But even that assumption betrayed me–there are stark personality differences to offset the surface similarities, and by the episode’s end, my hatred for Carver was perhaps even greater than my disdain for the Governor. As a viewer of the AMC television series, it was very easy for me to draw parallels between the original series’ Governor and Telltale’s new, positively sinister villain, William Carver. My expectations were challenged at every turn.
Episode 2 steps into that mid-season intensity with confidence, taking advantage of unpredictability to wield a sharp narrative knife. In a season’s early throes, we know not to expect an abundance of character deaths and story shake-ups even if there are, it’s unlikely they’ll emotionally rattle us in the same way as later twists, which have the advantage of deeper characters and a longer journey to up-heave.
We’re reaching a point in this season where Clementine (and the player) is starting to grow attached to certain members of the cast, and any Walking Dead aficionado knows what tends to happen next. And there are plenty of surprises to be had. To say much about where ‘A House Divided’s story takes Clementine and her new group, as always, risks ruining narrative that hinges its emotional impact on surprise. There’s even time left for some new faces, including a positively gut-wrenching antagonist that adds much-needed focus to this season’s story and where it might end up. At over two hours’ runtime, there’s ample screen time for moments with each of Episode 1’s characters–moments that, crucially, contribute to meaningful character development and don’t feel rushed.
THE WALKING DEAD SEASON TWO EPISODE 2 A HOUSE DIVIDED SERIES
Gameplay fat has been trimmed to leave a series of intense dialogue choices and exciting combat scenarios. But in ‘A House Divided,’ The Walking Dead is firing on all the cylinders that make truly memorable experiences. Our first chance to play as Clementine, in January’s ‘All That Remains,’ was emotionally charged and mechanically competent, but a few narrative missteps and shoddy character exposition–alongside the usual Telltale engine screwiness– left it feeling a bit underwhelming compared to Season 1’s best. Compared to being in Lee's shoes - or the shoes of any other fit, healthy, fully-grown video game protagonist - it's quite jarring to not be able to kill a walker with a single blow to the head, or to struggle with the task of tugging a hammer out of a shattered skull.Playing ‘A House Divided’ reminded me of The Walking Dead: Season 1’s best moments.
These don't just feel like they're there to fill a minimum quota of zombie action, however the fights act as an important reminder that the player is in control of Clementine, who might have the heart of the lion but unfortunately only has the muscle mass of an eleven year-old girl. There are also some walkers along the way, which means more quick-time combat sequences. What they find instead is a whole heap of fresh trouble on top of the threat already following them. One of the trademarks of The Walking Dead franchise is that no safe haven lasts for too long, and sure enough 'A House Divided' soon finds Clementine and her group abandoning the house (though not before an excruciatingly tense scene in which Carver stops by for a visit) and moving on in the hope of finding greener pastures.
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