![]() ![]() Manifesting in the brilliantly named ‘backtalk’ mechanic, Chloe’s highly-honed fury becomes the teenage equivalent of a foul mouthed jedi mind trick. Where God Of War: Ragnarok turns teenage tantrums into eye-gouging-ly cringe encounters, Chloe Price swaps Atreus’ divine sulks for a middle finger and a snarl. Burdened by the shackles of Chloe’s increasingly pointless-feeling education and the weight of grief clouding her judgement, the only weapon you wield in Before The Storm is teenage angst. Put in the tattered trainers of a 16 year old outcast, this is a rare example of a game's pixelated protagonist having less freedom than most of its players. It helps that these characters are the series’ most vulnerable to date. Bringing joy, meaning and excitement into Chloe's world, this tale of young love and redemption is endlessly appealing. Just as Chloe’s aimless rebellion sees her life unravel, she meets the beguiling Rachel Amber. Still, it’s not all angst and misery – there’s also some sweet and life-affirming stuff lurking between the tumblr-ready navel gazing. With each major story beat hammered home by the haunting croon of Elena Tonra, this beautifully written soundtrack is just as vital to Chloe's story as the script itself.Īs with every game in the series, music plays an integral part of Before the Storm. Where the other games feel like a carefully curated playlist of the saddest corners of Pitchfork’s new music section, London indie darlings Daughter bring Chloe’s melancholy masterfully to life. Much like its singular narrative focus, Before The Storm is the only title in the series to offer an entirely original score. It helps of course, that Chloe’s story is accompanied by an absolute banger of a soundtrack. It’s a notable step up from the hammy script of the first game, and while the dialogue may not quite match the medium’s best, the solid plotting and heartfelt vocal performances result in a tale that’s irresistibly earnest. Much like Deck Nine’s next foray into the LifeIsStrange-verse, True Colors, Before The Storm is a tale about struggling under the weight of unbearable grief. Where Life Is Strange’s relatable college-set drama was tangled up in a web of time manipulation and murder mysteries, Deck Nine wisely makes the case that life, as an ordinary teenager, is already strange enough. ![]() It would be 33% less edgy without the cigarette. The best part? Before The Storm succeeds without resorting to using magical powers. ![]() Cutting his teeth on crime procedural Criminal Minds: Without Borders, Before The Storm's lead writer Zak Garriss assembled his own team of diverse TV talent in order to bring this small town drama authentically to life. With the original’s magic-powered protagonist firmly out of the picture, twee photographer Max is replaced by an altogether angstier avatar.īorrowing the episodic approach of its predecessor, Deck Nine takes Life Is Strange’s TV inspiration one step further. Formerly known as Idol Minds, the gnarly studio decided to rebrand as Deck Nine interactive – drifting its way into the world of Life Is Strange and landing a totally tubular 180 of its own.įocusing on the exploits of video game’s sassiest rural rebel, Before The Storm turns back the clock to join a teenage Chloe Price in the aftermath of her father’s death. Yet it appears that Lucas and Scott are simply no match for the storytelling prowess of the minds that brought us PS1 snowboarding banger, Coolboarders. It’s hard to blame it, really how often do prequels offer anything other than crushing disappointment? From 2020’s nothing-y big screen Sopranos tie-in, to George Lucas and Ridley Scott famously defecating themselves in prequel trilogy form, hopes for this Life Is Strange stop-gap weren’t exactly high. ![]() When Square Enix first announced unknown developer Deck Nine would be revisiting the fictional town of Arcadia Bay, the internet responded with a collective shrug. To those who don’t know their Max Caulfields from their Nathan Prescotts, Before The Storm is a prequel to the wildly successful college dorm drama, Life Is Strange. Before the Storm is dressed up all nice in the recent re-release. ![]()
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