Pitfalls of Empathy

I strive for empathy. I believe it is key for almost anything. I am amazed at the power it unfolds when interacting with others. And I always took for granted that balancing my reactions based on how others probably feel was the way for a better togetherness. However, the danger lies in hiding emotions behind that balance, which then comes over as being untrustworthy. This nuance struck me once again in a context I had never imagined. A computer game. A game about how we relate to each other. About how we feel. And about how we react to it. I loved the main game of Life is Strange, and the same goes now for its prequel, Before the Storm.

In so-called "moments of calm", Chloe pauses to reflect on what is going on in her life

Enraged, here Chloe stops when she sees her image in a mirror she is about to smash

Chloe supports her friend in a moment of sufferement, as her world falls apart

As in the main game, many events and references are left open for interpretation

While a game of decisions, the ending must inevitably lead to the plot in Life is Strange