One of the things that makes Telltale's zombie series so breathtaking is the great writing and intriguing characters. The creators struck gold with the character Clementine, who has basically contributed to the success of the series, and managed to steal our hearts in the process. The fact you fell in love with the bright-eyed little girl from the very beginning was much of the reason we all pushed forward with the hope that things would get better for her. However, we have laughed and cried, and watched the progression of a innocent girl be turned into a hardened survivor.
A House Divided continues the survivors' story with intense conversations and action sequences that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The biggest downfall of The Walking Dead series is the ever depressing mood that engulfs you like a relentless dark abyss. You continuously want to see your beloved characters have some kind of happy moment, if even briefly, but the Walking Dead is just not that kind of story.
Players will find that while the storyline seems to spiral into never-ending chaos for our characters--Clementine is always the shining light. It is simply amazing to see how much her character has matured and grown over the series, but it is also a little sad as well. To imagine that a young child, only eleven years old, would have to make those kind of life-altering decisions is a lot to stomach.
Players find that we are often introduced to a new villain each season in The Walking Dead in order to numb the sadness of the overall gameplay. Telltale Games realized that the only way to make gamers stop thinking about the depressing nature of playing the game was to simply give gamers someone to loathe. Utilizing the player's emotions during gameplay can be a tricky feat, but The Walking Dead series has proved that hate and revenge triumph all. The new character to focus our hate on this season seems to fall on the mysterious and menacing Carver. You find yourself asking, "Who is this guy and why is everyone so scared of him?" The answer to your question slowly creeps on you to explode in an epic twist that no one seen coming. We soon realize that some people take family so serious that they will go to the ends of the earth and back for them. However, I don't think anyone at all would ask for the kind of family featured in A House Divided.
A House Divided manages to focus a lot on Clementine's decisions, and the choices this time around are so hard that I found myself not saying anything at all many times. In life, there are certain situations that would pull at your heart so much that you could never fathom making those kind of decisions. While the new group of survivors put little trust in Clementine in the last episode, to the point it was maddening, we find that now they depend on her for many of the group's problems. If something needs fixed or investigated then it is Clementine that is asked to do the job. The fact that all of the characters expect you to do everything starts to become a little annoying after a while. Clementine literally becomes the leader of the group by the end of the season which is extremely hard to imagine being she is only eleven. A group of survivors so literally paranoid that they didn't trust anyone, begin to place all of their hope into the hands of a small child, over what seems like a very short time. Clementine has slowly been accepted into the group, but players never seem to really connect with any of the characters like we did in the first season.
The Walking Dead: Season 2 - A House Divided features the same beautiful visuals and great writing that you have become accustomed to over the series while sending you on a emotional roller-coaster in the process. The new episode has some nerve-wrecking twists and turns but also a few pleasant surprises as well. Gamers will see the return of a beloved character that makes you smile for a brief moment while simultaneously making you tear up as you think about the past and Clementine's beloved mentor Lee. The story's dramatic climax finally comes to a head as we see the true nature of our villain Carver and why our survivors were so hesitant to trust anyone. In the end, The Walking Dead: Season 2 manages to really bring its A-game with the second episode making it possibly one of the best ones yet. If you have been waiting anxiously for the new episode, then download A House Divided today, for the story of a lifetime! The Walking Dead: Season 2 Episode 2 is now available for PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade, Steam and iOS and can be purchased for $4.99. The Walking Dead: Season 2 Episode 2 is rated M by the ESRB for Intense Violence, Blood and Gore & Strong Language. For more information on The Walking Dead: Season 2 Episode 2, check out the official The Walking Dead website.
Game Features:
- Single Player
- Branching Storyline with Consequential Actions
- Measure Decisions Against Other Players Online
- Trophy/Achievement Support
Game Information:
Developer & Publisher: Telltale Games
Platforms: PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE Arcade (reviewed), Steam & iOS
Release Date: March 5, 2014
