Telltale's The Walking Dead: The Game

[JezMM]

For those who want to know, the playable character is revealed in the video description.  Personally I wish I hadn't looked and been surprised, but at least playable character is the sort of spoiler that is quelled in the first second of gameplay.

 

It's Clem. C=  Eager to see how it goes, and not surprised either since the final sequence of ep 5 felt very "passing of the torch"-esque.

[Brad]

I don't think there's much point in putting spoilers over the main playable character all things considered so I'll just go ahead and throw my opinions at ya'll

 

To be honest, the decision to put Clem in the player's hands like this feels like a step backward for me. In Season One you work hard as Lee to shape her as a person because you can't control the danger that's around her, so the lessons you teach her help define her individually as a character. But now that you play as her... doesn't this mean all the lessons were for nothing? I mean we can still follow along but the character will no longer act like how we taught it to, with all the mistakes they could make, but exactly how we want them to. 

 

I'm not totally onboard with this at the moment, but I'll wait and see what the first episode is like. I love this game series too much to not give it a chance. 

Edited October 29, 2013 by Spooky Symbotic

[RK64]

I think that will be reminded with you not being able to control Clem for the first half-hour or so, with her actions/responses to things be the result of what Lee taught her in season 1. After that, you resume control of Clem for the rest of the episode, but will face effects from what you did before then.

 

That would defat the point of this series, with it always giving control of the events to the players choices, but this would be the best compromise for that potential problem.

 

Anyway, I'm sure that TellTale knows what's best for this series (they honestly cant mess this series up; it gave them the label "masters of gaming storytelling"), so I look forward to what ever happens in this new season.

[Chaos Incarnate]

Their choice of playable character was obviously predictable, which I called after Episode 5 and only got thrown off a bit with 400 Days, but it's a very interesting decision Telltale has made, having us play as 

Clementine

. I do hope we see everyone from 400 Days that survived make an appearance, and our choices having a big impact in the grand scheme of the plot. I'm really looking forward to this, looks like I will be purchasing something on my Xbox 360 this year after a while.

[Sami]

I really didn't like anyone from 400 Days. The less of them and the more of Clem we get, the better as far as I'm concerned. The convict and the black kid were the only two that I didn't dislike.

[Brad]

I really didn't like anyone from 400 Days. The less of them and the more of Clem we get, the better as far as I'm concerned. The convict and the black kid were the only two that I didn't dislike.

Those characters are probably going to play some sort of role in Clem's new story since the new season reads your Season One save and 400 Days. I have a few ideas as to how that might tie into Clementine's story quite nicely, especially that salvation camp that the lady was attempting to convince them to stay at.

[Sami]

Those characters are probably going to play some sort of role in Clem's new story since the new season reads your Season One save and 400 Days. I have a few ideas as to how that might tie into Clementine's story quite nicely, especially that salvation camp that the lady was attempting to convince them to stay at.

 

She was okay.

 

I hope Clem beats the crap out of Anti-Clem though. That really vindictive twelve year old rubbed me the wrong way. >:U

 

nah watching kids beat each other up isn't fun but I still don't like Anti-Clem

[Covskin]

If the decisive moments of picking who to save, and who to abandon, were difficult playing as a 37 year old man with a murder conviction, imagine how difficult they're going to be whilst playing as an 9 year old girl.

 

We might not be influencing Clementine in the same way as in Season 1, but I can only see this increasing my attachment to her. The repurcussions of that first life-or-death situation are gonna be freaking heart-breaking.

[Brad]

Guess who's back in "All That Remains", the first episode of Season 2? 

 

Omid! I wonder what happened to Christa then? Is she still around? Were they the figures on the hill?

 

The episode is coming sometime this month, before Christmas, so get excited yo!

[Brad]

Apparently the first episode is coming December 17th. Prepare to have a very heartbreaking Merry Christmas!

[Brad]

Yet another news bump. First trailer yo~!

 

[Badnik Mechanic]

So how's it going?

 

 

So far it looks like it might be the final videogame disaster of 2013.

 

Gaf's topic on the game is full of people complaining of issues involving the DRM and other game breaking problems. A few highlights.

[JezMM]

No problems here, loaded fine, identified my Season One save fine, ran perfectly.  Bare in mind that this happens with a lot of game launches, the fact is everyone who is playing the game is playing the game, meaning of course forums will be only occupied by people with problems.  According to Steam achievement stats, 71% of people who own the game have at least reached the achievement, so that means only a maximum of 29% of players are having problems, and most of those people probably simply just haven't played it yet.  No need to worry until we've had a few days to work out whether this is a small minority getting problems or not.

 

EDIT: Oh, reading into it more it seems the people with DRM issues have bought it through Telltale themselves rather than Steam.  No wonder mine is working fine.

 

 

Anyway, finished the first episode.  Short opinion: yeah they’ve still got it.  The first half an hour had me skeptical but it got so good as it went on.

 

Minor spoilery opinions below - not gonna talk about any specific moments, just overall impressions.

 

Okay so short opinion, The Walking Dead Season Two… yeah they’ve still got it.  The first half an hour had me skeptical but it got so good as it went on.

 

Minor spoilery opinions below the Read More - not gonna talk about any specific moments, just overall impressions:

As said the first half an hour didn’t have much to interact with and for a while I was concerned, but it turned out to be mostly for building atmosphere and, in retrospect, probably teaching new players the basic mechanics one at a time JUST in case someone is silly enough to start with Season Two.

 

I have to mention, just because it amazed me that they managed to but geez they’ve already made me get seriously tearful over one (interactive no less) bit.  Boy they’re not holding any punches just because we’re “back to episode one”, this is just as agonising as late season one at times.  One section was seriously heartbreaking.  The game has also made me gasp on multiple occasions from surprise - the thing I love about TWD is that it manages to shock you in both the moment AND in the “oh but this now means…!” in terms of realising you are gonna have to deal with a serious problem because of this new revelation.

 

Only disappointment was the climax of the episode took me by the surprise, in the sense that when the episode ended I was like “oh that was it” rather than “NO”.  Though a moment in the next time trailer did make me go “WHAT” lol.

 

Also, the Credits music was utterly gorgeous.  Not sure if they’ll have a different one for each ep or not yet but if this is used for every ep, no complaints from me lol.

 

Anyway yes.  Loved it.  I’ll post a more spoilery opinion on specific parts later on.

[Brad]

Can't say I've had any issues either. Everything loaded up fine and I had no crashes.

 

The episode was good. Nothing incredible and I was wary at first, and some parts made me a bit iffy, but overall very enjoyable and now the seeds have been planted for future plot developments, which I'm looking forward to. Maybe its because I'm attached to the initial group of survivors but I haven't really warmed to these new people yet. I've found controlling Clem to be a surprisingly strong point for the game. I like the option of being able to choose if Clem remains an innocent girl or a snarky, jaded one. Also, what were your choices? 

 

I went with Pete in the end. I don't know why either, it doesn't really make sense logically all things considered.

Ah well. I like Pete. Maybe there's a chance to save him.

[JezMM]

Oh yeah, for my choices:

 

I made a distraction for Christa, I mercy killed the dog, gave water to the attacker, accepted Nick's apology, and went with Pete too.  It was such a tough choice, I can't quite pinpoint what made me choose him either haha.

 

With regards to other minor choices, I did my best NOT to antagonise Rebecca, and went as far as Pinkie Swearing with Sarah, which... ugg sounds like it might hurt later on after her Dad talked me down lol.

 

I really really like Luke and will be super sad if anything happens to him.  It also totally sucks that Omid met such a quick and meaningless end, ugh.  Q_Q

 

 

Oh, and since we're talking about content now, I'll say - the bit that made me super tearful was the sequence where Clem stitches herself up.  Ugh it was heartbreakingly horrible but really showed how strong Clem has become, and yet still she feels so helpless and you just want her to be safe.

 

I think that's the key point of difference between Season One and Season Two in tone so far.  Season One really dug into testing your paternal instincts by giving you something to protect.  Season Two does a great job thus far of feeling small and weak through the focus on avoiding danger rather than confronting it.  The new QTEs were good.

 

Oh, the only thing I'll say I dislike is that they've rearranged the dialogue choices.  It makes sense for touch screens but I always used to use the number keys to choose, so not being able to select stuff instantly can be annoying when I'm down to the wire on the time limit.

 

Also on one cut-scene my mouse cursor disappeared, so I could only tell where it was by when a dialogue choice enlarged to show it was selected.  Due to the fiddle I accidentally stayed silent during a choice I wanted to talk on.

[Chaos Incarnate]

So, the Episode 2 teaser.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nENJ7ixI_hQ

 

I'm seriously believing the person Clementine is shocked to discover alive is Lily. Clementine looks a little bit more shocked and frightened, I feel she would be a bit more warm if it were Kenny or Christa. Lily coming back would be a totally unexpected move, and I'd like to see more of her.

[JezMM]

Yeah Lily seems the most likely, though people are pointing out we never saw Kenny die - and Clem would only know that he "did" from secondhand accounts.

 

Either way I do hope it's someone from Season One.  After being the big final cliffhanger in the trailer, it'd be lame if it was a new character who "dies" earlier on in that very episode.

 

 

Actually now that I think about it, Lily doesn't seem so likely.  I mean out of all the people who's departure was ambiguous, Lily's was the least so.  Clem clearly saw her steal the vehicle and drive away, so saying "but you're dead!" would be pretty strange.

[turbojet]

In my mind, Clementine knows what she is doing being cute and shit. Manipulating her cuteness and picking on who is nice and shit. Then Rebecca want be bad and I was like, "Okay. Whose baby is it?" And Queen Clem established her dominance right then and there. Soon she will have that whole fucking house under her thrall.

[Lamor]

They are really improving. Voice acting, graphics and gore was much better in this episode.

 

My choices:

I made a distraction for Christa, killed the dog, accepted Nick's apology and gave the water.

 

In the end I actually went with Nick. It seemed like a better idea. I mean he had a rifle and was closer to the exit. Besides Pete was bitten (I think) and even if he wasn't then how the hell am I supposed to fight off all the zombies. I'm just a 10 year old kid with a hammer >_<

 

I can already tell that talking to Sarah is going to be pain in the ass because I swore that I'm going to be her BFF.

 

Regarding the 'I thought you were dead' person my vote goes for Christa. I assumed she died after my crappy 'distraction' but we never know. I mean it's more likely than Kenny.

 

Also I didn't blackmail the pregnant chick. Will leave that for a better occasion. >

[Brad]

I'm more willing to bet that it's Christa than anybody else. Though Telltale promised we'd discover Kenny's fate this season... it'd be a nice twist if it was Lily though. I left her on the road in Season One I believe, so it'd be interesting to see if she was bitter about that or became a stronger person for it.

[JezMM]

Ah yeah, I left Lily too, probably my most memorable season one choice in terms of the impact it put upon me when I chose it without hesitation, compared to my careful thinking on other choices.  That's gonna make for some awesome conflict between her and Clem if she does reappear.

[Brad]

It's been a while, but we have news! New trailer is coming next week as of this post, and the next episode is due to go up early March. New screenshots -

 

[Brad]

Next episode is coming March 4th.

 

[Brad]

So... thoughts on the latest episode? Thought it was extremely strong, one of the best episodes The Walking Dead has had as a series.

 

When Kenny appeared, I felt genuine happiness and I had a big cheesy grin on my face. Goddamn.

[JezMM]

Yeah, had a blast with this one, though it did feel a lot more linear than usual.  Pretty much no puzzles and very little threat.  Nothing wrong with that, just felt oddly heavy on narrative and story over gameplay compared to usual.

 

Kenny was a nice surprise, though made for some serious dilemmas lol.  Choosing who to sit with was the toughest decision of the episode for me.  Wanted to sit with Luke to show I'm still with the new guys even after reuniting with an old friend... wanted to sit with Kenny coz surely the new guys would understand I have catching up to do.  In the end I went with Luke because I felt I had bonded with him a little over the bridge troubles.

 

Definitely curious where we're going with Kenny though.  I hope his character isn't ruined considering his heroic Season 1 send-off, but The Walking Dead is hardly the kind of series where it's healthy to hold out hope for a favourite character by any means.  Ughghhgh you deserved so much better Omid. Q_Q

 

I did get a little bothered by some character stupidity in this episode though - like not questioning who Bonnie is when Carver are obviously on the cast's trail, and staying in a cabin with huge glass windows with all the lights on while it's getting dark.  Irked me a little.  Stupid stuff like that never happened in Season One and it was what made me prefer the game to the TV show more than anything else.