Life Is Strange Reunion Brings Max And Chloe Back

It’s official: Square Enix has unveiled Life is Strange: Reunion, a long-awaited sequel that promises to bring closure to one of gaming’s most beloved duos, Max Caulfield and Chloe Price. Announced during a livestream on January 20, 2026, and confirmed by Xbox Wire and GamingTrend, the game is set to launch March 26, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store.

This new installment, developed by Deck Nine Games, marks the dramatic finale to the Max and Chloe saga—a journey that began nearly 11 years ago with the original Life is Strange. The announcement has sent ripples through the fan community, not least because it brings Chloe Price back into the fold after her fate was left tantalizingly uncertain in previous entries.

Set at Caledon University, Reunion reintroduces Max Caulfield as a photography teacher. Her life takes a harrowing turn when she returns from a weekend away to find the campus engulfed in flames. The inferno claims the lives of friends, students, and faculty, leaving Max as a rare survivor—thanks to her signature Rewind power, a supernatural ability to reverse time. As GamingTrend details, Max leaps back in time through a selfie, giving herself just three days to unravel the mystery of the fire and attempt to prevent the disaster.

But the surprises don’t end there. Chloe Price, who had been absent due to the timeline-altering events at the end of Double Exposure, suddenly reappears at Caledon. Her return is no simple twist of fate; it’s a direct consequence of Max’s merging of parallel timelines. According to Xbox Wire, Chloe is now haunted by memories of a past she never lived, and her grip on reality is fragile at best. She needs Max’s help to navigate this new existence, and together, they face the daunting task of stopping the impending catastrophe.

For the first time in the series, players will alternate between Max and Chloe, experiencing the story from both perspectives. Max retains her Rewind power, allowing her to manipulate time, conversations, and even the environment to solve four-dimensional puzzles. Chloe, meanwhile, brings her trademark Backtalk mechanic—her quick wit and confrontational style enable her to sway suspects and access places Max can’t. As Xbox Wire puts it, Chloe is “no passenger in Max’s life or decisions.” She’s grown since players last saw her, now working as the touring band manager of Drugstore Makeup, and she brings a fresh, unfiltered perspective to the investigation.

The narrative is designed to be deeply responsive to player choice, a hallmark of the Life is Strange franchise. The game will recognize and incorporate decisions from both the original 2015 game and 2024’s Double Exposure. Whether Chloe lived or died in Arcadia Bay, and whether she and Max were friends or lovers, will not only shape flashbacks but also influence the future players fight to build. As the official blog notes, “these choices are key not just to the past you’ll confirm as you play, but to the future you’ll fight for the chance to build.”

Fans will also notice some familiar voices returning, with Rhianna DeVries reprising her role as Chloe. The game’s reveal stream showcased how dialogue and interactions between Max and Chloe can differ dramatically depending on the choices made in previous games. Players can expect emotionally charged exchanges, with Chloe’s memories reflecting the contradictions and trauma of having lived through multiple timelines—an innovative narrative device that promises to deepen the series’ exploration of identity and consequence.

Deck Nine Games, the studio behind Before the Storm and Double Exposure, is once again at the helm, bringing their experience with character-driven storytelling to bear. The developers have emphasized that Reunion is not just a nostalgic return but a “full circle moment,” designed to deliver the ending Max and Chloe deserve. As one team member reflected on Xbox Wire, “Their reunion could be no quick fix. Max’s power allows her to undo everything… except the memory of her own actions. Of the way the world was before. Of everything she’s done—and everything she’s lost in the process.”

Gameplay innovations abound. Max’s Rewind is back, but with new twists: after escaping the fire by leaping into a Polaroid photograph, she discovers she can remain in the past, essentially starting over from that moment. This mechanic, described as being “double-exposed between the past and the present,” adds layers of complexity to the investigation and raises the stakes for every decision. Meanwhile, Chloe’s Backtalk ability allows her to challenge suspects and push the story in directions Max cannot, making the partnership between the two more dynamic than ever.

Of course, the series’ trademark emphasis on meaningful choice remains front and center. Every decision players make will ripple through the story, affecting relationships, the investigation’s outcome, and ultimately the fate of Caledon University. The emotional weight of past events—the heartbreak, loss, and love that have defined Max and Chloe’s journey—infuses every moment, ensuring that longtime fans will find the closure they’ve been seeking.

Square Enix is offering several editions of the game to suit different tastes and budgets. The Standard Edition is priced at $39.99, while the Deluxe Edition ($49.99) includes a digital mini soundtrack, art book, comic, and a behind-the-scenes documentary featuring actors Hannah Telle (Max) and Rhianna DeVries (Chloe). The Twin Pack ($59.99) bundles Reunion with Double Exposure, granting immediate access to the latter. For collectors, the $99.99 Collector’s Edition (exclusive to the Square Enix Store) features exclusive artwork by Ilya Kuvshinov, a 12-inch vinyl soundtrack, posters, custom guitar plectrums, and Polaroid art cards. Pre-ordering any edition comes with the Max and Chloe Classic Outfits DLC, available until May 5, 2026.

With the game’s release just around the corner, anticipation is running high among fans and newcomers alike. Life is Strange: Reunion promises not only to answer lingering questions but also to deliver an emotionally resonant, choice-driven adventure—one that will test the bonds of friendship, love, and fate one last time.

For those who have journeyed with Max and Chloe since Arcadia Bay, this is the moment to shape their final chapter. The saga that changed so many lives is coming to a close, and the choices made now will echo long after the credits roll.