The Walking Dead Season 2-Episode 1: *UNBLOCKED SPOILERS INBOUND*

[hazabaza1]

So it's been out for about 4 hours now. Anyone else played it? What'd they think?

First impressions: Kind of wish they had the saves on the cloud or some kind of rubbish. I had to go and download the first game again, and even then it seems like it didn't get the save right. It showed some of the right changed but I really remember giving that guy the almighty pitchfork of justice and apparently the "last time on" says I didn't.

Putting that aside, yeah it's still The Walking Dead. It's still Telltale. It's still really good.

Coming right out of the gate and straight up killing Omid and (probably) Christa was kind of brutal. I mean, I know what we've come to expect by now but I thought they'd at least survive to the end of the episode, or we'd have to make a choice or something. Plus, Christa either having a miscarriage or mini-Omid/Christa getting chomped on by zombies was a more subtle brutality.

The dog didn't end quite how I imagined either. I thought it'd be a big long "aww look at da widdle doggy" thing until it eventually gets bitten and you have to put it down. But no, it's just a crazy fucker that bites Clem. Kinda scared the shit out of me at the time, but hey, props to Telltale. I put it out of its misery to be honest.

The new group seems varied enough and will probably fun to check out. Carlos is pretty clearly deluded, Rebecca's kind of a ***** but I got the right hiding place so I know that she's probably cheated on whoever she supposed to be with. Didn't find out myself. Sneaking in to get the surgery supplies is tense as all hell (Telltale knows how to do that) and doing the suturing and stuff was fucking brutal. Seriously. Really reminiscent of the end of Episode 4.

The final choice was another hard decision. It's pretty clear they wanted to show you just a bit of Pete's leg to tell if he's been bitten or not. I figured he was, so I went with Nick. He's probably going to end up even pissier with Clem but still, hopefully I made the better choice.

But as a final point: Yes, playing as Clementine works. I was worried, I'll admit. Playing as a little girl made me worry that she either wouldn't be strong enough, or wouldn't be able to command enough. But the timeskip to let he grow a little was a good idea, and she's certainly capable to do enough that any other protagonist could have (even if she needs to do a little more work).

Also I swear that they designed Nick and Carlos' character models just so they could show us the back of their heads in the trailer and make us think that Kenny is still alive.

But yeah, really good, as expected. Good writing, good action, as brutal as always, looking forward to episode 2.

[HEADING=1]FINAL STATEMENT. IT'S GOOD. GO GET IT. NOW.[/HEADING]

 

[Theminimanx]

Really liked it as well. My one complaint is that it doesn't seem to be going anywhere as of yet. I didn't see any kind of overarching theme in this, although it is only the first episode. My other complaint is that we spend too little time with any of the new characters to really get to know them, but again, only the first episode. And overall, it is a good one.

 

[ToastiestZombie]

Really liked it as well. My one complaint is that it doesn't seem to be going anywhere as of yet. I didn't see any kind of overarching theme in this, although it is only the first episode. My other complaint is that we spend too little time with any of the new characters to really get to know them, but again, only the first episode. And overall, it is a good one.

I saw the theme as "cynicism" for the most part. Omid and Christa both presumably die in the first few scenes, the dog scene was set up to make you feel good but it just tears that away from you over some beans, the new group only barely spares your life and you're forced to stitch yourself up. There were also a LOT more cynical and downright mean choices ("Who's the baby?") and Clem in general seems less troubled by everything as Lee was. It really did feel like Clem had been living in that world for a year and a half.

 

[Full]

Hell of an opening. Killing Omid right out of the gate like that was a bit cheap, but did it's job. Interested to see how this new group develops to see if I'll care about them enough.

That stitching scene, need to talk about it, Jesus I felt that shit from here. I'm not sure a 9-year old would survive an open gash like that for as long as she did. Could be wrong, though, I've never been ripped open by an evil dog. Granted she did have it covered up.

Edited: I'd also like to talk about the new prompt displays; I like them. The color-contexted buttons (I played on PC with a controller) and large circles outlining them (instead of relying on that single little crosshair thing) made shuffling up the screen to click a dot way less clunky and more elegant. The action scenes had more interactivity, too, and proves again that the QTEfest not-game formula can work just fine, as long as what's around it is good.

Overall; Didn't think I would want this much/ten.

Also I swear that they designed Nick and Carlos' character models just so they could show us the back of their heads in the trailer and make us think that Kenny is still alive.

Telltale sly as fuck.

 

[The Goat Tsar]

Also I swear that they designed Nick and Carlos' character models just so they could show us the back of their heads in the trailer and make us think that Kenny is still alive.

Yep. The second I saw Nick, I thought "oh, it's fake Kenny."

I went with Pete at the end. Pete screamed that he was out of ammo, Nick screamed that he had plenty, so I figured Pete needed my help more. Same reason I helped Doug instead of Carley in season 1. I noticed the bite, but I went for it anyway.

Also, that teaser at the end. "I thought you were dead." I'm 99% sure Clem is talking about Christa, but goddamnit, my mind jumped immediately to Kenny. Telltale is really milking "OMG GUYS, KENNY MIGHT COME BACK" for all it's worth.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

So... did anyone try to burn the photo of Lee or the drawing of Kenny's family in the fire at the beginning? I didn't have the heart to do it, but I'm curious as to what happens.

 

[hazabaza1]

So... did anyone try to burn the photo of Lee or the drawing of Kenny's family in the fire at the beginning? I didn't have the heart to do it, but I'm curious as to what happens.

I burned the drawing. It burns, fire gets a bit stronger, but then you hear Christa and the other group.

 

[DementedSheep]

Eh, I don't like that they killed Omid already (and maybe Christa who presumably also had miscarriage or the baby died some other way). It felt kinda cheap tbh. A convenient way to get them out of the way. At this rate they are going to start losing impact when terrible things happen. There is only so many times you can strip a character of everything before it starts just getting annoying rather than sad.

The dog thing makes sense. It's starving and many animals get aggressive over their food even if they are fine when they aren't eating.

Swearing to be friends with Sarah sounds like something that going to bite people in the bum. "friends have to trust each other, no matter what"...yeah.

 

[Davroth]

I have come to hate those games.

They lured me in with the promise of meaningful choice, but ultimately, everything always plays out the same. You can't save anyone, your choices get undone in minutes. I hate them. And Season 2 seems to be more of the same.

 

[Nicha11]

I enjoyed it, but not as much as last season. Also the episode seemed to just.... end.
But knowing Telltale it will be onwards and upwards from here.

 

[Zhukov]

Loved it. More of the good stuff.

Really liked the bit with the dog. I'm all, "Aww, Clem's found a widdle doggie fwiend". Then they're all, "Nope! Think again ************!"

Loved the bit with Rebecca where you can blackmail her. "You should be nicer to me." Fucking perfect!

I went with the young guy at the end. The older fellow seemed like the more capable and generally better character, but he was potentially bit. Felt kinda bad about it though. I mean, I'm potentially bit and they give me the benefit of the doubt. He's potentially bit I'm just, "Whoops, cya! Me out!"

Only complaint was that the episode ended a bit too abruptly.

Still not sold on the episodic format either. Don't see why they can't just release the whole damn thing at once, not do I see the benefit in making people wait for each chapter, especially given that they just charge the one price for the whole lot.

 

[Redd the Sock]

IT's a nice new start. You kind of have to expect things to be a bit slow as a new cast of victims...er... characters gets introduced. A complaint for me is that at this point, my inner cynicism is showing (I had the ending of the last season predicted well before I played it) and now I'm waiting and predicting the punch to the balls. I'm not always right. I mean, I expected a choice about keeping the dog around, or living the running joke from Excel Saga (dog = animal = meat) but what came was better. What followed was tense, yet understandable. If you can get through that treatment without getting a bit squeemish, you're tougher than I am (seriously telltale, every stitch?) Any doubts about Clem as the heroine here were killed with three words: still...not...bitten.

I went with saving Pete, though without much reason why. I guess I just went with the one not being a jackass, though now I expect a fun QTE involving that hacksaw in the post credits bit. I'm kind of hoping for some third option surprise beyond Kenny and Chrita for the "I thought you were dead" bit. I hate it when they do stuff like this and it's one of the obvious choices. Besides, the return of Lili would be more fun.

 

[Boogie Knight]

Here's why I think the episodic format works. You pay a little bit to get a part of a really good game and they get money to keep the lights on as they work to finish it. You get about an hour and a half of awesome, generally ending in a way that leaves the player wanting more. This time felt abrupt, but it did portend to some nasty things we may have to face in the future. Also, if you follow an episodic game as it's released, you get a taste of goodness then stop at a very interesting point and go about your routine as you wait for the next installment. This might not work for every game, but Telltale seems to have figured how to apply the soap opera formula to video games.

 

[DementedSheep]

I have come to hate those games.

They lured me in with the promise of meaningful choice, but ultimately, everything always plays out the same. You can't save anyone, your choices get undone in minutes. I hate them. And Season 2 seems to be more of the same.

Honesty I don't mind that too much, so long as some choices last an episode or two before they cut off the branches rather than doing it a few minutes later (which it dose in some cases). It's more for characterization, to make you think and react and change how other characters talk to you. It would just take to much work and time to actually give you a completely different game based on your choices.

 

[schrodinger]

It's off to interesting start. They just had to run us over with the feels train within the first 10 minutes; calm down there Telltale, you're getting as sadistic as George R.R. Martin.

The two scenes that got me was the dog scene and the stitching scene. I felt bad for the dog, even if it did bite clem; poor thing was starved crazy and I decided to put it out of its misery.
The fucking stitching scene kicked my needle phobia into overdrive, making it almost impossible to complete that scene.

Blackmailing Rebecca was hilarious. Here's hoping her little secret bites her in the ass later.

It was kinda a tough call to choose who to save this time, unlike with Doug and Carley.
Ultimaely i chose Nick because:
1. He still had some ammo and could of saved Pete
2. Wasn't bitten. Even if they did amputate Pete's leg, he would become a burden on the group because of his injury.
3. Go for the irrational choice

Oh, and FUCK YOU GAME FOR DARE MENTIONING BURNING THE PICTURE OF LEE!

 

[Davroth]

I have come to hate those games.

They lured me in with the promise of meaningful choice, but ultimately, everything always plays out the same. You can't save anyone, your choices get undone in minutes. I hate them. And Season 2 seems to be more of the same.

Honesty I don't mind that too much, so long as some choices last an episode or two before they cut off the branches rather than doing it a few minutes later (which it dose in some cases). It's more for characterization, to make you think and react and change how other characters talk to you. It would just take to much work and time to actually give you a completely different game based on your choices.

Why can Witcher 2 do it, then? They don't operate on a huge budget, being an eastern european game development studio. Yet they managed to put a true, branching storyline into their game.

 

[[Kira Must Die]]

My only complaint is that it ended rather abruptly. I wish I ended a little stronger.

Other than that, I loved it.

 

[DarkhoIlow]

I really enjoyed it, looking forward to episode 2.

I made nice with the people at the big house.

 

[MatParker116]

Fuck that stitching scene also "I thought you were dead" Christa or Kenny?

 

[Sassafrass]

My emotions can't handle the feels. Had a couple of bugs here and there, mainly massive frame crashes when an achievement popped and in the house, when sneaking around for supplies, Luke's character was in both Sarah's and Carlo's room, just standing there.

Apart from that though, pretty good way to kick off Season 2. Liking Clem a bit more than I did before now she's got an edge to her.