Life is Strange: Reunion vs Directive 8020
Max and Chloe's emotional closure versus The Thing's paranoid shapeshifter — one trusts your attachment, the other your suspicion.
Updated 25d ago
Holds up as Max-and-Chloe closure if you survived Double Exposure's dropped ball — but newcomers should start with the original LiS, not Reunion's nostalgia-leaning sendoff.
A shapeshifter you can't trust plus the Turning Points rewind make it the most replayable Dark Pictures yet — skip unless you can stomach padded stealth gauntlets.
By the numbers
Prices checked Sep 10; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Sep 10.
| Measure | Life is Strange: Reunion | Directive 8020 |
|---|---|---|
| Value Life is Strange: Reunion wins on value | ||
| Price now | $29.99 −25% · Microsoft Store | $32.32 −35% · GameBillet |
| All-time low | $29.99 | $31.60 |
| Cost / hour | $3.14/hr $29.99 · 10 h main story | $4.10/hr $32.32 · 8 h main story |
| Off its low | At its low low was Jun 2026 | +2% low was Aug 2026 |
| Main story | 10 h | 8 h |
| Health Life is Strange: Reunion wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 89% 6k reviews | 63% 2k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 87% 127 votes · vs 89% lifetime | 53% 34 votes · vs 63% lifetime · souring |
| Peak players | 281 Aug 2026 · ↓ 23% MoM | 117 Aug 2026 · ↓ 28% MoM |
| Launch peak | — | 4% of May 2026 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 |
| All-time peak | 2,240 Apr 2026 · now at 13% | 3,021 May 2026 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 5 months ago | 3 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 0 in last 90 days | 0 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Platinum |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
Life is Strange: Reunion
The heartfelt reunion between Max and Chloe provides the closure long-time fans have been waiting for, making it a deeply satisfying continuation of their story.
Repetitive dialogue, especially the overuse of lines like 'I can't believe you are here,' dulls the emotional impact and pacing.
from our May 2026 verdict
Directive 8020
The branching narrative via Turning Points keeps fans replaying, each run revealing new crew fates and hidden angles.
Battery-hunting for doors and repeated stealth gauntlets wear thin by the finale, the top complaint across long sessions.
from our August 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Life is Strange: Reunion if
- You've played LiS1 and Before the Storm and need Max and Chloe's closure
- You forgave Double Exposure's stumbles and want fan-service done right
- You want a low-mechanics story without QTE stress
Pick Directive 8020 if
- You're a Dark Pictures/Until Dawn fan who loves branching choices
- You enjoy The Thing's doppelgänger tension and moral suspicion
- You want replayable horror with a robust accessibility suite
Bottom line
Choose Reunion for a heartfelt sendoff if you're invested in Max and Chloe; choose Directive 8020 for replayable sci-fi horror if you forgive its stealth padding.