Life is Strange: Reunion vs Directive 8020
Nostalgic closure or space-horror branching — both offer choice but target utterly different cravings.
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.
Supermassive's strongest Dark Pictures entry yet, if you can tolerate the tedious stealth sections.
Steam popularity
Life is Strange: Reunion
Apr 2026 peak CCU 2,240
Directive 8020
Steam Charts hasn't recorded a calendar month yet.
Key differences
Story franchise baggage
Reunion demands you've played LiS1, Before the Storm, and Double Exposure to feel the payoff.
Directive 8020 is a standalone entry in The Dark Pictures, requiring no prior game knowledge.
Genre and tone
Reunion is emotional drama about friendship and fire, with dialogue-driven choices and light puzzles.
Directive 8020 is survival horror with stealth and branching paths on an alien planet.
Branching complexity
Reunion's choices mostly affect character relationships and ending, not sprawling plot forks.
Directive 8020 boasts more branching with time-jump twists and identity themes, albeit pacing issues.
Which one is for you?
Pick Life is Strange: Reunion if
- You need Max and Chloe's story concluded after playing prior LiS entries.
- You want an 8-10 hour narrative game with no complex mechanics.
- You forgave Double Exposure's pace and want fan-service done right.
Pick Directive 8020 if
- You enjoy sci-fi horror with player agency and branching paths.
- You've played earlier Dark Pictures games and wanted more control over outcomes.
- You can tolerate some repetitive stealth and pacing stumbles.
Bottom line
If you're a LiS veteran needing closure, pick Reunion; if you want a fresh horror with meaningful choices, take Directive 8020.