Life is Strange: Before the Storm Episode One review – The Price is right
By Matt Becker
The first episode of the Life is Strange: Before the Storm kicks off the emotional and intriguing story of Chloe and Rachel in a hella strong way.
Developer: Deck Nine
Publisher: Square Enix
Platforms: PC (version reviewed), PS4, Xbox One
Release Date: August 31, 2017
For many, Life is Strange set a high bar for narrative-driven adventures. Featuring engaging characters mixed with a unique “rewind time” gameplay mechanic, the game tackled tough subjects most games shy away from. The first title told the story of childhood friends Max Caulfield and Chloe Price, two Oregon high schoolers. Without spoiling too much, one primary arc of the storyline involves uncovering the mystery of what happened to their missing friend Rachel Amber.
We know from the first game that Chloe was close to Rachel, but the intimate details of their relationship were ambiguous. That’s where Before the Storm comes into play. This miniseries is told three years prior to the original story, not long after Max left Arcadia Bay to live up in Seattle. Players control the rebellious and angsty Chloe as we uncover her blossoming relationship with the mysterious Rachel and learn more about Chloe’s disorderly home life.
The team stayed true to the tone and spirit of the series while giving this prequel a personality of its own
Chloe is just as snarky and carefree in Before the Storm, if not more so, than in the original Life is Strange. While the focus in the original title was on Max and her time-bending powers, Chloe runs the show this time around. The game doesn’t feature any time rewinding puzzles, which contextually makes sense. Instead, the Life is Strange: Before the Storm features a new Backtalk mechanic. This enables players to utilize Chloe’s wit to (potentially) get her out of sticky situations, usually by taking her conversation partner’s words and throwing them right back in their face.
These sequences sometimes feel more like a hipster episode of Wild ‘n Out than a Life is Strange game. But they also fit perfectly with Chloe’s devil-may-care personality and attitude. Chloe is much more aggressive than Max, and the conversation options show it. Even when you attempt to choose a more passive option, Chloe still replies with her usual snark and sarcasm. This also means there is a significant amount of borderline cringy lines. And without the distraction of time rewinding puzzles, it’s all the more noticeable. This really forces the player to take on the role of Chloe, no matter how sharp her tongue might be.
While I found myself wincing on occasion, these awkward moments mellowed down as the episode progressed. Like the original Life is Strange, the game’s writing embraces its environment. From the little easter egg cultural references to the twenty-minute tabletop RPG segment, Before the Storm puts you in the shoes of a 2010 Oregon high schooler. The dream-like soundtrack is similar to the first title and fits perfectly into the prequel as well.
Arcadia Bay’s sprawling forests and towering mountains made me want to book a trip to explore Oregon. But outside of a few improvements, the prequel’s graphics aren’t noticeably different from its preceding title – even when I turned my video settings to “Hella High.” And yes, that is a real graphics setting in the game. It ran at a smooth 60 FPS, but I still experienced the occasional screen tearing.
Despite its edgy and relatively slow start, by the end of the episode, I found myself totally invested in this story. We get to explore the struggles Chloe faces with losing her father and her tumultuous life at home with her mother and her new boyfriend. Relationships with classmates are improved or diminished, and you never know what you will learn by talking to everyone you see. At times, it did feel like the narrative was forcing you down certain paths with your choices. But this is also the first of three episodes – there is definitely a fair amount of plot setup and character development going on.
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What really steals the show, though, is the budding relationship between Chloe and Rachel. Chloe is a firecracker of a character, and her chance encounter with the previously unfamiliar Rachel is nothing less than intriguing. These two girls come from very different circumstances but ultimately share so much in common. Without spoiling anything, the ending of the episode definitely hinted at an unexpected plot point that will certainly raise some eyebrows.
Despite Life is Strange: Before the Storm being developed by a different studio than the original Life is Strange, the team stayed true to the tone and spirit of the series while giving this prequel a personality of its own. Even without Ashly Burch voicing Chloe due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, replacement actress Rhianna DeVries does a tremendous job bringing Chloe’s emotional personality to life. It’s a solid start to a short miniseries that made me look at Chloe from another light. The only question is – when can we get more?
Deck Nine has kicked off the story of Chloe Price and Rachel Amber on the right foot. The first episode of the prequel miniseries stays true to the spirit of its predecessor while focusing on the rebellious personality of Chloe. Despite its occasional cringeworthy moments, the story hits the nail on the head when it matters most. While this introductory episode starts off a bit slow, by the end it will have you longing for more.. Deck Nine. . Life is Strange: Before the Storm Ep. 1. 7.5
A copy of this game was provided to App Trigger for the purpose of this review. All scores are ranked out of 10, with .5 increments. Click here to learn more about our Review Policy.