History VideoGame / LifeIsStrange2

* MoodWhiplash: You spend the first scene of the game worrying about such things as whether to drink at a party, how to make a good impression on your crush and staying in your dad's good graces. And then, just when you've gotten comfortable with that level of drama, wham - here comes the [[PersonOfMassDestruction destructive superpowers,]] the [[RunForTheBorder being on the run from the law]] and the desperate struggle to find food and shelter day by day!

* SceneryGorn: If you said that you sacrificed Arcadia Bay when starting the game, Brody takes the Diaz brothers to an overlook near the ruins of Arcadia Bay, which is still a desolate ruin three years later. The image of the desiccated town is quite haunting.

** Brett tells Sean and Daniel to "go back to their own country," and calls Danile the r-word.

** Their father's hometown is called Puerto Lobos, literally 'Wolves Port'.

* AnimalMotifs: As the first game had the deer and the butterfly, this game has wolves -- Sean and Daniel are both linked to wolves. The loading symbol for the game shows two wolves running, one big and one small. Certain choices made in the game will focus on the bigger wolf, the smaller wolf, or both wolves; this means the decision that you made has either affected Sean, Daniel, or both brothers. Sean has a wolf on his hoodie, and wolves frequently show up in his sketch book. Both brothers end up howling like wolves while camping out in the forest, and Sean later tells Daniel a bedtime story about two wolf brothers who had to leave home after [[spoiler:their father was taken by hunters.]] Sean also looks at a poster advertising a free puppy, stating that he already has one in the form of Daniel.

Similarities to the last season of Telltale's ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'' have been noted, but since both games were in production at roughly the same time, are purely coincidental.

* AdultFear: In ''spades''. Not only does the game start [[spoiler:with the death of Sean and Daniel's father via cop shooting]] but Sean also has to look out for Daniel on the road. In addition to providing the basic necessities, Sean also has to teach Daniel — if Daniel sees Sean steal, he'll steal too.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Sean and Daniel will often have conversations while walking around examining their environment. If the conversation is important, it will start again if Sean accidentally interrupts it while looking at something.

* CliffHanger: The last shot of the first episode shows [[spoiler: a rock covered in snow. You then hear Sean gently encouraging Daniel before the rock starts to levitate up into the air, suggesting that Daniel is starting to learn how to control his powers.]]

* ContinuityNod: Brody eventually takes the brothers to a parking lot that oversees the entirety of Arcadia Bay. Depending on the player's choice (the game asks you whether you sacrificed Arcadia Bay or not before playing) it is either the same peaceful night-time scene as it always was (including the famous light-house) or a ghastly ruin.

* MindOverMatter: Daniel has powerful telekinetic abilities which allow him to flip a cop car and do quite a number to the surrounding properties. He has no control over it, however.
** The {{Stinger}} of the first episode shows [[spoiler:Sean giving some encouraging words to Daniel, with a shot of a rock levitating in the air, suggesting that it is something he will slowly learn to control.]]

* SceneryGorn: If you said that you sacrificed Arcadia Bay when starting the game, Brody takes the Diaz brothers to an overlook near the ruins of Arcadia Bay, which was never rebuild after the storm. The image of the dessicated town is quite haunting.

* SlidingScaleOfGameplayAndStoryIntegration: Deliberate example- near the end of Episode 1, Sean throws [[spoiler: his phone]] away. Up until the very instant [[spoiler: the phone]] leaves his hand, you [[spoiler: have access to the cell phone texts menu]]. The instant the above happens, that is no longer the case.

** Pressing Q will focus the camera on Daniel, so you won't lose track of him during the forest trail sequence.

* ContinuityNod: Brody eventually takes the brothers toa parking lot that oversees the entirety of Arcadia Bay. Depending on the player's choice (the game asks you whether you sacrificed Arcadia Bay or not before playing) it is either the same peaceful night-time scene as it always was (including the famous light-house) or a ghastly ruin.

* AnimalMotifs: As the first game had the deer and the butterfly, this game has wolves -- Sean and Daniel are both linked to wolves. The loading symbol for the game shows two wolves running, one big and one small. Certain choices made in the game will focus on the bigger wolf, the smaller wolf, or both wolves; this means the decision that you made has either benefited Sean, Daniel, or both brothers. Sean has a wolf on his hoodie, and wolves frequently show up in his sketch book. Both brothers end up howling like wolves while camping out in the forest, and Sean later tells Daniel a bedtime story about two wolf brothers who had to leave home after [[spoiler:their father was taken by hunters.]] Sean also looks at a poster advertising a free puppy, stating that he already has one in the form of Daniel.

* DramaticIrony: While briefly looking over Arcadia Bay, Sean calls it boring. [[VideoGame/LifeIsStrange if he]] [[VideoGame/LifeIsStrangeBeforeTheStorm only knew.]]

** The gas station owner assumes that Sean and Daniel are undocumented, assumes that they stole from him because they're Mexican, supports building a border wall, threatens to call ICE on them, and eventually outright uses an ethnic slur against latinos.

* AnimalMotifs: As the first game had the deer and the butterfly, this game has wolves -- Sean and Daniel howl in a scene in the first episode, and wolves show up in Sean's sketchbook.

* ForegoneConclusion: Everyone who already played VideoGame/TheAwesomeAdventuresOfCaptainSpirit knows that Sean and Daniel will meet Chris and save him from fallig down his treehouse at one point.

* PowerStrainBlackout: Daniel passes out when he powers first manifest, and he has no recollection of the event.

-> ''"What are we gonna do now?"''\\
''"There's nothing we can't do, as long as we're together."''

Compounding this is Daniel's mysterious power, which manifested during the shooting to blast the officer (and his truck) away - a power he seems unaware of and unable to harness. Compounding ''that'' is Daniel's general lack of recollection of the whole event, and Sean's general unwillingness to let his brother know that their father is dead and they're on the run from the police. Sean is a kid himself in many ways, and is now the only caretaker that Daniel has. Life on the run is far from easy, and the choices that Sean makes as he and Daniel journey south will affect how Daniel acts as he and Sean both come of age.

Similarities to the last season of [[VideoGame/TheWalkingDead Telltale's The Walking Dead]] have been noted, but since both games were in production at roughly the same time, are purely coincidental.

* AnimalMotifs - As LIS 1 had the deer and the butterfly, LIS 2 has wolves - Sean and Daniel howl in a scene in the first episode, and wolves show up in Sean's sketchbook.
* ComingOfAge - Sean and Daniel are 16 and 9 respectively, and Sean has to grow up fast to deal with the tragedy of his new life on the road.
* RunForTheBorder - After a cop confrontation goes tragically wrong, the brothers decide to head south and cross the border into Mexico to live with some of their relatives.
* ShipperOnDeck - At the start, Sean's BFF Lyla is doing her damndest to play matchmaker for Sean and his crush, Jen.
* WalkingTheEarth - Definitely not the romantic version. On the run from the police and other authority figures, Sean and Daniel are doing their best to get south and stay alive.

-> ''What are we gonna do now?''
''There's nothing we can't do, as long as we're together.''