Life is Strange: Before the Storm Episode 3 Review - Hell Is Empty

The third episode of Life is Strange: Before the Storm, is the end of this prequel. In the previous two episodes we got to know Rachel and Chloe well and the end of the second episode was fantastic with a hefty Cliffhanger. So we longed for this third episode, in which we would finally get answers to the questions that arose the last time. We have also played the third episode now and it's time to close it.

A steam train

This third episode connects directly to the cliffhanger of the previous episode. We're not going to spoil anything, but what we want to tell you is that everything is made completely clear. All questions that arose are explained in the first half hour and that leads Rachel's life from calm water directly to a storm of emotions. She is struggling with it, she is having trouble with herself and where possible you try to help her as Chloe. Quite quickly it also becomes clear what your ultimate goal is and slowly but surely this episode is working towards the climax.

The episode is reasonably satisfactory in terms of answers, but it is really a steam train. It takes one and a half hours before it really gets going. The dialogues are spread out for a long time and after an hour you get a bit of a feeling that the developer is deliberately shelving, just to play those three hours per episode. The different scenes are all equally interesting, but things could have been done more smoothly and some dialogues are completely unnecessary for the overall story.

It is therefore the first hour of biting through after the denouement of the cliffhanger, but towards the end everything starts to get pace and you get even more general answers. That also brings Chloe into difficult situations in which choices have to be made that are more intense than we have seen in the previous episodes. Every episode has of course some replay value, but that is much more in the discussion; Particularly crucial decisions are taken in the last half hour. This absolutely creates the tendency to dive into the adventure once more to experience the other developments.

The connection with Life is Strange

Given that this is a prequel to Life is Strange, there must of course be some connection with the original game. The developer has elaborated this in a handy way, because there is a clear link, but it remains open for personal interpretation. What exactly has happened in the meantime - between the end of Before the Storm and the original - remains unanswered, but perhaps that is right. And otherwise Dontnod might answer that in the second season of Life is Strange.

What is also cool to see is that you can see the development of Chloe up close during this season. At first you see a Chloe who is especially very rebellious, but by the end of this story it is someone who has a strong will, is more mature and transforms into a maid who really does have a real impact on everything. Exactly the girl we know from the original season.

Fine end, but...

Ultimately, apart from the unnecessary stretching, we can state that the third episode is a worthy conclusion to a beautiful mini-series. As you approach the end, you are on the edge of your chair because it is so fascinating to follow. The end leaves room for your own interpretation and although you are mainly talking in the run-up to the climax, the moments of gameplay are also fun. Among other things, with the repair of a car, which has been implemented in a creative way. In that respect it is a nice episode, but we can not deny that there are some unevenness present.

A lot happens at certain times and the situations follow each other in rapid succession. That is the ultimate benefit - certainly by the end - for the better, but the developer might lose it here a bit. Something happens too much in too little time, which makes it a bit unrealistic if you look very critical. But hey, we should not dwell on that for too long, because it is not that important.

What then is sloppy, however, is that a situation arises around an alarm that apparently no one responds to it, while in reality it is almost impossible. Yes, this is very vague, but otherwise we would spoil and of course we should not have that. The scene in question also raises many questions, but they are not answered and that is a bit of a shame. Especially because this - if you think about it after playing the episode - can have quite far-reaching consequences.

Conclusion

Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a prequel that is more than successful. The first episode is clearly the least of the three and the second absolutely the highlight. The third episode, however, closes the story in a nice way and it is satisfying enough that you look back with satisfaction. Incidentally, a second playthrough is not crazy, because drastic choices are made, but then you have to bite through the slow game course. It is also unfortunate that certain situations are illogical and that some questions that arise at the end are not provided with an answer, even though it should have been done. But do not let this stop you from playing the episode, because it's worth it for sure.

Pros

➕ Captivating final piece
➕ Good connection to the original game
➕ Nice backtalk challenges
➕ Chloe shines in her role

Cons

➖ Comes quite slow
➖ Unanswered questions
➖ Illogical situations

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