The Walking Dead Season 2: Amid The Ruins Review

[Kingjackl]

The ending for this one was one of the harshest yet. That was almost as harsh as the ending to season 1.

Spoiler

As I was playing this, my brother and I kept debating what the inevitable ghastly fate of Rebecca's baby was going to be. I was almost certain there would be at least one immediate death as a result of the birth, either her dying in childbirth or the baby being a stillborn. I was so pleasantly surprised when the baby started coughing in Kenny's hands. There were some lovely moments with the mother and the child (Kenny's creepy obsession notwithstanding), all the better for Telltale to kick us in the guts at the end.

This one was pretty much a bloodbath. Sarita dies no matter what, as does Sarah. Nick dies if he wasn't dead already, and the ending sees Rebecca turning into a zombie and the Mexican stand-off erupting. I wonder if they'll be brave/foolish enough to kill off the rest of the supporting cast with that ending. I know the whole point of the series is that none of the choices really have any effect and it's all about how you justify them, but I'm starting to find the nihilism tiring, especially when it doesn't make sense. Nick's death was a complete cop-out, and the fact that Arvo accuses you of robbing him even when you didn't was especially grating, since I chose to give him back his meds specifically to avoid a situation like that (which I knew would happen anyway). It feels like they're stretching the choices too hard.

 

[42]

I just saw the embodiment of Dota 2's Russian Community.

 

[Ichigo]

I still canßt get interested in anything that happens between those people. From the first time i met them they treated me like an asshole, seeing them dieing one after another is more a relieve then shocking. The only one i ever cared for was lee and he is long gone. Also i´m getting sick of all-the-worst-case-scenarios-that-could-ever-happen happening on the same exact time. People getting killed by zombies? naaaaaaaaaaa, how about people getting killed by zombies while the whole building is collapsing during a snow storm and also a wild angry burning horde of elephands is chasing us backed up by the worst cliche russian stereotypes after putin took over ukraine? i also wish there would be just once one sentence to choose from that would actually make any sence during the same endless two-people-are-arguing-about-bullshit scenes. i think i´m just getting tired of zombies.

 

[Redd the Sock]

While less tense than last season, I'm liking this one more. Group dynamics are hard to get right and most people will have a group agree, or put aside differences for the greater good. Yet Walking Dead reached the point of characters having to accept the situation is long term, and as such, facing issues with the long term prospects to dealing with others that don't always see eye to eye, or can't just drop the baggage of loss as easily as others. No one in the group is bad, and only people without a soul couldn't at least get Sarah's having been sheltered a bit too long, or Kenny's survivor's guilt. This was the first time I held back letting arguments happen because I didn't see a solution, and didn't think people would take "stop fighting" too well in the long term.

I don't know whether to look forward to the final chapter or not. I drool in anticipation, but at the same time, I saw the ending of the last season coming, and given the themes of the season this time, I just know that

Spoiler

telltale's going to put me in a position of having the chose if Clem kills that baby, probably in a building surrounded by walkers as it starts crying

 

[Frankster]

Well that's another episode of drama done, liked this episode and Jane was a really cool character and felt rather small as clem in the face of an angry kenny xP

Spoiler

Ending pissed me off though. I didn't steal. Heck I wanted to let avro do his thing and let him walk away without revealing my presence when you first saw him but even though game gives you the option of saying you will do that, you're still forced into poking your head out and talking to him.. Fucking BS.

Felt Nick's death was cheap too. He dies off screen and you find him as a zombie? bleh.

Sarah's death was a total kick in the gut, my clem did all she could to help her and even begged Jane to go save her (which she does, and fails at, but I cant blame her, she actually did go and try, Jane is a total BRO and am glad she decided to get out whilst she could otherwise she would have been killed at start of ep5) but sadly there is nothing you can do.

Honestly as much as I love the series, I really feel way too railroaded at times and the game can feel very cheap in how it sets you up for drama by forcing you to act like an idiot (srsly wtf was clem forced into talking into arvo?)

 

[joshuaayt]

I really liked this episode. Though, it felt pretty sad that

Spoiler

Sarah always dies, no matter how hard you try to save her.

Wow

Spoiler

She does? That's dumb. I felt bad about not saving her before, but now I know it doesn't matter so who cares. I love this series to pieces, but am I the only one kind of getting tired of how pointless your choices feel? Especially in regards to which people you try to help/save? I feel like Jane may have genuinely had the right view, because it feels like all of the effort and sacrifice I put into being nice and merciful and helping people and giving them second chances, ALWAYS turns out to be pointless. They ALWAYS betray you anyway or blame you anyway or just die without making any contribution. Like I was sooo pissed at the ending when Arvo blames you for stealing his crap even though I didn't. What was the point of making that a big moral choice (echoing the one in S1E2) if it didn't freaking matter at all?! I had Zero hesitation in making the choice to shoot Rebecca, because I knew it didn't matter. A gunfight was gonna start anyway. Maybe that's deliberate and I'm supposed to be turning bitter and cynical.

Can't wait for the final episode!

Spoiler

It's important to note that you did feel like it mattered before you read that Sarah always died. The whole game is built on the illusion of choice. That's the main problem, people research the choices, and feel like the game has no depth. It does, but they can't possibly have forks for every choice- but, like you said, there was tension when you played it. I honestly thought that I could save Sarah when I got to that part, it just only works for the first playthrough.

I do agree about the meds, though- I think the idea is that Arvo was himself stealing them, and he just pins it on you? He was being super weird, and shoving the bag into the bin. Seems like a weird place to drop off your bag full of looted drugs. Still, even if that were true, the game could have made it clearer.

Ha, whoops, responded a few days late to the party. That's what happens when you don't have the internet for a week.

 

[Xman490]

Wow

Spoiler

[Sarah] does? That's dumb. I felt bad about not saving her before, but now I know it doesn't matter so who cares. I love this series to pieces, but am I the only one kind of getting tired of how pointless your choices feel? Especially in regards to which people you try to help/save? I feel like Jane may have genuinely had the right view, because it feels like all of the effort and sacrifice I put into being nice and merciful and helping people and giving them second chances, ALWAYS turns out to be pointless. They ALWAYS betray you anyway or blame you anyway or just die without making any contribution. Like I was sooo pissed at the ending when Arvo blames you for stealing his crap even though I didn't. What was the point of making that a big moral choice (echoing the one in S1E2) if it didn't freaking matter at all?! I had Zero hesitation in making the choice to shoot Rebecca, because I knew it didn't matter. A gunfight was gonna start anyway. Maybe that's deliberate and I'm supposed to be turning bitter and cynical.

Can't wait for the final episode!

Well, that's the Telltale Trope: major decisions have little consequences. That's right. I said it. I'm not putting a spoiler warning on that, because all the Telltale seasons have been that way.
But on the bright side, that means you can go for a "good person" playthrough in hopes of things going right for some time, and later you can do a "bad person" playthrough where you see how far being mean gets you. At least the stories we get stuck on are always either good or great. And yes,

Spoiler

I had no hesitation in shooting Rebecca. She was obviously turning into a walker. Might as well have one less problem for whoever to deal with, because there was going to be a shoot-out anyways.

And that brings up another Telltale Trope: cliffhanger endings right before final episodes! I don't see the point in having them, and they only serve to irritate me, knowing there's a threat around that I can't deal with until the next episode!