Spoiler Alert!
Something Good – Alt J
The very beginning of Episode 2 is actually one of the emotional high points of the whole series. Max has learned of her new power and this has led to being reunited with her old best friend. Something Good by Alt-J not only captures that ‘hipster’ feel the whole game portrays, but reflects the positive repercussions that have come with the discovery of Max’s power.
If only the whole series could have stayed this feel good, maybe our emotions wouldn’t be such a mess right now.
Crosses – José González
José González has always been one of those artists largely associated with a chilled, somber sound. Playing this particular song following the big leak of the video of Kate, and Max’s subsequent conversation with her regarding this made perfect sense.
As Max gazes out of the window of the bus, the song plays through her headphones. It’s quite clear that Square Enix wanted the player to feel exactly how Max felt. Her worries over Kate, her new power, and her ‘prophecy’ of the town about to be completely leveled by a tornado are clearly playing on Max’s mind in this cutscene. It’s perfectly clear, in retrospect, that Square used this song to portray Max’s somber mood.
To All of You – Syd Matters
As we left Mr Jefferson’s classroom for the first time and headed down to the bathroom, unknowing of what lay in store for us there, we checked out posters, rummaged in bins and gained a little bit more information on these new faces lining the sides of the corridor. We can’t quite put our finger on exactly why this song perfectly fit our wandering down the corridor in Episode 1, but it just did.
Maybe it was the fitting lyrics as we walked past all of the cast we would soon get to know. Maybe it was because Max had put the song on herself and so it immersed us in the experience. We were there as a part of Max, living in her mind and making the decisions, rather than just being an observer of the story. While this may have felt rather insignificant in the grand scheme of things, at this very moment, it gives the player a great introduction to the game’s mechanics, characters, and style as a whole.
Mountains – Message to Bears
The addition of this track to Life is Strange’s soundtrack was one of pure genius. No other song could perfectly encapsulate the emotion that both Max and Chloe are going through during this scene.
As we follow Max and Chloe speeding from the ‘Dark Room’ to the junkyard, the pair, as well as the player by this point, are hoping that what they think is coming, won’t. Unfortunately, Rachel’s remains are found in the junkyard leading to a very emotional scene between Chloe and Max. With the cutscene responsible for arguably the biggest reveal in the series’ story, and resulting in a complete loss of hope on Chloe’s behalf, the beautiful music by Message to Bears only makes this scene all the more cinematic.
Mt. Washington – Local Natives
Kate’s suicide attempt toward the end of Episode 2, whether you saved her or not, is one of the most powerful moments in the entire series. Following Max’s difficult decision on who exactly she should pin the blame on, the camera flicks through some of the cast and how they’re reacting to the recent events. Needless to say, the music perfectly sums up the dramatic nature of the scenes that preceded.
It once again brought a cinematic feel to the whole scene and helps to emphasize the significance of the events, the characters, and exactly what they’re going through. Beginning with Max and Warren sitting on the steps as they watch the unscheduled eclipse happen right in front of their eyes, you get a sense that these characters are more than just avatars on your screen. They can care, love, and feel guilt. One particularly strong example of this was Victoria, realizing the detrimental effects her actions had on Kate as she sat on the edge of her bed and showing us that she’s not the heartless person we had her pinned to be.
Did you like the soundtrack to Life is Strange? Were there any particular standout scores on the soundtrack that perfectly fit a cutscene? Let us know in the comments below!
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