If you have been following my gaming section on my blog, I have been writing reviews for Life is Strange: Before the Storm episode #1 and episode #2. This three-part prequel made the third episode available for download in December. Once I finished downloading it, I played the entire episode. Episodes #1 & #2 are rather slow-moving, but Episode #3 is easily the best episode of the series. The final decision you have to make at the end of the game is one of those “Oh no what do I choose” type of choices. This gaming review like all the others is going to be filled with spoilers.

Final Warning *Spoilers Down Below*

Episode #3 begins in Rachel’s house after James Amber (Rachel’s Father) tells her the woman he was kissing is her actual birth mother, Sera. Sera has been battling addiction for many years often putting Rachel in danger. Rachel’s father took Rachel away from Sera and is sending money to Sera every month to keep her away from Arcadia Bay. Rachel is beyond devastated having retreated to her room to be alone.

Chloe after cheering up Rachel devises a plan to use Frank to figure out where Sera is because ultimately, Rachel wants to meet Sera. This meeting goes downhill quickly as Rachel is stabbed in the arm by Damon Merrick a known associate of Frank. Chloe visits Rachel in the hospital and requests she goes into her father’s study and searches for any leads to her mother.

This is where things get interesting. As Chloe is searching for James’s study, she finds a secret phone. This secret phone belongs to Damon Merrick, the guy who stabbed Rachel. Damon has been hired by James Amber to locate Sera and kill her so she won’t interfere with Rachel’s life anymore. What the fuck!? I understand wanting to keep Rachel safe, but James is the district attorney for Arcadia Bay. He can’t just hire people to do his dirty work and not expect to get caught.

Chloe drives to where Damon is holding Sera. A struggle ensues and Chloe wakes up with Sera being freed and smoking a cigarette. Sera attempts to convince Chloe to never tell Rachel about all of this. Sera recognizing James’s threat to stay away, wants Rachel to have a normal life with plenty of opportunities she could never provide for her.

This is the “what do I do” moment. Chloe goes to visit Rachel in the hospital again where Rachel asks if Chloe found anything from her father’s study. You have two options: You can either tell Rachel about how cruel her father is or you can lie and say you found nothing about Sera. I chose the latter option. Obviously James Amber is shady and probably has done other illegal things, but I know that he wanted to protect Rachel. It didn’t make his actions right, but I also wanted to make sure to respect Sera. The other scene that hit me hard was when it shows Rachel’s phone on a table with Chloe calling her and the camera flashes in the background. If you played Life is Strange, you would understand how chilling this scene is.

To wrap up, Episode #3 is my favorite episode. This episode featured decisions that I had to contemplate whereas Episodes #1 & #2 had more fluffy choices which didn’t make all that much difference in the story. Please go play Life is Strange if you haven’t already, it’s my favorite game I played in 2017.