Square Enix has partnered with Deck Nine Games to return to Arcadia Bay this Summer in Life Is Strange: Before the Storm. Announced today during Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference, Before the Storm won’t have any time travel, but you’ll get to spend more time with Chloe Price three years before the events of the original Life Is Strange:
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm is set in Arcadia Bay, three years before the events of the first game in the series. Players will take on the role of a rebellious 16 year-old Chloe Price who forms an unlikely friendship with Rachel Amber; a beautiful and popular girl destined for success. When Rachel’s world is turned upside down by a family secret, it takes this new-found alliance to give each other the strength to overcome their demons.
“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,” said Jeff Litchford, the Vice President at Deck Nine Games. “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.”
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm is a different game from Dontnod’s recently-confirmed continuation of the franchise, but Ashly Burch, the voice of Chloe, will join Deck Nine to work as a writing consultant on the prequel.
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm will be released as a three-part episodic series, and the first episode will be available for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One on August 31. A Cinematic Trailer for the game has been embedded above, and a second video that introduces the developers from Deck Nine can be found after the break.