Let's talk about the bizarre values of strange lives.

I recently finished playing Life is Strange 1 and 2 when I had some free time. A long time ago, I played "Life is Strange: Before the Storm" because it had Chinese subtitles, and I was still very impressed. After all, there aren't many good movie-like games on the market. Plus, the story of the two little girls' ordinary yet eventful lives was very immersive and relatable, as if I were experiencing different lives.

When I played "Life Is Strange: The Eve of the Storm," I felt that some of the plot points were not very comfortable. It felt like I was being forced to accept a certain logic and follow it, which made me feel more and more uncomfortable because I hadn't accepted the logic at all, and I was still forced to make choices according to the logic.

This experience was also very evident in Life is Strange 1. I even specifically looked up the phrase "Life is Strange, values are distorted" back then, but to no avail. I thought maybe there was something wrong with my thinking. But when I got to Life is Strange 2, I couldn't hold back anymore. If it weren't a movie-style game where you mostly just need to watch the plot, I probably wouldn't have been able to finish the game.

Life is Strange 2 has received very high praise, which makes me think about the clash of values. If you accept its values, it's indeed quite good. However, its values are too biased towards universal values, which I feel many people in the East, especially Chinese people, cannot accept.

Plot: One wrong step leads to another.

Life is Strange 2 tells the story of a Mexican high school student whose younger brother gets into trouble with a neighbor's child (described as a bad kid in the story). The older brother protects his brother and beats up the child, but a passing police officer witnesses the incident and orders them to stop. The Mexican father then intervenes, but the officer tells him to stay put. However, the father keeps approaching, and the officer, unable to resist, shoots and kills him. Then, the Mexican high school student's younger brother, who possesses supernatural abilities (uncontrollable, likely activated after feeling threatened), blows up the police officer. The older brother then takes his younger brother on the run.

They encountered many things along the way. First, they fled to the mountains, where they met "racists" who wanted to hand them over to the police, but the younger brother blew it up. Then, kind people took them to a hotel. Next, they went to their grandparents' house, but were discovered by the police and fled to the mountains to work illegally harvesting marijuana. Halfway through, they tried to steal money but were discovered, so they blew it up again. After escaping from the hospital, they rescued their younger brother from a cult with their long-lost mother, and then... yes, they blew up the cult again! Finally, at the US-Mexico border, they wanted to return to Mexico from the US. After blowing up the border wall, they were arrested again. And it didn't end there; they blew up the police station. In the ending I played, the younger brother blew up the border, but the older brother was shot and killed, leaving the younger brother alone in Mexico.

Isn't that weird?

Initially, the police shooting of the father could be labeled as racist—a common occurrence in the US, like the shooting of Black people—but I felt the police were not at fault, given that the father continued to approach them despite repeated warnings. We can also accept the child fleeing with his younger brother after the police officer was killed; anyone would be terrified if such a thing happened for the first time. However, along the way, people kept telling him there was nothing wrong, that he could simply explain things to the police, but he wouldn't listen, missing opportunity after opportunity, until it was too late to turn back.

Throughout the game, every time I returned to the main storyline, I felt helpless when making choices. My thought process was always that this situation could be resolved; a high school student with a nine-year-old brother would only sink deeper if they didn't find an opportunity to clarify things, especially with so many people offering help. But the game simply wouldn't give you that option. Whether it was the well-meaning strangers, your grandparents, or the police's persuasion, it just wouldn't let you choose to turn yourself in. Even at the end, when you blew up the US-Mexico border wall and fled from the US to Mexico, there was a sliver of righteous fervor, but I felt utterly embarrassed.

This was originally a good story about family affection, with very delicate portrayals of the emotional lines and well-handled motherly scenes. However, the brotherly bond is complicated by the fact that this superpowered brat is self-righteous and causes trouble all the time, while the older brother blindly protects his younger brother and is constantly blamed for his stupidity and recklessness. It really makes you not want to continue playing.

Mother Teresaism

The most unacceptable logic in the plot to me is its sanctimonious portrayal of the virtuous mother.

At the US-Mexico border, the younger brother used his superpowers to blow up the border wall, but was caught by a group of self-proclaimed "racist" fake police officers on patrol. Both were eventually taken to the police station by real officers. The conversations inside the station were particularly interesting, involving the fake police officer, the older brother, and another Mexican couple who had illegally crossed the border (the woman was pregnant):

Fake policeman: You should go back to Mexico... This place doesn't belong to you...blablabla

Mexican couple: We're here to work (meaning we'll find jobs after we come in). Mexico isn't good, blah blah blah. You're parents too, you should also want a better environment for your children.

Fake policeman: You smuggled yourselves in, and in the end, our taxpayers foot the bill. You're just a burden. If you were capable, why didn't you enter through the proper channels...blablabla, meaning that many of them, after arriving, are unable to survive, and in the end, the country's money is used to support them.

Mexican couple: They keep saying how dangerous Mexico is, that they don't want to stay in Mexico, that they are pregnant and should be forgiven, and that they will definitely work hard after they come here.

...

I'm increasingly speechless as I listen. As someone who uses legitimate channels, I truly cannot comprehend the hardships and mindset of illegal immigrants. Perhaps their countries aren't good, but does coming to other countries illegally give them a legitimate reason to act with impunity? It's understandable that they want a high quality of life and a good environment for their children, but does that justify their illegal actions? Isn't that selfishness?

Admittedly, everyone has the right to live, but this must be based on the principle of fairness. If Mexico is really as bad as he claims, why not try to find a way out of the country through their own efforts? If they can't go to the United States, they can go to other countries. Why should this be a legitimate reason for them to illegally cross the border?

This part of the story clearly shows the author's disgust for racism and compassion for illegal immigrants, evident in the character design: a pregnant couple is specifically included. However, I truly cannot accept this value system. We can voluntarily share the fruits of our labor with the vulnerable, but we cannot be forced to accept the theory that the vulnerable must receive help. If illegal acts are encouraged, how can the interests of law-abiding citizens be guaranteed, and what is the point of legal actions?

Summarize

Overall, Life is Strange 2's game design is outstanding. If you ignore the story, the experience is fantastic, which likely explains its high rating. However, the racist plot and the unruly child character significantly detract from the game. The racism is poorly portrayed, and the child is so disruptive that it's unbearable to deal with. Honestly, if I had a child this disruptive, I would have given up and taken him to the police station. The plot, based on the child's refusal to surrender and his subsequent escape, feels very forced.