Episode 5: Polarized - Life is Strange Guide - IGN (2024)

Episode 5 begins with Max trapped in Jefferson's Dark Room.

You can't do much right now, but there is one available option. You're able to try and detach yourself from the bindings. The one you want is your right leg, so look down and detach it. Now that it's free, look to your right, and pull the cart over. Now that you've pulled it over, look at the photo. Look at it again and Max will focus in on it to try and time travel. The following sequence is a cutscene, as you watch what Jefferson did to you earlier.

When you come back to the normal reality, you will see the cart again but now the contents have changed. There is a new photo on the top shelf, so look at it, then focus in on it to travel in time again. There are some options you can pick during the conversation, but the important part happens just as the conversation ends. Look to your left and you will see Max's journal. Once you see it, rewind time as far as you can, then when Jefferson goes to walk away there will be a speak option for him. Quickly talk to him and bring up the fact he has your journal.

With the journal now on the ground, Max can look at the photo to further jump through time. This time Max ends up back in the classroom of the first day, but she is determined to expose Jefferson. First you need to find David's phone number, so look in your bag on the floor to find a book, then flip through it to get to the phone numbers. Next, grab your cell phone, and Max will text David all the information about Jefferson. After this Max will stand up.

Go speak to Jefferson, and there will be a conversation with Victoria, then you will talk to Jefferson. It's a rather aggressive conversation, as Max doesn't hold anything back.

After this, Max is on a plane, as she has won the contest and is now heading to San Francisco. There is nothing important to look at here, just look around and interact with what you see and eventually the Principal will wake up, triggering another cutscene which will bring Max to the art exhibit.

You can walk around the area and look at the various photos and talk to people, but the important part is in the back, where you will find Max's photo. Max freaks out, and eventually you end up in the lower section. Run back to your photo and Max will use it to time travel, although you will get interrupted at least once.

You end up back in the Dark Room now, and just as Jefferson goes to drug you, David shows up.

Now during the fight between David and Jefferson you will need to rewind time several times as you tell David what to do so he can survive. First, warn him before he gets in the room so he doesn't get hit in the head. Next, tell him to grab the camera beside him and throw it at Jefferson. Finally, as Jefferson runs by you, look down and pull the cord on the ground, which distracts Jefferson and allows David to jump him, taking him down for good. You have to execute key choices in order to avoid David getting hit/scared during the fight. For this outcome be sure to choose the cup of water option. Be sure to warn David and after rewinding kick the cart with the water at Jefferson before he get's a chance to hit David in the face. Then last part is the same as above for distracting Jefferson.

You will be freed, and now be able to talk to David. An important choice occurs here, where you can tell David the truth about Chloe or lie to him. If you reveal the truth, he will kill Jefferson, if you lie then he will think everything is okay and Jefferson goes to jail.

Max will now be back in town, amidst it's annihilation by the tornado. Start walking forward, and you will hear various people calling for help, so lets start saving them.

The first is Evan. He may be dead when you find him if you take too long so rewind time. Simply go up to him before he gets hit and speak with him to warn him.

After warning him, turn around and head to the large red truck. You will hear the trucker calling for help. You will need to head around the truck and climb over the fallen beam to reach him. Interact with him to lift the beam on his leg and help free him.

Head back to the road and start walking down it. On the right side you will see the ever in trouble Alyssa, who this time needs to be saved from a heavily damaged building. Walk up to her and speak with her, then look to your left to find a large wooden beam that you can use to get her down. Once down, she saves you quickly, then you can carry on.

Continue along the road and it will eventually funnel you towards a hole in the side of a building, with some growing flames. Enter the building, and you will see your path blocked by fire. A fuse box is near by though so go to it and flip the switch. When you do, the man in the other room dies, but this must happen for now. Walk through where the fire was and turn left. Walk into the room where the guy died, then rewind time until he is alive. Talk to him, and he will get up and out of the water. Now go flip the switch again and this time the fire will go out without him having to die. Exit the building as well and head towards the diner.

Before long, the diner will blow up, which is most certainly a bad thing. Rewind time and you will see on the ground a flaming trail of gasoline. Rewind back as far as you can, then go up to the side of the diner to find a box of sand. Use it, dump the sand on the fuel and you will save the diner from destruction.

Now that the diner is no longer a fiery explosion, you can enter. The front door is blocked though, so head around to the side. Don't go in quite yet though!

Once inside the diner, there are a few optional things you can do that are tracked. First, you can speak to Frank and tell him the truth about Rachel. You can also talk to Joyce to tell her what David did to save your life. If you don't want to do this, simply head to Warren and talk to him. Just before travelling back in time, you will be given one more choice. Pick whichever you think Warren is worth, then look at the photo to go back in time.

You will now be in a long scene with Chloe. Pick what options feel best to you, as you explain the situation to her and try to convince her of everything that will happen. After it's all done, you will jump to the present, where you and her are together again on the beach as the storm threatens to destroy the town. Shortly after getting the pair united, things go sour as Max passes out and wakes up back in her classroom. Things play out differently this time around, and eventually Max will get up.

When you go to leave, Jefferson appears and a very strange conversation will play out. Now leave again, and when you do, you'll be in the girls dorms. Kate is at the end of the hall, so walk around and then talk to her. Follow her through the door and you will be back at the beginning. Head down the hall and turn right, then go to the end to pick up the keys. They are for room 218, so find that one and enter it.

When you do, you'll emerge wearing Rachel's old clothes. You now need to enter her old room, so look on the board to your right to find out it's 224, the first room on the left. Enter it and you'll now come out as Victoria. Head down the hall to her room, which is the second last on the left. Enter and now you will appear as normal Max again.

Now that you're Max, head down to her room, and when you enter you will instead be in the halls of Blackwell, except everything is backwards.

When ready, head into the girls bathroom to teleport into a new area. The next few areas are all a large game of hide and seek. You need to traverse the paths while avoiding being spotted. Use your time powers to manipulate everyone so that you can easily get past them. The first is just a couple patrolling Jeffersons.

The next part is a rotating statue that has a light going around in circles. Stay behind cover, then run from cover to cover each time the light rotates past you.

The next section is the same as the first, although in tighter quarters and with a few more people with flashlights.

Once you get passed all the lockers, there is one more sequence where you must get through the junkyard replica. Again, simply dodge the lights and use your powers in the event you get caught.

After exiting this sequence, you will be in for many cutscenes. There is a quick puzzle to solve, where you must find a 4 digit code. Enter any code first, then suddenly the room will fill with numbers. To find the correct code, look in the mirror. Remember it's backwards though since it's a reflection! Just in case, the code is 0311.

Once through this part, there will be more cutscenes, and a strange series of dialogue with an alternate version of Max at the diner. Eventually this culminates in the final decision of the game.

Congratulations, you have completed Life is Strange!

For additional help here are videos of good and bad choices walkthrough:

Bad Choices Optional Video:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Part 5:

Good Choices Optional Video:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Part 5:

Part 6: