![]() ![]() ![]() Without going into too fine detail, the game quickly sets up Clementine with a new acquaintance, someone she can play off of, included in such a way that I feared a predictable and stereotypical relationship was about to unfold. I will say that All That Remains is as beautifully constructed as anything found in Season One, to the point where it subverts expectations almost as soon as it sets them. However, the button prompts for “struggle” sequences are more stylish looking.Ī narrative-driven game that draws the majority of its effectiveness from surprise is difficult to review, naturally, as spoilers must be carefully avoided. They’re a touch more overbearing and garish compared to the smaller, more subtle text options found in Episode One. The user interface has been given a cosmetic overhaul, and I’m not too fond of the new box-like dialog options. I, personally, don’t mind their implementation in this particular case. Those who find QTEs unforgivable will doubtless be unimpressed by their further inclusion. These sequences allow The Walking Dead to appear more like a Quantic Dream game than ever, albeit with the extra bonus of having a well-written story and believable characters. As well as the usual moments of button-mashing struggles and quick-targeting attacks, players will engage in chase sequences that require directional buttons to be pressed swiftly in order to avoid obstacles or opponents. One new addition to the game is a more “classic” take on quick-time-events. Being a season premier, All That Remains plays it fairly light in terms of offering agonizing choices, but there still manages to be a number of shocking, even harrowing, scenes that will unnerve the squeamish and easily disturbed. Once more, dialog plays a big part of the adventure, with players having to quickly choose from a number of answers that supporting cast members will remember in future installments. Interactions remain largely the same as before, with objects and scenery highlighted onscreen, and manipulated with a simple click of a button. It’s an immeasurably tough thing, to write a vulnerable child protagonist who isn’t incapable, but here it’s been pulled off with something resembling effortlessness. A wonderful job has been done in making Clementine’s growth into a more cynical and capable character credible, and as players evade trouble and desperately fend off the obligatory “walker” attacks, they’ll find she uses all she has to put up an impressive fight. Make no mistake – Clem may not be able to throw a punch like Lee, but she’s far from weak as the lead role. The switch from adult to child is a jarring, almost disempowering one, but it’s startlingly effective at making the player feel truly ill at ease. Smaller and nowhere near as handy in a fight as Lee, players will feel the sting of inability as they find shelves too high to reach, and they’ll learn to fear unknown adult survivors in ways they never did before. Though matured and hardened by her experiences thus far, she is still a little girl, and the difference is keenly felt. It is with great pleasure (and the customary sadness that a truly effective Walking Dead episode evokes) that I confirm TellTale Games has not missed a step.įollowing the tragic events of Season One, Clementine takes the lead as the player character. 400 Days was a nice buffer, but this is the center stage, and TellTale has to tread a fine line between maintaining our high expectations without desperately relying on shock value or mawkishness in an attempt to make lightning strike twice. Naturally, the Season Two premier episode had a damn tough act to follow. The word “emotional” has been overused in game criticism to the point of banality, but the wide range of feelings TellTale evoked from me – fear, amusement, relief, total despair – is a testament to the nuance and sensitivity of the studio’s enviable writing talent. TellTale Games’ The Walking Dead was one of the most affecting pieces of interactive software I’ve ever had the pleasure (and sorrow) of playing. ![]()
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