An Analysis of Life is Strange: Before the Storm

Life is Strange Before the Storm/BTS is a video game that can be played by humans, or possibly non-humans.

Discord: Whitelight4493

As always, thanks to ChimerainaSuit for over half of the thumbnails on the channel.

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[Chloe-jujp]

"No Kate, which means no Human Drone Strikes"

I feel bad for laughing my ass off holy shit

[somewhatrespectable]

" _The exaggerated saunter of an insubordinate teen_ "



You clever bastard.

[EatingThoseBeans]

I think your characterisation of Rachel is very good. In before the storm and the original as you talk to everyone, you find out everyone thought their relationship or connection to Rachel was special and unique.

[EatingThoseBeans]

Daughter's music is one of the best original soundtracks i've ever heard. It so perfectly brought out the emotion in some scenes. And even now i'm still a massive fan of Daughter and EX:RE (dauhter singer's solo stuff). The game would be way worse without it. It speaks for the game way more than the original Life is strange's or the sequels music. I have hope that True Colours will have a good soundtrack, at least with what has been confirmed about it so far. Mxmtoon doing original stuff for the game and songs from artists like the amazing Phoebe Bridgers will hopefully be a great fit.

[qdrgwyn]

33:39 that scene for me is very manipulative "I will not grant you freedom but I will give you excitement and we will be great together" excuse she will use every single time you will demand freedom

In the nutshell: "I promise you freedom if you stay my slave"

[willrigby]

I think what annoyed me about the story, is that parts of it didn't line up with the original game. Now it was mostly the background details, rather than major plot points, but it reflected badly. For example according to the original, Victoria shouldn't be in Arcadia Bay during this time.

[Error-]

Life is strange is my guilty pleasure game. I may not like everything about it and it has some cringy dialogue, but the story gripped me and the mix of powers and real-life relationships is something I did not know I wanted to experience.

[RennsReviews]

Wait, this is a whitelight video? I clicked for SKILLSHARE, but I'll stick around for whitelight.

[ZedAmadeus]

I get the symbolic relevance, but taking it from a more literal angle, when I saw those fires start, the winds rush past her as she screamed, I was sure she had some sort of power she was keeping hidden or didn't fully know about. The sequels have shown Max wasn't the only one.

[DairunCates]

Wait... Rachel being abusive is some hidden detail that we're supposed to be hypnotized from seeing? I picked up on that aspect of Rachel's character after like... 3 sentences.

You'd actually be harder pressed to find a scene where Rachel ISN'T gaslighting someone or trying to get people to do unreasonable things for her through hollow promises, flattery, or negging. She's like mercury. She changes to suit her needs and is poisonous to anyone she touches.

[chintex_]

3:30 "The exaggerated saunter of an insubordinate teen." I see what you did there

[matteoziegler]

The way you always speak so thoughtfull and restraint only to drop, without changing your speech a S C H A K A B R A H is like the best type of comedy

[lshe]

Interesting that you didn't mention the other game mechanic that is unique to Before the Storm (compared to the original LiS); the _Intimacy_ system. Based off of your choices, Chloe's intimacy with Rachel affects both the dialogue and the available options throughout the game. Here's some examples from the first two episodes of moments that affect, or are affected by, Intimacy:
When Rachel is changing and she asks Chloe for her belt - A: throw the belt to her like some neanderthal, or B: hand it to her while she's changing (+1 Intimacy)
This instance affects what Chloe says on the train. If you picked option A and pick the dialogue option about the weather, Chloe will _actually_ comment on the weather. If you picked option B, Chloe has become more intimate with Rachel and her shy brain takes the wheel and she goes *"Nice Rachel we're having"* and visibly cringes a millisecond afterwards.
Your Intimacy level also affects Rachel's reaction to either of the "Friendship" or "Something more" options. If you have zero intimacy points but choose the latter, she is surprised as literally nothing indicated Chloe was interested. If you choose the former with intimacy points, she will also be surprised as she has picked up on some hints that Chloe was interested.
Another example of Intimacy affecting dialogue options is found in the night-time neighbourhood walk after the Tempest play in Episode 2, where Chloe asking for "A kiss" is only available if have chosen enough dialogue options that increased the Intimacy level to 4 or higher. In fact, the entire kiss scene has _several_ variations depending on your Intimacy level and your past options (mostly the choice between "Friendship" or "Something more"), including one where Rachel straight up admits to holding back on the kiss so she has something to bribe Chloe with later if she changes her mind on leaving Arcadia Bay.

[krieggrenademan]

I could seriously listen to you talk for endless hours, its soothing

[McNstyFilth]

All this game managed to convey is Rachel being a master manipulator.

[MakotoComeMiojo]

18:15 "No brook, means no drones strikes. No kate, which means no human drones strikes".

This made my day. Holy shit, if I were drinking a coup of water, I would 100% spit it all on the computer.

[brynjolf]

I’m gonna make a channel called Fleshlight where I review your reviews and give them 10/10’s

[KodiiViibes]

Hey Whitelight! I'd love to see your take on Sleeping Dogs! Lots of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation in the combat and the story is great too!

[nightlypiano]

There are a bunch of funny quotes here so i'm posting them here

"You know what they say about guys with long videos. We've got massive... problems with the fundamentals of DSLR Photography."

"The Great Equaliser. Some say it's guns, but i say it's Skillshare."

"I have learned how to become 100%. Funnier."

"You can say my jokes are shit but you are scientifically incorrect."

"Why did the Chicken cross the road? Because it's depressed."

[man-veeg]

This makes me want a Night in the Woods Whitelight vid