Life is Strange: Before the Storm

Video game fandom
Name	Life is Strange: Before the Storm
Abbreviation(s)	LIS: BTS, LIS: Before the Storm, BTS
Developer(s)	Deck Nine
Release date	Episode 1: 31 August 2017 Episode 2: 19 October 2017 Episode 3: 20 December 2017 "Farewell": March 5, 2018
Related articles on Fanlore.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm is an episodic choice-based adventure game developed by Deck Nine and published by Square Enix. It is a prequel to Life is Strange and is the second entry in the series.

Canon

Life is Strange: Before the Storm tales place three years before the events of the first game. The story features Chloe Price as she meets Rachel Amber for the first time, and follows the two as they bond and investigate the secrets behind Rachel’s family. The game also depicts several events described in the main game, such as Chloe being expelled from Blackwell and Rachel and Chloe planning to leave Arcadia Bay together.

The game also features a bonus episode, Farewell, which features Chloe and Max Caulfield as they rediscover a time capsule of old memories just before the death of Chloe’s father and Max’s move to Seattle.

Major Characters (Before the Storm)

• Chloe Price
• Rachel Amber
• James Amber
• Sera Gearhardt
• Frank Bowers
• Damon Merrick

Of the major characters impacting the plot, only Chloe and Rachel have a major presence in fandom and fanworks. The game also features several minor characters with a significant fandom presence. Some, like Victoria Chase, played a larger role in the original game; others, like Steph Gengrich, achieved a level of fandom presence despite being new to the series.

Major Characters (Farewell)

• Max Caulfield
• Chloe Price

Fandom

Fan Reception

Reception of the game by fans of the series has been generally positive, although not without its controversies. The game is often regarded as fan service to the original title; whether this is said positively varies from fan to fan. The game has also been criticised for its various inconsistencies with the original title.

The game’s depiction of Rachel Amber has also been a source of controversy among fans, as it generally depicts her in a much more positive light than the original title. Some fans feel that this is another inconsistency compared to the main game, while others feel that this simply makes her feel more multidimensional and human, as well as illustrating how Chloe could have found her so magnetic. Still others feel that her flaws are still just as evident in Before the Storm, just harder to see due to meeting her through Chloe’s eyes.

Impact on Theories

The game has sparked a number of fan theories, many of which impact how fans interpret the original game.

Let’s Plays

Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples.

Like other titles in the series, let’s plays are common due to the game’s choice-based gameplay, as they allow fans to experience the effect of making alternate choices at key points in the game.

Fanworks

Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples.

Archives & Fannish Links

• Before the Storm tag on Tumblr