The Life is Strange end credits song: Max & Chloe

So I've recently played through Life is Strange. Wow... What an experience. Funny thing is, I got it in 2016, played thru the first episode and ditched it. I've always been a very fast paced gamer and very addicted to instant gratification, which you definitely do not get with LiS.

But in an attempt to cut down on my Steam library backlog, I thought I'd give it another go. Especially owing to the fact that I'm trying to get better at being patient with games that challenge my tastes and play style. Whew boy am I glad I did.

I may be 10 years late to the Life is Strange party but god damn did I enjoy myself!! The characters, as deeply flawed and weird they all may be, are amazing, and the story is just... Woah. That twist toward the end left me SHOOK. I couldnt deal with it, or wrap my head around it.

I have so much more to say, but what I'm really here to talk about is the music, and a specific song at that. After that intense emotional journey you tag along with all the characters on, when the credits roll the song Max & Chloe plays.

There's something about this song, man. It's got a very particular vibe to it. It feels warm, melancholic, sad, pensively hopeful and broody all at the same time. Its a very perfect fit for the autumnal wonder that is Arcadia Bay.

Tonight I lay down to bathe in every little detail waeved within this track. And my god is it gorgeous. The cozy intimacy of the acoustic guitar, the melancholic brooding of the electric guitar fading in and out, the hopeful energy of the drums... I feel like it all sums up the relationship between Max and Chloe and their life circumstances.

Chloe felt abandoned by Max when she left Arcadia Bay for Seatle, she felt sad by the lack of effort by her not keeping in touch. This was only further entrenched by the disappearance of her partner (Rachel Amber), and the death of her father, both of which deepened her abandonment attachment wounds. To make matters worse, her life is made even more difficult by her stepfather, making her feel trapped, misunderstood and alone.

But when Max returns to Arcadia Bay... You both get reunited. Chloe is so excited to see you again, but she's also sad, hurt and lost. She has a whole mix of emotions about how you come back into her life, and she's slow to trust that you wont just abandon her again. But she's also happy to have you back in her life, even if how things were between you hurt her.

And I think this song really does a spectacular job at capturing that story. The trauma and sadness of losing her father and Rachel, the hurt from abandonment, but also the hope of a new beginning when you return to her life, and the pensive excitement.

For this, I'm absolutely obsessed this this track. How it conveys that range of emotions is just... Incredible.