Life is Strange: Before the Storm ‘Farewell’ review

A compelling and emotional, if at times over the top, episode

The DLC episode Farewell takes place when Max and Chloe are 13 year olds, just before Max leaves for Seattle. It serves as a finale to the Max and Chloe friendship, and is told through a nostalgia heavy journey. Despite the fact that we once again play as Max, we feel closer to Chloe than ever before…

The episode begins with Max helping Chloe clear out her bedroom. It serves as a nice excuse for Max to snoop around and get lost in her thoughts and memories. We see that at this time Chloe was a great student who had just been accepted to Blackwell Academy. Although through the dialogue it is made clear that Chloe is not completely happy in her new school. But we don’t get much on what the future holds, this episode is all about rewinding time, just without using Max’s powers.

13 year old Chloe discovers her old pirating gear and decides to once more dress up as a pirate and solve the mystery of the buried treasure they hid years ago. Chloe’s unique and outgoing personality is clearly displayed, just with the lack of defiance and rebellion which came later. Max is pretty similar though, with her inner dialogue not quite relating to what a 13 year old would think.

We’ve come to know Max as a deep thinker. Someone who is caring and open to us with her true feelings. But at times her inner dialogues are just too in your face in this episode. We get it’s meant to be an emotional goodbye, but that can be easily achieved without Max pointing out the obvious: something this series has done so well before. But apart from that the Life is Strange-style of catching our hearts is still there: from perfect music to moments where you can easily get lost in.

There’s also easy puzzles and items to fetch, just like Life is Strange games before. It’s a short episode, but full of memories. Just like the time capsule they find, this is an emotional and nostalgic journey through what used to be. The ending too is one of the most heart-wrenching moments of any previous game. It's also one of the rawest representations of Chloe, with a touching scene where she feels lost without Max.

Overall Farewell offers nothing new to the Life is Strange formula, but is a fitting ending to the relationship of Chloe and Max. A must play for any Life is Strange fan.