How your choices matter - and why some of you have it wrong
"Character will remember that"
A lot of people complain that your choices really don't make much of a difference. I can see why people say that...but I think they're just not really "getting" it, and they don't really understand what this game is.
Your choices, be they dialogue, which character to save, or what big decision to make, always have consequences, but not all of them are some pivotal plot point - meaning, the way you talk to certain characters, even though the game says "Character will remember that", it doesn't mean that that character will die, or kill someone else, or whatever. Sometimes it just means that your relationship with that person will be affected, and how they view you as a person is dependent on how you treat them.
If you're getting into the story, these things affect you. Having a character admit to not liking you or not trusting you after a period of time can make you sit up and think about your actions and how they affect people. Maybe you made a decision a few episodes ago and no major incident occurred because of it - but one character was really offended or betrayed by it.
The game is not just about the big moments, it's about relationships, too.
As an example, disregarding Sarah early on will mean that she doesn't trust you and doesn't think you like her later on. While that may not determine her fate, hearing her be upset because she knows you don't like her is troubling and should make you think about the way you treat people.
If that's not your thing, then fine, you can still enjoy the game I'm sure... but at least now, hopefully you understand why not every choice of yours has a big incident attached to it.
Comments
Who knows maybe decisions you make in Season 2 will affect many things like the dialogue options you can choose from or maybe even how other characters view Clementine, at least I hope she survives for a third season.
i guess the point is that even the dialogue changes are supposed to matter to you. Not having a good relationship with another character is supposed to matter to you.
What if said character dies twenty minutes after you begin to establish a bond with them?
Supposed to... but as soon as a character becomes determinant, many of us feel like the choices we make with them are unimportant, at least some determinant characters create changes in future episodes and help to develop some characters.
I think most of my issues with that come from the inevitable comparisons to season 1. Take the Kenny vs. Lilly choices for example. They don't affect the ultimate outcome, but both characters' actions and dialogue show a clear reflection of your choices. (e.g. Kenny can be your closest ally, or he'll disagree with everything you do and refuse to help when you're in trouble)
Compared to season 2, where most of the characters have a cemented relationship with Clementine regardless of your dialogue (e.g. Rebecca always apologizes to Clem regardless of a blackmailing threat) I can see why there's been some critique.
It's a way of making you think about what you've done. For example, "Stay and watch Carver get brutally executed" (?)They will remember that. Seeing the notification makes you think about the morality and integrity of who you are and how you're shaping Clem. Yes it sucks not seeing it make much of a difference in the story but I just thought about looking at it this way.