Deck Nine has released the launch trailer for its hotly anticipated episodic adventure Life is Strange: Before the Storm. Rather than following up on its well-loved predecessor, this three-episode series is a prequel set three years ahead of the original game.

As such, we get to see some of the characters from Life is Strange before the events that would change them forever. At the beginning of the clip, we see protagonist Chloe Price complain about the departure of both her father and her best friend, setting a somewhat bleak tone for the start of the game.

However, things start to change for Chloe once she forges a friendship with Rachel Amber. She helps Amber deal with the fallout of a family secret being made public — and it seems like the pair will get themselves into a host of difficult situations in the process.

Before the Storm resembles the original game in many ways, nailing a similar tone and delivering a lot of the same stylistic elements, like its free-flowing dialogue and indie soundtrack. That being said, there are a few important changes that are sure to prompt plenty of debate among fans.

For one, there's the fact that the prequel won't feature the compelling time travel mechanic that was an essential part of many of its predecessors puzzles. It's apparently being replaced by the Backtalk system, which can either get Chloe out of a bind, or make things much worse.

There's also some major changes to the voice cast, as Chloe's original voice actor Ashly Burch was unable to take part due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, and was replaced by the character's motion capture artist, Rhianna DeVries. Burch did contribute to the project as a consultant on the script.

Dontnod Entertainment is also working on a follow-up to Life is Strange, but it'll apparently feature an all-new setting and a different cast of character. So, for anyone looking to return to Arcadia Bay, Before the Storm looks like the best bet.

The first episode of Life is Strange: Before the Storm releases for the PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One on August 31, 2017.