Life is Strange: Before the Storm - Episode 1: Awake Reviews
Life is Strange: Before the Storm shows a lot of promise in its first few hours despite the same weaknesses in its script as the original Life is Strange series.
Chloe's enhanced angst might grate a little, but there's no denying Before the Storm is going to be another brilliant Life is Strange game.
An excellent start to a prequel series that taps into the same style of sincere storytelling as the original, making a previously unsympathetic character seem vulnerable and likeable.
Awake is at its best when it focuses on Chloe and Rachel's complicated lives, making you feel each character's struggle
That story stops in a beautiful place at Episode One's end: a cliffhanger that makes me want Episode Two, stat. I'm a little nervous about having to deal with more of Chloe's pop-punk-esque "I'm not OK" pontificating. But based on what I've seen from Before the Storm's premiere, I'm willing to tough it out alongside her, and Rachel, and the rest of Arcadia Bay.
Deck Nine's Life Is Strange prequel ditches time travel, but finds power of a different sort.
Episode One: Awake of Before the Storm is a surprisingly promising entry for the short three-episode series. There's the right amount of callbacks to the series that made so many fans fall in love with Chloe and Max in the first place. While I still wish the dialogue wasn't as teenager cringe-y in a not-realistic way, there's far more of it this time around that plain isn't. Hell, even Chloe's eventual over-usage of "hella" is explained in a tongue-in-cheek nod to the future. For everyone who was worried about Before the Storm's authenticity under the reigns of a new developer: don't be.
Before the Storm's first chapter has already deflected most of the pre-release concerns that "This doesn't need to exist." Maybe it doesn't because Life is Strange's story was self-contained. Then again, maybe Life is Strange is better off with this complementing it. After its debut, I'm fully willing to argue that Before the Storm deserves to exist because this story is important too. In true Chloe fashion, anyone who disagrees gets two one-finger salutes.
The first episode of Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a continuist and respectful graphic adventure with the original game. A good start for the story of Chloe and Rachel who still has a lot to offer. It's time to go back to Arcade Bay!
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Despite many expectations, revisiting a younger Chloe Price and Arcadia Bay is very rewarding for fans of Life Is Strange. Deck Nine have found a story of discovery, growth and friendship that's well worth telling, and doing so in a delightfully unexpected manner. Especially if you're already a fan of the series, Life Is Strange: Before The Storm is easily recommended and I'm eager to see what's next.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm is here. Who wants to talk about feelings! No major spoilers.
Before the Storm is at its best when it focuses on the untold elements of Life Is Strange. So far, those moments capture the spirit of the original, but I'm anxious to see if it can hold up as the timelines converge. Buy it.
Life is Strange Before The Storm: Awakening sets the stage for what promises to be a more than worthy prequel to the acclaimed Life is Strange.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
'Awake' is a great start to what I hope will ultimately be a great game. As a follow-up to Life is Strange, a game that is near and dear to my heart, I think Before the Storm is definitely on the right track and I eagerly await the remaining episodes.
Before the Storm is an eagerly awaited second album, but it's one we're going to have to pay attention to before we can see what it really is.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm is off to a not unpromising start, but it feels like Chloe and the game are both still finding their feet.
It struggles with characterisation and motivation at times, BUT it also made me laugh out loud and furnished me with an unexpected weepy moment.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm's first episode recaptures the magic that endeared the series to fans during its first run, and we can't wait for more.
Depending on how much you like surprises, familiarity and prior knowledge from Life Is Strange can be either a blessing or a boon, but regardless of this, Chloe's new (old?) adventure looks to be a fascinating storyline to follow into the remaining two episodes.
This was a solid first episode and if the quality keeps up, the entire prequel will be a nice companion pieces to the original game. Hopefully not taken anything away from it, but only adding more.