did, it felt like such a regretful thing in her part that Max saved her yet this caused Max such turmoil, in the end, we just see Chloe accepting that this was her fate from the beginning, even if she wanted to or not the town is going to suffer if this wasnt stopped.
@@thesmiths4204 Doesn't make sense if Max was the cause of the storm due to her power-negligence when the first thing you see in the game is the storm, and that's before Max utilized her powers.
I disagree about the last part. For sacrifice Chloe ending, she realized not her powers but her actions caused the storm and she should have not changed fate and destiny. That she can’t make the best choices everytime, can’t save everyone and she can’t alter reality to make herself a happy ending. Tragedy and sadness is inevitable and she has to live through it. She has to own her mistakes and not try to fix them but learn from them. For sacrificing the Arcadia Bay ending it doesn’t need much explanation because it’s not an ending for logical thinking but pure emotion. She chooses her own ending and not letting fate take Chloe away from her however in the end fate took something back and Max accepted the inevitable. To be honest I’m not understanding sacrificing the Arcadia Bay ending good enough because for me it’s not even a choice. I can never get myself to sacrifice a town to save one person even if she’s the person I love the most. And it’s not in a way that somehow, someone gives you these two outcomes and you choose, it’s literally you causing all this. The storm wouldn’t be there if you didn’t revert someones death and bring them back. You cause the storm, basically you’re the reason for all the dead people in the town. For this reason I feel like there is only one ending in the game for me.
Saving Chloe wasnt choice. Max had no control over it, it simply happenned, so how could be Max responsible for anything? From what game is trying to say, it wasnt Chloe surviving what caused the Storm, but it was chain of events it started. It was Max using her power to change fates of all people in AB what gave the Storm power of tornado. I cant avoid entire cause and effect thing. Could it be possible to save Chloe, but then stop using power that cause Storm and let things play by their own? At least in theory. She could still save Kate from pure knowledge of her mental state, get Nathan and Jefferson caught, etc., without using her power. How its different? Not really, because she has all that knowledge from using her powers before...thats where logic is steps in. But i wont cause you headache with time travel paradox. Chloe's death(originaly) would have big impact on everyone in AB and affected their fates somehow, so its not so easy to say if this solution would have even chance to work. Problem is, fate and free will are direct opposites and cannot coexist in the same unniverse. Not at same level at least. I mourn for people of AB, even if they arent real, but Storm was bound to happen and it wasnt Max's fault, sacrifice Chloe shouldnt stop it, there is nothing as fate. Fact i overcame annimosity toward Chloe and got to like her in the end, wasnt only factor i made my choice on. I would go with her sacrifice, if it was giving sense. And thats real issue here. Devs were hoping you choose ending purely by your emotions, to cover holes in their plot logic and get emotional response. Because if you believe in fate or not, its always emotional choice based on your beliefs, not logic or science.
I took the lesson to be that by all her time travelling, she was only screwing things up more and more, so she should save the town by resetting the events from her first action, and stop using her powers. Saving Chloe at the expense of the town is the morally problematic ending.
I personaly read the games ending as the oppocite of yours, Since se went on autopilot or something after "photojumps" I assumed that in the sacrefice Cloie ending, she never found out about her powers, and had to live whit the choises she made the first time around, Eg never saving or reconecting whit Cloie, and therefor grow as a person. I see the Sacreficing Bay ending as her saving Cloie before anything else, Cloie has Died and died again, and I dont think it will change, I thing that ending will have her continuing have her using her powers in order to "rectify" her inaction, unable to face it, In this ending, she never faces how she let her die, But thats just my Interpitation...
![[UNCUT] The Loyal Pin ปิ่นภักดิ์ EP.15 (3/4)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/IVwR87OH0_A/mqdefault.jpg)
"REady FoR thE MosHpiT ShaCkabra" is the BEST perfomance in game history, fight me
A big problem with the sacrifice Arcadia Bay ending most people gloss over is that Chloe is not the only person Max has strong feelings for. Kate, Joyce and Warren are people Max also cares about deeply, with Kate being a very important part of the story and someone who becomes a very close friend to Max, Joyce basically being a second mother to Max and Warren becoming as much as a romantic partner depending on the player's choices involving him. Max also grew up in Arcadia Bay and often shows she has feelings for the town itself.
But that shitty town will recover, so who really cares. Chloe is the only one Max really care, and only that matters.
@@JohnnyRaven69 The people who died in the town can’t recover…
@@warriorcats2871 People = Shit
how is that a problem? max loves everyone she just loves chloe more so thats why its a decision. the person you love most or everyone else you love. thats not a problem thats a hard choice
@@JohnnyRaven69 In LIS 2 Arcadia Bay doesn't recover if you saved Chloe
This game had such a dreamy atmosphere and at the time, absolutely broke me with its story. I've never wanted to be in a game universe as much as I did back then.
I never realized it before but essentially the final choice comes down to the Trolley/Train problem/dilemma. Let one person die from the train and the others live or let the others die from the train and let one live. In this case the train is the tornado.
Yes, and i still choose Chloe everyday!!
@@JohnnyRaven69 youre so real for that
It's almost the opposite... if you do nothing, one person dies. If you intervene, many other people die.
@@JohnnyRaven69 Considering that the devs mention that Cloe is still alive in a DLC makes that the only canon ending
@red_wheelbarrow641 what dlc?
Time travel wasn’t the reason Jefferson was caught early, it was the reason why Jefferson wasn’t caught early, if Nathan shot Chloe as it happened in the beginning of he game, he tell on Jefferson and led everyone to where Rachel was buried, max didn’t do shit in that timeline, so it was time travel’s fault that Jefferson got away with shit for longer to begin with, so Kate, was actually your fault or Max’s, although she didn’t intended it
I hear your point. However I don't think it's a guarantee by any means, that nathan would snitch on Jefferson at the beginning. In fact I'd say its incredibly unlikely. For nathan is under Jefferson thumb and is heavly manipulated and subservient to him. Not to mention Nathan could change the facts. For example, nathan could say chloe brought the gun and she threaten him. Making it look like he was just defending himself. Altough max is a witness, with Nathan father, who's know what he could get away with? At the end when max corrects the timeline. Max has all the facts and in doing so, makes his capture easy. Before the time travel shenanigans, nothing is for certain. In fairness, I made some assumptions in this video to make my arguments work. but by that same token, your comment has also.
@@tbcoop the ending was meant the play out exactly as it would have with one exception, max got to spend time with Chloe and save her from the regret of never reconnecting before she died, max didn’t do shit, nor did she have to, the pictures clearly shown it was all Nathan
@@tbcoop It is actually mentioned in LiS2,if you sacrifice Chloe-one of them is possibly getting away with it.
@@tbcoop even if max never time travelled she can easily be a witness if Nathan claimed Chloe was the attacker. Also how could Nathan claim to be on the defensive when he was in the girl’s bathroom?
Actually if Chloe is killed then we see the "changing timeline photograph" where Jefferson gets arrested in school. Max never needed to use her powers
I’ve seen a metric fuck-ton of videos about this game, some of them three or four times, but yours was the first time I was told that this story’s meaning was to make choices and not run from problems. Usually people just comment on how max seems psychopathic for doing all the shit she does in game, but not once had I seen someone justify this with the message of the game. Overall great review, and love your accent
I always questioned why we would use the rewind power to sacrifice Chloe when the game was trying to teach the player that the powers were the cause of the storm. It seemed so antithetical to the destined ending. Your video explained beautifully what i couldn't explain myself. Growth as a person is to accept the consequences of our decisions, no matter what decisions were made.
it's because you went back to the very first time you used them.
I love the way you articulated how the 'Sacrifice Arcadia Bay' ending seems like the ending that most develops Max's character. I think I now know one of the reasons why I always chose that one back in the day. Great Video! I'll likely re-watch it to see if I notice more details that I had not before.
My opinion is that both endings are about responsibility.
In one you accept you messed up with the timeline and let it runs its true course.
In the other, you own that Chole is more important to you than the entire town. You accept the burden of their deaths. It's why Max witness the destruction of the town, she owes them at least that.
I completed this a couple of days ago. It's definitely one of the best games I've ever played. I can't stop thinking about it.
I completed this game a day ago and I feel you.
Were you able to stop thinking about the game? If you could, please help. This story consumed my entire day today😭
I was crying at random times the entire day remembering my choices.
I feel like this is going to continue for several days.
@@divyaakashdutta4038I still think about this game/play it occasionally and I first played it probably 6 or 7 years ago. I've come to the conclusion that it's a great game (flaws and all) with a nostalgic feel to it that really touched me.
I dont know the right words to describe the feeling it gives me. But it reminded me to make memories that mean something. Taught me to not be afraid to get out of my shell. I dont know if I'll experience a game like this again that affected me on such an emotional/personal level. It feels timeless.
Thinking about it makes me want to go back in time to play it again for the first time, but that's what makes the game such a great experience to remember.
It's been 9 years for me, still can't stop thinking about it bro@@divyaakashdutta4038
@@divyaakashdutta4038 experiencing the same thing rn 😑
I completed the game an hour ago and I just cant stop thinking about it
I literally watched 10 diffirent theory and story videos just to get satisfied and I still cant stop watching them🥲
last time I was this mind blown by a game was when I completed nier automata
the story behind that game was also incredible
You can also see this from a moral-philosophical standpoint.
The two endings represent 2 differing moral ideologies.
Utilitarianism: The best outcome is the one that benefits the most number of people. Save the Town
Kantian Deontology: Act on principal, standing by while a second degree murder is performed on your best friend is a bad thing to do without any context, therefore it should never be done under ANY circumstances, sacrifice Arcadia Bay.
Two differing stances, one in which consequences are what decides morality and one where morality is absolute.
Throughout the game, the outcomes of your actions are wildly unpredictable, making it unclear what is best for the most number of people. You are never given any prior trolley problems and at no other point beyond the ending is it even suggested that saving Chloe is what causes the storm, something Chloe herself only guesses might be the case. Your choices are almost exclusively about small interactions that impact the lives of singular people and if there ever is a push and pull of personal benefit, it is only between two different people, such as wether you decide to antagonize either Chloe or David, or decide which person to blame for Kate’s suicide attempt, 1vs1, never a choice which serves to benefit multiple people at one other person’s cost. The game seemingly scoffs at your attempts to make choices based on their outcome, it pulls the rug out from under Max every time she tries to “fix everything”, almost as if priming you to act against utilitarian ethics and simply stop interfering and at least revel in the one good thing you did in saving Chloe. And through the whole game, you’re constantly bombarded with these no-win scenarios where every choice you make is almost just as bad as any other and sees Max try and fail to solve problems with her abilities. Save William? Chloe’s dying instead. Arrest Jefferson? Tornado wipes everyone out. Try to go back and save Chloe? End up back in the dark room. We are given virtually no indication that this is a good way of solving problems, in fact Max herself comments on how futile these uses of her power end up being and they constantly fail her. But then all of a sudden there’s just a simple fix to basically everything when that has failed every single time before? Hell, if you sacrifice Arcadia Bay, Max and Chloe actually end up not knowing wether going back in time again would have actually stopped the storm, nor would they have any evidence to support that being the case. Going back and sacrificing Chloe is just a hail mary, last ditch effort that just happens to work. On a logical level, it doesn’t even seem like it should work at all based on all the information given to you over the course of the game.
Guilt and insecurity on a story level is the core of Max’s character as well, and the ending which actually sees her overcome these flaws is when she sacrifices Arcadia Bay. In the final cutscene, you see the emotional rollercoaster Max goes through, where she angrily and with confidence rips the photo apart, making sure she can never go back and let Chloe die. She stares at the tornado but gradually is overcome as she sees the tornado rip the town to shreds, embracing Chloe for comfort. As they drive through the remains of the town, Max mournfully stares out the side window at all the destruction, seemingly fraught with guilt, but Chloe stops the car and grabs Max by the shoulder and after giving her a knowing, comforting glance, Max turns forward and smiles before they keep driving, which seems to signify that she’s ready to move on, indicative that she’s able to let go of the guilt, as guilt means obsessing over a past choice you wish you could change, something she stops doing. This is the ending where she seemingly overcomes her core character flaws, unlike the other which almost seems to show her give in to those feelings, leaving her without that demonstration of true growth as a character. Plus Chloe’s own growth is literally violently tossed aside as it’s all erased from existence (despite being the second most important character in the game). I like this more story conscious ending more.
I thank you for your comment. ❤️
holy shit. The metric fuckton of text represents how convoluted you have to twist stuff in order to make sense of kantian ideology
@@caioaugusto3138 Uhhh... I spend less than 50 words vaguely explaining Kantian ethics. The rest of the first half of the text that actually talks about morality and ethics is spent explaining how the game seemingly deconstructs consequentialism. I’m simply presenting it as an alternative and considering my explanation is as simple as “letting people be murdered is wrong, so never do it”, I don’t think you can accuse me of personally demonstrating why kantian ethics is so convoluted. And you could just as easily flip the script and call out the convoluted nature of utilitarianism. All moral systems become complicated when you present them with complicated moral dilemmas.
@@The_Story_Of_Us I'm not acusing you, just holy shit the Q'ran of text XD
~oh... its genius man!
how long did u write and think about it? i'm flattered
This is a good video until the end. I believe the author got it exactly backwards when it comes to the two endings. Sacrificing Chloe shows Max is ready to face life without a "cheat". It shows she is ready to make a decision and live with the consequences. It also validates Chloe's own "come to Jesus" moment. Saving Chloe is little more than inaction on Max's part and her being unwilling to let go and make a hard choice for the better good. It also robs Chloe of her one moment of true clarity.
I guess at this point. Both his and your visions are right. I guess it's deeply linked to how we see "running away" of things.
@@VGSpoonium definitely if max doesn't do the heoic thing she's both rejecting fate and her power in terms of facing her horrors while being called running away.
While the other is letting the storm fades and let destiny plays to Chloe's death with max help brings everyone justice while being accepting that *she has let destiny control her and she isn't owning every consequences than sitting and being taught a lesson* that also can be seen as not facing her price and running away letting Jesus take the wheel.
In my inconclusive opinion if she choose bay. It means she is human flawed but learning. In order for her to own up the consequences and learned from trying to fix it sacrificing bay means the term "burn it all down" her price is to not be the hero and come to terms that rejecting her powers means the death of others.She can't can't save anyone, not everyone when saving Chloe she is burning down 5he 5hings holding them restraint by the laws of nature and destiny by destroying it or storm devours arcadia. It also represent they're own choices with dire consequences is Max accepting she is now ready to faced it.
Humans are flawed, max is clearly flawed. Death may claim Chloe later but max is now ready to faced it
bae over bay
Jasmine jouliniejovouniejokie Jones
@@stalinsoulz7872 I love you for that.
Great video! I love how there are multiple views to the game's ending. I actually saw it the opposite way. Max in the "Save Arcadia Bay" ending didn't seem to use her powers anymore after that final time. She accepted the fact that no matter what she does with her powers, it will lead to disaster, hence a rejection of it. She cannot fight destiny; things that are meant to happen should and will happen, ie. Chloe's death. Chloe dying results in Nathan being found out, which leads to an investigation of Jefferson, getting HIM caught. At the point of Chloe being shot in the bathroom, Kate has already been kidnapped and drugged and bullied. The police just needed to investigate. Max did not use her powers at all. On the opposite side, her letting the town die as a result of her powers is her accepting her powers and the consequences of it. It's likely that Chloe, who was meant to die, will probably need to be saved again, which means a usage of Max's powers. That's her accepting her powers. Still, this was a nice analysis and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing your take on it.
I don't believe in destiny. It's kinda stupid. We change our future every moment.
@@JohnnyRaven69 Sure, you're free to think what you will. But that wasn't what the game was going for. Just because you don't believe in it doesn't mean it can't be represented in media or be interpreted as such. It's kinda stupid to think there can only be one interpretation of how we shape our futures.
@@lairepigeon Nah, you are wrong.
@@JohnnyRaven69 K, have fun being close-minded! o/
@@JohnnyRaven69 And in fact you contradict yourself, many times you do irreversible things, making the fact that something bad, good or neutral happens to you in the short or long term. this is how it works, you do many things and change your future But you also change the direction you are going and as I said, you do things that you can no longer go back and choose something else, such as fixed decisions.
The way I thought of the two choices was in more of a multiverse type of way. No matter what timeline Max chose, they would all still exist, you’re just choosing what reality you’re living in. For example, if you went back in time and killed baby Hitler, would that undo all the pain and tragedy that had already happened? No, the reality would still exist, you’re just choosing which one you’d be in. With either decision, there would always be a reality where Chloe was alive, Chloe was dead, the town was alive, or the town was dead, or both and vice versa. Everything already exists is how I think of it, so just choose what you want.
Facts and life is strange double exposure is coming out so in theory proving both of the timelines are canon
LiS 6 years later - just as good. Just doesn't get old.
It got old the very day it was released
@@221B-o4e Cry then, bozo
@@221B-o4e If you don't like the game, just say that.
@@221B-o4e Call the wahmbulance
Still doesn't
5 years later 4 years ago hits different
I also think with the ending sacrifice chloe she accepts the death of her friend. Though she is still in grief because of it while i still think she accepts consequences of her actions. This is because she made to realize not all her problems can be solved by time traveling. The ending of you choose to it also if means she is selfless. The action because even when she is ready accept her consequences of her actions and her want be able to live with chloe she doen't. She accepts that cloe her self coulnt live with herself if she does it.
I'm glad someone understands this as well.
*girlfriend
I loved your take on the game being about Max growing and learning to stick to her decisions and their consequences. I hadn't seen that before, but it helps me understand why I related and loved the game so much as a senior in high school, which is when the first episode came out for me. I'm indecisive af and I will let you know that each of the big decisions really made me think it over in my head for several minutes.
Finally someone who understood what ending choices trully means. There were some minor points that could be disputed, but overall perfect explanation of Life is Strange story.
Even if you refused Pancakes, its like for you. Well deserved.
This is a small but surprising gem on TH-cam, you deserve way more publicity this video was great :)
The best part about this game was the nostalgia and helping me move on from the past. I tried reconnecting with an old best friend I lost touch with and it didn't go well. I've come to terms with realizing people change, things change, time never stops or rewinds.
okay WHY do you not have more subscribers?? this video got recommended to me and I just assumed you were a big youtuber because of the quality of everything about this. I can see you growing big, I'm so looking forward to it. Keep up the great work!
Thought I'd see your post here. 😀 I know I'm a little late to the party, but I really enjoy both channels and your interpretations. Your work is why so many continue to enjoy this story years after being released. Thank you for what you guys do!
I still don't think maxes powers caused the storm. I think given what we know from the comics, the sniptch in 2 and before the storm that it was Rachael's death that caused the storm. The game felt near the end forced in the point it tried to make that max was the likely cause because if she wasn't the decision looses much of its consiquince. This is highlighted further in the comics were we pick off from the sacrifice ending 1 year later, max is having nose bleeds and seemingly flash backs and her and Chloe naturally discuss this, including not knowing for certain what caused the storm the futility on dwelling on it. For the game it's natural and fitting that max blames herself for the storm and we as the audience can also etpithise with her also believing such. With the expanded material we cAn take a further dive into what really happened and so long as max doesn't know at that point that decision sticks. Now we a seemingly infinite number of realities and max can somewhat have access to them all including one Rachel is alive and others out there like Daniel have super natural abilities like her. Ultimately as much as we'd want a clear cut answer like it's maxes powers that's more and more becoming less the reality. The bay is both saved and destroyed in two separate realities and max is fading between them ultimately currently settling in a reality Rachel is alive. Much of the game hints to spirituality, the doe maxes spirit animal was confirmed to be the spirit of Rachel which is huge as the Doe guides or observes max throughout the story. Ultimately we first see it leading max pre power to the lighthouse and we see the storm for the first time. Killing someone with Rachel's powers what effect does it have on the world? In an act of panic and terror as she suffers through Nathan's torment and her eventual death what happens at that point to someone like her? We see in Daniel the deviation potentially caused under high stress too like Rachel. Ultimately if max did nothing let Chloe die and did nothing to stopr Jefferson the storm still comes. Ultimately it seems max has to undergo this journey of experience, hardship and change to ultimately get to the point where the doe aka Rachael brough her. The lighthouse where the final decision is made. Max goes back in time and fixes the problems plauging Arcadia using what she has learnt and been through at the cost of abandoning her powers and thus letting Rachel die or does she let nature take its course, she feels she is the cause but has come so far done so much for her friend that she finally accepts the fate in front of her the bay will go but Chloe will stay, she picks what she wants, not what she feels obliged to do
Love the analysis. My favorite game because choices have consequences. I didn't understand what they were saying until the end. She didn't go see her friend, and then she sat watched her get killed. She will have to live with that
Its because the writers message is you cant change the future
very interesting video bro! and nicely edited as well
Dude this games changed my life in a way I Hella can't explain 😭😭
And I can Hella relate to the story coz my life is exactly like Chloe 😭
same it’s just so nostalgic for me i don’t even cry easily but everytime i remember how much i had loved this game i cant help but cry
i feel like max😭😭...
you sound 10 years old
@@KydaWoIf you’re a 12 year old
@@KydaWoIf facts
I noticed in life is strange, it starts off with Max having a dream of a EF6 tornado, heading towards Arcadia bay proper, then she wakes up in classroom eventually has to go to the bathroom then witnesses Nathan killing Chloe only after witnessing in the murder, she discovers she can rewind time. Why can she?. what’s the whole point of having the ability. By the end of the story gives you two choices throughout the story they keep giving hints that there is only one choice. “You’ll do the right thing”. Whatever that means. After you decide the fate of Chloe in the town. Then the storm ends. Life is strange 2 and true colors. Both Daniel and Alex have powers that they both use and get the keep. While Max, by the end is supposed to have learned a lesson to not even use her powers to begin with. As she only found out about after witnessing the murder of Chloe. Arcadia bay with the looters where is tornado references. The vortex club. The Prescott’s starting a storm shelter boom. It is as if the storm was inevitable, regardless. It’s as if the town had a prophecy of a storm coming. I play life is strange a few times with Max as. Straight,Bi and 100% Gay and still decided to save Chloe. Watching Chloe develop as a character only to erase all her growth. Did not sit right with me. The only tough. Thing was knowing whether or not Kate was safe. If she was still at the hospital waiting for her parents, she most likely survived the storm. Perhaps her parents never show being victims of the storm. The hospital was nowhere near Ground Zero. So it made me confident in my decision on saving Chloe.
This was beautiful. omg i was in angst trying to figure out everything this story was trying to say and this video brought the thoughts right outta me. thank you ❤️
Until this video I didn't realize that time travel was necessary for both endings. I felt that BAE ending was the time travel ending since it required Max to use the power at the beginning and then continue using it until the end. But the BAY ending also technically does need time travel in order to go back. Either way, it means that this special week was meant to happen and Max then has to choose to keep the week or let it all go. And either way, she has grown as a person in that week but no one else (other than Chloe) is directly affected by her growth since they are either unchanged or they are dead. But this also assumes that Max will always use her power in the first place, meaning that she has to go back at least once in order to even cause the BAY ending to occur - which actually makes sense to me more than if she had never used her powers at all...because why would she have been given them if not to be used?
Man, I can’t believe it’s been 4-5 years since I played the original LiS... just makes me think how much history I have with this game, and how special it still remains to me.
From whole video I especially liked the thesis about changing something in your past, which at the same time changing your personality itself.
This was a very good explaining video from start to finish, it's kinda cool in my opinion that we still find new theorys to this day even though the game is almost 6 years old, I like that both the endings have almost the same % global and that makes the theorys much more divided and more entertaining what happened during the storm and after the storm, We still also get small hints in future Life Is Strange games that makes so we can connect the missing puzzle pieces and still build it on after all these years,
Great video and analysis. I played this video game without any pretensions and it marked me a lot, because of the parallels I saw with life.
I was sorry to see that sometimes people criticized the "poor writing" of the script, for secondary things like the origin of the powers (although if you pay attention it is clear that it has to do with having "captured" the butterfly in the photo), or for the character of Chloe (which in my opinion represents very well what happens when someone suffers such an important loss at her age, and as you say shows the opposite of Max).
About the ending, obviously I didn't like it either, you always expect a happy ending, although I understand the message that the creators wanted to convey.
I think saving Chloe represents what Max wanted to achieve (to be accepted and save her friend, facing the consequences of destroying the town).
Sacrificing Chloe represented not using her powers (and never having them, since she doesn't capture the butterfly, she throws away the photo) and accepting the consequences of life in order to save others.
Personally, I chose when I played to save Chloe, as I thought her death would be certain and the death of the rest of the town uncertain (there were people you had helped, people who might have fled or houses that would withstand the tornado).
The ending makes for a good conversation about ethics and psychology. There is a bias that the good for everyone is the "good", when genetically we are programmed to care about those closest to us (family, friends...). So the "good" does not have to be for everyone what the creators think it is. Destiny does not exist, the world is a reflection of the actions that all people take, for their own good or the good of all, but this is another topic.
This is why this game in terms of writing I feel is so good. There’s so many layers and so many topics to talk about beyond the characters in the dialogue. The story goes so much deeper than that.
This was my understanding of saving Chloe versus the town. How it would ultimately end still felt uncertain about saving the town. From the beginning I never believed the storm was caused by Max's powers. All the climate change hints throughout had me believe that this was brought on by what mankind has done to the world or in this instance what the townspeople did to their town. Also in the very beginning when Max has the premonition about the storm. She sees this before she discovers her time abilities so it also had me interpreting this as an inevitable ending.
This is why LiS has been so great for me. Despite having everything laid out for you to choose, it allows everyone to interpret every aspect in their own way. I felt like Dontnod left so much this way on purpose and chose not to canonize every major choice.
Yes! Validate my decision to sacrifice an entire town! But for real, great video. Despite my love of story telling I often have difficulty picking up on nuances and subtleties, so video essays are very helpful for me.
I get what the video trying to said. But why would you choose your toxic friends over other important people in your life like his guy friend, parents etc
@@btsarmy-xs6cx Can you make a case to save Chloe? Of course you can. You just have to be willing to accept the responsibility. What I couldn't live with is choosing to watch the woman I love die with her not even being allowed to know she is loved.
The point was that Chloe was the only thing worth saving in that miserable town from the players perspective depending on your choices.
@@JanetDax but, what about family? Well I guess it depend on who you love more. But i don't understand how max choose/love chloe more than her family that give birth to her, love her and take care of her since she was a baby. Just how madly in love is max??
@@btsarmy-xs6cx Max's parents are still in Seattle. Blackwell is a boarding school.
I absolutely loved your video. I mean not only am i obsessed with all things Irish so i loved listening to you, but this breakdown was great. I started the game, but honestly I’m not a gamer. As much as i want to, I’m just not…but i watched my uncle play a lot of it and he told me things from it. But by watching your video i learned a lot more that i had missed. And your points about having to face your emotions and tragedies…and deal with them…and the problems of being so indecisive…all of those issues are things that I’ve had And do struggle with. So it’s no wonder i related to max…even though it was before i faced many tragedies though since then, and i struggle with facing and dealing…but I’ve had to recently begin to do so…as well as being f forced to be more decisive. Adulting. Fun. lol. Anyway…this is a silly comment i guess, but i just really related to the points you made and really actually want to play the game now. Also, a point my uncle made…i can’t imagine max having to live with arcadia bay being destroyed…but what about chloe? Knowing everyone was killed to save her??? Damn…theyd both be messed up lol. Anyway, thank you again for sharing :)
You deserve WAY more subs and love man. This video stopped me crying about the endings and put it into a metaphoric journey. Thank you.
Late to the party. I love your thought. And I remember thinking about all that's bakc in the day ( minus the example, the mature picture, and your way to talk, love your accent Btw).
I remember staying 1 hours in that broken screen. Having to pick a choice. Was a teens back then, That went trought the loss of my big brother. I thought the game has a realy deeper level than just a casual story driven game. It has a deeper meaning, behind grief. Choices. consequences. Facing your mistake and living by them. I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels all that.
Anyway, amazing video and essay. Wish you good luck sir.
As someone who has attempted suicide myself, I don’t support the snooping-but I do think it’s important to learn what you can about people you say you care about, to learn how to empathize and connect and above all make them feel SEEN.
Also, interestingly, ex was kinda like Max...attempting to avoid conflict everywhere, but instead of her inaction helping our relationship it just hurt us both. She could never deal with her own issues.
There's nothing wrong about Max, dude
Reletable, tho sad its a thing that can be realatalbe...
34:30 This is a great way of encapsulating why this game is built quite the way it was. I honestly still love the dated look and the weird animations and stuff with these heavily tinted nostalgia goggles of mine. Its not any step above or below what is necessary, like you said for story bits. I would spend hours upon hours in every outdoor space using the cheat engine free cam mod just looking at those hand drawn textures that you never really see, at least not up close.
I really like the editing and thumbnail this is honestly great keep it up i wanna see you grow! btw found u from reddit!
I've always been so sure that sacrificing Chloe was the morally correct choice. Saving everyone else in the city. Can't possibly give up on Kate, Warren and everybody else right? Every time playing the game, the ending wrecks me, even though I've played it before. But after seeing this video, I don't know what's right or wrong anymore. Makes the ending hit harder, no matter which one it is. Always felt like Chloe ending was a happy escapist fairytale ending where they escape with no consequence. The baggage is the consequence, and it follows you.
kate and maybe warren are the only ones worth saving imo, and kate was in the hospital and those are usually built to withstand natural disasters better than most buildings. plus it wasn't definitive that max caused the storm as she had a vision of it before even using her powers the first time. I cant see how people would want to save that area knowing it was being destroyed by the rich family anyway
I chose to save Arcadie. Cause I think the burdon to just give up so many people only for one person is heavy for Max. Yea she has her soul mate on the future ride but is it worth it though? I dont think so. No Love should put over peoples lifes especially if there are many innocent people involved. I mean its just selfish to put your own feelings over lifes. Cause life is what makes the world beautiful, you see it along the way that Chloe is doomed to die. In many Situations you have to save her over and over again maybe the games tells us to accept things as they are. Chloe supposed to die in that bathroom just as her father supposed to die in that car crash. Her whole life she didnt accept it and I think the game is trying to tell us even IF we have the power to rewind time doesnt necessarliy mean we change the true outcome of things that supposed to Happen. We only change the x-factor nothing more.
This is the true Intention of the game I think.
I liked the video but this is so muck closer to what I thought about the ending. It doesn't make sense to me that Max would be okaay with killing so many innocent people just for one person, even if it's Chloe. Her sacrifying Chloe means to me that she can come to terms with how she treated her and stop trying to fix everything
Why is this video underrated????
Yea cause it's so well and has many effort put into it. Maybe cause the game turned old now...
@@cerenity3578 There's no point in buying a video game after 2015 anymore. AAA gaming has been trash for a while now.
CHILLS, TEARS, EMOTIONS, MEMORIES 😭😭
I was pleasantly surprised with how much this game resonated with me especially seeing as how I found it by accident 😆 I was also pleasantly surprised because I was a jock in high school and normally the artsy-hipster stuff isn’t my thing. Also, the video was so well stated, intricate, and deep. I could play this game a billion times and would not have thought about things this way…bravo 👏🏻
Just finished my first playthrough and dispite me not wanting to I sacrificed chole I know she can be selfish flies off the handle and can be jealous but I mean when you lose a parent you can develop abandonment issues you lash out and are angry at the world especially when you feel like you have no one and that really resonated with me as I've also lost a parent and still struggle to this very day ... but I know it was the right thing to do ... sometimes you have to be strong and live with that loss ... I had no expectations of this game and I have to say it was great especially the world building the longer you're in it the more you learn about it and the characters in it
I really liked this analysis and it made me view things in a different way. If you can you should do a similar video on life is strange 2!
This was an amazing video essay! Whitelight has some competition!
But I think what it is (with tight budget) is what makes it beautiful, it signifies that nothing will be perfect never will be anything, it's just the same logic which the game was trying us to understand, I feel if it would have been a game with bigger budget maybe it would have been more elaborate, more loose ends would have been answered, which would not have been great and community would not speculate over these topics, I think! Also Ik it wasn't on purpose to have I budget to be clear but it's perfect to me none the less,
Love your video, and how you were being totally unbiased making this video highlighting the rights and wrong while some other youtuber are just doing either hating or loving the game.
This was a really pleasant piece to watch, your thoughts and analysis on the game were really interesting and well articulated. I liked the concept of Max being faced with all of the consequences of her actions, including avoiding them. Thank you for the great video.
I just realized if you follow the games time travel logic, and Max has been creating alternate realities every time she goes through a picture: If you choose to sacrifice Chloe at the end, it’s only your version of Max going back, there’s technically a different Max still left standing next to Chloe staring at a photo. Once “your Max” is gone, imagine how awkward that was standing next to each knowing the “real Max” just left to go kill her lmao
Tldl; if you sacrifice Chloe at the end, technically both timelines still happen. But not vice versa 😅
My first playthrough when Chloe brought up the Idea to use the photo one more time and fix everything. My intiial response was "Are you Insane?! AGAIN? Yes let's fuck with time some more not like that hasn't been a problem the entire episode" yes I know everything got fixed but my initial thought process was nah it's time to own up to our mistakes and stop trying to undo shit.
I agree with your entire video except for some of the conclusion. While I do agree that Max is once again running away from her problems by fixing them through using time powers to save Arcadia Bay, on the other hand, I don't agree with that. She couldn't come to terms with Chloe having to die, changing time more and more, and now has to accept that Chloe has to die, returning to the original timeline, and not being allowed to change anything again because it would once again cause chaos. So she has to accept the original timeline, which she tried to deviate from more and more, and continue to live in that one, living up to the consequences of her actions in the original timeline.
Now you could say, "OK, but the actions she did in that week are also actions she has to take consequences for, and by saving Arcadia Bay, she is running away from those." And I do agree, but that would mean that by just choosing the "Sacrifice Arcadia Bay" ending, she now has to swear not to use her power again, having to live with the chaos that will come upon the world. She would have to live with Chloe probably dying as well, as fate is still trying to fix her death. So now she would have to live with Chloe dying and the town being destroyed, and possibly more chaos ensuing with the factor of the timeline.
That is what you're saying to me. If returning to the original timeline is an escape, then saving Chloe means letting Chloe and the town die. Otherwise, your explanation doesn't work.
So I actually can see both here. But for many fans, saving Chloe actually means saving Chloe. They truly believe there will be a "happily ever after" and that would be it, (As we can see by many people wondering why Chloe isn't in double exposure.) which is not true at all. (At least it wasn't, the way the developers alluded to. Or that I always interpreted into it.) Sacrificing Arcadia Bay means sacrificing Chloe and Arcadia Bay. Sacrificing Chloe means having to live with the consequences of the normal timeline and not using time power again, otherwise the point of sacrificing Chloe would be broken. Ultimately, it's between escaping the consequence of Chloe having to die. Or escaping the consequence of the town being destroyed. That's the choice you make at the end. The latter comes with the factor of returning to the original timeline. Were you then change nothing and just let everything happen normally now without ever using time power again. And the former coming with the risk of Chloe not really being safe and probably further chaos. Now ultimately it doesn't matter what I say since the developer has made it in the second game cannon that the trade off does work. That sacrificing the townspeople is enough for Chloe to be alowd bei fate to lives on since we do know that Chloe lives a normal life in "life is strange 2" And since, unlike the comics and the other LIS parts, this was developed by the same creators of the first part, this canon ending can the most be taken seriously. Since the original intent of the first game is probably most encapsulated.
This what I needed , Werner Herzog justifying the Bae ending for me.
I will always sacrifice Arcadia bay, I’d do it in real life too, I could never sacrifice say a family member or a wife or hubby.
This video has cemented my opinion that sacrifice the bay ending is the better ending because it makes the most sense thematically.
I'm actually at the dreaded last choice right now for the 1st time and stumbled across your video. So I felt that how every player wants the best possible outcome. My 1st instinct was to save the town.. but filling the role of the character who's every decision thus far was based on or around saving Chloe. I kinda feel obligated to choose bae! Great video btw
Then you are correct. You chose what I loosely call the railways effect analysis. Where you are paired with someone your close and a group of strangers.
There's ways to answer but the underlying conclusion is that.
Human nature is instinctively wired to prioritized their pack than other fellow species, they rather see another fellow starve than gave food which will feed their offspring.
And if you choose bae, congratulations you are true by true cruel and selfish yet Human.
Humans are flawed creatures and the greater good is a loose belief that sacrifices are what's best for the people who really aren't even giving a shit to your loss for their wellbeing. You know like Soldiers sent by politicians.
Sorry for the rant I'm not really good at parties
@@stalinsoulz7872 yeah i can see why you're not good at parties
your second sentence makes no sense, you're letting your decision be influenced by a video game character rather than your own judgement/rational thinking lol.
I chose to save Chloe, she just completes Max in more ways than one
she’s not meant to live
@@noriii yeah, thats why i chose to sacrifice her. one person is not equal to a whole town.
@@inxine and if she dies, mark jefferson is exposed and goes to jail, nathan never is killed by mark, kate doesn’t try and commit, etc.. chloes death was meant to happen, no matter how much we love her.
@@noriii i mean i dont love chloe tbf, but its true.
I think the same I could never sacrifice Chloe
this game was already amazing to me when I first played it and then I got to the ending and it was just…jaw dropping
It is crazy that I played LiS at the age of 13 and now I realize how much it shaped my character and helped me to deal with depression.
I believe I played it nearly 9 times but still never saw some of the scenes in video.
Wierd that I mostly identified as Rachel.
Still got a lot of wallpapers of LiS
Facts for some reason I always return to one of my favorite youtubers play through (dashie) it's that type of game that never gets old or boring
For me... I saved town. Not bcos i care them or whatever. Its bcos i didnt want to continue the chain. If saving Chloe caused problem. u starting more strong problem for saving Chloe again and again and again. Its the chain never ends. It wont end bcos u have ability to rewind time. u can get away every time but the problem wont leave u
I really need more videos on LiS as a whole... thanks, your video provided me with some of that :D though ugh I still really want a theory on universe and logic and Jefferson’s powers... I don’t want to think that I have to make a video myself abt this
What powers does Mr Jefferson have? The ability to make teen girls fawn over him before he kidnaps and/or murders them? Interesting ability; they should make a LIS game where you get to do that. Sounds fun, I'd buy that shiz in a heartbeat.
I don't think powers. But why he is the way he is. Even if only a book. But they could go in depth about jeffershit and Nathan. (I hate jefferson) but it would bring so much to the game. LiS would get its true origin story. Not by max and Chloe. But by Jeffershit and why he is. It would make the story alot better to me
Really awesome video! I really liked the editing and how you explained everything
I think this is a metaphor to real life. What if you married someone else, or didn't get married at all, or stay with the current choice. Or would any choice really mattered in the grand universe. Your move.
Thank you for making this video. Just what I needed after I finished the game
Also the point that the rude Max makes is more of "If you truly care about other people and not yourself why don't you show them that unless you are protected by the consequence-free superpowers?". Throughout the game we see what happens if you don't care about people around you. They can perish in any moment because life is that strange and cruel sometimes. So the main morals of the story are don't second guess yourself and appreciate what you have until it lasts. It the story of growing up, about facing tough reality for what it is and still progressing through life while still cherishing people that are still around you. And also the game is very much about love that love that should be shared instead of being hidden away due to some doubts
I saved Chloe because I didn't think she deserved to die. If there needed to be a sacrifice there were much more deserving candidates. Then too, I didn't want to sacrifice Max. Could she go on after losing Chloe? Maybe, Maybe not. Despite what others have said, I think this was a good story.
How about the thousands of people who die when you save Chloe? Did they deserve to die?
@@yopeepthestyle8308 I would go for a sacrifice Max ending. Should have been an option.
Otherwise I would have to save Chloe because she is the woman I love and because I could not live with deliberately sacrificing her. It wouldn't be just sacrificing Chloe, which is why I wrote a fanfic where Max got the help she needed.
@@JanetDax
the whole point of the game was chloe and max coming to the painful but very real conclusion that chloe had to die as she was supposed to.
max messing with time the first time to save chloe is what caused their reality to break. she rewinded time and broke the time space continuum which resulted in their reality to fall into chaos. the snow, the whales and the birds dying, the two moons and eventually the enormous tornado destroying the city.
chloe sacrificing herself is the perfect ending. going back in time one last time and letting fate play out how it was originally supposed to. letting chloe die was painful but it saved the world and everyone in arcadia bay.
the original timeline would have been chloe being shot by nathan. nathan being arrested therefor jefferson being caught and brought to justice.
all of this thanks to chloe dying. her sacrifice solved the arcadia bay serial killer case.
max having messed with time alternated everything and had catastrophic repercussions and consequences that ultimately would have lead to the death of thousands of innocent lives.
the whole premise of the game and the moral of the journey is max and the player coming to the realization that you cant mess with time. you cant change whats done. we have to let go of the past even tho its hurtful and difficult. we cant live in older days and have to move on. we cant dwell in the yesterday. instead we have to look forward and live our lives without looking back. thats the whole point of the story. its a powerful message and has profound meaning.
saving chloe again just to have more people die eventually would be a pointless ending.
the moral of life is strange is that we sometimes have to let go of what happened and look forward to a better future.
@@yopeepthestyle8308 I have to reluctantly agree. Storywise the save Chloe ending doesn't work all that well and we cannot assume the "happily ever after" outcome we want
@@yopeepthestyle8308No they don't deserve to die. Do they deserve Chloe as a sacrificial lamb? Also no they absolutely do not.
As many times as I've played and analysed this game, I never exactly considered your perspective. Honestly, I was just expecting you to frame the "sacrifice Chloe" ending as the correct one, but you surprised me. Your perspective makes a lot of sense. You obviously just thought about it differently. I will point out, though, that I feel sacrificing Chloe was the most moral decision out of the two. But, like you said they are both valid. It's all just a matter of perspective.
I must be on the minority that thinks Chloe manipulates Max... (the whole secuence where they shoot botttles, and the multiple times she makes Max rewind over and over even when Max says it hurts?) Chloe's drug dealing decisions cant be blamed on Max neither, and her way of not paying others/black mailing/ bringing guns to arguments /and other unsafe decisins were going to get her killed anyway (even if Max never comes back, or the storm never happens)
An excellent summary of the events and motivations behind the developers' decisions. I also basically agree with the conclusions about character growth and learning responsibility and consequences for your actions and so on. However, I think you got the ending flipped. Saving Chloe is not rejecting her time travel powers, it's embracing the timeline where she used them to save her friend and letting everyone else die. Accepting that some things are out of her control and her actions have consequences means going back to the beginning and not breaking the timeline to begin with, which means letting Chloe die. And like @jyllianrainbow points out in a different comment, there's more to Max's relationships and the good people of Arcadia Bay than Chloe.
hope they continue the story of max and chloe in life is strange 3
Yeahh, hopefully it would be max and her time traveling powers again in Life is Strange 3
But now it's not😅 it is true colours which also looks awesome in its way! May be in life is strange 4
Well in LIS 2 there is a little conection
@@Kevin-tl1zs Not sure if you're aware of this, but a few weeks before _True Colors_ was publicly announced, someone managed to leak accurate details of the game online. But what's interesting about this leak is that this person also got word of another _Life is Strange_ game in pre-production... one supposedly involving Max and Chloe. Here's the leak:
www.resetera.com/threads/life-is-strange-3-and-4-info.385109/
@@Latinkon I'm pretty sure that the sequel got cancelled, that's why they announced the remastered version of lif1
Did you notice the spiral design the ants make around the dead bird? It's the grand design, a well-organized structure, and one could say in balance vs. the chaos theory, which could be considered out of balance. But this is just my perspective. It could be the other way around, meaning without the chaos theory, there can be no balance. To achieve balance, we must learn from our failures which is the greatest teacher in the universe.
The way you explained it was also so well
Life is Strange got me interested in fanfic. For me the game narrative wasn't enough. What happens to Max after losing Chloe. Does she go on with her life or does it end? What if Max saves Chloe? I know what I want.
i fucking love life is strange, i only played it recently (like 2 months ago) but its amazing. and the twist where you get kidnapped and it's not nathan is so fucking cool.
Love the videos. From Ireland as well!!
For the longest time, I refused to sacrifice Chloe. Just didn’t feel right to go through all we did and try and save her as much as we did just to sacrifice her.
Now I get that sacrificing Chloe is probably the right answer. She was clearly meant to die, but the powers gave her a chance to atleast reconnect and show max that while she has power to force changes that she should accept fate. Things happen for a reason, Chloe dying spurs on people getting caught and changes happening the right way. Chloe living causes destruction and changes done the wrong way and then becoming meaningless.
Now for a spoiler for Double Exposure chapters 1&2
With how the story progresses and Max’s personality, it feels best to have Max and Chloe in a relationship but Chloe is dead. Because the other choice is bestfriends but distanced or dead; or dated but broken up or dead. Chloe being alive doesn’t feel as impactful now because of it. Chloe being dead makes it feel like Max didn’t use her powers after having to make that choice because she didn’t want to mess with fate and risk another storm situation where she’s put in an impossible situation. But she doesn’t see jumping realities as a potential to cause this since she’s not messing with the timeline. But the end of Chapter 2 proves her wrong. Things are wild and I don’t wanna ruin the surprise for someone who ignored my spoiler warning and continued anyways out of curiosity.
You deserve more subs n views
I'm the combination of Chloe and Max haha.
Also if I had these powers I know I would extremely quickly turn Into one of those old lady's who accepts everything and how nothing can be everything, and once something happens, it happens.
Max: *Ha I can actually have a GF/BF (depending on the player) without being so scared!*
Only played the game 2 times a saved Chloe in both honestly I feel like more attached to this game than anyone I know irl
I absolutely love this game! None of the "sequels"ever came close. But according to the developers there is "nothing left to tell about Max & Chloe". Bullshit! The two are the only thing fans are interested in.
I believe there are comics that continue their story
Great video tbcoop. Though next time we go this deep please make sure there's a lifeguard on duty. :(
This is amazing you deserve a lot more subscribers than that
You can never delay the inevitable.
7 years later and still good
The Silent Hill 2 comparison is perfect. A few sections of the game honestly reminded me of Silent Hill.
See, you say sacrificing Arcadia Bay is Max coming to terms with the consequences of her actions? But I don't know if the developers meant that. I think the developers saw it as Max not being able to let go of Chloe and thereby not being able to live with the consequence of Chloe having to die, with more chaos ensuing. So I can see the point you're making. I just am not sure if the developers saw that same point, since they alluded to more chaos coming and Chloe likely dying, with fate trying to fix itself, with the snow once again falling down while they're driving through the ruins of Arcadia Bay. Also how can the sacrificing Chloe ending be a hero origin story if the whole point of sacrificing Chloe is Max not using her power again after that and staying in the original timeline. I always saw the "SacrificeArcadia Bay" ending as an escape where Max would continue to use her power to save Chloe from dying, rather than coming to terms with the consequences of her actions. In contrast, the "Sacrifice Chloe" ending shows Max coming to terms with the consequences of her actions by acknowledging that she caused all of the chaos and destruction. She finally accepts responsibility by returning to the original timeline and committing to live with it without altering anything further. I believe that was the entire point of that ending.
episode 5 is called polarized after all
idk, i think that the sacrifice chloe ending is the one where max owns up to her decisions. by saving chloe, max is basically choosing to ignore what fate has been telling her the whole game in favor of her own selfish desires. chloe is marked for death, and by keeping her alive through this storm max will likely have to keep abusing her powers to prevent chloe's death and subsequently cause more disaster. sacrificing chloe means choosing the timeline where she never reconciles with her best friend and watches her die in cold blood, but in doing so is able to prevent needless deaths that only happened because of her selfishness. i guess it really depends on how you interpret the game's message on fate, though - is it something that can be defied, or will ultimately have its way regardless?
Wow the key characters thing...I haven't noticed that!
I think it's about fate that no matter what chloe must die our time travel power reminds us how we can't accept the past and that everything happens for a reason.. if chloe just died from the beginning every bad person would've been caught.. game teaches us that we shud learn from our past.. and accept.
The sound track always make me cry
One of the easiest "difficult choice" I made, that sacrifice Chloe or Town, I've grown way too attached to her to let her go and I remember thinking, "no looking back now
Same. I never believed Max was the cause for the storm. The whole climate change aspect of the game made the choice an easier pill to swallow. Chloe deserved a second chance as the issues that turned her spiteful were out of her control and not her fault. It just highlights her ability to grow and learn from that pain.
Just finished my first playthrough and while yes Chloe is selfish hot tempered blame everyone and is very jealous I did get attached to both her and max but at the end of the day I did sacrifice her it was what she wanted
@@dannyrivera8300 that is a maybe, theres the possible reasons of she didnt wanna see her best friend suffer going through everything she did, it felt like such a regretful thing in her part that Max saved her yet this caused Max such turmoil, in the end, we just see Chloe accepting that this was her fate from the beginning, even if she wanted to or not the town is going to suffer if this wasnt stopped.
@@thesmiths4204 Doesn't make sense if Max was the cause of the storm due to her power-negligence when the first thing you see in the game is the storm, and that's before Max utilized her powers.
Hey just wanted to day this was a really cool video thank you
When you love someone who cares about the world, he or she is your Arcadia bay
samuel is one of the most underrated characters
This analysis was *cheffs kiss* holy-wow
I disagree about the last part.
For sacrifice Chloe ending, she realized not her powers but her actions caused the storm and she should have not changed fate and destiny. That she can’t make the best choices everytime, can’t save everyone and she can’t alter reality to make herself a happy ending. Tragedy and sadness is inevitable and she has to live through it. She has to own her mistakes and not try to fix them but learn from them.
For sacrificing the Arcadia Bay ending it doesn’t need much explanation because it’s not an ending for logical thinking but pure emotion. She chooses her own ending and not letting fate take Chloe away from her however in the end fate took something back and Max accepted the inevitable.
To be honest I’m not understanding sacrificing the Arcadia Bay ending good enough because for me it’s not even a choice. I can never get myself to sacrifice a town to save one person even if she’s the person I love the most. And it’s not in a way that somehow, someone gives you these two outcomes and you choose, it’s literally you causing all this. The storm wouldn’t be there if you didn’t revert someones death and bring them back. You cause the storm, basically you’re the reason for all the dead people in the town. For this reason I feel like there is only one ending in the game for me.
Saving Chloe wasnt choice. Max had no control over it, it simply happenned, so how could be Max responsible for anything? From what game is trying to say, it wasnt Chloe surviving what caused the Storm, but it was chain of events it started. It was Max using her power to change fates of all people in AB what gave the Storm power of tornado.
I cant avoid entire cause and effect thing. Could it be possible to save Chloe, but then stop using power that cause Storm and let things play by their own? At least in theory. She could still save Kate from pure knowledge of her mental state, get Nathan and Jefferson caught, etc., without using her power. How its different? Not really, because she has all that knowledge from using her powers before...thats where logic is steps in. But i wont cause you headache with time travel paradox.
Chloe's death(originaly) would have big impact on everyone in AB and affected their fates somehow, so its not so easy to say if this solution would have even chance to work.
Problem is, fate and free will are direct opposites and cannot coexist in the same unniverse. Not at same level at least. I mourn for people of AB, even if they arent real, but Storm was bound to happen and it wasnt Max's fault, sacrifice Chloe shouldnt stop it, there is nothing as fate. Fact i overcame annimosity toward Chloe and got to like her in the end, wasnt only factor i made my choice on. I would go with her sacrifice, if it was giving sense.
And thats real issue here. Devs were hoping you choose ending purely by your emotions, to cover holes in their plot logic and get emotional response. Because if you believe in fate or not, its always emotional choice based on your beliefs, not logic or science.
I took the lesson to be that by all her time travelling, she was only screwing things up more and more, so she should save the town by resetting the events from her first action, and stop using her powers. Saving Chloe at the expense of the town is the morally problematic ending.
I personaly read the games ending as the oppocite of yours, Since se went on autopilot or something after "photojumps" I assumed that in the sacrefice Cloie ending, she never found out about her powers, and had to live whit the choises she made the first time around, Eg never saving or reconecting whit Cloie, and therefor grow as a person. I see the Sacreficing Bay ending as her saving Cloie before anything else, Cloie has Died and died again, and I dont think it will change, I thing that ending will have her continuing have her using her powers in order to "rectify" her inaction, unable to face it, In this ending, she never faces how she let her die, But thats just my Interpitation...