Before the Storm |
"Is this junkyard all I've got left?" — Chloe Price in "Brave New World"
American Rust is Arcadia Bay's junkyard, which appears in Life is Strange: Before the Storm.
It is featured briefly in Episode 1 and Episode 3. It is an explorable area in Episode 2. The junkyard originally appeared in the first game, Life is Strange.
Episode One - "Awake"[]
After looking at people through the viewfinder at Overlook Park, Chloe and Rachel Amber walk along the train tracks and reach the junkyard. Shortly after, Rachel has a dispute with Chloe and leaves. Chloe then begins smashing everything in a rage, only to look up and realize she is standing in front of her dad's old, now rusty, car that has the left side completely smashed in. She starts crying, falls to her knees, and assumes the fetal position, eventually falling asleep. She has a dream of her being in William's car a second time when the crash happens. A truck slams into the side of the car and the dream ends. Chloe awakes, now in the backseat of the rusty car where she was in the dream, gets up and walks out of the junkyard to find Rachel.
Episode Two - "Brave New World"[]
After being expelled or suspended from Blackwell Academy and having an argument with her mother and David Madsen in which she learns that David is moving in, Chloe walks to the junkyard to presumably smash things up with the bat to blow off her frustration again. While at the junkyard, Chloe finds a rusty truck. After examining it and seeing the bad state of its battery, Chloe decides to find a new one to fix it, which she obtains from another abandoned truck nearby that previously belonged to a drug dealer and was seized and left at the junkyard unattended by the local authorities. After placing the battery in and realizing that it isn't enough to make the truck work, she decides to search for stuff nearby to spruce it up in the meantime. Once she finishes her task, Chloe sits in the truck and receives a call from Frank Bowers. He tells her they have business to discuss and arranges to meet at the junkyard.
Chloe falls asleep after a smoke break, and has a dream about her father. After waking up, she finds Rachel knocking on the truck's window, asking Chloe to let Rachel in. After Rachel puts a bag on the back of the truck, she suggests having a "therapy session". Chloe can talk about the fire that Rachel caused yesterday, David moving in, and getting kicked out of Blackwell. Once they finish, Rachel receives a text and tells Chloe she has to leave. Chloe reminds her that she forgot her bag, to which Rachel comments that it contains something for her. Chloe goes to a nearby brick building and proceeds to open the bag to see what's in it, finding out there is clothing inside. After changing clothes, she receives a text from Frank telling her that he's already at the junkyard. Chloe gets out of the building and sees the mysterious woman in white that was with Rachel's father yesterday at the park, getting out of Frank's RV. Chloe gets into the RV and Frank asks her to get a book in the back for him. She tries to ask him about the woman but Frank suddenly drives away from the junkyard, cutting her off mid-sentence.
Episode Three - "Hell Is Empty"[]
Chloe heads to the junkyard after grabbing William's toolbox from her house, and starts repairing the mechanical parts of her truck. She succeeds, and takes the truck for a test drive around the junkyard before entering the newly found hideout to clean herself; she pulls off the cloth covering the mirror and looks at herself for a while before hearing Rachel searching for her. Rachel enters the hideout and comments on Chloe's blue streak. The two girls go on to check the truck and see Frank examining it. He calls the truck "nice wheels" and Chloe wonders why he is here so early. At this point Damon Merrick approaches them and Frank asks Chloe where the money is. Chloe has the option to give the money to Frank or keep it for herself. Damon grabs Chloe's arm ans warns her that she should be careful when talking to him, and gets pushed away by Rachel. The topic changes to Sera; Damon asks why are the girls interested in her, and Chloe can either say that she's a friend, or that it's not Damon's business. Either way, Frank tells Chloe to stop asking questions and is about to leave with Damon, but Rachel demands further information. Chloe calls Rachel by name and Damon turns around, realisation dawning on his face. He takes out a knife and threatens Rachel into telling him what her father is up to and how he is connected to Sera. Frank tries to calm Damon, but Rachel takes a piece of wood and hits Damon in the face, causing him to respond by stabbing Rachel in her brachial artery. As the blood stain on Rachel's arm gets bigger, Chloe puts Rachel in the truck and drives to the hospital, with Frank holding an angered Damon back.
Interactions[]
There are many objects which Chloe can examine throughout the junkyard in Episode 1 and Episode 2:
- See here for all interactions in the game. Hover over the text to see Chloe's comments.
Episode One - "Awake"[]
- Chloe can smash a mirror.
- She can smash a bottle.
- She can smash a tool box. "If you want to rip a family apart from the inside, it's important to bring the proper tools. Fuck you, David."
- She can smash an old monitor.
- She can smash a box of junk and a camera that falls from it. "I've never understood your hard-on for cameras, Max. You took a million pictures of us, and not one of them showed that you were gonna leave when I needed you most. Fuck cameras."
- She can smash a sign.
- She can smash a can of paint.
- She can make a graffiti with the paint on the sign.
- She can smash a mannequin.
Something more: You know she's fake, yet you can't take your eyes off her. Who else do I know who fits that description? Fuck off, Rachel." Just a friendship: "Fake and hollow. Who else do I know who fits that description? Fuck off, Rachel."
Episode Two - "Brave New World"[]
- She can look at a mannequin head.
me this angry." "Guess I was pretty pissed at Rachel last night. Amazing that someone I just met could have made - She can look at her dad's car. "No. Not going over there."
- She can look at a toolbox. "First you take my mom, then you take my home? Fuck you, David."
- She can look at a diner sign. "Max and I used to go there all the time as kids. I think it shut down, but... who knows."
- She can look at a school bus.
Expelled: "I guess I'll never ride one of these again. That's so... awesome." Suspended: "I wonder if I'll ever ride one of these again." - She can look at the American Rust sign. "American Rust. Sounds about right."
- She can look at a beach towel. "You're a long way from the beach."
- She can look at a "Make it a Great Day" sign. "Don't tell me what to do."
- She can look at a light bulb in a terrarium. "I always wanted a pet snake. Instead, I got David. Fuck everything."
- She can look at a syringe. "Here's a side of Arcadia Bay they don't put on the postcards."
- She can open a car hood.
- She can investigate the battery on the car. "This is no good."
- She can open another car hood.
- She can investigate the battery on the car. "This one won't work."
- She can look at a welcome mat. "This mat has seen some things. Mostly feet."
- She can look at a placemat. "I used to love opening up the diner with Mom before school. I guess those days are now officially over."
- She can look at a police notice. "Wow, shitty ride drug dealer. Really thought crime paid better."
- She can look at and open another car hood (required).
Open: "What are you trying to hide over there, hood?" Look: "This thing looks somewhat new. Maybe the battery still works?" - She can pull on the car's latch (required).
- She can look at and take the battery from the car (required).
Take: "Here we go, the pick of the litter." Look: "In official car speak, this is the thing that makes the other things do their things. - She can look at a battery tray. "Magical battery goes here. Soon as I magically find one."
- She can look at and open a shoebox. "Leave no trash box unopened: that's my motto."
- She can look at and take a singing man from inside the shoebox. "Sing your song, tiny man."
- She can look at a bat. "Eh. I think I'm all smashed out... For now."
- She can look at the graffiti she made on a sign (if she made it) "Wow. I should angry graffiti more often."
- She can look at a beer bottle. "Bottles bottles everywhere, and not one beer to drink."
- She can look at a camera.
Hopefully I'll be escaping this place soon, too..." "Sorry, Max. I think I'm more jealous of you than anything. - She can try climbing a boat.
Second time: "As well as that went last time, I think I'm gonna need some help." First try: "Damn... you... cigarettes." - She can prop up a palette.
- She can climb the boat.
- She can look at a hood. "Nearly all great art is made on the insides of car hoods atop ships in the middle of junkyards."
- She can draw a graffiti on the hood.
Before graffiti: "Got it."
Buried treasure: "I don't know for a fact that there isn't buried treasure there."
Burial grounds: "Goodbye, Captain Bluebeard. I hardly knew ye." "What do I want to tell my fellow sailors of the seven trash heaps?" - She can have a Moment of Calm in the boat's cabin.
- She can look at a toy robot. "It's all fun and games till this guy enslaves everyone."
- She can look at a smut mag.
Low intimacy: "Pretty sure this isn't what Rachel meant when she talked about going to LA to be a model. Then again, it's probably not what this person meant, either." High intimacy with Rachel: "These magazines are so gross. Who would look at this? Okay, I'm still looking. But it's only because I'm so fixated by how weird it is." - She can look at a fire poker. "I know one fire that doesn't need any poking."
- She can turn on and off a radio.
- She can look at a pirate flag. "A pirate flag? Wonder if there's treasure buried nearby."
- She can look at a putting green. "You're a long way from the country club, guy."
- She can look at a poster. "Now this is a Vortex Club I wouldn't mind joining."
- She can look at Christmas lights on the ground. "Gotta love a place where even Christmas looks depressing."
- She can look at a rug. "This rug has some miles on it."
- She can put the new battery on the truck (required).
- She can look at the broken bulb inside the truck (required). "Maybe there's another light bulb I could put in here."
- She can look at the rusted floorboard inside the truck (required). "While an escape hatch could be nice, I should probably cover over this massive hole."
- She can look at the torn seat inside the truck (required). "Probably a good idea to cover over this with something."
- She can look at and place the singing man on the dashboard inside the truck (determinant).
Place the singing man: "You can hang here, but I get to pick the tunes. Okay? Good talk."
Look after placing the singing man: "It's just you and me, you tiny weirdo." Look: "I know someone who would be very happy here." - She can look at the car's engine. "Not sure what's wrong with the engine, or how to fix it. Not yet, anyway."
- She can take the Christmas lights from the ground (required, determinant).[note 1] "Here's hoping for a holiday miracle to light up my ride."
- She can take the pirate flag (required, determinant). "This might make the perfect cover for that torn seat."
- She can take the welcome mat (required, determinant). "You should cover that life-endangering floor-hole quite nicely."
- She can take the rug (required, determinant). "Today you begin an exciting new life as a floor mat."
- She can take the putting green (required, determinant). "Fore... or something."
- She can take the beach towel (required, determinant). "This could cover that torn seat. And look awesome doing it."
- She can take the light bulb from either the toy robot or the terrarium (required, determinant).
Toy robot: "Light the way, robo-bulb." Terrarium: "You might not work. Then again, I hardly ever work." - She can enter the truck (required).
- She can fix the broken bulb (required).
Light bulb: "I've seen the light. And it's awesome."
Toy robot: "Maybe the future is bright." Christmas lights: "In the summer, Christmas lights are just party lights." - She can fix the rusted floor (required).
Welcome mat: "You're welcome, truck".
Putting green: "I guess that's a hole in two?" Rug:"Always nice to know you won't accidentally fall out into the road while driving." - She can fix the torn seat (required).
Beach towel: "Hope my passengers enjoy the smell of sea salt and junkyard." Pirate flag: "Avast, or whatever." - She can turn on and off the dome light.
Light bulb: Does your truck look like a
Toy robot: "Looking good, robo-bulb." Christmas lights: "Does your truck look like a Christmas party on wheels? Didn't think so." - She can bobble the singing man (determinant).
about that guy."
Second bobble: "Did Max fall into a black hole where texts and emails cannot escape? Well, at least it's
not personal."
Third bobble: "Is David's mustache an infected rat that burrowed into his skull and is using him to
spread the Bubonic Plague? All the more reason never to go home."
Fourth bobble: "Will this ever get old? Fair enough." First bobble: "Does Principal Wells eat pizza with a fork and knife? I knew there was something off - She can look at the cab wall. "The inaugural truck tag."
- She can draw a graffiti on the cab wall.
Mystical: "The eye sees all."
Look after graffiti: "Tell me if we're ever really getting out of Arcadia Bay, all-seeing eye."
Frightening: "This'll give intruders something to think about."
Look after graffiti: "Technically we're all about to die, if you take a wide enough view of things." "You only get one chance to make a first expression." - She can honk a horn.
- She can open the glove compartment. "What do we have here?"
- She can look at and take the beanie inside the glove compartment.
Take: "Yup. This'll do." Look: "Most people probably wouldn't wear a beanie they found in a junkyard. Sucks for most people. - She can look at and smoke cigarettes (required). "Fixing the truck was hard work. Time to kick back and light up when I'm done looking around."
Episode Three - "Hell is Empty"[]
- Chloe can look at William's toolbox.[note 2] have liked the idea of me using his tools to fix a ride." "I bet Dad would
- She can take the wrench, screwdriver or the pliers from the toolbox (required).
- She can check the battery post (required). "This connection is pretty shaky. I could fix this battery post if I could get a good enough grip on it..."
- She can try fixing the post with one of the tools (required).
Screwdriver: "Won't do anything."
Pliers: "There. Fits like a deadly electric glove." Wrench: "Not helping." - She can check the distributor cap (required). "The distributor cap looks pretty gross. I need something small to scrape the gunk off the cap."
- She can try fixing the distributor cap with one of the tools (required).
Pliers: "Nope. Not gonna help."
Screwdriver: "That should help keep shit... distributed. Well, fuck." Wrench: "Nothing doing." - She can reattach a wire to the distributor cap (required). "Go back from whence you came."
- She can check the serpentine belt. "It's pretty loose. How can I tighten it?"
- She can try fixing the serpentine belt with one of the tools (required).
Pliers: "Not helping."
Wrench: "Much better!" Screwdriver: "Nothing doing." - She can check the radiator cap. "This thing seems pretty gunked up. I think I should move on to something else."
- She can check the fuel filter (required). "This thing is gunked-the-fuck-up."
- She can blow the fuel filter (required). "Maybe... Sick!"
- She can look at the manual (determinant). "It's not like I need a manual... but I'm really glad it's here."
- She can look at and draw a graffiti on the globule from the fuel filter (determinant.)
Look after graffiti: "When life gives you gunk, make... uh... art, I guess." Look before graffiti: "Gross. But also kind of inspiring."
Optional Graffiti[]
Episode One - "Awake"[]
- If Chloe smashes the sign with the smiling girl and then kicks a can of paint that is nearby, she can paint the girl's face.
Episode Two - "Brave New World"[]
- Chloe can tag a car hood if she climbs in the boat.
- Chloe can draw a graffitti inside the rusty truck.
- Chloe can write "Chloe was here" on a wall of the brick building.
Episode Three - "Hell is Empty"[]
- Chloe can draw a graffiti on the globule from the fuel filter while repairing her truck.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- A sign at the entrance of the junkyard, shown in Episode 1 confirms that American Rust is the real name of the junkyard instead of just a nickname given by Chloe.
- In Episode 1, it is revealed that Chloe's dad's car is located at this junkyard.
- The rusty truck that Chloe finds and tries to fix in Episode 2 is the same one she drives in the first game.
- The illustration of the train passing by the junkyard in Life is Strange is featured in Chloe's journal, but the drawing appears to be flipped making the word "Oregon" and the numerals "1337" appear back to front.
Notes[]
Before the Storm Locations
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Arcadia Bay | |||||||
Amber House (Rachel's Room · James' Office) · American Rust Junkyard (Hideout) · Burned Forest · Chloe's Truck · Frank's RV · Hospital · Price Household (Bedroom · Chloe's Room · Garage · Bathroom · Farewell) · Old Mill · Overlook Park · Neighborhood · Train | |||||||
Blackwell Academy | |||||||
Blackwell Campus · Blackwell Academy Hallway · Parking Lot · Campus Backstage · Principal Wells' Office · Prescott Dormitory (Drew's Room · Eliot's Room) · Drama Lab · Custodial Room |