The Walking Dead (from Telltale Games) - Catch All

Spoiler:

turn it off, open the generator (panel below power switch) take the belt off with the multi-tool.

I handed the controls over to my wife for her playthrough of Episode 1 last night, and it was by far one of my most memorable gaming experiences I've had. Keep in mind my wife's experience with video games doesn't go much past Bejeweled or old NES games, but I figured the controls were pretty straightforward so she shouldn't have too much trouble.

Of course, I didn't count on her losing her damn mind while she was playing. So there was that.

Although in hindsight, explaining to her how the controls work as a zombie is crawling to gnaw your face off probably didn't help her stress level. So a lot of the early portions of the game just had my wife frantically clicking the mouse screaming "KILL IT KILL IT KILL IT YAAAAAA!" in an attempt to get ANYTHING done. Something else I didn't quite count on was that she seemed to be so stressed after the first encounter that it appeared like she wasn't quite retaining everything going on around her in the game. She would make conversation choices and then later be confused why characters would react the way they did. After I explained what her choices meant, she would reply with a "Oh, I guess I didn't read that."

We're about halfway through Episode 1, and she has already told me she can't wait to finish it. Pretty sure we'll wrap it up tonight and I can't wait to see how she handles it.

Thank You.

Spoiler:

I didn't even realize that there was more than one active spot on the generator. Pixel hunt just doesn't work for me.

Ghostship wrote:

Thank You.

Spoiler:

I didn't even realize that there was more than one active spot on the generator. Pixel hunt just doesn't work for me.

You can turn on an indicator that makes it substantially clearer.

HedgeWizard wrote:
Ghostship wrote:

Thank You.

Spoiler:

I didn't even realize that there was more than one active spot on the generator. Pixel hunt just doesn't work for me.

You can turn on an indicator that makes it substantially clearer.

I have the indicators on and I still didn't see it until 3rd and 4th time.

Crockpot wrote:
HedgeWizard wrote:
Ghostship wrote:

Thank You.

Spoiler:

I didn't even realize that there was more than one active spot on the generator. Pixel hunt just doesn't work for me.

You can turn on an indicator that makes it substantially clearer.

I have the indicators on and I still didn't see it until 3rd and 4th time.

Don't worry, I had the same problem. I had two sets of eyes on it, too. My friend and I were befuddled until I just started swirling the cursor around.

Here was another one problem I ran into episode 2. It might be a weird glitch and made me side because it was a very tense part. I wish I can warn people about it but I have to spoiler a big part:

Spoiler:

When Brenda was holding Katjaa hostage, I kept on getting shot by Brenda with no warning. Apparently there was a notification that was suppose to appear right when she tells you to stop, but it wasn't showing up. Went online and found out that you have to hold your cursor around her hip area and it should appear. I did that and it finally work, but that sounds like a bug to me more than anything else. Totally bump me out because that was a very tense scene and nice payoff with Mark zombie eating Brenda

Tackled and finished Ep. 2 this weekend. Hot damn I love this franchise so far.

Nothing new to add to all the praise heaped on to writing, acting, pacing, etc. It's all firing at absolute top-tier levels.

However, I'm not hearing enough praise for the art direction and graphic fidelity. I've lost count of the times I've had my jaw on the floor based solely on visuals. I think a lot of it aided by the the nature of the genre.

The point & click adventure genre affords direct control over camera angles and as such can zoom naturally on focus points just like motion pictures. This gives models and architecture a chunky feel that you just don't get when a game camera is fixed behind the character in third-person titles for example. When Lee is using a certain tool that he acquires in Ep. 2 (an uber light spoiler), the close up shot of the instrument in use just looks deliciously authentic, cause the camera is only inches away from his hand. I've noticed that the outside shots of buildings/houses have a satisfying weight also that I don't seem to appreciate as much elsewhere. Could cell-shading realistic environments be attributed?

Cinematography also plays a major role in this and in TT's Walking Dead has this craft locked down. Intense action sequences, tense and emotional party squabbles, or even quiet moments that give counterbalance to all the insanity (I love Clem). It's all handled with skill and talent that falls in line with top-shelf cinema.

Spoiler:

The climax scene going up against Brenda St. John in the front hallway/stairwell hearkened to Alfred Hitchcock's best works. Totally dark silhouettes accented by lighting flashes was utter brilliance in direction. At that moment, I was playing part a suspenseful movie and not a video game anymore.

There were some unfortunate tech hiccups (360) that would freeze the picture from time to time when loading a camera-angle change, usually from gameplay to cinematic sequences. Never locked or anything but there were a couple times when I wondered if it was heading that way.

Either way, TWD is already on my shortlist for GOTY material. Will likely get knocked off by fall releases, but will easily be in the running either way.

skeletonframes wrote:
Crockpot wrote:
HedgeWizard wrote:
Ghostship wrote:

Thank You.

Spoiler:

I didn't even realize that there was more than one active spot on the generator. Pixel hunt just doesn't work for me.

You can turn on an indicator that makes it substantially clearer.

I have the indicators on and I still didn't see it until 3rd and 4th time.

Don't worry, I had the same problem. I had two sets of eyes on it, too. My friend and I were befuddled until I just started swirling the cursor around.

I wonder if there's any difference between the indicators for mouse and for gamepad. I've been playing it on PC with a gamepad since it just feels more natural that way, and it seemed like it was easier to find the hotspots.

Crockpot wrote:
HedgeWizard wrote:
Ghostship wrote:

Thank You.

Spoiler:

I didn't even realize that there was more than one active spot on the generator. Pixel hunt just doesn't work for me.

You can turn on an indicator that makes it substantially clearer.

I have the indicators on and I still didn't see it until 3rd and 4th time.

This sort of thing is absolutely what I hate most about adventure games. Good thing the rest of the game more than makes up for it.

Just finished episode 2. OMG I should have waited for all 5 episodes to be released.

Screw you TellTale ... screw you

This wait is going to kill me!

Just finished up episode 2... man, gonna need some time to digest all of that. Glad we've got some time between episodes, I think I'm going to need a cool down between each episode if they keep this level of brutality up. What an amazing game.

Just finished Episode 2. Holy sh*t, that was dark.

So just today I started and finished both episodes. Wow. This is how you make a new experience out of an established package. So much better than the TV show.

It's crazy how they make you care about things. I've rarely felt as bad as when

Spoiler:

I stabbed one of the brothers in the barn in anger, turn around, and see Clem standing there, aghast.

The amount of feeling they've conjured in me for Clem's well-being is ridiculous.
The dialogue in general just shines. Most of the time I don't remember I'm playing a game, I'm just in there so completely.

In most games I'm all of the time thinking "why can't I do this" or "I would've said this instead of that" or something along those lines - I'm just not happy with the options I'm given and it doesn't feel natural. Hasn't happened once in this game - on the contrary, most of the time all of the choices feel like "right ones".

Games are rarely actually intense. This has had me on the edge of my seat all the way through.

jlaakso wrote:

So just today I started and finished both episodes. Wow. This is how you make a new experience out of an established package. So much better than the TV show.

I have done the same yesterday. Wow indeed. Being a father the Lee-Clem relationship is just so significant for me - and I had the same problem on the dairy farm as you did - and so believably constructed. Also: there are no easy choices and I enjoyed that, because only then the decision matters.

Can't wait for the next episode.

Ep 2 spoilers:

Spoiler:

I killed both brothers. First time I felt bad after seeing how Clem reacted. Then by the time I got to the 2nd brother I forgot about my guilt. Then I saw how Clem reacted negatively towards me again! Then I felt incredible horrible about doing it twice in a row! When she ask me if those men had to die I couldn't bare answering her. So once we got to the scene with food in the car, I sided with Clem even though I never ate anything. Never again will I lose my humanity and I vow I will never have her lose faith in me again!

Anyone tried the iOS version? I was going to get it for either xbox or PS3 (either better than the other?), when I saw it in the app store. I've heard a lot of negatives about TT's other iOS ports, but jut thought I'd ask.

Crockpot wrote:

Ep 2 spoilers:

Spoiler:

I killed both brothers. First time I felt bad after seeing how Clem reacted.

Spoiler:

I was tempted to kill the first brother but then I remembered pushing Clementine on the swing and her asking if I thought things would ever get back to normal. I thought about being frank (pessimistic) but instead told her that I thought things would turn out okay, figuring it was more important to offer a ray of hope to a child, even if it was a stretch.

That carried over to my decisions about letting the St. John brothers live or die. My instinct was to erase them, but I was intellectually driven to spare their lives in order to maintain some sense of humanity in a new world that seemed quite short on that at the moment.

Glad I did in the end.

SommerMatt wrote:

Anyone tried the iOS version? I was going to get it for either xbox or PS3 (either better than the other?), when I saw it in the app store. I've heard a lot of negatives about TT's other iOS ports, but jut thought I'd ask.

Haven't heard about the iOS version yet, but I understand the PS3/360 versions are comparable. One thing of note though is that you can get a season pass on PS3 for only $20, saving you $5 on the set of 5 episodes. Can't do that on 360 for some odd reason.

Aaron D. wrote:
Crockpot wrote:

Ep 2 spoilers:

Spoiler:

I killed both brothers. First time I felt bad after seeing how Clem reacted.

Spoiler:

I was tempted to kill the first brother but then I remembered pushing Clementine on the swing and her asking if I thought things would ever get back to normal. I thought about being frank (pessimistic) but instead told her that I thought things would turn out okay, figuring it was more important to offer a ray of hope to a child, even if it was a stretch.

That carried over to my decisions about letting the St. John brothers live or die. My instinct was to erase them, but I was intellectually driven to spare their lives in order to maintain some sense of humanity in a new world that seemed quite short on that at the moment.

Glad I did in the end.

Spoiler:

I killed the first brother because I genuinely had an emotional response to his telling me that I wouldn't do it... I immediately felt terrible after I heard Clem scream. There's just something about an awful person doing awful things and then, when he's down, telling the protagonist that he doesn't have it in him to take a life. I stabbed him right through the chest as soon as the prompt came up. I wanted revenge. My remorse for doing it in front of Clem made me spare the second brother's life, but looking back, I probably doomed him to a worse fate.

JillSammich wrote:
Spoiler:

My remorse for doing it in front of Clem made me spare the second brother's life, but looking back, I probably doomed him to a worse fate.

Spoiler:

That's the best part though.

The 2nd brother died a horrible death and your hands were completely clean. It's a win/win situation.

Ahh...passive-agressive revenge is the sweetest.

Ep. 2 finale spoilers:

Spoiler:

I was frankly surprised, according to the post-episode breakdown, how many people spared the brothers. To me, it was barely even a choice. I was going to leave these monsters alive to possibly come after us for a revenge rampage of their own? Not likely.

hbi2k wrote:

Ep. 2 finale spoilers:

Spoiler:

I was frankly surprised, according to the post-episode breakdown, how many people spared the brothers. To me, it was barely even a choice. I was going to leave these monsters alive to possibly come after us for a revenge rampage of their own? Not likely.

Spoiler:

See, I rationalized it differently. I figured that the zombies would get them sooner, rather than later. Also, if they can't find a source of humans to snack on, they won't last very long.

TheCounselor wrote:
Spoiler:

See, I rationalized it differently. I figured that the zombies would get them sooner, rather than later. Also, if they can't find a source of humans to snack on, they won't last very long.

Spoiler:

Yeah, that was my way of thinking about it, too. The mom was already wasted, and I never did put too much faith in those generators anyway. Plus with everything going on with Kenny and Lily (I tried saving her dad), I figured I should probably be the one acting with a level head. Although I *MAY* have laid into the 2nd brother a little more than I should've. Didn't realize you could just stop punching him ;)

Episode 2 Spoilers:

Spoiler:

I was surprised to see how few people killed Lily's dad. There was no way he was going to survive.

SixteenBlue wrote:

Episode 2 Spoilers:

Spoiler:

I was surprised to see how few people killed Lily's dad. There was no way he was going to survive.

Spoiler:

Meh, I was going to give it a chance. I thought they said he still had a pulse, so I would've helped until they didn't find one, then happily drop the brick. Even still, the way that all played out was AMAZING. *click**click**cl* SMUSH

CptDomano wrote:
SixteenBlue wrote:

Episode 2 Spoilers:

Spoiler:

I was surprised to see how few people killed Lily's dad. There was no way he was going to survive.

Spoiler:

Meh, I was going to give it a chance. I thought they said he still had a pulse, so I would've helped until they didn't find one, then happily drop the brick. Even still, the way that all played out was AMAZING. *click**click**cl* SMUSH

Definitely one of the most intense moments in gaming I've ever had, I think.

hbi2k wrote:

Ep. 2 finale spoilers:

Spoiler:

I was frankly surprised, according to the post-episode breakdown, how many people spared the brothers. To me, it was barely even a choice. I was going to leave these monsters alive to possibly come after us for a revenge rampage of their own? Not likely.

Spoiler:

Yeah I was really surprised by that as well. When I finished Ep. 2 last week I think the percentage was 17% killed both, 83% spared (I don't know if it's spared one or both). I killed them both and only hesitated briefly. That family was monstrous - they invited us over as guests and started eating Mark within hours.

SixteenBlue wrote:

Definitely one of the most intense moments in gaming I've ever had, I think.

Spoiler:

Thing is, both the saltlick scene and the car full of groceries scene could have been rationally dealt with just by waiting a darn minute. Larry could have gone through a failed resuscitation and been cold for at least a little bit before turning (think of how long it took Brenda St. John and the teacher or student Katjaa treats back at the motel). There would have been time to make sure he's dead before disposing of his brain. And with the car, scouting the area for a couple minutes or just hanging out for a bit could have eased Lee's conscious about taking the rations.

I understand both cases serve tension and storytelling style. But there were logical options for letting them spin out in a less traumatic fashion.

Aaron D. wrote:
SixteenBlue wrote:

Definitely one of the most intense moments in gaming I've ever had, I think.

Spoiler:

Thing is, both the saltlick scene and the car full of groceries scene could have been rationally dealt with just by waiting a darn minute. Larry could have gone through a failed resuscitation and been cold for at least a little bit before turning (think of how long it took Brenda St. John and the teacher or student Katjaa treats back at the motel). There would have been time to make sure he's dead before disposing of his brain. And with the car, scouting the area for a couple minutes or just hanging out for a bit could have eased Lee's conscious about taking the rations.

I understand both cases serve tension and storytelling style. But there were logical options for letting them spin out in a less traumatic fashion.

Spoiler:

Agreed about the car but I thought they were emphasizing how fast the teacher turned. I thought they were trying to set up the need to do this ASAP. That said, these aren't the fastest zombies and if you were ready with the saltlick you'd be able to take out a zombie just as easily.

hbi2k wrote:

Ep. 2 finale spoilers:

Spoiler:

I was frankly surprised, according to the post-episode breakdown, how many people spared the brothers. To me, it was barely even a choice. I was going to leave these monsters alive to possibly come after us for a revenge rampage of their own? Not likely.

Spoiler:

I killed the one in the barn in front of Clementine, let Mark eat the mother, then left the third alive surrounded by zombies in the rain. He survived two bullets to the head at close range, and his zombie momma was coming to eat him. Death would've been more merciful, I think.