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- Developer: Deck Nine
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Genre: Action, Adventure
- Release Date: 19 October 2017
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows
- Reviewed On: Xbox One S, HD TV & Surround Sound
- Supplied By: Microsoft
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Life Is Strange: Before the Storm has now graced us with our second instalment of teenage angst and “real life” problems and boy, is it a ride!
As this is a second episode of a full game I will not be going into the graphics or the sounds design as that was covered in my previous review found here https://totalgamingaddicts.com/life-is-strange-before-the-storm-review/ (shameless plug).
Once again, if you haven’t played Episode 2 OR Episode 1 – MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!
Episode 2 picks us up in Principal Wells office after you and Rachel ditched school to go and start a forest fire, casual. After tooing and froing with Rachel, Rachel’s parents, Joyce and the principal Chloe eventually gets expelled. Which, if you’ve played Life is Strange, is inevitable and expected as Chloe is no longer at Blackwell academy when Max returns to Arcadia Bay.
The relationship between Rachel and Chloe seems to have improved overnight in the sense that “The Junkyard” is now a regular hangout spot and they are willing to get themselves into hella trouble for each other. It still feels that Rachel is more of a misleading role-model to Chloe but now it feels less like Chloe is being dragged along and is more enjoying the ride.
This episode seems to delve into an even darker side to Chloe’s psyche with pot-induced visions of her dead Father. It really takes a dark turn when he’s telling Chloe not to “play with fire or you’ll get burned” all whilst turning to show his twisted, burnt half face in the process. Thanks Deck Nine, I didn’t need sleep for the next week anyway!
The main story line for this episode is Rachel and her desire to run away and take Chloe with her. However, you do, once again, see the familiar faces along the way. With Frank dragging you into some drug deal gone bad which ends with you either getting a kid punched in the face or you are punched in the face. Dear Chloe, please stop doing this to us, we need you alive for Life is Strange!
I found that the choices you made within the game this time were a lot more permanent. For example, if you didn’t stand up for Rachel when you were in Principle Wells office then she wouldn’t be in the play. Then it seems a major plot point of the game would have been missed. It’s always interesting that Deck Nine place the player in certain situations where you want to say “No” but neither of the dialogue options allow you to. So as a player, you’re forced to play along the main story line but choosing certain outcomes as you see fit.
SUMMARY
In summary and without ruining the story line too much, I felt that the second episode of Life is Strange: Before the Storm answered some questions but left me with so many more to ask. It also dragged me in a lot more than the first episode and I find that I am really looking forward to the last episode of this game. Let’s end this one with a bang!