Life Is Strange | [NO SPOILERS] Another Photo with my Chloe cosplay! (By: me (LidiaGumi))

I played Life is Strange this summer and absolutely fell in love with it. It's one the works of art that has moved, affected and influenced me the most in my life. I could go on for hours about this game and my love for it, but this is the LiS sub, so you all know about that already.

Anyway, I got to play Before the Storm for the first time these last few days, and I thought I'd share my experience and opinion, as someone who only recently became part of the LiS fandom.

It's... complicated.

I loved the soundtrack. I prefer the acoustic nostalgic music of the original, but this soundtrack and score is nothing short of a masterclass. (That main menu music is ridiculously good.)

They also took it up a notch with the cinematography. The symbolism and visual metaphors in Chloe's dream sequences or just the beauty of some shots are incredible. For the most part, the game is visually stunning.

The choices you make have importance, maybe even more than in LiS. The characters will sometimes reference small things you did an entire episode ago, and there are a lot of ways many scenes can play out. I love that.

The story is really good (IMO), the third episode especially. It makes you reflect about life, and how complicated (and strange :) ) it can be. I love how the game explores the idea that everyone is morally grey and that there is good and bad in each and everyone of us (« No one is just one thing. », as Samuel says). This idea of ambiguity and nuance in the characters was already explored in the first game, but BtS really doubles down on it. Characters like Drew or M. Amber or even Rachel, all have nuance and depth, and subvert your initial expectations and vision of them. The characters are so human, and they remind you that no one is perfect or simply one-dimensional, and everyone you meet has both good and bad in them. I loved this game's ability to tell a story that makes you think about life and yourself, like the first game did. The final dilemma is fascinating, it really makes you wonder what you would do in that situation, and think about your moral code, what drives you and what you value most. The third episode's story overall was masterfully crafted to bring you to that conclusion. The ending montage was great, and was a great connection to LiS. And that post credit scene of Rachel in the dark to room was literally bone-chilling.

That being said, I have a lot of problems with the game.

The thing that bothered me the most is that Before the Storm undermines the original game in a lot of ways. What I mean is that, in a lot of instances, the game breaks the continuity, characters and events of the first game, to the point that I can't consider it being cannon. Here are some examples of what I'm trying to say :

-Nathan. Why is he in this game ? In LiS Chloe clearly says she met him « in some shithole bar » just before the events of that story. That's when he drugged her and she got away, sparking their iconic confrontation in the first game. Here, not only are they trying to say that Chloe supposedly knew Nathan years before, but he is also portrayed as the bullied kid who is emotionally unstable and cries over what people think of him. Don't get me wrong, the OG game's Nathan is emotionally unstable but not in that way. He is not a victim. He is not someone who was bullied by Jocks. He does not act in school plays. He does not wear frickin sweaters. They literally turned one of the darkest and most complex characters of the first game into a trope, all the while fucking up the continuity and story of the original game while doing so. This character could have worked, if it wasn't Nathan.

-Another example of this is Frank. Now, apparently, Rachel and Chloe met Frank years before, and he is literally a badass hero. He saves Chloe 3 times, he is super nice to her, he gives her a ride, she is her « favorite customer », he LITERALLY KILLS HIS BEST FRIEND TO SAVE HER. What the actual hell. How can you explain the events of the first game now ? Their hostility becomes completely unrealistic. Like I said, it can't possibly make sense canonically.

-There's also David. Now he's super understanding, he tries to talk to Chloe, and depending on your choices, he literally is in good terms with Chloe by the end of the game. How do you explain their relationship in Life is Strange now ?

This is touching upon a much larger issue of Before the Storm : The writers understand what was great about the original's characters, but use it terribly wrong, and striping every bit of subtlety out of them while they do it.

Yes, Nathan is a great character because he is emotionally unstable and misunderstood. In LiS, even though he starts off as the villain and you begin the game hating him, it's eventually revealed that he's just a misunderstood kid with anger issues, who was manipulated and used by everyone around him. And in the end, we feel sorry for him. But here, Nathan is getting bullied ? By a jock who destroys his homework ? Please. Yes, Frank is a great character, because in LiS, despite him being originally the main threat and source of tension in the first episodes, you eventually come to realize that he's actually a pretty decent guy. And we grow to like him. But here he literally saves Chloe's life several times. We get it, he is a drug dealer with a hidden heart of gold, but he is not a freakin badass who faces off with the bad guy to save the heroin at the climax of the story. And yes, David, despite Chloe's resentment towards him and his authoritarian manners, actually really cares about Chloe and Joyce. But in BtS, he is just kind of a strict dad. The worst moment we see of him is when he politely asks Chloe to empty her pockets. He is very patient with Chloe, he tries to talk to her, he shares his combat experience with her and tells her that he « also experienced loss » and « knows what she is feeling », wth.

Overall, BtS betrays the essence of the original game, by stripping away any subtlety out of the characters.

Another big issue I had with the game was the treatment of Chloe's character. I fell in love with Life is Strange's Chloe. She has had an immense impact on me, she taught me things about life and I find her fascinating. The point is, I'm no Chloe hater. But Chloe in BtS really bothered me. Firstly because of the voice actress. I hate that it's not Ashly Burch, but that's not the only reason. I genuinely think the VA for Chloe in this game is not a very good actress, and she had enormous difficulty with even the simplest lines. Maybe the flaw lies in the directing of the actors, but still. She speaks every line of dialogue at the speed of an amputated slug and with the awkwardness and lack of confidence you would have if you were talking to your crush after not socializing for a month. Before you insult me : I understand that it's part of her relationship with Rachel, and that it shows that at the beginning of the game, Chloe is a lot like Max, and it makes you understand that they were originally more similar. But the VA delivers. Every. Line. Like. This. To. Every. Single. Character. And even well into episode 3. From dramatic to simple lines, she somehow fails to deliver all of them properly.

My issue with Chloe is not just because of the voice actress though. It's also in her writing. In Before the Storm, she feels like a completely different character, and again I know it is supposed to be like that, but it seems to me that this character, at it's core, is not Chloe Price. The way she expresses her thoughts like Max did. Her being awkward around everyone. Her being very empathetic and caring, standing up to people, doing gossip and playing tabletop roleplaying games ? It doesn't feel like Chloe at all. The whole point of Chloe's arc in the original was that she starts off as a self centered teenager who's angry at the world, but by the end, through her relationship with Max, she's become a selfless, tragic hero, who's willing to sacrifice herself for a town of people she hates. But in BtS, Chloe is super empathetic, she cares about people and has a clear sense of right and wrong. Does this mean that her relationship with Rachel made her a bad person ? Not a great stance, especially since the game expects you to care about them and see their relationship as sincere. Idk. I'm propably stupid, but it just doesn't seem right to me.

I'm not saying that Chloe should have always been who she is in the first LiS. There are lines and moments in Before the Storm that explore a new, more sensitive aspect of Chloe, that I actually really like (When Samuel tells her deep down she is trying to hide that she's afraid and alone « It's okay not to be okay, Chloe Price » / « I'll take care of her » / The scene where Chloe talks to William explaining that she understands he may not have been the perfect father figure from her memories. All those scenes work and really bring depth to her character.) But most of the time, her thoughts and actions don't seem to match.

This is also related to another issue this game has : it kinda breaks characters for the sake of playability. Like, yes, the diary from the first game was a cool feature, but integrating it in this game feels out of character. Does Chloe really strike you as the kind of person who would have a diary ? Not to me. Another example is how she expresses her thoughts to herself like Max did. Most of the time it doesn't feel like things Chloe would actually think. I'm propably way in over my head here, but it didn't click for me.

I also had other small issues : a few annoying bugs, glitchy lines of dialogue/camera transitions and malfunctioning choice panels. And the change of voice actors, not just for Chloe, but also for David or William really hurt my ears. I know I'm just nitpicking at this point, but whatever.

Finally, Before the Storm generally lacks the subtlety of LiS, and maybe could have used slightly better writing. I don't want to say the story was rushed, but it kinda felt that way. And you could clearly tell a lot was cut out of the ending, it felt like scenes were missing.

Overall, despite it's huge potential, the game can't resist clumsily falling into a kind of meta fan service that ends up destroying the continuity with the original story. It clearly loves the original game, but simultaneously kind of shits all over it by showing characters and events that don't make any sense when compared to the first game's story. It's like the game was written by fans of the original Life is Strange, and not by actual writers who wanted to tell their story. And... it's pretty much the case. I don't blame them, the task they had was no easy one, but the writing definitely needed better polishing, and they really created huge plot holes.

But despite its pretty massive flaws, I'm still very glad I played it. And those faults don't prevent the game from telling a compelling story that resonated with me emotionally.

If I had to summarize, I'd say : Before the Storm is a good game with a good story, but not a good prequel to Life is Strange.

And then there's the Farewell Episode...

How do I even talk about it ? I have no word to describe it. If Before the Storm has so many problems, how can the Farewell Episode be such a masterpiece ? How can it be everything I wanted to see and more ?

Seeing Hannah Telle and Ashly Burch again in their respective roles was everything. They both are so immensely talented, you can feel their love and connection to their characters, and they have such a spectacular chemistry.

I loved that the episode went back to that iconic nostalgic atmosphere Life is Strange had. They chose the soundtrack accordingly, and it's breathtaking.

I wasn't expecting them to be able to capture the magic of the original Life is Strange, but they did. I wasn't expecting to cry, but I did. It felt like playing the first game all over again. I was smiling to my ears the entire time, until the ending really got me emotional. It's perfect. Perfect in every way.

Whoever made it this far, thank you so much for reading. I'm no writer, sorry if that was a bit long, and I hate to use that excuse but English isn't my native language, so please forgive any mistakes. I would sincerely love to hear what you guys think and discuss the game. Don't hesitate to express your opinion, point things out and share your experience. I'll do my best to reply to all.

I really am glad to be part of this community. I love Life is Strange, and I love you guys. See you around!

submitted by /u/UrAnus____
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[All] Victoria retcon?

Posted: 27 Aug 2021 07:43 PM PDT

So I thought her parents lived in Seattle cause they ran the Chase Space, but they died in the storm?

submitted by /u/St_IdesHell
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[ALL]Fan Fiction Friday: August 27th, 2021

Posted: 27 Aug 2021 07:54 PM PDT

Writing a fic or got some you'd love to share? Let us know!

Link to last week's thread.

submitted by /u/thelittleone86
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[No Spoilers] Lito Perezito ft. Abby Strickland - The Blue Haired Girl

Posted: 28 Aug 2021 04:22 AM PDT

submitted by /u/feareffectinferno
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[No Spoilers] Who is the better father for Chloe?

Posted: 27 Aug 2021 07:29 PM PDT

Who is the better father for Chloe Price and who is the worst father for Chloe?

View Poll

submitted by /u/Escope12
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[ALL] how lis 2 failed

Posted: 27 Aug 2021 10:11 PM PDT

So , I'm loved lis 1 , it was a solid game . I was really hoping for a sequel because there were alot of unanswered questions in lis 1 , but oh well , when they announced lis 2 i was disappointed but also hyped about it , but dam that game failed me .

Now let's talk about the flaw (story) , The story of lis 2 is just appalling literally the whole game is "they find a place ,they settle in, cop arrives out of nowhere(or something bad happen),they runaway" this fuckin shit is repeated 7 time and then the game end , it story is just so bad , compare to lis 1 the story was a rollercoaster which was played so prefectly it unbelievable, but this is just boring and simple

All the other things about the game are decent , but the story is just....., i wished instead of making this they would've made a sequal, cuz even if it was bad .people would still liked it ,cuz of max and chole , how much people liked these characters,

Anyway the game had potential but failed, that what i think anyway

submitted by /u/ALI_6996
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Life Is Strange

Saturday, August 28, 2021

Life Is Strange | [NO SPOILERS] Another Photo with my Chloe cosplay! (By: me (LidiaGumi))

Life Is Strange | [NO SPOILERS] Another Photo with my Chloe cosplay! (By: me (LidiaGumi))

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