With the release of Life is Strange: Reunion, we’re staring down the explosive finale between Max and Chloe, whose tragedy started way back in 2014 in one of the best narrative games of all time.
At the start of Life is Strange: Reunion, you’re offered four distinct paths to choose from, based on your original Life is Strange decisions.
Each one of these four options drastically changes the story you’ll experience.
The four options are:
- Saved Chloe, not in a relationship
- Saved Chloe, in a relationship
- Didn't save Chloe, not in a relationship
- Didn't save Chloe, in a relationship
This decision, often called ‘bae vs bay’ by passionate fans, has no clear-cut answer.
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Whether you’re a real lover who saves Chloe every time, or someone who values the lives of several thousand innocent NPCs, your past sins are finally coming home to roost.
To settle this debate once and for all, our resident Life is Strange experts - Sara and Kate - are entering the Versus Mode ring to answer which Chloe option you should pick in Life is Strange: Reunion.
Kate - Picked 'Didn't save Chloe, in a relationship'
In my playthrough of the original Life is Strange, I allowed Chloe to die, which admittedly, yes, did pain me. After all, my version of Chloe and Max were indeed in a relationship.
I hardly wanted to break apart these two adorable lovebirds. I’ve always had a fondness for just how perfectly imperfect the duo are as a couple. Chloe is confident and reckless. Max, at least in that original game, is meek and unsure. Chloe finds in Max what she lacks within herself, just as Max finds what she lacks within herself in Chloe. It’s the perfect example of ‘opposites attract’.
As much as I wanted to secure their long-term happiness, I personally wasn’t quite willing to justify mass murder or, as the game more lightly puts it, the destruction of Arcadia Bay. You see, I don’t view Chloe as a bad person, and I don’t think she deserved to die, but I am willing to sacrifice her if it saves the lives of thousands of complete innocents.
I also don’t think Max could live with the destruction of Arcadia Bay and all those who reside within it, despite how much she wants to save Chloe. Max is, much like me, an empath. She feels incredibly deeply, and I’d argue that’s why she’s such a talented photographer and so deeply valued by her friends in Life is Strange: Double Exposure. This isn’t someone I can see living with that level of guilt. The guilt of losing Chloe weighs heavily on her enough - and that’s with Chloe somewhat setting those events in motion.
Of course, I’m pretty smug that as per Life is Strange: Reunion, I’ll have ended up with an eventuality where both Arcadia Bay and Chloe survive, but had that never happened, I wouldn’t have budged. I’m sorry, Chloe. You don’t deserve to perish, but I trust you’d think this is the right call.
Sara - Picked 'Saved Chloe, in a relationship'
I will save Chloe Price every single time, even if the ‘Bay’ ending is objectively stronger. That’s not just because Spanish Sahara by Foals is one of my favourite songs of all time - I truly believe it's the kindest thing to do for Max.
Here’s a question - would you rather find the love of your life, and give your blossoming relationship a chance, or get shot and killed, bleeding out in a dingy school bathroom?
Sure, it’s the noble choice to save Arcadia Bay. But when I think of my loved ones being in the same situation, I know, deep down, I’d save them over every single person on the planet. Whether you think that’s a cowardly or selfish decision on my part is why Life is Strange has had such an impact, over a decade later.
The tragedy of having the ability to time-travel and failing, every time, to save the girl you love is so compelling, but I wouldn’t stop throwing myself at that wall until I figured it out.
I also disagree that it’s out of character for Max to save Chloe. The last words of the Bae ending are Chloe saying they’ll always be together, and Max promising her 'Forever.' To kill Chloe is to devalue every sacrifice Max made.
So many people point out how choosing Chloe is choosing to kill an entire town. I would argue that choosing Bay is choosing to actively murder your childhood best friend.
There’s also the "Kill Your Gays" trope to consider. While some argue that plenty of LGBTQ+ people likely lived in Arcadia Bay, the narrative weight is squarely on Max and Chloe. Why should we settle for tragedy when we can have a future together, however brief?
In Life is Strange: Double Exposure, Max and Chloe broke up because the choice weighed so heavily on her, and Chloe couldn’t trust her to give up her powers. I have my own opinions on that creative decision, but just because something weighs heavily on someone, it doesn’t mean it’s the wrong choice.
The Life is Strange comics already proved that the "Save Chloe" timeline is rich, complex, and full of growth. Max isn't a mass murderer; she’s just someone who refused to let fate dictate who she loves. Even if Life is Strange: Double Exposure tried to tell us they drifted apart, Reunion proves their fates are intertwined. If the world has to end for Max and Chloe to start, I won’t deny them that.
At least Kate and I can agree on one thing - Chloe and Max are best in a relationship.
Topics: Life Is Strange