The Walking Dead Season 2: No Going Back Review

[Jimothy Sterling]

The Walking Dead Season 2: No Going Back Review

Hard choices that feel real actual choices wrap up an explosive and brutal finale.

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[Roofstone]

Ahh, multiple endings. Lovely.

That kinda bothered me with the last one, that no matter what, I ended up with the same two survivors no matter what and the choice of one or two arms.

...That was about it.

 

[hazabaza1]

Spoiler: BIG FUCKING SPOILERS DON'T READ THIS SHIT

Jesus christ I nearly cried when Clem had her Lee flashback. Most of season 2 wasn't the most appealing to me compared to season 1 (but still better than like 80% of games) but this whole end part after Luke drowned just tore me apart. Mike and Bonnie being dicks and letting Arvo take your stuff, Clem getting shot, Kenny and Jane fighting.

I let Kenny kill Jane and shot him afterwards, now I'm looking at endings where you go with Kenny and he leaves you at Wellington/you walk off into the sunset with him and AJ and I'm feeling sad.

Fuck.

 

[Kae]

Spoiler

I loved this game so much the first season was the first piece of media to ever make me cry with that great ending, the second season was damned close as I was very legitimately sad when I shot Kenny but it didn't quite get there, overall I'd say it was great but the first Season is pretty fucking hard to top, maybe it's harder for me because I keep trying to save everyone but still it's a great game.
Still of the Telltale games I think A Wolf Among Us might have done the multiple ending thing better but I like both series quite a lot anyway so it doesn't matter, I'm kinda hyped for Tales From The Borderlands now though, I've even been playing Borderlands 2 to get ready for that, and thankfully it's good, but I kinda feel like I need more Telltale games.

 

[Toastngravy]

"not unsatisfactory" is wrong..

Mine was pretty god awful... For more reasons than plot relevance.

As for the entire game, in retrospect it just wasn't that good. Sure I enjoyed myself, and I wait for the inevitable third installment but...it just wasn't good.

Maybe I was blinded in the first one but while playing this, every episode just made me angry. There was no real choice. They had a tale they wanted to tell (heh), but they just let you pick the option for now. No matter what you do, the story will always play out the same, with slight variables(Maybe the one character will stay alive for an extra 3 minutes of screen time etc.). The only real choices were at the end, and that just chooses which ending you'll get to watch first, before doing it again or looking on youtube.



That said, buy it. But fuck me if anyone praises the "choose your own story" aspect. I, to quote the super computer by the name AM, I "HATE!" bad illusion of choice. Fool me all you want, but do it well.

Complaincomplainwhinewhine.

 

[Xman490]

Maybe I was blinded in the first one but while playing this, every episode just made me angry. There was no real choice. They had a tale they wanted to tell, but they just let you pick the option for now. No matter what you do, the story will always play out the same, with slight variables(Maybe the one character will stay alive for an extra 3 minutes of screen time etc.).

The first season had no permanently diverging paths at all. Nor did it have the moments of massive pain, relief, and hatred that this season has. Season 1 didn't have aggravating cliffhangers, though. Both are are good stories anyways.

Anyone else unable to download this episode from the Telltale client/DRM? The connection seems to work, but the episode is still "coming soon".

 

[8bitsuperhero]

I thought this episode was good. Not amazing by any stretch, but a pretty solid affair. I like that it has multiple endings that was neat. It was a pretty good finale for the season though, kind of makes me wonder what they'll do for season three.

 

[Burnouts3s3]

So...

Spoiler

Did you choose to help Jane or Kenny?

I helped Kenny. Then, I chose to stay in Wellington.

 

[Kungfu_Teddybear]

Spoiler

It was a great episode, but man, everything just spiraled out of control after Luke's death, which I was totally gutted bu since he was my favourite character of the season. But yeah, after that everything went downhill. Bonnie blaming you for his death, then her and Mike preparing to abandon you with Arvo and all the food. Arvo shooting Clem, and man, that flashback scene with Lee. That fight with Kenny and Jane was horrible, they were another 2 of my favourite characters and I didn't want either of them to die.

In the end I shot Kenny, I couldn't let him kill Jane and I think it was the best choice in the long run (hell, he even says himself it was the right choice), as he'd been spiraling more and more out of control since Sarita's death. He was getting more reckless and violent and in the long run that's probably not the best type of person to be paired up with. The guy was completely broken and by this point it was more of a mercy killing.

 

[Frozengale]

Spoiler

I saved Jane and shot him. He's all sorts of scarred, and he's a danger to everybody around him. That baby being born without Alvin around put him over the edge. Sure, Jane was doing this to prove a point, but she was right, Kenny's a danger to everybody around him, including Clementine. Being unstable isn't reason enough to kill somebody, but Kenny is an unhinged, dangerous loose cannon who has shown to be destructive to those around him on multiple occassions and is in the act of trying to murder somebody who he assumes killed another person, even though they're saying "it's an accident", which isn't a stretch given that its a fucking blizzard with tons of zombies around. It was kind of fucked up, what Jane did, but she was right. Kenny was going to let Alvin die to get some extra time in Episode 2, went apeshit on Carver, and did so many whacked things in Episode 4 and 5 that I couldn't possibly name them all without replaying them. Between that and just about anybody else, I'll take "just about anybody else".

Spoiler

Yeah this is what I did as well. Jane may be self serving at times, but she was always way more helpful then Kenny ever was I feel. When I was Lee I had trouble keeping Kenny in check, and when he finally sacrificed himself to go save Ben I think I was more relieved that Kenny was gone then I was happy that he was helping someone. And now that I'm Clementine I find it even harder to keep Kenny in check, he's just one inch away from full on crazy. Also I could always understand where Jane was coming from. The stunt she pulled with the baby was stupid, but she proved her point without having to put the baby in any real danger. Jane's the type of person who will be a bit nasty and mean, but she'd never actually harm someone around her unless she had to I feel. Kenny will harm someone at the drop of a hat. I went with Jane, and looking at the current stats it seems like it's the least picked choice, which I think is stupid. I'm almost disgusted by how many people actually stuck with Kenny in comparison to the other options.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

It ain't no season one, but...

Spoiler

I fucking lost it at the Lee flashback. Tears, and trembling lips and everything, Jesus.

As for the ending, I let Kenny kill Jane, and left Wellington to be with Kenny. We make bad decisions for the people we love, it seems XD

 

[The Goat Tsar]

Okay, so I played through the episode, all good. But then I couldn't see my choices at the end and didn't get any of the achievements. And it also messed up Google Chrome, everything is zoomed in but zooming out doesn't return it to normal. Googling it didn't help at all, can anyone help me out here?

 

[DirgeNovak]

Oh my fucking god it was incredible.

Spoiler

I ended up killing Kenny to save Jane, and then got really angry when I found out AJ was safe and sound and Jane was a lying piece of shit. I genuinely felt like shit for shooting Kenny under false pretenses. It was Spec Ops: The Line all over again, except this time I actually had a choice.

Okay, so I played through the episode, all good. But then I couldn't see my choices at the end and didn't get any of the achievements. And it also messed up Google Chrome, everything is zoomed in but zooming out doesn't return it to normal. Googling it didn't help at all, can anyone help me out here?

The choices page didn't show up for me either, but I'm playing on PS3 so I got the trophies.
But I don't get how a game can screw up your web browser...

 

[A_Parked_Car]

I was satisfied with my ending. My one complaint was that I didn't really get attached to any of the supporting cast on a truly deep level like I did in the first season, but I cared enough that the ending still made a significant impact. I just wasn't having a good cry like I did at the end of Season 1.

 

[laggyteabag]

I shot Kenny. I believed that he was becoming a danger to the group, and was becoming a liability. For him to straight up attempt to murder Jane over losing the baby, that went too far. I wish I hadn't had to shoot Kenny to save Jane, but in the world of The Walking Dead, Jane was the voice of reason, and I had to follow her. But when I found out that AJ was still alive, despite that I was frustrated at Jane for making me kill Kenny, I had to stay with her because it will probably be the best way to survive. I then decided to watch the Kenny endings, and damn do I miss him already. Deciding to let Clem and AJ go into Wellington whilst he stays outside? Yeah, that is the Kenny I know. I teared up when I shot him.

I'm interested to see where the series is going to go after this, but I am excited for it.

 

[Mirrorknight]

So what'd I do?

Spoiler

Yeah, had to shoot Kenny. Mad dogs have their uses in that type of world, but they will end up biting you in the end if you keep them too long. It it ripped out my heart, though. Then the game stomped on it when he forgave me. Though he could forgive, I couldn't forgive Jane. So Clem and AJ walked off into the sunset(walker horde) alone.

EDIT: Oh, and where the game goes from here...8 years later with a grown Clem and a 8 year old AJ?

 

[karma9308]

I've noticed that people that feel the ending was unsatisfactory or that this episode was poor

Spoiler

Didn't stick with Kenny the entire game (and season 1 too). Saving him, finding out AJ is still alive and having him apologize to you was good stuff. I think what made it powerful was if you tell him he's dangerous. He tells you he knows and that he's not a good guy. If you still stick with him he nearly breaks down and thanks you and promises to make it up to you.

Which really leads into going to Wellington and leaving him behind. Holy shit, I could barely control myself. This entire season was worth it for that moment. Especially after the Lee flashback which made me feel safe, if for but a moment. It's without a doubt my favorite ending and, from what it seems, is the ending Telltale put the most effort into.

Honestly this game isn't as good as season 1, though it was damn hard to be that. There were a lot of things that made me worry about the direction Telltale is going for future seasons and I'm honestly going to be a bit more weary, but this season was worth every tear.

For those interested in getting the game, Steam has it on sale for $10 until Friday.

Since you didn't want to discuss it in the article, what was your favorite ending Jim?

 

[shintakie10]

Spoiler: BIG FUCKING SPOILERS DON'T READ THIS SHIT

Jesus christ I nearly cried when Clem had her Lee flashback. Most of season 2 wasn't the most appealing to me compared to season 1 (but still better than like 80% of games) but this whole end part after Luke drowned just tore me apart. Mike and Bonnie being dicks and letting Arvo take your stuff, Clem getting shot, Kenny and Jane fighting.

I let Kenny kill Jane and shot him afterwards, now I'm looking at endings where you go with Kenny and he leaves you at Wellington/you walk off into the sunset with him and AJ and I'm feeling sad.

Fuck.

Nearly? Shit, I cried unmanly tears at that part.

Spoiler

Especially when Clem asks Lee to tell her he'll never leave her. I just straight up broke down because he's so sincere when he says he wont, which makes the sacrifice even more sad.

As for the rest of it, holy fuck balls. I remember starting to lose it with Luke's death. Bashing on the ice desperately trying to save him I had tears in my eyes. "Just one more hit and you'll be able to pull him out" I kept telling myself. "Just one more" Then the inevitable happens and Clem fell in and had to watch, literally watch as her friend she tried desperately to save died in front of her.

I remember being so mad at Bonnie after that and wanting to say it. I wanted to yell at her, scream at her. "Why didn't you just trust Luke to pull himself up? Why didn't you listen to him when he said it wasn't safe?!? You killed my friend because you couldn't trust him." I never got a chance to though which is about the only part of this episode that I disliked.

Then the ending. Oh god the ending. I knew in my heart of hearts that Kenny needed to be put down. That Kenny wasn't safe to be around. That he'd kill everyone, somehow. Yet I kept trying to stop them, I kept trying to make them see reason, yet they couldn't, or wouldn't, at that point. Seeing Kenny on top of Jane and watching as he tried to stab her, I did the only thing I could do. It broke my heart to do it, but I had to shoot Kenny. As far as I was aware, Jane had done nothing wrong at that point, or at least had done everything she could have. I shot Kenny. It broke my heart, but I shot him. Then my heart broke again when he told me I did the right thing.

But Jane. Oh that slimy Jane. She lied. She tricked Kenny into thinking AJ was dead. It wasn't supposed to go that far, but god damnit it had. I was forced to shoot Kenny because of her fucked up decision and it made me so angry, so hurt to know that she did that. I wanted to leave her behind. I wanted to tell her to go fuck herself and I hope she lives for a very long time to regret what she did, but I couldn't. I did what Lee would have done. I did what both Kenny and Jane couldn't do. I did what so few people are ever willing to do. I forgave her.

I'll echo what others have said. Season 1 was definitely better than Season 2, but considering how amazing Season 1 was, I dont hold that against Season 2 by any stretch. I'm still crying thinking about it.