Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Dead At The Gates: Part 3


Having just played through Telltale Games' masterful work The Walking Dead, I'm going to be presenting my experience in each episode as well as some of the major choices I had to make.

Caution: The following articles will have massive spoilers for the storyline of the Walking Dead video game.  This is not to say this is how your playing the game would happen, but these are the events that occurred when I played.





Man.  I think this game's starting to get to me a little.  Okay, so I lost Larry and Mark, but Mark wasn't really key anyway,   Larry...I still feel bad about Larry, but that was a script decision.  I tried, Larry, I really did.

...aaaaand of course the game has me starting out this storyline with Kenny.  Kenny, just don't even talk to me, okay?  I'm still mad at you.

...you're not going to stop talking, I guess.  Something about guys in the woods, and again you're talking about getting a boat.  I'm starting to think that we'll get to the coast and find there are no boats because people can probably figure out how to hot wire a boat.  ...unless it's a sailboat.  Those are easier to steal, probably.

Let's just get some stuff from the drugstore and get out of here.


...another survivor! It's a spooky goth survivor...oh man. I better act fast to save her.

...game, why don't I get to save her?  Wait, my choice is to shoot her to "save" her from the zombies or use her as a distraction?  What kind of a choice is THAT?

...but, I could save her.  ...okay, fine, if that's not an option then ... then I don't want anyone to suffer.

Great, now the zombies see me.  Kenny, move your butt and let's clean out the drug store.

Grabbing items, grabbing items...man, the tension level actually feels high for just a "click and grab" mission.  Okay, some quickly timed events...combat, combat...really?  A zombie with a helmet?  That's not fair.

Okay, we're out.  Thanks so much for having my back, Kenny.  You're a jerk.

All right, we're back and...time for another argument.  Why am I the only one who seems to realize that in order for us all to survive, we have to get along?

Oh, hey, Carley.  At least I've still got you and Clem.

Fight, fight, fight, fi- what was that about missing supplies?  Oh great, we have a thief?  ...I bet it's Duck.  Or Ben.  Or Katjaa.

More fighting.  Oh, boy.

It's strange, it's like I can see Lilly start to get unwound.  I mean, between her father and all the fighting...she's holding it together better than I ever could.  She hasn't shot Kenny in the face yet.  That's something.

...wait, back up a moment.  Carley, did you just flirt with me?  ...I- ...I need to think about this.

Okay, let's try to calm Lilly down some.  Just search for the missing stuff, sort it out, a- ...man, Lilly, I'm not a private detective.  If I don't find anything, that doesn't mean I'm guilty.

...I really gotta fix this mess.

...Duck, how long have you been there?  Just- Just go away, Duck.  Let's talk with Carley.

...huh.  Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but...well, heck, let's go for it.  Let's see how Carley feels about me.  Uh-huh.  Uh-huh.  Tell everyone my p- really, Carley?  That's what this was about?

...wait, that might be genius.  If I'm honest with everybody, after having been a team for so long, it might tighten the bonds a bit.  Maybe they'll look to me as a leader.  I mean, I am the main character, this is my story.  Maybe I should lead things.

Okay, let's do this.  Let's....d'aw, a kiss on the cheek.  Looks like Lee's going to be a leader and have the most capable other person here at his side!  Y'know...things are looking up a bit.

Okay, let's investigate a bit more....and y'know, if I'm going to tell anybody, I should tell everybody.  ...well, maybe not Duck.  But definitely Clementine and the others.

....okay, that was interesting.  It all went over better than I thought it would.  So let's keep looking around, put the puzzle pieces together an- heh.  "High five" is always an acceptable action.  So, let's look around an-fudge.  Found the stash.

Okay, let's talk to Lilly.  ...so much stress.  But she likes Clementine.  Maybe I can use that to help her out and WHAT IS THAT YELLING?




GEEZ.

Okay, okay, Lilly's got a rifle, I have a gun....we can take these guys.  It'll be time for quick reflexes, but I can't let anybody die.

...or, Lilly will kill one, Carley will kill two, and I'll miss the last one.  Fudge.  Okay, so now it's the whole gang.  Not so good.

Okay, time to see how many I can save....first things first.  I see Carley and Ben- where's Clementine?  ...fudge, okay, Ben and Carley, saved.  Good.  With Carley, we can handle this.  ...until the zombies arrive.  Great.  Okay, time to save Katjaa, Duck, and Clementine, a- GET OFF OF KATJAA, ZOMBIE.

BOOM, HEADSHOT.  YEAH.

I rock so much at this.  Lilly, get in the RV, we're going now!

Okay, deep breaths everyone, we're okay...look, Lilly, you gotta calm down.  Now's not the time to start accusing people of making this happen.

...or I guess we're doing this now.  Fine, everybody voice your grievances.  Carley, don't pick a fight with Lilly, Lilly calm down, and we'll sort this all ou-


NO.

Nonononononono gotta fix this, gotta fix this.  Okay, I screwed up somehow. I  can fix this.  Reload from the last save point, just pick a different dialogue option.  I gotta fix this.


 NO.


CRAP.


WHY CAN'T I SAVE YOU?!

...why?  Please?  Just...just let me save her.


...LILLY.

LILLY, I WILL END YOU.


I swear to GOD, Lilly.  I SUPPORTED YOU.  NO MORE.  NO MORE.  I want to shoot you in the FACE.  I will MASH that action button until I get justice.  I... I... I...

...Clementine's watching me.  I-  ...I can't just leave Lilly.  Maybe...okay, I gotta breathe.  I gotta think.  Gotta take a few minutes to think.  I just... GOD I hate you, Lilly.  HATE YOU.

...get in the RV, Lilly.  If we meet more people, or a village, or something, I'm throwing your ass in jail.  I just-....I can't condemn you to death with Clementine there.

...oh god, Carley, I'm so sorry I failed you.

Excuse me, there's something in my eye.

...okay, story's progressing...we had one death, still two episodes to go, so we're good, right?  That's it for now?


...oh man.  Duck.  I-  ...why am I doing so poorly at this?

...okay, just... I just need time to think.  I can't be this terrible at this game.  I mean, my decisions shaped the story, right?  So, this is on me, I gotta fix it.

Okay, obligatory nightmare sequence, fine, whatever, saw that coming....a train's blocking the road?  Really?  Okay, let's try to move this thing.

Some simple puzzle solving, some moving around and we need a pencil...it's in the RV.  Got it.  Okay, Lilly, you even TALK to me and I'll claim it was self defense, got it?  Okay, got the pencil, now-

LILLY, GET BACK HERE WITH THE RV.

....wow, my hands are shaking.  I'm actually so angry my hands are shaking while I hold the controller.  I mean, they were shaking before, when Carley-. ...okay, I really need some deep breaths.  This game's getting to me.

Let's just fix the train and- oh what do you want homeless man?

Okay, fine, you're in the group, I'm sure you'll be lunch for a zombie in ten minutes.  Whatever.  Click, click, click, train's fixed....we're on the road.  Or tracks.  Whatever, I just want to get done with this.  ...oh, now to deal with Duck, I guess.

...no, guys.  You don't have to put him down.  I'll do it.  This is my fault, I'll handle it.  Just...just say your goodbyes and...and I'll...

What the f-

...K-  Katjaa killed herself?

I-.... FINE.  I GET IT.  I SUCK.  I'll deal with Duck, Kenny, just get back on the train and- ...man, I don't know.

...great, now not only am I not saving people, I'm shooting sick children in the head. 

This whole thing just feels like a blur now.  Okay, teach Clementine how to shoot a gun, cut her hair, look over a map of the city, fine, we're good there, just please end this episo-


MORE new people?  Fine, whatever, get on the train- oh way to go, new guy, break your leg.  Whatever.  I don't care, let's just get into town and get this terrible episode over with and get closer to ending this game and-

...wait a minute.  Whose voice was that on Clementine's walkie-talkie?  Strange voice, you better pray the zombies get you before I do, cause right now I'd probably find you, tie you up, and chuck pots and pans at you from a distance to lure the zombies over.

Just pray I don't get my hands on you.  I'm not losing Clementine.  Besides Kenny the redneck and Ben the wimpy student (and geez, three new people) she's all I have left.

....I'm so sorry, Carley.  I really thought you were going to make it.  I really thought I could keep you safe.

Four group casualties.  And only one from a zombie.






I need to go lie down.

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