My Life is Strange Before the Storm preview came from a presentation that took place during E3 Expo 2017. This prequel is being developed by Deck Nine Games, and not by Dontnod – the creators of the original and presumably sequel. It was clear from the presentation, though, that Deck Nine has a huge passion for the series as well as profound respect for the characters and the story. Even on a Thursday afternoon, the gentlemen making the presentation did so with care.
In Before the Storm, Chloe Price is a couple years younger, but she is still the wise-ass, bold character you loved from the original. The Deck Nine guys really emphasized they focused on the relationships she has during this time. In the demo, they focused on the beginnings of the relationship between Chloe and Rachel Amber – who is the opposite of Chloe in many ways. It was obvious the team at Deck Nine Games loved this world as you can see Chloe returning to places in Arcadia Bay you will be familiar with in order to keep you engrossed in the lore of the world of Life is Strange. They also made sure to have familiar faces in the game to continue that arc and fill in background story where possible.
Deck Nine also wanted to put their own touch on the franchise by creating new places, scenarios, and especially songs that capture the feelings that Chloe is experiencing during this time. Just from the small sample I heard during the presentation, this soundtrack appears to be very solid. They did emphasize one departure from the main series – no powers. All of those mechanics you relied upon in the original Life is Strange are gone and you must rely upon your wit, Chloe’s sarcasm, and your QTE button-pushing abilities to get through Life is Strange Before the Storm.
Life is Strange Before The Storm Preview Final Thoughts:
Overall, I thought Life is Strange Before the Storm was interesting. They did say the entire campaign will take 6-9 hours over the short three episode arc. I am a little concerned about the shortened length of the game, but optimistic this will continue to whet your appetite in the world of Chloe Price until the next Life is Strange is finished. The first episode is releasing on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 on August 31, 2017.