Life is Strange: Before the Storm – Episode 1 Review

Life is Strange was a bizzare story that introduced us to Maxine, her best friend Chloe and the questionable end that’s to become of Arcadia Bay. Life is Strange was an out of the box experience that definitely had its share of highs and lows, but the cliffhangers pulled you back in every time. This installment however is before Maxine returned to Arcadia Bay, before Rachel disappeared, before the storm.

In episode one “Awake” you star as Chloe Price, already living on the edge, not happy at home and hoping to see a band playing at the Old Mill in Arcadia Bay. It’s inside where the dialogue reveals here is where she formally met Rachel Amber, classmate at Blackwell High School, and her part-time drug dealer Frank. As Chloe continues to portray a bad-ass she starts an unexpected quarrel with a group of guys which not only draws her and Rachel closer, but is the start of an unbreakable bond.

As for Maxine, she actually does appear to be more of a jerk than the original story gives off. Chloe had an issue, just uncertain of why, Before the Storm gives us that piece of the puzzle, filling in the blank to exactly why they are close but not the BFF’s they once were. Personally, I might have moved on and befriended Max, then again Max did save your life in the restroom.

While learing quite a bit about Rachel Amber, we equally get a new perspective of David, Chloe Mom’s boyfriend. Again, Deck Nine Games does a great job revealing more about the cast to us in a different light, showing they aren’t all as bad. This includes Chloe. Her softer side appears a few times in the first episode as her personal life reflect emotions for those close to her.

When it doesn’t however you’re able to initiate a Backtalk Challenge allowing you to trigger people into a heated argument hoping for it to end in your favor. With the exclusion of memory remixes and Maxine to save the day, Chloe uses her wits and punk-like attitude to get what she wants. With this only being episode I am curious as to how far Deck Nine takes this new sequence. Also, who would’ve ever imagined Chloe Price being into board games?

The height of Awake takes place as you ditch school for a day with the coolest girl in the school, Rachel. You learn quite a bit about each other, including the dreams of one day walking away from Arcadia Bay. But on this one day journey, everything doesn’t go quite as expected.

Similar to TellTale Games, Life is Strange is a somewhat linear atmosphere that allows you to study your environment and sometimes reward you for it. The story is not nearly as intense as Walking Dead or Batman, however just as the original Life is Strange, the developers manage to once again deliver a strong cliffhanger to suck you right back in, awaiting what’s to come in the next episode.