Developed by Deck Nine Games
Published by Square Enix
Released for Xbox One (8/21/2017)
Also on Android/Linux/Mac/PC/PS4
Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a prequel to Life is Strange (2016) and was handled by a different studio called Deck Nine Games. Before the Storm consists of three main episodes, with a fourth bonus episode that's included in the deluxe edition but can also be purchased as DLC. The 1st episode was released in late August 2017 and the final bonus episode hit the store in early March 2018, so it took roughly 7 months for all of the content to release. All of the achievements and gamerscore can be unlocked through the initial three chapters, so the bonus chapter feels like a bit of an afterthought and unessential, though if you're a fan of the first game it's still worth a look.
The voice acting in Before the Storm is well done, very much in tune with the quality of the first game. While the voice acting itself is delivered excellent, there is a reverb to much of it that makes it sound as if it was recorded in the bathroom or something. Presentation-wise, the game looks pretty much the same as it did in Life is Strange and while the Unreal Engine 3 was getting a bit old at this point, the visuals still look nice. The menus are easy to navigate, text is easy-to-read and the characters that do a good job conveying emotion at times.
The story in Before the Storm takes place before the original Life is Strange. While you'll see a good amount of familiar faces, fan-favorite Max from the original title is not present. Max (who was the main character in Life is Strange) moved to Seattle before returning in the first game and Before the Storm takes place before Max returned to Arcadia Bay. The player assumes the role of Chloe Price and throughout the game you'll see how her friendship with Rachael Amber blossomed. Rachel Amber was the girl who turned up missing in the first title, so while familiar with her name we hadn't actually met her until Before the Storm.
Consisting of only three main story episodes, Before the Storm is quite a bit shorter than the first game and will likely only take around 10 hours to complete. Chloe is definitely a bit harder to like as a main character than Max, but as the story goes along it's easy to develop some sympathy for her as you'll see that she's going through a lot emotionally. The story has a decent range of events with some crazy twists towards the end and I'm going to spare you any spoilers in this review. While Before the Storm is not quite as good as the original game (I really missed Max!), the story is well-executed and doesn't drag on longer than it needs to.
Fans of the first game will likely appreciate delving a bit deeper into Chloe's past, though in losing the time reversal mechanic of the original title it doesn't feel as interactive or original this time around. In closing, Life is Strange: Before the Storm contains a well-written story with many dramatic moments that's worth at least a one-through for those who enjoyed the original.
Final Verdict: Life is Strange: Before the Storm explores how the friendship between Chloe and Rachel came to be and is worth a play, but I highly recommend checking out the original game first.
Purchase Links:
Buy Life is Strange: Before the Storm on Xbox One - Microsoft Store
Buy Life is Strange: Before the Storm on Xbox One - eBay
Related Links:
Life is Strange - Xbox Overview
Deck Nine Games - Official Site
Square Enix - Official Site
Life is Strange: Before the Storm - Metacritic
Life is Strange: Before the Storm - GameFAQs
Life is Strange: Before the Storm - True Achievements
Life is Strange: Before the Storm Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
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