Game Review: ‘The Walking Dead: Season Two’ is all about growing up

“Sometimes you have to hurt someone else to protect the people you care about.”

 

With these words, 10-year-old Clementine sheds her innocence. No longer the caring father figure's sweet pea that she was in Season One, she has grown up all too fast.

 

The Walking Dead Season Two pits the young heroine Clementine against a world that has gone to hell after a zombie apocalypse. In this world, the dead kill the living and the living cannot be trusted.

 

Not the same without Lee

 

The interactive RPG-action game focuses on Clementine's struggle to survive two years after losing Lee Everette, the stranger who took her in in the previous season.

 

Although she has become far smarter in dealing with dangers posed by both the dead and living, Lee's death still haunts her conscience.

 

She has to deal with this burden when meeting new people and groups, relying on what Lee taught her to determine the best option for survival.

 

As a direct sequel to TWD Season 1, the game has big shoes to fill and it was up to par when it comes to the plot.

 

The story delivers the same thrilling and dramatic experience the previous game was well known for while attempting to get players attached to Clem through her newfound hardships.

 

To further strengthen Clem's new role as lead character, a handful of fresh faces and a couple of familiar friends from the previous season are added to the mix. Some characters from Season One's "400 Days" episode will also play major roles in Season Two.

 

Voice acting for all these characters was superb and helped stir up players's emotions for a more immersive experience.

 

However, Lee's absence may prove too much for fans of the previous season. It somehow just doesn't feel right without Lee Everette's comforting character watching out for Clementine.
 

Lee and his bond with Clem as her father figure defined Season One and has probably made too much of an impression, leaving a large void in Season Two.

 

But this also helps players empathize with Clem in her most trying times without Lee.

Gameplay

 

The Walking Dead Season Two breaks down into five episodes of at least 10 chapters each where Clementine is placed in a position where she needs to mature quickly in a hostile and unforgiving environment.

 

Clem's character is always the focal point in each episode especially in scenes of violence and conflict where difficult decisions must be made.

 

Just like in the previous season, players get to choose how they interact with other characters during these scenes. Choices range from giving a kind answer to being rude, being neutral or just keeping silent and letting the other person talk.

 

This allows players to choose between acting as a cold-hearted Clementine who only thinks of her survival or a caring Clementine who genuinely considers others' welfare.

 

The ending and, ultimately, Clem's fate will depend strongly on the player's final decision. 

 

But the most fun parts comes when you decide how Clem reacts as an "adult" to sh*t-just-hit-the-fan moments that require split-second decisions that often result in someone getting killed.

 

Aside from this, the game retains Season One's interactive FPS action and detective sequences but these are arguably less engaging than before. 

 

Meanwhile, the graphics department has maintained the overall visually pleasing aesthetics of the game from its characters, cut scenes and backgrounds.

 

Second season of technical hiccups

 

Unfortunately, all the same problems in Season One make an annoying comeback this season and seem much worse.

 

There's always that bad transition between scenes that take away from the game's immersive experience. Occasional slow loading times also do nothing to improve gameplay. 

 

During some parts, the lag is so bad that it will usually result in your untimely death during a tense zombie encounter, an experience that can be frustrating.

 

These technical hiccups all cause unnecessary frustration for the player and should have already been adressed by Telltale Games.

 

The verdict: 9/10

 

The Walking Dead season 2 is an interactive RPG-action game that banks on a strong story with extremely engaging gameplay that tailors the story progress based on the player's choices.

 

The sequel to Season One is only marred by a repeat of previous glitches that should have already been addressed by Telltale games. This ruins the game's immersive experience and results in unnecessary frustration for players. — JDS, GMA News