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

This game is a must to play if you like good stories. The conversations are more than real. It's amazing.

Even with some foibles, Hell is Empty does a fantastic job filling in the blanks of what happened before Chloe was reunited with Max. As a fan, its references to the original shed light on how many things came to be, such as Chloe's transformation. Yes, I knew the conclusion, but it still has enough interesting developments to keep me invested. Before the Storm accomplishes what so many prequels fail to do; it tells its own story that leaves you content, while also connecting to the original game in a meaningful way.

With beautiful music and a heart-wrenching story, the final episode of Life is Strange: Before the Storm provides mostly interesting gameplay and big decisions to mull over in spite of over-dramatic themes and a lack of resolution for some plot lines.

Episode 3 - Hell Is Empty brings Life Is Strange: Before The Storm to its conclusion, resolving the story of not just Chloe and Rachel but also that of many other characters. Unfortunately some of the story points seem rushed to conclusion, likely a result of trying to tell a story in three episodes instead of five, and Chloe's backtalk mechanic is still criminally underused. On the other hand, there are improvements to the puzzles in this episode. Along the way, players will make many decisions, some far easier than others, all of which have some effect on the story to truly make it a tale of your own creation. Some players may well prefer Max and her powers to the more grounded story of Chloe, but the prequel is still a worthwhile journey through Arcadia Bay and an appropriate telling of the events before Max returned to the area.

Even though Hell is Empty stumbles at times, it's never enough to actually fall down. It'll intensify things in ridiculous ways because that's the stuff that makes for grand conclusions. But it's grounded in Chloe and Rachel's relationship -- their struggles, their mutual escapism, and their sacrifices -- and that's more than enough to keep us invested. The quibbles are easy to overlook when the core feels that authentic.