Life Is Strange: Before the Storm - Episode 3: Hell Is Empty
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Based on 50 critic reviews
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Top Critic
By improving upon the issues of the last two episodes while continuing their successes, the conclusive episode to Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a near-flawless end to the impactful, heartfelt prequel.
Top Critic
An honest insight into the tragedy of loss and growth in youth.
Top Critic
Hell is Empty perfectly pays off what was built up in the first two episodes while also providing a bridge to the original series.
Hell is Empty is a beautiful conclusion to a prequel that exceeded all expectations.
Episode 3, “Hell is Empty,” offers a heart-wrenching yet satisfying conclusion to Before the Storm that makes players immediately want to return to the original Life is Strange.
Top Critic
The overall story stayed interesting throughout, the characters were complex, the bigger themes were brilliant and it was a generally emotional and expertly executed second trip to Arcadia Bay.
Top Critic
It may lack the mechanical variety and elegant sophistication of say, What Remains Of Edith Finch, but despite that, Before The Storm still manages to be one of the finest gaming experiences in undoubtedly one of the medium’s best years.
Top Critic
Chloe and Rachel's complicated friendship shines in this finale, making you care about each character and the bond they share in a way you couldn't fully grasp in the original series
Top Critic
Deck Nine has lived up to the expectations and has crafted a perfectly fitting ending to Chloe Price's journey. Although Life is Strange: Before the Storm could have had a couple more chapters, "Hell is Empty" is a more than enjoyable finale to the prequel.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Top Critic
A solid ending to the powerful Life is Strange prequel series, Hell is Empty delivers all the emotional beats that you would expect as Chloe and Rachel's adventures come to a close.
Top Critic
While I'm not sure if Before the Storm will hold the same place in my heart as the original, I'm certainly glad that Deck Nine Games got to tell their own story in Arcadia Bay. It's a very different tale, one on a completely smaller scale both in terms of narrative and length, but one that still manages to make an impact. It's a more personal story, and it wound up being quite bittersweet having to say goodbye to the duo of Chloe and Rachel.
Life is Strange’s short prequel season comes to a close in a gripping and emotional finale that represents some of the series’ best writing yet
Top Critic
Three years ago, we were introduced to Chloe as she was a desperate and lost young woman. We were told that Rachel meant a lot to her, but we didn't know the half of it. Before the Storm provides that context and it's immensely successful in the way it tells that story. In my favorite scene from all of Life is Strange, Chloe was willing to don a silly outfit, get on stage, and stammer through Shakespeare to protect her friend. That's about as un-Chloe as it gets. Rachel clearly means the world to her.
Top Critic
The episode itself has its weak points, but it's still a successfully heart-rending finale to one of the great storytelling achievements in gaming.
Top Critic
Some players may well prefer Max and her powers to the more grounded story of Chloe, but the prequel is still a worthwhile journey through Arcadia Bay and an appropriate telling of the events before Max returned to the area.
Top Critic
Deck Nine had a pretty tall task when it came to Life Is Strange: Before the Storm. Creating a prequel that would satiate the series' fans is tough enough, and they've passed with flying colors in that regard. However, it's the way in which Deck Nine has really honed in on the identity of the original series that makes it so special.
Top Critic
The last episode of Life is Strange: Before the Storm is awesome. It resonates in the characters of Chloe and Rachel, building a story on few very strong topics.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Top Critic
Episode 3 of Life is Strange: Before the Storm provides a satisfying conclusion to Chloe Price and Rachel Amber's many emotional dilemmas, tying in neatly to the original series while presenting its own unique twists and turns.
Top Critic
Before the Storm redefines what a Life is Strange game can be.
Top Critic
Life Is Strange: Before The Storm tells a chaotic story of two very broken people and make you fall in love with them. Rachel Amber finds out what she's missing out of life when Chloe Price deals with her own loses. Despite the characters being deeply flawed, Life Is Strange: Before The Storm finds the beauty in a messed up world.
Top Critic
Life is Strange: Before the Storm's 3rd episode has a simpler approach to its narrative. It doesn't go out of its way to amaze the player. So it might not be the best or the most memorable but thanks to an incredibly bitter ending to a great story, Rachel's and Chloe's adventures connect to the main game and that is the biggest achievement of Hell is Empty
Review in Persian | Read full review
Top Critic
As a standalone episode, Hell is Empty doesn't quite hit the same spot that the previous two episodes reached — but that's not to say it's a let down.
Hell Is Empty, the final episode of Life is Strange: Before the Storm, is action packed and tense but ends with a hollow, inconsequential decision.
Much like the original Life is Strange, Before the Storm’s concluding episode missed the high marks of the rest of the series but still provided a satisfying ending. A more poetic writer might say that Life is Strange is about the journey rather than the destination.
Top Critic
Hell Is Empty - not exactly what we wanted to see as the final of the Life Is Strange prequel. Nevertheless, the mini-season as a whole turned out to be an interesting. Fans of LiS and other episodic adventures should try this game.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Top Critic
The conclusion to Hell Is Empty didn't give me my runaway future, but the prequel nature of Life Is Strange: Before The Storm made that an impossible dream. Instead, another story shoves it aside, trying to find the difference between what is right for someone and what is good for them, but there isn't enough time in this episode to deliver this message and round out everything else. This pace leaves it rushed and somewhat tunnel-visioned. That said, characters I cared about and real, hard choices which often don't feel truly right or wrong kept my gut firmly wrenched throughout. Light puzzles break up the talking and drama but again serve to remind us that "correct” isn't necessarily “right.” Instead, there's a strong single theme that's delivered well in a story that isn't afraid to get in a few punches.
Top Critic
Hell is Empty was the first time in Before the Storm that I found myself wishing there was a Fast Forward option.
Top Critic
Life is Strange: Before the Storm - Episode 3 is heart touching and reveals more about Rachel Amber's life. However, many events that lead us to the original Life is Strange were poorly explored. A fourth episode to fix this would be ideal, which unfortunately will not happen.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Hell is Empty was somewhat empty in terms of dropping certain points though it still concludes in a satisfying way.
Top Critic
Before the Storm finishes with a thrilling and emotional episode. Hell Is Empty is where most of your decisions throughout the game reach a conclusion. However, the ending is rushed and the game forgets its other characters.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Top Critic
Certainly not a calm before the storm, but while it's full of wonderful characters this final chapter feels unsatisfactory.
Top Critic
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm is more down to Earth than the main campaign, and it's actually better for it. Deck Nine's done an incredible job of working within the boundaries that DONTNOD's story set, and its biggest achievement is characterising the enigmatic Rachel Amber, who's both intoxicating and fragile all at the same time. Episode 3: Hell Is Empty feels like it could use a little more breathing room, but it crescendos with a gorgeous conclusion that's as heart-warming as it is heart-breaking. After all, we already know where this story ends.
Top Critic
With Life is Strange Before the Storm - Episode 3 : Hell is Empty, Deck Nine brings a satisfying conclusion to this prequel. Even if we could have expected some more significant consequences to the choices we wake, it's still a touching story for two really adorable characters in a lovely world. A godd way to wait for what's next.
Review in French | Read full review
Top Critic
Life is Strange: Before the Storm Episode 3: Hell is Empty offered a nice companion to the Life is Strange universe, but the shock of the conclusion is lost when compared to the superior Episode 2. This doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy Episode 3, I just felt that it's conclusion presented more questions than answers. Perhaps it's a good thing the Life is Strange: Before the Storm left me with wanting more because now I wouldn't mind if the series continued either with more prequel content or a direct sequel to Life is Strange.
Top Critic
Life Is Strange: Before The Storm — Episode 3: Hell Is Empty is a fitting finale to this prequel miniseries that lays the foundations to Max and Chloe's future escapades, and while it doesn't quite hit the heady heights of the mainline series, it holds its own as a unique, self-contained teen-drama, with a gritty bite of realism thrown in for good measure.
Top Critic
Before the Storm's finale shares some of the issues the first season's finale had. However, just like the first season, it's more than the sum of its parts.
Top Critic
Before the Storm have a great story that is filled with twists along with unexpected and exciting events even though I played life is strange and I know what's going to happen in the near future, before the storm delivered the surprising element very well. Episode three Hell is Empty however, leaves you with a wide open ending and more unanswered questions. Also, cut sense and dialogues don't really change that much with Chole decisions and in general is I wished Deck Nine used Backtalk in important conversations and with main characters rather than a pudding fight.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
All in all, I feel like Chloe and Rachel’s story has already been cemented in history. That all we’re actually playing is a story that has already been set in stone. Although, Life is Strange: Before the Storm had its great moments, I could never truly say that the moments were something I had an influence on. The title for this episode definitely describes what I felt after playing the game: Empty. The only silver lining to this game is that it just made me want to dive back in into the world of Max Caulfield which was really the masterpiece that it was.
Maintaining the momentum of the previous episode’s scintillating cliffhanger, Life is Strange: Before the Storm‘s “season finale” brings Chloe and Rachel’s adventure to an understated crescendo in mostly satisfying – if occasionally detached – fashion.
Hell is Empty was satisfying in the sense that it delivered something out of the pages of a crime drama, but as far as keeping continuity with itself and with the original game, the episode left much to be desired. These first two episodes leave such a strong emotional resonance that stick around long after they end and, unfortunately, episode three isn't on par.
Top Critic
Unimportant choices are what made this game bad. When you can only change a few details at the end, the whole game looks stupid. The puzzles are too easy and none of them can challenge you. But just because of it's great music tracks and a decent story the game didn't sink that low.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Top Critic
Hell is Empty feels like a superficial way to cap its story off, as it chooses an easy ending to Rachel and Chloe's relationship rather than exploring its darker conclusion.
Top Critic
Not much happens in the final episode of Life is Strange: Before the Storm, and, at first, it doesn't seem to matter as, instead of any new stuff, it's the "feels" that are in the spotlight this time around. The only true problem seems to be the sleep-inducingly slow pacing of it all, something that sort of ruins the end of this prequel.
This chapter brought us some new types of gameplay. However, the story just didn’t bring the punch that we were hoping for and that had been built up throughout the other two episodes.
A shaky conclusion to a fantastic season, the finale episode is still a solid entry but it doesn't reach the dizzying heights of the first two entries.
I’m disappointed in the finale and maybe in the game as a whole. I remember enjoying episode 2 but that was about it. I also remember enjoying the first game WAY more than I did Before the Storm. As a verdict to this episode only I will stick to 6/10.
Hell is Empty doesn’t do anything special, so if you’re looking forward to see what unique stuff Before the Storm‘s conclusion does to separate itself from the rest of the story, it’s the fact that the game gets a whole lot heavier.
Top Critic
Before the Storm shouldn't have been done. It doesn't add anything to the original work from DONTNOD, to the point where sometimes it seems just another game with the same characters, and a much less inspired soundtrack.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Top Critic
If you want a good story and don't mind if it's a tad on the predictable side, you'll enjoy Life is Strange: Before the Storm. However, if you want some twists and turns, with crazy reveals, this won't make you happy.
Top Critic
Coming of age stories usually have you liking characters more as the plot progresses, but players will be eager to wrap up Life is Strange: Before the Storm sooner rather than later. The poor pacing, unlikeable characters, and plodding interactive elements end this season on a low note.
