It's finally over. All the anguished waiting, the microscopic deconstruction of the trailer, at last, the Walking Dead Telltale game, season 2, episode one, is upon us! And there's no disappointment in the heart of this aficionado. It is totally cool.
Robert Kirkman's mega successful franchise, The Walking Dead, has provided loads of opportunity for the creative explorations of a fan base keen to interact with the world of the zombie apocalypse. I've written elsewhere about the fervor of the Walking Dead fanfiction . Another opportunity for such interaction is provided by the Telltale game.
Clementine, once the object of our care and projection, has graduated to hero of the class. This little girl, who the first season portrayed as innocent and vulnerable, having lost her guardian, now has had to grow up and make the hard decisions to survive in the zombie apocalypse.
The extensively decorated game, with award wins and nominations coming out of the wazoo, in this first episode of its second season continues to show its excellence, continuing to breathe new life into the adventure game genre. Likewise it continues its winning strategy of avoiding the risk of lapsing into mere puzzle solving and emphasizes the dynamic of interactive story telling. And these aren't empty choices.
The character's decisions about what to do, and even what to say, lead to real, often surprising and sometimes tragic outcomes. Furthermore, the game keeps track of decisions, many of which come back to haunt our main character - Lee last season, Clementine this season - from episode to episode. Indeed, it appears choices from last season can still have an impact in this new season.
It's not all the same though. As great as season one was, there are notable improvements, especially on the technical end, in season two. The graphics are much better: richer and more detailed. And the frame rate seems more stable. Clementine is able to walk now much faster than in the past. That is kind of good when gripped in on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense.
My one complaint was that too often I thought the dialogue choices were too extreme. Either Clementine had to be harsh or childish. That's the way I read it and I didn't think that kind of limitation gave either the character or the story the fullness from which it could have benefited. I'll be keeping an eye on that development going forward.
On the other hand, there is something intriguing to this dynamic, too. Playing a young girl, it turns out, allows for some unexpected options. This is quite different than playing Lee. Clementine doesn't hesitate to take advantage of her youthful, feminine coquettishness. This adds an intriguing dimension - particularly for those of us who haven't any experience actually being young girls!
But of course what Telltale does best, well exhibited in season one of The Walking Dead, is still on display here in the first episode of season two. That is the moral ambiguity and dilemmas that forcefully confront the protagonist. Are you going to turn Clementine into a killer right from the start?
Lots of people already have. What are the consequences of that? Only future episodes will tell the tale. This is why the Walking Dead Telltale games have been so successful and so compelling. So far, the future looks bright. At least, from outside of the zombie apocalypse...and all that.
Robert Kirkman's mega successful franchise, The Walking Dead, has provided loads of opportunity for the creative explorations of a fan base keen to interact with the world of the zombie apocalypse. I've written elsewhere about the fervor of the Walking Dead fanfiction . Another opportunity for such interaction is provided by the Telltale game.
Clementine, once the object of our care and projection, has graduated to hero of the class. This little girl, who the first season portrayed as innocent and vulnerable, having lost her guardian, now has had to grow up and make the hard decisions to survive in the zombie apocalypse.
The extensively decorated game, with award wins and nominations coming out of the wazoo, in this first episode of its second season continues to show its excellence, continuing to breathe new life into the adventure game genre. Likewise it continues its winning strategy of avoiding the risk of lapsing into mere puzzle solving and emphasizes the dynamic of interactive story telling. And these aren't empty choices.
The character's decisions about what to do, and even what to say, lead to real, often surprising and sometimes tragic outcomes. Furthermore, the game keeps track of decisions, many of which come back to haunt our main character - Lee last season, Clementine this season - from episode to episode. Indeed, it appears choices from last season can still have an impact in this new season.
It's not all the same though. As great as season one was, there are notable improvements, especially on the technical end, in season two. The graphics are much better: richer and more detailed. And the frame rate seems more stable. Clementine is able to walk now much faster than in the past. That is kind of good when gripped in on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense.
My one complaint was that too often I thought the dialogue choices were too extreme. Either Clementine had to be harsh or childish. That's the way I read it and I didn't think that kind of limitation gave either the character or the story the fullness from which it could have benefited. I'll be keeping an eye on that development going forward.
On the other hand, there is something intriguing to this dynamic, too. Playing a young girl, it turns out, allows for some unexpected options. This is quite different than playing Lee. Clementine doesn't hesitate to take advantage of her youthful, feminine coquettishness. This adds an intriguing dimension - particularly for those of us who haven't any experience actually being young girls!
But of course what Telltale does best, well exhibited in season one of The Walking Dead, is still on display here in the first episode of season two. That is the moral ambiguity and dilemmas that forcefully confront the protagonist. Are you going to turn Clementine into a killer right from the start?
Lots of people already have. What are the consequences of that? Only future episodes will tell the tale. This is why the Walking Dead Telltale games have been so successful and so compelling. So far, the future looks bright. At least, from outside of the zombie apocalypse...and all that.
About the Author:
When you're keen to have the scoop on all the Walking Dead news , you should be following Mickey Jhonny's articles at the Pretty Much Dead Already site. Gaming enthusiasts will want to read his review of the best games for PC that is entirely free!
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