"Hey, it's actually a pretty nice view." - "Glad you approve. And as your reward for making it up here, I have a new game for us to play." - "Another one?" - "I like games. Deal with it." — Chloe and Rachel in "Awake"
Overlook Park, also known as Culmination State Park, is an explorable location in Life is Strange: Before the Storm.
Episode One - "Awake"[]
Rachel Amber takes Chloe Price to the overlook using the train. Rachel wants to play a game with the viewfinders and inserts her last quarter in one, which turns out to be broken. Chloe gets the quarter back by unscrewing a dedication plate from a bench and bending the metal off of the money container after having tried Rachel's nail file first. Afterwards, Rachel insists on playing another game, where they mimic people when looking at them with the viewfinder. When Rachel spots her dad kissing a woman with the viewfinder, she stops and wants to get drunk. She improvises and plays hurt near a picnic couple that brought wine with them on their picnic. Chloe reluctantly uses the opportunity to steal their wine in a backtalk challenge. Afterwards, they run to the overlook parking lot, where Rachel asks Chloe if she wants to drink with her. Then they go back on the train tracks to the junkyard.
History[]
Blackwell's Expedition[]
On March 14, 1838, Ezekiel Blackwell and a group of Pentecostal settlers left Independence, Missouri for Oregon. On March 3, 1839, Blackwell's expedition arrived at Overlook Park. Upon seeing the Pacific Ocean from this location, Blackwell determined the expedition concluded and founded the town of Culmination. The group later returned south to found Arcadia Bay, so named for Blackwell's veneration for the area's natural beauty and desire to live in harmony with its native peoples.
Culmination Peak[]
Culmination Peak, renamed Culmination State Park, was designated as a state park in 1997 by order of Governor John Kitzhaber.
Points of Interest[]
Northwest Valor statue[]
Visitors to Culmination State Park can see the Northwest Valor statue, built in 1992, which celebrates Culmination's sesquicentennial. Dwight Mueller was its designer.
Oregon White Oak[]
"Oregon White Oak aka Garry Oak (Quercus Garryana).
Culmination State Park's iconic White Oak Tree is one of the oldest in the Pacific Northwest. Its curved, chair-like growth pattern reflects the Native American custom of shaping such trees to mark trails or denote areas of cultural importance. Estimates age the tree at 400-450 years old, though interior butt rot (Polyporus dryophilus) prevents more accurate analysis. A scar on the northern end of the trunk attests to the tree's survival of a direct lightning strike approximately 200 years ago.
Trunk Cross Section: The narrow rings indicate times of drought, disease or regrowth from wild fire.
Specs:
Height -- 42 feet;
Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) -- 64 inches;
Age -- 400-450 years."
Salishan Tribe Totem Pole[]
"The raven on this totem pole stands for transformation. Its grinning face betrays its trickster spirit. The raven has many ancient stories among the Salishan and other native peoples. Some say the raven helped create the first man. The raven is to be respected, never trusted."
Dedication Plate[]
Located on a bench in the park is a dedication plate which says: "In Honor of Martin Lewis Prescott, Arcadia Bay's Greatest Son."
Interactions[]
- Hover over the text to see Chloe's comments. See here for all interactions in the game.
- She can look at a placard."Damn, that's an old tree... wait, does this sign say "butt rot?"
- She can look at a sign in the ground."This whole day is out of order. But in the best possible way."
- She can look at and investigate the viewfinder (required).Look: "Rachel's quarter is still trapped in there, waiting to be set free."
Investigate: "Hmm. Looks like I might be able to pry it open with the right tool." - She can try prying the viewfinder open (required)."I'm not getting in there with just my fingers. Maybe Rachel has something I can use?"
- She can look at and speak to Rachel (required)."That is the look of a person who is used to getting what she wants. Wonder what that feels like..."
- She can try prying the viewfinder open again."Damn it. It always looks so easy in the movies. Wonder if I can find something sturdier to use?"
- She can look at an oak tree."The lonely oak looks lonely. Guess even trees have outcasts."
- She can look at the other viewfinder."Looks like this one might actually be working."
- She can look at another sign."Dwight Mueller really killed it with this statue of an explorer guy. Where are all my explorer ladies at,
though? Probably at home washing laundry and spitting out kids. Fuck you, Dwight." - She can look at and draw a graffiti on a statue."Was this how historic axe murderers searched for their next victim?"
Axe: "Don't axe, don't fell."
Sextant: "Stop sextanting the interns." - She can look at a history placard."This Blackwell guy sure liked founding stuff that was already there. Founders keepers, I guess."
- She can have a Moment of Calm on a bench.
- She can look at initials carved in a tree."Yuck. Cliché much, AW and BW?"
- She can look at a tire swing on the ground."If Max were here she'd probably take a black and white photograph and call it 'Innocence Lost'
or some shit." - She can look at and scare squirrels.Look: "I guess nature doesn't quite provide."
Scare: "Get out of here, woodland creatures! Have some self-respect." - She can look at and scare birds.Look: "This trash can is in pretty high demand."
Scare: "Fly, you fools!" - She can look at and unscrew a dedication plate (required).Look:"I've always said the Prescott family has a couple screws loose. I wonder if I could use this to get the quarter out."
Unscrew: "Stealing a dedication plate takes... persistence." - She can look at another initials carved in a tree."Wait, is that the same AW as before? Not afraid of commitment, I see."
- She can look at a totem pole."Woah. That's badass."
Look before stealing the wine: "I bet this dude knows a thing or two about stealing booze." - She can look at another placard."Yup, it's official. I'm learning way more ditching school than I ever do in class."
Look before stealing the wine: "If there were ever a time to skip the signs, this is it. Rachel needs me!" - She can look at and speak to picknickers.Look before talking: "If you're going to argue in public, at least have the decency to make it about
something interesting."
Look after talking: "What's worse than groveling for change? Groveling for change and failing." - She can look at a bottle of wine."My hierarchy of needs goes pot, then beer, then wine. Still, wino has a classy ring to it."
- She can look at a bird nest."There's gotta be something freeing about being able to build your home wherever you are, from
whatever is around you." - She can finally pry open the viewfinder (required).
- She can look at a grill using the viewfinder.Chloe: "Hey what do you say we barbecue some squirrels when we're done here?"
Rachel: "God, you just have the best ideas." - She can look at a statue using the viewfinder.Chloe: "They totally stole my third-grade art project."
Rachel: "Wow, you made that?"
Chloe: "Can't you tell?"
Rachel: "It does have a certain 'gives zero fucks' quality that I recognize." - She can look at a couple holding hands using the viewfinderLet's switch hands: Chloe: "Why do we always hold hands like this? Didn't you tell me you were
ambidextrous?"
Rachel: "No I didn't, I said I was ambisexual."
Chloe: "Oh. So you can have sex with both of your hands?"
Rachel: "Exactly. Want to see?"
Chloe: "Only if you let go of my hand first."
Wanna come listen to music?: Chloe: "After this, wanna come home and listen to my Spotify playlist?"
Rachel: "Is it the kind of listening where you have to get under the covers to really appreciate the music?"
Chloe: "Yes! And clothes really mess with the acoustics, so..." - She can look at a woman using the viewfinder.Nature's wifi sucks: Chloe: "Nature's wifi sucks.
Rachel: "Maybe there's a squirrel family around here with broadband."
Chloe: "If only I can guess their password. Welovenuts69?"
Rachel: "Dingoesateourbabies13?"
Chloe: "Too soon."
Looking at pictures of nature: Chloe: "Sure, the view's great, but I prefer to look at pictures of nature
on a computer."
Rachel: "Ugh, the grass around here is so not green enough."
Chloe: "I cannot wait for the machines to take over." - She can look at a speedwalker using the viewfinder.Super wedgie: Chloe: "No matter how fast I go, I'll never outwalk this wedgie."
Rachel: "That's so tragic. But also beautiful, in its own way."
Stay away, bees: Chloe: "I hope bees don't mistake my shorts for a begonia."
Rachel: "I've been pollinated twice this week already." - She can look at a "grill dad" using the viewfinder.Child sacrifice: Chloe: "And the lord saideth: thou shalt make a burnt offering of your first born son..."
Rachel: "Who are you talking to, dad?"
Chloe: "No one, son. Now lean into the grill and see if the fire's started. Further. Further..."
Rachel: "Wow, that was dark."
Chloe: "Too dark?"
Rachel: "Perfect dark."
Hunting party: Chloe: "If you want lunch you're going to have to learn how to skin your own food like
a man."
Rachel: "But I don't know how to skin a bald eagle, dad."
Chloe: "You don't? What the hell are they teaching you in school?"
Rachel: "Wow, that was dark."
Chloe: "Too dark?"
Rachel: "Perfect dark." - She can look at a man using the viewfinder.I love grease: Chloe: "I love grease! How can something that tastes so good--"
Rachel: "--be so wrong!"
Chloe: "Uh-oh, dropped a fry on my suit."
Rachel: "Now I'll have to burn it."
Chloe: "Good thing I have a giant squirrel costume in the car."
Attorney's fries: Chloe: "I'm so glad I became a lawyer. I love getting paid in fries."
Rachel: "Do you think he represents the Hamburglar?"
Chloe: "Wouldn't he be paid in hamburgers, then?"
Rachel: "Shit, you're right." - She can look at a couple making out using the viewfinder (required).Vibrating beds: "Oh, honey, I think we used the vibrating bed for too long. I'm totally seeing double."
Prostitutes: "Wait, you're a prostitute? But I'm a prostitute! Now who gets paid?" - She can look at Rachel on the ground."And the Oscar for best distraction of wine-toting picknickers goes to: Rachel Amber. Better play my
supporting role and grab the wine fast." - She can look at and swipe the wine (required)."There it is! Time to snatch and run."
Trivia[]
- Pentecostal is spelled "Pentacostal" on the park history panel.
- When Chloe and Rachel find the viewfinder at Overlook Park to be broken and they don't have any change to use the other one, Chloe says, "I'm sure I can MacGyver us something," referencing the 1985–1992 American action-adventure television series. In the original Life is Strange Max also made this comparison by calling herself MacGyver.
- The designer of the Northwest Valor statue at the Overlook is called "Dwight Mueller"; this could be a reference to a character from The Fast and the Furious.
- When Chloe fixes the viewfinder, she says "Prescott Power - Activate!" referencing the Wonder Twins.
- "The Raven is to be respected, never trusted. Its grinning face betrays it’s trickster spirit." can be found written on the placard for the totem. This line and the symbol of the raven itself seem to be a callback to the phrase "The Owls are not what they seem" and the similar prevalence of owls in Twin Peaks.
- After mimicking the "Grill Dad" during the viewfinder game, Chloe asks if her comments were too dark. Rachel responds that they were "perfect dark", referencing the 2000 first-person shooter video game Perfect Dark. It also foreshadows a similar scene in the original game.
Gallery[]
Screenshots[]
Menu Screens[]
Before the Storm Locations
| |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |||||||