Episode 4 Spoiler Review pros and cons
Episode Four Pros and cons
This is posted as constructive criticism and praise for episode four. Basically, the pros and cons - in detail. Feel free to post anymore below. First things first, I really loved the episode. I know the reviews are mixed but I enjoyed it - not as good as episode three, but episode three has that cool standalone quality. Episode four however, nicely linked to the overall story. Annnyyywaay.
Pros:
Jane's training scenes were interesting and well written, I liked the relationship between her and Clementine.
Pros:
Sarah's death scene was suspenseful and amazing, and made me tear up.
Pros:
- I really loved the setting and the artwork, American history fascinates me so it was nice to see. The statues were cool and the area felt just the right amount of unsettling.
Cons:
- Nicks death felt a little lazily written and is my biggest con for a whole heap of reasons - Luke's under reaction, his death offscreen and the fact one of the more complex and interesting characters was tossed aside with little payback. There is a massive heap I would write about this, but it would engross this whole thread.
Pro/con:
Jane's character development was interesting and tied in nicely the 'you can't save everyone' theme. Her dialogue about her sister was nicely written and felt very natural. I liked it. The con is that Jane kept reminding Clem (us the players) about this 'do or die' facet of her personality and did not move on from it. I felt we were reminded too many times when more time could have been taken to develop Jane's personality in other areas. Her talking about it so often lessened the impact of her backstory a bit..or maybe that it just me.
Pros:
The Kenny Baby role: First of, thanks for having a male character be in charge of Rebecca's birth and for adopting the maternal caregiver role. I cannot think of many games that have done this - most often hand this role to a female character who becomes 'obsessed' with the baby and tried to steal/take it for themselves. It makes a nice change and also fits perfectly with Kenny's character, drawing him away from that I'm angry so I am violent character trait. It will be interesting to see where that develops.
Cons:
Luke's character, I do feel like the game is geared towards the players to dislike Luke. But that is most likely purposeful.
Comments
I thought Jane's past was a little overdone. They mentioned her sister way too often. I did like the training as well, though.
I think all deaths in this episode are not handled very well. People die and the rest say something like: oh well! Hard to care when they don't.
In general I think there is a lack of goal and motivation. There are not that many characters to care about and why is a town suddenly the great Shangri-La when before we learned that these places are crawling with Zs? In season 1 Lee had a reason to push forward. Clem just walks on and on until some minor character dies and is replaced by another one. I must admit, I don't even know what their goal is anymore. Not a good sign if you build up to the great finale.
The goal is to get to the north where the walkers are slower.
I pretty much agree with all of what you said. It was an amazing episode but i agree with the cons especially the Nick con. I do feel Nicks death was lazy and the reaction to if as well.
P.S: the reviews sites have been mostly positive and have loved the episode. With the exception of polygon and ign(read the comments in the ign review i agree with the commenters)