The Walking Dead: Season Two - Episode 2: A House Divided

In the first episode of The Walking Dead Season 2 we were introduced to a different Clementine: alone, mature and attempting to establish ties with a new group. Having now proven to the group that she is no longer a threat, A House Divided sets its focus on establishing a direction in the path paved by episode 1. It’s filled with the same elements that we’ve come to expect from The Walking Dead and ends with a climatic bang that will have players wishing for episode 3 to come out quickly.

The decisions you made from the previous episode, and even season 1, carry on to A House Divide. Whereas the decisions in the last episode weren’t profoundly intimidating, A House Divided takes this a step forward. Telltale installs the notion that anyone can die at any moment, ensuring that you’re alert during each encounter. This makes players feel more as an active participant within each situation regardless of how tiny it may seem.

These decisions wouldn’t matter so if players didn’t care about the characters in their newly established group. Unlike episode one, these people are no longer strangers; they’ve let Clementine into their home and trust her with their lives. Telltale continues the story by giving players more context into the lives of each character, whether it’s making a difficult decision on their behalf or listening to a traumatic story of their past.

Clementine has grown as well. Where episode 1 established her as the new lead protagonist. A House Divided allows the player to mold this teenage girl into a hopeful person or a depressed cynic. You still choose from up to four choices in a finite amount of time, however, these decisions are not to be taken lightly. Remember these are no longer strangers but people who Clementine depends on. It’s up to you to decide what relationships are worth protecting or dissolving.

While the game still suffers from poor action sequences, this small issue is overshadowed by excellent writing and fantastic performances, especially from the new villain. Mentioned only by name, William Craver finally appears in episode 2. This calm and terrifying man establishes the missing direction that was absent in All That Remains. Instead of wandering into one random situation after another Clementine’s journey now has set path, get away from Craver. He demands control and will do anything to maintain that sense of power.

It’s amazing that Telltale can maintain the same tension that a lot of us have grown to love. With A House Divided Telltale has set the pace for the entire season and have proven that adventure games don’t need high pace action to be incredible. A House Divided builds on the strengths of The Walking Dead games series, and the only downside is waiting for the next episode.

Adam Siddiqui, NoobFeed
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