Life is Strange: Before the Storm - Episode 2: Brave New World

Life is Strange: Before the Storm has so far been consistent in its delivery of a heartfelt story with lots of wiggle room for players to craft their own emotional journey. The final episode can’t come soon enough.

There’s an underlying trend of thought in our culture which disregards teenage turmoil, romance, and general experience as an emotional exception that’ll give way to reason and stability once it’s over. I don’t find that particularly helpful, and neither does Life is Strange. The stereotypes of delinquency the game brands Chloe with are only there to be circumvented by how authentic the experiences are that spawned such behaviour. Chloe’s story is relatable because it is simply human, and not simply another teenage story with a set of pre-defined adolescent tropes in a self-contained genre.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm – Episode 2: Brave New World is an excellent entry in the series. It’s an emotional roller-coaster from beginning to end and an experience that will leave you with questions answered and tears in your eyes. Anyone who enjoyed the first episode, or even the original game, will love it. Seeing Chloe gain so much characterization here while also growing as a person with Amber is a minor revelation. The more grounded nature of Before the Storm remains one of the biggest advantages it has over the original game and helps it stand out tonally as well. The same visual issues abound, but the animation and overall sound design combine with the writing to make a story that hooks you at all times.

Although many fans were initially worried about Deck Nine taking the helm for the prequel to Life is Strange that fear now seems totally unjustified. Their vision for the series, as showcased in the first episode, is proof positive that the much loved characters are in safe hands. Brave New World is yet another piece of lovingly crafted evidence that should banish any lingering doubt about the developer. They are a highly capable team and a near perfect fit for this series.

As it stands, Episode 2: Brave New World is far and away the best of the two episodes so far and has already made this game something special. Deck Nine did an absolutely fantastic job of creating a beautiful story and wonderfully tragic characters to make this type of dialogue-driven game a force to be reckoned with, especially when compared to the first game. It will certainly leave you hanging at the edge of your seat without apologizing for the drama and stress it creates.

Slow, but interesting... The second episode of Life Is Strange: Before The Storm is a classic slow burn that rewards the patient souls among us.

Life is Strange, it always has been, but just like life, don’t let this pass you by.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm – Brave New World is a great middle installment to the three-part series, and it offers a nice balance of gameplay, tough choices and gripping story that I found interesting and fun to play through. Despite its shortcomings in the area of puzzle challenge and the integration of the Back Talk mechanic, the narrative momentum is strong enough to overcome any of these. Although I know, from playing the first series, that Rachel and Chloe’s relationship cannot end on a positive note, I still can’t wait to see the tempestuous conclusion nevertheless.

One of the best episodes of the entire Life is Strange franchise to date, Brave New World is a captivating episode full of heartwarming moments and top-notch writing.

Although it might not be as strong as Episode One, Episode Two builds in confidence and understands exactly what we want out of this story. Sad, happy, heartwarming and heartbreaking, Episode Two is an emotional experience.

Without waiting for the curtain to fall, in short, we have already begun a concert of applause.

Life Is Strange: Before the Storm Episode 2: Brave New World showed me what Deck Nine is capable of in terms of storytelling and character growth.

Episode 2: Brave New World is a fun, albeit slower-paced and darker look into the earlier life of Chloe Price and how she ends up in the mess she is in by the time of the first game. It also sheds some proper light on the force of nature Rachel Amber is and why so many people in Arcadia Bay find themselves directly or indirectly at least admiring her from afar. The many personal problems this episode tackles makes it feel like one of the most grounded parts of the entire series – because there’s no supernatural time travelling hi-jinks to save the day. As a fan of the first game, I have so far very much enjoyed Deck Nine’s prequel, and with the solid character development and hard choices they’ve presented here, they’re heading into the finale strong.

Deck Nine are doing a great job with the series, and this episode is another example. Brave New World is defined by unforgettable sequences, interesting relationships and a surprising cliffhanger.

In this second episode, "Brave New World" we can enjoy a much more intimate bond between the protagonists, Chloe and Rachel, knowing more about them and their weaknesses and strengths, we will come to empathize with both.

​Brave New World is a compelling second episode which covers some interesting topics and presents a number of good ideas.​

Some delightful scenes mix with more mundane, throw-away moments in an episode that packs an emotional punch without offering much in the way of gameplay.

While a few problems are certainly present, Life is Strange: Before the Storm is still on the right track. The characters and plot points remain interesting and the choices, when real choices, are very well thought out.

After finishing the first episode of Before the Storm, I was impressed at how well it retains the essence of the original Life is Strange, despite being handled by a different developer. That feeling doesn’t change with this episode; it draws you in with interesting characters, then builds them through quiet moments and big decisions.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm Ep.2 builds a story in which both the player and Chloe herself explore her personality. The narrative’s pace suits the game perfectly but, with just 1 episode left, it leaves a lot more questions than answers.

An interesting episode that sometimes makes us a simple spectators of Cloe's actions.

One of the best Life Is Strange episodes so far, with more earnest and relatable character work and some impressive branching storytelling.

Episode two ends with just the right amount of suspense and major reveals that you’d expect from a Life is Strange game. The reveal was exciting, albeit a little predictable if you tap into the clichéd nature of the series. Even so, as the credits rolled I was once again hyped to dive into the next chapter of the series and see what Deck Nine has in store for us.

This second episode is again stunning and emotionally captivating, even a little slower though. Before the Storm is going to be a strong prequel to Life is Strange, even better in some ways.

A compelling emotional mosaic that's definitely worth seeking out.

Deck Nine has effectively made a story with a predictable conclusion feel engaging, and even hopeful against all odds. Right now, it feels like a blessing that they've let Chloe and Rachel Amber have their simple moment in time; right now, nothing can go wrong, the world is full of possibilities. The storm can wait.

With only one episode left (well, two, if you’ve purchased the Deluxe Edition with an extra episode), the jury is still out about what I feel towards this mini-prequel. There are some really nice character moments in this episode which gives these young people a chance to be themselves and set aside the woes of the world for a minute or two. The episode also reveals a few hooks to hang Life Is Strange, which reaffirms my concerns with how deeply Before The Storm is entrenched in another game’s identity.

Brave New World doesn’t give Chloe and Rachel quite enough screen time to shine as brightly as Before the Storm’s first episode, but there are plenty of top-notch moments in this instalment, and the cliffhanger has us eagerly awaiting our next fix of Life Is Strange.

With this second chapter Life is Strange: Before the Storm keeps on delivering an interesting story about Chloe and her relationship with Rachel, through a quite bumpy. There's violence, fear, passion, tough decisions... and still some lovely characters and some great music.

Brave New World is a trivial episode that still doesn't offer any intrigue.