Life is Strange Episode 5: Polarized is somewhat of an apt name for the conclusion to Dontnod’s teenage time-travelling adventure, as I can imagine that it’ll prove quite divisive for many fans as the credits roll. In many ways, Max Caulfield’s gripping journey deviates from the path of previous episodes, occasionally tripping into horror-esque territory and channelling everything from Twin Peaks to Silent Hill. The core of the franchise has always remained the bond of friendship between Chloe and Max however, and Polarized in that respect does not attempt to mess with this established narrative thread; despite wandering off in some interesting new directions, it always back to that relationship, which is a testament to Dontnod’s impeccable characterization. But does the climax honor everything we’ve come to experience thus far while concurrently offering a fitting conclusion to Max’s journey?
It may seem cliche, but it’s difficult to discuss Polarized without dipping our toes into spoiler territory. After all, episodic finales are intrinsically heavy on plot revelations, and Episode 5 is absolutely packed full of them. Max isn’t just met with facing up to Life is Strange’s Big Bad (those who played Dark Room will know what we’re talking about); her own subconscious fears come out to play, making for the most psychological-heavy entry in the series. If there is one criticism I’d raise here is that Polarized is probably the least interactive episode to date, as there’s less emphasis on puzzles and exploration. Rather, Dontnod ramps up the exposition, sometimes making you feel like you’re on an amusement park ride soaking up all the delights along the way.
That’s no bad thing though, as the narrative and pacing is spot on and presents more twists and turns than the Crystal Maze. You’ll still get to make copious use of Max’s time-bending powers though. One such example comes at the beginning of the episode, where you’re bound to a chair and have to rewind time to discover the right pieces of the scenery to manipulate in order to save your would-be saviour from biting the bullet. But Polarized spends most of its time making you feel uneasy, putting you into situations where Max find herself jumping from different realities in an attempt to save Chloe, making for a tense but no less compelling adventure that always keeps you on the edge of your seat. Without giving too much away, episode 5 does a great job of playing with your expectations; just when you think Max has everything solved and is leading as seemingly normal life again, the game flips everything on its head, and chaos ensues once again.
One of the major set pieces of Polarized has you navigating what can only be described as a warped maze concocted by Max’s fragile mind state, where you have to avoid being spotted by flashlights wielded by various familiar faces. It’s suitably creepy and unnerving as you hear certain characters mutter to themselves with obvious malevolent intent towards Max, including some rather disturbing comments towards digging up corpses. It’s a complete departure from the traditional Life is Strange experience, but still no less enjoyable; in fact, it’s these sequences that the meat of the narrative comes from. Even more bizarre moments punctuate Episode 5’s more psychological approach, with giant squirrels peeking at you from dormitory windows, to text messages received from deceased individuals and even a Frank’s pesky pooch. It’s unnerving stuff, and juxtaposed with Max’s fragile state of mind, works brilliantly to convey just how desperate and broken the 19-year-old art student is becoming.
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It’s a pity then, that Polarized is probably the least technically accomplished episode thus far. While not game breaking by any standard, some shoddy character models and awful lip syncing only seek to whittle down the immersion factor of key moments, which are notably worse than anything we encountered previously. Fortunately, these niggles don’t subvert the overall emotional weight of the episode; they’re just a pain in the arse, and it’s disappointing they managed to sneak in considering how long we had to wait for episode 5 to grace our screens. I also felt like a few scenes got a little laborious at times, with Dontnod obviously padding stuff out here and there. It’s also mildly frustrating having to rewind time constantly in some sequences just to discover the right move to play, forcing you to repeat the same dialogue over and over again. However, that’s just inherent of Max’s time-travelling mechanics, and something we’ve gotten used to since the series’ inception back in January.
The choices you have made in previous episodes will come back to cause ripples in Polarized, which dialogue options changing depending on what decisions you made earlier. However, while earlier episodes were more focused on how those choices affected the game’s cast, Polarized deals with the weighty sense of guilt that Max feels as she is reminded of virtually every single character that has come into contact with her time-bending powers. It’s a palpable feeling confronted by faces—and in some cases, ghosts—from the past, and if Dontnod were attempting to make you feel that weight on Max’s shoulders, I can confidently say they succeeded in doing so. And then there’s the final choice itself. Indeed, the most egregious crime Life is Strange’s finale could commit is to present players with an arbitrary choice that holds no weight or standing on previous events, and fortunately, Dontnod has in my opinion crafted a fitting conclusion. Again, the underlying theme of friendship solidifies the choices presented to you, and in that sense, Life is Strange delivers. For me, it’s a no-brainer considering the impending doom that has been brewing in Arcadia Bay since the start of the series.
Overall, Life is Strange has come to a compelling and rewarding conclusion, and as a player from day-one, I couldn’t have hoped for a better ending to Max’s adventure. Yes, it’s not perfect, and those technical issues still remain, but having been invested in this franchise since day-one, there’s no question that Dontnod Entertainment has provided some of the greatest character-driven narratives of the PS4 era thus far. Polarized is unlikely to be everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, Life is Strange ends on a resounding high note—don’t miss it.