[SPOILERS]The Walking Dead episode 5 and entire game REVIEW thread
Vainamoinen
Moderator
Yup, this is it. Post your long and short, detailed or general, random or specific thoughts about the last episode and concluding thoughts about the Season right here.
No spoiler tags necessary, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'VE PLAYED THE EPISODES!!!
(poll rates the whole game, not just episode 5)
No spoiler tags necessary, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'VE PLAYED THE EPISODES!!!
(poll rates the whole game, not just episode 5)
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
I don't want to make a list of positive aspects because I mostly liked the game I just say the negative things:
Episode 1 lagged sometimes (tried on 3 different new PC's). So there might have been a component in these computers which wasn't good for the game. Anyway this shouldn't be in a game with that low engine and graphic details. (they were okay for the game but anyway) -> -1 point
There were no real decissions and only one ending, I really disliked that -> -2 points
Anyway I had fun playing this game. That is why I think 7 points are okay.
It was a bit mean to give me hope with the option of cutting off the arm. This should have been possible earlier and with the option to let the others do the heavy lifting and and and...
Anyway ... a great game. I'm happy that the download worked again and there was no further problems for the pc. Well done, TTG. It's a real gem. Now just get the technical issues resolved, get rid of your delivery problems, improve your support and you're going to be fine.
I didn't quite get the ending though. Some more resolve would have been nice. This looks like a season finale or something. "Buy season 2 and see who the 2 persons were and what is going to happen to Clem and how your choices affected her. And find out, what crime Lee actually commited ...". Well at least there weren't a blue, red and green ending.
I'm happy that Christa & Omid survived the last episode, atleast my faves survived it but on the other hand beeing so sad about Lee & Clem.
Still very sad episode specially the ending and PROPS to the voice-overs.
It's a nice experience overall. Like with previous episodes it have been small things that killed the immersion for me in the final one.
From the top of my head:
Lee has this discussion with Christa and Omid on the rooftops that he should do the risky things from now on since he has been bitten anyway. They reach that provisional wooden bridge and Christa says omething like: "Careful here." Still she and Omid go first and not Lee. Seconds later, where they want to cross the street by climbing the sign, they basically have the same argument again. Do they even listen to each other at all?
After the stranger is dealt with, the player can't pick up the hatchet but only click on the exit door. Minutes earlier, that weapon helped me to fight through the horde and now I want to leave unarmed?
When Clem asks me what she should pick first from the Security Officer walker, of course I tell her to grab the gun - so she can shoot the walker if it somehow breaks out of its trap (which didn't look very tight anyway). But Lee says: "The gun, always the gun!" Errrm, no?! I didn't mean to give her a lifelong lesson, potentially important for a future series. I was just telling her what to do in that situation. It's just one example for many dialogue lines throughout the game that look like they have one connotation when you can pick them but then turn out to have a totally different meaning because Lee adds sentences that I didn't see on screen before.
I'm handcuffed to the radiator and my last suggestion for Clem should be that she should always have her hair cut short?! I found it annoying enough when Chuck advised me to do it out of nowhere on the train and now this. Even if she was bald, zombies can still grab her by her clothes or limbs.
Finally, according to the "Which choices change things drastically?"-thread not even in the final episode does anything really matter.
Personally, I would have prefered many different endings in this one and a fresh start for season two over the way it is now.
My rating for this season: 8
I'll start off with the negative aspects:
1: The game engine is horrible. I had to reduce the shadow quality to a minimum with a very potent system so that sequences run smooth and to avoid audio issues.
2: In the end, The decisions didn't really matter. I know how hard it is to actually design games all around decisions, but I usually feel that the focus is wrong for that, and this game is no exception. We all get the same ending, although this is the most important thing that should change depending on your actions.
3: Personal thing, but: I don't like this episode-format to be honest. Waiting this long to have about 2 hours to play isn't as great as enjoying a complete game when you buy it. That's actually the reason why I waited until Episode 4 was out until I finally bought the Season Pass. Just wanted to mention that although it didn't affect the rating, I guess there are good reasons (advertisement, financial advantages, I don't know...) for it.
So, that things aside:
What an improvement to previous games! Right from the first episode the story totally got me. What I enjoyed the most is the focus on the survivors' behaviour rather than just adding one ugly gore scene after another, which is usually the case in any zombie movies/games. Especially the "silent moments" after things got out of hand were well done. There was always this dark, depressing mood swinging along everything, giving the game an apocalyptic feeling from hour 1 to the end.
Probably the best choice was using Clementine as the main theme of the Season. Having to raise a child with no experience of it whatsoever in a messed-up world of violence and cruelty was an interesting aspect that kept me hooked all the time. Plus it gave you an interesting view on your own actions. Example: In Episode 2 I killed the first one of the brothers with the pitchfork. To me it was a natural decision in that moment, but when she showed up and looked like I just kicked a bag of kittens I started realizing what I just did. Really powerful.
Which leads me to another point that I especially enjoyed: This game really created moral conflicts that let you, as a player, reflect on your own behaviour. While constantly judging others during your journey you also get the chance to be a monster, and sometimes that even seems like the logical choice. The most obvious choice was probably letting Ben fall. He was more or less the main reason why six companions either died or left you. He constantly screwed up and put everyone in danger, especially right before you have the chance to let him fall. But is it right to give up on him because you think he will continue to do that? Although I personally didn't hesitate and helped him up I thought that, rationally, this was a pretty hard call. And I was quite pleased to see he didn't turn out to be a great hero in the fifth Episode. Although Kenny will, well, "seem to die" anyway when you let him fall, it seems in this situation like he is the reason for his death as well. Although honestly I would have found it more interesting if Kenny can actually survive without him. That would really raise the question "is it okay to kill someone when he will be the reason for others to die?".
As you can see in my babbling this game totally got me. I hope that Season 2 will continue to focus so much on the characters and how humans become more and more like the monsters they're afraid of.
Last but not least a quick opinion about the single episodes:
Episode 1: Fitting for a beginning. Not a huge spectacle, but a slow introduction to everyone. I especially enjoyed how Lee's life was revealed via dialogue options as well.
Episode 2: Totally blew me away. You know from the beginning that something's wrong with those guys, but it turned out so unbelievably sick. A friend of mine was already suspecting them to be cannibals right from the start, but to me it never crossed my mind that they even do anything close to that. So it was one shock after another for me. Especially that they keep them alive so that the flesh is not corrupted. This was really the only episode in which I actually felt fear, what an experience
Episode 3: As good as Episode 2 was, I was very happy that the story didn't continue with even sicker events. The whole thing with Duck and Katjaa was the first really sad scene and didn't miss the spot. Not to mention that Kenny seemed like a ticking bomb after that...Chuck was an awesome character and his advice for Clementine finally made me realize that not all the rules of the world we know apply anymore. I was angry at him first for telling Clementine something like that, but it really makes sense - children are not allowed to be children in such a world, as hard as this may sound to us.
Episode 4: Now that one was long! As far as I know this one wasn't received as well as the others, but I personally liked it as well. Having to hurt Clementine so many times because she didn't want to accept that her parents are away was pretty hard on me. Crawford gave an interesting view on the behaviour of other survivors and pointed out once more that the walkers may be the lesser danger in that world. The ending was the perfect cliffhanger...thanks for that I guess -_-.
Episode 5: What a high TPM on that one (Tears per minute
I also enjoyed Bens "final speech" against Kenny and the moment of realization from him until their final moment. Still, in the end I felt like it doesn't matter what I do too much. The illusion of choice (most of the time it is just an illusion in games) was just not as present as in previous episodes. Especially that there seem to be no differences whether you cut off the arm or not. I was expecting to fail with one of the decisions, be it because you would have needed a second arm or because the infection spread too fast because it's still there. Not to mention the number of persons you have to help you - it's quite annoying that you can do just as much alone as with 5 people. Something like that would have made a huge difference. In the end that would have been what I have wished for: The possibility to fail.
edit: Uh, you were probably talking about the poll only while I was talking about written replies. Let's hug and go on?
The POLL is about the whole Season; the THREAD is for episode 5 reviews also.
for me episode 5 was after episode 3 the most schocking one.
in this episode you have to do a lot of decisions. i am wondering if they all matters?
does it help to cut off lee´s arm? i did´t think so, so i didn´t cut his arm of. did anyone play it twice and can say what difference it makes?
and can you save kenny? or will he die in the radio-sequnce at any costs?
does it matter if you say omid and crista that they should search for a boat, a train or just leave the city?
so many questions. i hope they don´t let us wait to long for season two!
and does anyone else have the problem with the chapter 8 achievement? i did finish the game inclusive the scene after the credits and still i don´t have the achivement for finishing the game.
on no. i hadn´t ben in my group. kenny died by saving crista.
hm i think the infection has already spread around his whole body. think its kind of useless to cut his arm of, isn´t it?
and in the "3002 scene i wasn´t bitten.
Five was a satisfactory ending, it was very well done. I never experienced the technical issues that others have with any episode, 5 included.
Overall, I really liked all the tough decisions throughout the season, most of them were pretty impacting, though some turned into "well what the hell was the point of that" type decisions.
With the year almost over, and having played the major contenders for GOTY, I can say, personally, this game would get my vote. This is one of the greatest storytelling achievements in gaming, and the guys and gals at Telltale should be very proud. Thanks for sharing such an amazing experience with me. I can't wait to see what else you guys come up with.
Thanks TellTale and also Gary Whitta for that awesome ride in that half year, it was like a rollercoaster... I felt the up & downs like I would be a member from the group.
Yes that is Wird... But I felt the same way:)
Bravo, Telltale.
I didn't leave anyone with the boat cause I didn't think anyone was gonna steal the damn thing! I thought it'd be better to have the whole group with me! And I figured it was Vernon and his group that took Clemmy! Boy was I wrong! Taking that food in episode 2 DID come back to bite us in the ass!
I will definitely be playing this episode through again. I wonder what happens if I leave someone with the boat?
I'm kinda really excited for season two now cause I know I raised Clem up good.. and now that I'm thinking about it's kinda really well done.. the whole first season is you raising up Clem, teaching her lessons and stuff, then season two will probably be played as Clem, using all the skills and lessons that Lee taught her in season one. That'd be really cool anyways!
I feel so bad for Ben
I really hope that was Christa and Omid walking out yonder at the very very end clip! I wonder what happens if I tell them to find us when they get down, or to meet us at the other place (I told them to meet us at the train).
I shall play through again tonight!
As for the entire game, it's definitely a great piece of story-telling. I loved the choices that you had to made, and reactions to those choices. Most of all, I loved the characters. Definitely a 10/10.
Wow, I mean, this game is really incredible. Usually, I don´t do this, but I´ll give it a 10/10 and if this doesn´t get any "Game of the year" Awards, than I don´t know...
Never played a game which is so emotional towards the end. I have to be honest, I was almost in tears, too...
Congrats TT, you totaly nailed it with this game! (besides that whole, let´s call it "we release it every month story" and communication in general, but lets not get into that now).
If you ask me, this is now one of my all time favorite games and for that I applaud and congratulate you.
Thank you Telltale, I am looking forward to play and experience Season 2
Oh and fuck!
- The whole "who comes with you" thing at the end of chapter 4 was pointless - 10 minutes later we're all back together again and everyone's as loyal as ever.
- Shouting orders to the whole group. "Oh man, this is going to be so cool! I'm making tactical decisions!" *two seconds later* "Everyone to the front door!"
- Everyone knew Christa was pregnant without ever talking about it. Yes, it was obvious, but there was no 'reaction' - Lee said, "you're carrying for two" and Christa was like just, "Whatever." Why the ambiguity?
- Campman was a rubbish villain. Completely underwhelming and nonsensical. "I'm not crazy...but I hate you for every difficult decision you've had to make, regardless of what you chose". Just...no.
- Would have been nice to have seen what happened to Vernon's group, even fleetingy, from a distance. Would the boat have worked? Probably not, but they just disappeared. Couldn't we have spotted them sailing away/getting attacked from our position on the rooftops? In fact, the whole, "the surviving cancer patients that HATED the way Crawford ran things coming back and beating up people and stealing their boat" thing felt out of place.
- Clem dragging Lee away from a group of walkers? No.
- Lee collapsing several times during the episode was frustrating. I've never seen a person react to a zombie bite THAT badly. Sure, you get weaker and stuff, but...random bouts of sudden unconsciousness? Skeptical.
- The very last moment before the credits. I'm not saying I want to know every single detail, but Clem manages to avoid the walkers and get into the countryside...how? Did she meet with O+C by the train? Did she meet them...at all? That's not ambiguity, it's just vague for the intention of being vague and thus, unsatisfying. She escaped, but I have absolutely no idea how. There's no closure to this story. No "everyone died", or "I saved the day", or even, "the future is uncertain, but we did our best". No, in my story, Lee dies and then Clem magically teleports to the countryside.
In fact, the entire episode seemed to be devoid of emotion, to me. B+K's deaths, the 'reveal' of the bite to Clementine, Clem's reaction to seeing her dead parents. Even when you rescue Clem from Campman, she's just like, "oh hai, Lee" *shrug*. Things just happen and everyone instantly moves on. I wanted to find the ending sad, but I just couldn't. It didn't feel like the right moment. As with everything else, it was a little unsatisfying. "I wasn't able to save you...but goodbye anyway." *credits*
IMO, they shouldn't have gone for the 'to be continued' ending. That makes things way too complicated. This should have been an enclosed story. Lee's Redemption - the chance to protect a little girl from the zombie apocalypse. In the end, it happened, but I have no idea how.
Don't get me wrong, it's not WHAT happened that I'm complaining about, but HOW it happened. Lee can still die. Clem can still be alone (if she's alone. I'm still not sure). Just...without the huge gaps and the rushed bits.
As I said, maybe I expected too much. The high review scores and the reactions on Twitter whetted my appetite, but it didn't live up to the hype. It was an 'OK' chapter when I was desperate for it to be a masterpiece.
On a final note, the game would probably get a higher rating if it wasn't for the technical issues suffered during every single chapter. Sorry, but those problems are too critical and too widespread to give the game a 10 or a 9. The amount of times I've had to delve into my game files and manually try and fix my saves is...absurd. Unfortunately, that means the game as a whole gets a 6/10. A decent idea, a good story with occasional unsatisfying elements, but hampered by technical problems and lengthy waits between chapters. Worth a play? Absolutely. A masterpiece? Unfortunately not.
Game of the Year
Thanks so much.
Ok so i go short.
Episode 5 disappointed me.
After Ep 3 i was little worried because all characters i liked and cared about were either death or gone, and the story is going to suffer from that. Unfortunately i was right.
Episode 5 feels so rushed.
The "big" moments happens too fast and there is no enough music.
I was hoping that Lilly or Molly may shows up but no, no surprise here.
Also i was expecting that i will get a "full" story and season 2 will start with something new but no, it ended up with cliffhanger like a crappy american tv shows that i don't like.
I thought i am going to write over here that this is the best game i played this year and one of the best games i played ever,but after the ending i feel a bit disappointed.
Anyway, at the end of the day THANKS TELLTALE I HAD FUN
Don't know , I didn't cut Lee's arm , I was ok with him dying.
Besides I'm not sure you can get your arm cut and then walk around looking for a little girl.
So obviously my main goal is to find Clem and get her to safety ASAP.
Everyone is with me , which is good , because Lee is dying and I need people to look after her.
I saved Ben in ep 4 , I was sorry for him.I was pissed at Kenny.
Then Kenny turns out to be a real friend , and sort of a good man when you really don't need that.
Ben is doomed ( this guy ,...poor him , the writers really had something against him) anyway obviously Ben doesn't want to die anymore , and Kenny wants to save him.
I knew what to do with that last bullet , a mercy kill.
Guess not.The good thing is Kenny character really shine for me in this episode, but that was a stupid death.
The guy in the end ,well i haven't stole from his car.I listen to him , and the only thing that strikes me is he's just b**sh** crazy.
I killed him , and if i could strangle him again , I would.
Wasn't amzed by the situation at all , just here goes crazy again.Honestly I knew from the very first time i talk in the talkiy ,that was the case.
Glad for him he had so much fun and time following clem and lee , and managed to survive on his own...
And then the end , there was too much things distracting me to enjoy it.
Lee 's here alone with a little girl , he can turn any minute...
And he doesn't tell her ...that's stupid.So I'm anxious he dies and Clem wants to help , not knowing anything and he kills her...
Then he faints ...and freaks out because she locks them up together (LOL)
So Lee mission is to get her to safety , but he waits for the last minute to tell her to get to the train and find Omid and Christa.
I mean it wasn't bad , I did cry a little but again I was too distracted by the idea that Lee was going to die any minute , kill her , or just forget to mentions ...vital stuff?
For Clem \m/
YES! YES! You saw that correctly!!
I didn't know the creepy guy was the owner of the car, that was a genius idea in my opinion and it made me cry (first time in like 6 years)
I agree with about everything that was said there. I didn't have the tech issues though so whatever. And the Ben and Kenny scene was stupid. They could have easily pulled Ben out of that. Not to mention Kenny's sacrifice was entirely unneeded even if they couldn't get Ben out.
Episode 5 was super rushed and it really shows.
Thought so! Congratz on getting it in one of the best games of the last few years.:)
No, they couldn't get him out of there. That thing probably perfurated his liver or something. He would have died if they had tried more. And, although desnecessary, Kenny's sacrifice was more of a "I want to end my life" decision
The emotional roller coaster put me in a tailspin for the better part of my morning. I'm pretty sure that I need to lock myself up in my bathroom and cry it out for awhile. I seriously can't think of anything bad to say.
Congrats to Tell Tale on this fantastic game, it certainly deserves it's nomination for Game of the Year, and here's to hoping that it wins!