Life is Strange: Before the Storm - Episode 1: Awake Reviews
Overall, Episode 1 is a great introduction to Before the Storm. It offers what you expect from the series as well as adding in some new ideas. The way Deck Nine have been able to take the concept of the first game and apply them to a totally different character has been great.
Much like Dontnod succeeded despite their inexperience, Deck Nine has managed to pull off a fantastic start to their own addition to the Life is Strange universe and Chloe’s tale.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a great start for the series and I'm very, very curious where it will go from here.
Episode 1: Awake is a strong start to Before the Storm.
Ultimately, I want to enjoy Before the Storm as much as I did Life is Strange, but I think some serious shifts will have to take place between this episode and the next in order for me to really get onboard.
Although Before The Storm pretty much looks like the first Life is Strange, it has some fresh ideas that we're really excited to explore. The first episode manage promise an exciting story, and we can't wait for the next one.
Review in Swedish | Read full review
Before the Storm's first chapter has already deflected most of the pre-release concerns that "This doesn't need to exist." Maybe it doesn't because Life is Strange's story was self-contained. Then again, maybe Life is Strange is better off with this complementing it. After its debut, I'm fully willing to argue that Before the Storm deserves to exist because this story is important too. In true Chloe fashion, anyone who disagrees gets two one-finger salutes.
The first installment in "Life is Strange: Before the Storm" blew me out of the water. The Game's clever use of literary allusions, coupled with the impressive dialogue and impeccable playlist makes 'Awake' a beautiful exploration of depression.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm's first episode can feel like a drag in the beginning, with a weak main mechanic and slow pacing, but it all pays off in the end and manages to become a flawed, but captivating experience.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a relatable and gripping tale of dealing with loss and emotionally ambiguous friendships.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm manages to capture the emotional heartache that the first game gave you and amplifies it to create a masterfully crafted story that is bursting at the seams with realistic human drama and remarkable characters.
Since the game deals more with character development and how they cope rather than temporal philosophy, it may or maybe not divide its audience. Even though this is a prequel, I felt that this game should be played after the original for the way it is presented, think of it as bonus content rather than a standalone game.
If you’ve played the first Life is Strange, Before the Storm is a must-play. Even though it feels little more than a setup, it’s still an intricate setup, with a lingering promise of big emotional reward.
The most important features of the game are providing a very lively and varied characters and all the different colors of the spectrum, and it has been able to provide a new world full of details that encourage you and reward you to explore, you throughout the game will not be bored of the exploration, the story remains a little vague and not clear enough Which is the most important defects and of course we will wait to see if the choices we have made will benefit us and change the game world or not.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Life is Strange Before the Storm feels like a true prequel to the original game, even though we don't have time travel abilities this time around. While character developments are interesting, this first chapter is unclear whether the journey will be better than the destination considering we already know how their fates will end.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Life is Strange: Before the Storm shows that it understands what pulled people into the nostalgia-fuelled Arcadia Bay, and creates an emotionally-charged intriguing opening chapter to a story that we'll be keeping an eye on.
Despite feeling hesitant going into Before the Storm, Deck Nine Games' rendition of Arcadia Bay quickly reminded me of why I loved the series and its characters in the first place. Any fears of this being a cash-in on a beloved game melted away, and I was able to fully enjoy Awake without any second thoughts. I'm excited to see where Chloe and Rachel's story goes from here, even if I already know how tragic it ultimately ends.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm shows a lot of promise in its first few hours despite the same weaknesses in its script as the original Life is Strange series.
Overall, episode 1 of Life is Strange: Before the Storm isn't the strongest entry in the saga – but it's far too early to judge. I'm hoping centering the story on Chloe isn't a poor choice on Deck Nine's behalf, there must be a story to tell without meandering around old locations and looking at random objects strewn across the floor. They've established some great roots here, now they must build on them to take gamers on an emotional rollercoaster.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm's first episode is heavy on atmosphere and emotion, but light on narrative or gameplay. It will appeal to those who loved the heart-wrenching drama of the first game, but could have a hard time attracting any new fans.