Life is Strange: Before the Storm

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 576 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 414 out of 576
  2. Mixed: 103 out of 576
  3. Negative: 59 out of 576
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  1. SplitMind
    Aug 19, 2018
    6
    This just isn't on par with the first game, and I think a big part of the reason why is that the games are very similar. The original felt fresh and new, whilst this game feels like more of the same. I thought I'd enjoy it but other elements get in the way.

    Firstly, the story. We knew from the first game that Chloe had a tough few years, so we didn't really need it elaborating upon or    This just isn't on par with the first game, and I think a big part of the reason why is that the games are very similar. The original felt fresh and new, whilst this game feels like more of the same. I thought I'd enjoy it but other elements get in the way.

    Firstly, the story. We knew from the first game that Chloe had a tough few years, so we didn't really need it elaborating upon or demonstrated in this game. It makes it a bit repetitive to watch. Rachel is slightly different, but again the Laura Palmer-esque mystique added to the allure of the first game's narrative; instead of having things shoved down our throats it was good to have an unanswered question or two. Another reviewer has suggested that this game's story is designed as damage limitation for Amber, since she came off looking immoral in the first game. I find Chloe and Rachel rather unlikable.

    They attempted something different with the gameplay by removing the time travel, and I liked it being removed as it made the original game tedious at points. However the replacement of dichotomous choices with supposed consequences doesn't quite fill the gap. Having mostly two choices in each scenario is limiting as I often wanted to take a different action than was possible, and consequences were not very diverse regardless of choices made.

    Overall I'm struggling to play through this game simply because I find it inferior to the first. It seems to have degraded graphically also. The soundtrack is good but that alone does not make up for the shortfalls. Get this game on the cheap if you really want to play it, but I don't feel I'd have missed much had I not bothered to buy it at all. I was lured in by the limited edition box that came with a book and soundtrack that I'll probably never peruse anyway.    … Expand
  2. SuperDuck23
    Dec 29, 2017
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Life is Strange: Before the Storm is an idea that probably sounded better on paper, because while it’s nice to spend time with Chloe again, it doesn’t feel earned. There are some lovely scenes throughout the story, but a large proportion of the series feels like it's stalling for time. The main focus of the game - Chloe and Rachel's relationship - doesn't feel particularly realistic or believable compared to Chloe and Max's, and the muddled final episode seems to stray into different territory altogether. That's not to say there are no positives. There are enough welcome character moments to balance out the negative ones, and Before the Storm continues to apply a great soundtrack to the Life is Strange world. Ultimately this story may have been better had it been a one-off episode that focussed solely on Chloe and not delved into the world of crime and corruption.… Expand
  3. luaanzero
    Sep 5, 2020
    6
    Creio que LiS Before The Storm soa melhor no papel ou em um video de 30 minutos, o jogo tem momentos muito adoráveis, é realmente muito fofo ver a historia da Chloe com a Rachael, tem cenas muito marcantes mas como jogo não é divertido
  4. SuperkenGaming
    Dec 19, 2017
    7
    Life is Strange Before the Storm
    A decent story with not much choice
    Before the storm is a 3 episode long adventure game that tells the story of chloe and Rachel amber The girl that’s missing at the beginning of life I strange The 3 episodes last about 3 hours long and is much more dialog focused.. You play as chloe and she has no special powers Ocasionnaly you get into a battle of    Life is Strange Before the Storm
    A decent story with not much choice
    Before the storm is a 3 episode long adventure game that tells the story of chloe and Rachel amber
    The girl that’s missing at the beginning of life I strange
    The 3 episodes last about 3 hours long and is much more dialog focused..
    You play as chloe and she has no special powers
    Ocasionnaly you get into a battle of words where you have to try and talk your way into or out of a situation…
    you have to pay close attention to what your opponent says and say something back to go along with it in a smooth way…
    Other than that, youre just choosing what you believe is the best response for chloes situation, you can be cold or warm, not much in between
    As youre dealing with your new step dad david, and getting into trouble with Rachel amber…
    There are a few special moments here, but not much…
    Overall I feel there are no real choices of consequence here which is a bit of a let down..
    Making this feel more like an interactive movie than an actual adventure game.
    The first episode I found it hard to care what was going on at all.. despite me crying for chloe in life is strange.. I just didn’t care about her or her relationship with amber at first, the only saving grace being a dungeons and dragons game thrown in there…
    But episode 2 completely changed my opinion of the game and the relationship of these 2 girls…
    Easily my favorite episode where theres a little more adventure type sections of looking for items you need but more importantly theres more bonding, there are more characters, drama, theres a play that for me topped even the dungeons and dragons game…
    The relationship felt alive and real, and then episode 3 comes along and It just disappoints in comparrison….
    It goes by at a snails pace, though there are touching moments with chloes father that really saves it from feeling like an ultimate let down…
    The story telling saves this game, and its middle episode makes the 7 hour journey worth it.
    The delivery of this game is just very inconsistent… filled with great moments as well as moments youll be begging to just be over
    But I cried and I cared,
    And as a game that sets out to tell a story I guess that’s all that really matters
    I give life is strange before the storm
    a 7/10    … Expand
  5. TatsMcGee
    Sep 8, 2018
    5
    Looking back at this game retrospectively, I am forced to ask the question. Why did I play this game? The first Life is Strange is good but that’s because I liked Max as a character. Chloe on the other hand, I could not stand. So playing a game that’s entirely about her probably not a game for me.

    If you played the first Life is Strange, its all about Max and Chloe reuniting as friends.    Looking back at this game retrospectively, I am forced to ask the question. Why did I play this game? The first Life is Strange is good but that’s because I liked Max as a character. Chloe on the other hand, I could not stand. So playing a game that’s entirely about her probably not a game for me.

    If you played the first Life is Strange, its all about Max and Chloe reuniting as friends. Chloe is going through a hard time because her father had passed away and Chloe closest friend Amber has also disappeared. So this game, Before the Storm is a prequel where you get to dive deeper into Chloe and Amber’s relationship.

    There were some interesting moments sprinkled into the game but as a whole, I just don’t like Chloe. I find her to be annoying, childish, selfish, unnecessarily mean to her mother, disrespectful to others and as soon as someone gives her a taste of her own medicine. Then the whole world is against her and woe is me.

    I recognize that the Life is Strange series is popular but man its not for me.    … Expand
  6. drlowdon
    Mar 4, 2019
    7
    Life is Strange remains the pinnacle of the story lead genre and this prequel offers us a look the events building up to that game with a focus on the nature of the relationship between Chloe and Rachel.

    Before the Storm contains its share of memorable and moving moments across it's three episodes but overall everything, particularly the way Chloe and Rachel instantly become so close,    Life is Strange remains the pinnacle of the story lead genre and this prequel offers us a look the events building up to that game with a focus on the nature of the relationship between Chloe and Rachel.

    Before the Storm contains its share of memorable and moving moments across it's three episodes but overall everything, particularly the way Chloe and Rachel instantly become so close, just feels a little too rushed to ever be truly satisfying. In gameplay terms Before the Storm suffers from similar issues as the original Life is Strange with too many scenes feeling like they're just being used to stretch out the running time. Wandering around a junkyard looking for car parts for example adds nothing to the experience and, with the game being two chapters shorter than the original, it makes you wonder why more of the time isn't spent on fleshing out the story instead.

    At the end of the day if you enjoyed Life is Strange, as I certainly did, you'll likely enjoy this prequel but in most regards it doesn't live up to the original tale.    … Expand
  7. Kurty
    Apr 13, 2020
    6
    If you played the original Life is Strange game, you won't be lost in this "Before the Storm" prequel. It's a very similar game, except this time you play as Chloe instead of Max, in her adventures with the lovely Rachel Amber. No time manipulation this time, Chloe doesn't have any special power, except maybe her big mouth that she can use to try and convince people.

    The game looks    If you played the original Life is Strange game, you won't be lost in this "Before the Storm" prequel. It's a very similar game, except this time you play as Chloe instead of Max, in her adventures with the lovely Rachel Amber. No time manipulation this time, Chloe doesn't have any special power, except maybe her big mouth that she can use to try and convince people.

    The game looks pretty nice thanks to its art direction, but it's technically outdated and the animations aren't that good : often, the various characters appear stiff and their movements are awkward. On the other hand, the OST is nice, and the voice acting is good, making this adventure a pleasant journey.

    All in all, this game is not as good as the first one, probably because it doesn't feel as "fresh" and new, and also because the stakes are lower. However, it's still enjoyable, and it's good to see Chloe's life and meet Rachel Amber, the girl who was an important part of the first game's story.

    Note for trophy hunters : Obviously, just like the first one, this is an easy platinum with no skills required.    … Expand
  8. geo333
    May 26, 2023
    7
    To be honest I like that the game fills up the gap of the main game, as well as making the other character playable having said that the game fills flat like it was missing something to make it great. Overall, I wanted to know more about Arcadia Bay and in that it deliver.
  9. kylocosplay
    Apr 15, 2021
    7
    Ha estado bien, son unas dos horas por capítulo, la historia es buena y se nota que está mejor optimizado que LiS 1. No hay poderes pero hay ciertas características que innovan en el juego como el de ganar peleas de discusiones.
  10. Did-
    Mar 23, 2018
    6
    After one of the best narrative games in history, geniously handling story, great lighting, good camera, and an interesting gameplay mechanic, comes a prequel which is well… barely ok.

    I’ve got difficulties to understand how it’s possible to mess something up with such a good starting material that is Life is Strange. The game looks bland, the textures low-def, some models low-poly, and    After one of the best narrative games in history, geniously handling story, great lighting, good camera, and an interesting gameplay mechanic, comes a prequel which is well… barely ok.

    I’ve got difficulties to understand how it’s possible to mess something up with such a good starting material that is Life is Strange. The game looks bland, the textures low-def, some models low-poly, and some animations uncanny. Why did Deck Nine change the game engine from Unreal to Unity? Don’t Nod had a perfect ready-to-use engine with good lighting, colorimetry, and models. In Before the Storm, sometimes the camera shows an awful texture at close-range. Why? Why would the developers want to show us the ugly parts of the game with bad camera angles?

    One of the force of Life is Strange was its characters. They were often caricatural, but they always had multiple facets. Here, they’re caricatural, period. And sometimes, they are even behaving inconsistently with what the caricature depicts. It’s like the game does not want to be consistent with itself, and wants us out of the flow.

    The tropes used to create the twists are either really visible, or sometimes come from nowhere without reasons only to advance the plot. Many situations are not believable and characters behave differently only to create a fake tension.

    But it’s not all bad. There were some good moments, especially between Chloe and Rachel. This teenage nostalgia feeling is still there, but the realisation looks more like a 2012 Telltale game than what Life is Strange brought us. It’s just ok.    … Expand
  11. Skollie
    Oct 31, 2020
    5
    I loved the first game and was expecting the same with this one. I understand that people liked it, but I was left very disappointed. The story was very weak and I found that I had no sympathy for Chloe, she just annoyed me the entire game. Even the way she walks was stupid. I couldn’t wait to finish this game and would only trust a game in this franchise if I know it has the originalI loved the first game and was expecting the same with this one. I understand that people liked it, but I was left very disappointed. The story was very weak and I found that I had no sympathy for Chloe, she just annoyed me the entire game. Even the way she walks was stupid. I couldn’t wait to finish this game and would only trust a game in this franchise if I know it has the original creators behind it.

    To each their own, this is just my opinion.    … Expand
  12. TheGameIsALie
    Nov 24, 2018
    7
    Life is Strange: Before the Storm é um jogo que te faz pensar em cada aspecto da sua vida devido a um enredo fortíssimo. Pelo fato de terem em mãos uma história relativamente previsível, os desenvolvedores falharam em vários pontos, mas o jogo não deixa de ser agradável. Apesar de defeitos gráficos e de jogabilidade, esta prequela consegue honrar o nome da série.
  13. Onask
    Oct 7, 2018
    7
    Buen juego aunque quizás decepcionante secuela.

    El no poder disponer de cierto poder como en el primero y eliminar ese componente fantástico lo limita mucho más, aunque cuenta con una muy buena relación de personajes que te incita a seguir jugando para descubrir qué es lo que ocurre con ellos. Una banda sonora indie como ya nos tiene acostumbrados Dontnod Entertainment y unos    Buen juego aunque quizás decepcionante secuela.

    El no poder disponer de cierto poder como en el primero y eliminar ese componente fantástico lo limita mucho más, aunque cuenta con una muy buena relación de personajes que te incita a seguir jugando para descubrir qué es lo que ocurre con ellos.

    Una banda sonora indie como ya nos tiene acostumbrados Dontnod Entertainment y unos personajes que ya conocíamos y otros que quizás no.

    Recomendado.    … Expand
  14. LaDix
    Dec 28, 2021
    6
    Just not the same as the first one, not a bad game, but just not as good as the first, music, story, chacaters, choices and the "power" is just not as good.
  15. ToshLichev
    Jun 21, 2020
    6
    A prequel that manages to fill in the blanks for a good amount of the plotlines that were glossed over in the first game, but ultimately fails at achieving the same level of charm or interesting mechanics by focusing on the walking Hot Topic cliche that is Chloe.
  16. Jackthegamer
    Sep 16, 2022
    5
    A prequel that feels like a fanfic. The main problem in this game is the story
  17. Tmz
    Oct 6, 2020
    7
    Resumindo é muito bom no que se propõe, mas por usar outro jogo como base, fica inevitavelmente preso sem poder ousar muito e contribuindo com diversos furos narrativos. Sua melhor qualidade é a trilha sonora e a escrita dos personagens principais, mas todo o resto é ofuscado até demais, perdendo um pouco do brilho do original
  18. painava
    May 12, 2020
    6
    Overall pretty 'meh' experience. The characters are almost unlikeable and the story wasn't that interesting. I guess this is meant for LIS fans.
  19. piuscorvus
    Jun 25, 2020
    7
    If you liked Life is Strange than you will most probably like this one two. Before the Storm is a story that happened before the events of the first game. I couldn't really say if one of these games is better or worse than the other. Both of them build one story and when it comes to graphics and gameplay they are pretty much the same. The last thing: very often people ask if they couldIf you liked Life is Strange than you will most probably like this one two. Before the Storm is a story that happened before the events of the first game. I couldn't really say if one of these games is better or worse than the other. Both of them build one story and when it comes to graphics and gameplay they are pretty much the same. The last thing: very often people ask if they could splay first Before the Storm and Life is Strange afterwards. I would say that you should play those games in their publishing order even though that the second game is something like a prequel.… Expand
  20. matheusfox
    May 5, 2023
    7
    I liked so much this game. Know more about the Chloe story is really interesting. The gameplay with the mechanism to argue with other people is nice. I love all songs that were played. The thing is: I didn't like so much the Episode 3. The First episode is nice, the second is ok, but the third one is the worst. At least the episode is PERFECT. If you haven't played the DLC, please, youI liked so much this game. Know more about the Chloe story is really interesting. The gameplay with the mechanism to argue with other people is nice. I love all songs that were played. The thing is: I didn't like so much the Episode 3. The First episode is nice, the second is ok, but the third one is the worst. At least the episode is PERFECT. If you haven't played the DLC, please, you must play this!… Expand
  21. chrisdan23
    Jun 8, 2022
    7
    Before the Storm erzählt die Vorgeschichte zu Life is Strange. Die Geschichte um Chloe und Rachel, deren plötzliches Verschwinden auch Gegenstand der Orginalgeschichte von Life is Strange war, überzeugt abermals mit glaubwürdigen Charakteren und gut geschriebenen Dialogen.

    Da mit dem Wegfall von Max nun aber auch das Gameplay Feature der Zeit Manipulation wegfällt, setzt Dontnod bei    Before the Storm erzählt die Vorgeschichte zu Life is Strange. Die Geschichte um Chloe und Rachel, deren plötzliches Verschwinden auch Gegenstand der Orginalgeschichte von Life is Strange war, überzeugt abermals mit glaubwürdigen Charakteren und gut geschriebenen Dialogen.

    Da mit dem Wegfall von Max nun aber auch das Gameplay Feature der Zeit Manipulation wegfällt, setzt Dontnod bei ihrem Spinoff vor allem auf eine erweiterte Dialogmechanik. So kann sich Chloe in speziellen Dialogoptionen in ihrer Schlagfertigkeit behaupten und der Spieler sich so Vorteile im Storyverlauf erspielen. In Sachen Inszenierung und Präsentation bewegt sich Before the Storm auf dem Niveau des Vorgängers, hat sich also nicht merklich weiter entwickelt, hält aber auch das gute Niveau. Die Geschichte um Chloe und Rachel, die sich durchaus auch als Sozial-, und Charakterstudien lesen lässt, hat ihre starken Momente.

    Durch das Wegfallen der Zeitmanipulationen fehlt Before the Storm allerdings das Spielelement, das Life ist Strange eigentlich so originell und besonders gemacht hat. Dennoch, für Fans des Franchises führt kaum ein Weg an Before the Storm vorbei, will man die Geschichten der Menschen aus Arcadia Bay wirklich zur Gänze nachempfinden und verstehen.    … Expand
  22. Mrfo
    Aug 2, 2020
    5
    The game didn’t achieved the emotional impact of the first installment. Although it tried.
  23. b3nj4m1nb
    Oct 22, 2020
    7
    An experience worth having if you enjoyed the story of the first game but don't expect the same quality and depth in gameplay.

    Before the Storm is a smaller game than it's predecessor but it's still worth playing. It was great to explore the relationship between Chloe and Rachel that is only lightly touched upon in the first game but has such a big impact on it's story. Mechanically,    An experience worth having if you enjoyed the story of the first game but don't expect the same quality and depth in gameplay.

    Before the Storm is a smaller game than it's predecessor but it's still worth playing. It was great to explore the relationship between Chloe and Rachel that is only lightly touched upon in the first game but has such a big impact on it's story.

    Mechanically, the game is much lighter. There's no time traveling here as of course you play as Chloe instead of Max and although they do add a verbal mechanic where you get to argue with people and have a limited time to choose a response, ultimately it falls short compared to the time travel and environmental puzzles of the first game.    … Expand
  24. legitreview
    Nov 12, 2022
    5
    I have deeply loved the first Life is Strange but BTS is a really average game. The story is not well written, pacing is bad, gameplay parts are really badly designed... and most of the time it is boring and rarely emotional.

    It is unfortunate as it could have been a way better game. However, as a prologue to LiS, it is a 8 as it shines in the Chloé + Max microcosm and adds a tons of    I have deeply loved the first Life is Strange but BTS is a really average game. The story is not well written, pacing is bad, gameplay parts are really badly designed... and most of the time it is boring and rarely emotional.

    It is unfortunate as it could have been a way better game.

    However, as a prologue to LiS, it is a 8 as it shines in the Chloé + Max microcosm and adds a tons of emotions to he first LiS. As a standalone it is a 5 though.    … Expand
  25. arian_0902
    May 30, 2021
    7
    the most bad life is strange in the world.because its story is a **** because diroctors dont know to how end chloes story.
  26. Gamekritiker
    May 7, 2023
    7
    Okay, Life is strange btS ist ein Nunja... Es ist okay. ICH habe die Zeitreise Fähigkeit von Max vermisst. Zudem fesselte es nicht annähernd so krass,wie der erste Teil Dennoch ein gutes Spiel, aber eher fanservice
  27. Lollllkkj
    Sep 2, 2023
    5
    5 su 10. Un gioco che pur avendo una storia molto bella pecca sulla grafica e sul comparto tecnico del gioco che per quanto mi riguarda sono molto importanti
  28. M1sfiT
    Sep 3, 2023
    5
    Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!!!!!!!!!

Awards & Rankings

100
#100 Best PS4 Game of 2017
45
#45 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. IGN Japan
    Jun 26, 2018
    87
    Due to the fact that this is a prequel, the storyline and characters of Life is Strange: Before the Storm feel a bit contrived. Nevertheless, despite these inconsistencies, fans of the original Life is Strange will still be moved by Chloe’s adventure.
    Read full review
  2. GameSpot
    Apr 18, 2018
    80
    It's rare that a prequel truly works, where a story can captivate despite the audience knowing what's coming and where the path will lead. Life Is Strange: Before The Storm is one of those exceptional stories because it draws you in on its own terms. The only problem: You know it's building you up just to break your heart.
    Read full review
  3. Attack of the Fanboy
    Mar 22, 2018
    80
    Is this game as good as the original Life is Strange? Personally, I don't think so. But it's still great nonetheless and definitely shouldn't be missed by fans of the first game.
    Read full review
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