To the roar of fans across the world, Life Is Strange was recently announced to be getting another entry. The first game was a smashing success, selling millions of copies, making good use of the episodic model, and touching the hearts of millions of players. Late this summer, players will get to travel back to Arcadia Bay and experience a story set three years prior to the events of the first game. We were treated to a new trailer during Microsoft’s E3 press conference as well. Without further ado, here is Life is Strange: Before the Storm.
While I never got to play the original game, I heard many stories from friends about how touching the story was. Uniquely told through the eyes of its characters, Life is Strange set a gold standard on how to make a truly ambitious adventure game in a world where most of that praise goes to Telltale Games. Square Enix chose wisely when they decided to help out the game.
“LIFE IS STRANGE: BEFORE THE STORM is a key release for Square Enix this year and is being created as a direct response to fans asking to return to Arcadia Bay so they can revisit the characters they fell in love with. Many people can identify a particular person who significantly influenced their life; the person that ultimately shaped who they became. LIFE IS STRANGE: BEFORE THE STORM is about this exact moment.” – Lee Singleton, Head of Studio at Square Enix London Studios
As a summary for the story, players will be taking control of 16 year-old Chloe Price. Forming an unlikely friendship with Rachel Amber, the two will slowly face their inner demons when a family secret turns their world upside down.
Strangely enough, (heh, puns are fun) Before the Storm is being handled by a different development team. Before the Storm is being handled by Deck Nine Games in Denver, Colorado. There’s no word in the press release about why this decision was made, but hopefully Deck Nine Games can iron out some of the blemishes of how the first game played. We could see the actual gameplay be something completely new, but for now we can only make inferences.
“The original LIFE IS STRANGE brought a new level of depth and real-world emotion to the narrative adventure game genre and holds a strong place in many people’s hearts, including our own. It’s an absolute privilege to work on the next game in the series and it’s our chance to do justice to the series and prove the quality of our unique StoryForge toolset from our very talented team.” – Jeff Litchford, Vice President at Deck Nine Games
The developers also put together a video on their take on the world of Life is Strange using their StoryForge technology.
Either way, the pedigree of Life is Strange puts a lot of weight on the shoulders of the new developers. Millions are connected to these characters and their stories. It will be interesting to see how Before the Storm enriches those tales and what sort of surprises lie in store. At the end of the day, expect to tear up a bit as the game progresses.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm is coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC. The first of three episodes will launch on August 31st 2017. For more information, check out the official post from Square Enix.
