It’s genuine and warm, and a story not easily forgotten. You don’t need to love baseball to fall in love with this Itch.io gem, but the story and the girls’ relationships with one another do develop through the sport in a way that isn’t overly dramatic or painful. It tells the story of two of the girls in particular, Diya and Min-Seo, and coming to terms with their feelings despite the conservative Asian-American culture they were raised in. The charming visual novel by Brianna Lei is all about gay asian girls, baseball, and love. Before the Storm is only a brief look at Chloe and Rachel’s relationship, but it wears it brazenly on its sleeve, not once shaming or hiding their identities. Rachel is a whirlwind that makes Chloe’s chaos look tame, and the pair compliment each other is ways games don’t often depict accurately. Before the Storm is the prequel story to Chloe’s frantic search, and it details the wild bond the two created. The first Life is Strange hints and eventually confirms that Rachel Amber isn’t just Chloe Price’s best friend-she’s a bit more than that.
