Three and Out – ‘Life is Strange: Before the Storm’

Prequels tend to serve as a foot in the mouth of a storyline that we already know the conclusion to. I nervously expected our time with Chloe Price and Rachel Amber to reveal too much – thereby spoiling the inherent Twin Peaks esque mystery of the original Life is Strange – but I was surprised to find my emotions stirred by the ponderous, beautiful moments throughout the game. The mechanics fall short of the original, especially regarding the lack of time travel – and some might say, choice – but the world building and gameplay haven’t substantially changed.

Chloe, our protagonist, finds herself isolated and abandoned: Max has left and is ghosting her, Chloe’s father has been killed, while her mother has committed to a man who Chloe despises. The game cleverly tucks these emotional details into tasteful interfaces like the journal that Chloe keeps, writing imaginary letters to Max by way of updating the player’s progress. Chloe writes reminders on her hand, a seamless way to direct the player what to do if they are unsure. And Chloe’s recurring nightmare sequences are some of the coolest character building moments I’ve seen in gaming. But then there are obnoxious elements like the wedged-in “backtalk” sequences, where you’re encouraged to pick petulant fights and insult characters that often don’t deserve it.

The magical realism of the original Life is Strange is almost entirely absent from Before the Storm, but there are moments of supernatural echoes in the story. When Rachel starts a forest fire, for instance, her screams seem to cause a howling wind that escalates the fire’s growth; firefighters later can be overheard explaining that this impossible wildfire has extinguished itself. The game rarely delivers consistency in these details and makes promises that it doesn’t keep. Characters are often flat and forgettable, and the brilliant moments, like when Chloe plays D&D, only show up once. Before the Storm deals with loss and the bizarre subjective void that comes in its wake, and that’s where the game shines. If you liked the original, you’ll find fun moments in Before the Storm, but there’s no rewinding on your decision to play it.