Life Is Strange: Before the Storm works as a standalone story, but if you've played the excellent original, you'll appreciate this game even more and, more amazingly, it'll make you appreciate the original game more too.
Before the Storm plays to the same strengths as Life Is Strange. It has a fantastic soundtrack, a story and stakes that other videogames don't even touch, complicated characters that you care about and some heavy-handed but interesting symbolism and themes.
But it doesn't repeat them.
The soundtrack is more punk and rock, fitting Chloe instead of the more indie-hipster Max. The story is less laid back and more troubled. Instead of rewinding, you argue.
The writing is superb, they don't just capture Chloe, they capture who she was before she turned into Chloe. It's genuinely shocking to go back and forth between the punk rebel Chloe in LiS and the scared teenager who wants to be a punk rebel in BtS.
Knowing what happens in LiS makes BtS feel more tragic, but also getting to know these characters in BtS makes LiS feel more poignant. You understand more complexities behind who these people are.
There are some incredible heartwarming scenes, the play being my favourite.
A few quick specific differences: I miss being able to rewind and the chill atmosphere. The writing in BtS is a little more consistent and sticks the landing better.
The rare example of a prequel that enhances a great first entry
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm works as a standalone story, but if you've played the excellent original, you'll appreciate this game even more and, more amazingly, it'll make you appreciate the original game more too.
Before the Storm plays to the same strengths as Life Is Strange. It has a fantastic soundtrack, a story and stakes that other videogames don't even touch, complicated characters that you care about and some heavy-handed but interesting symbolism and themes.
But it doesn't repeat them.
The soundtrack is more punk and rock, fitting Chloe instead of the more indie-hipster Max. The story is less laid back and more troubled. Instead of rewinding, you argue.
The writing is superb, they don't just capture Chloe, they capture who she was before she turned into Chloe. It's genuinely shocking to go back and forth between the punk rebel Chloe in LiS and the scared teenager who wants to be a punk rebel in BtS.
Knowing what happens in LiS makes BtS feel more tragic, but also getting to know these characters in BtS makes LiS feel more poignant. You understand more complexities behind who these people are.
There are some incredible heartwarming scenes, the play being my favourite.
A few quick specific differences: I miss being able to rewind and the chill atmosphere. The writing in BtS is a little more consistent and sticks the landing better.