The Walking Dead: Season Two Episode 2 - A House Divided Reviews
Episode 2 raises stakes and expectations for The Walking Dead's second season
While Episode 1 had the unenviable task of reintroducing people to the world of The Walking Dead — Episode 2: A House Divided takes off running with numerous action sequences and tension-filled scenarios that will keep you guessing until the end.
The last episode was a tough act to follow, but similar to season one, episode two is even better. The stakes are higher and the consequences steeper. Telltale has once again proved that adventure games are not only still alive, they're as strong as ever. We can only hope it's not long before we find out what's next.
Season Two of The Walking Dead starts coming together in the bleak and harrowing second episode, A House Divided.
An episode full of setup, A House Divided trades in its intensity for a bit more action, and a touch of intrigue.
While the season two debut failed to capitalize on the suspenseful tactics Telltale Games was able to integrate in the first season, Episode 2 has fixed that. It's still a bit shorter than what we've grown accustomed to and the zombies feel tacked on rather than an actual story driven threat, but the hour and a half long episode is able to convince us that the drama within the group of survivors is much deeper than first expected.
A superior episode, and one that bodes well for the rest of the season.
A House Divided has solid writing with plenty of surprises. Making difficult choices as Clementine is an adrenaline rush
While the newest episode has a few more moments of downtime than I would have liked, it sets up a clear arc that will play out for the rest of Season Two. Telltale has managed to also bring back its past efforts into the fold, and although their impact is minor, I'm glad it was addressed sooner than later. Although I'm still not sure if this new cast is going to top Lee's old crew, A House Divided is a great second offering, and I'm sufficiently hooked.
The Walking Dead's signature moral dilemmas are more nuanced than ever in a plot-heavy second episode.
The Walking Dead: Season 2, Episode 2 "A House Divided" is one of the best episodes @TelltaleGames has ever made.
A lot of people complained that Episode 1 didn't stand alone as its own story, and Episode 2 still doesn't But frankly, it doesn't matter. There are still unanswered questions, cliffhanger endings, and lack of any real resolution to any character's conflicts, but it's still a phenomenal story. Very much unlike Season 1, which had five episodes each sort of telling a micro story about a band of survivors, Season 2 is very much a continuous narrative, and that's what makes it great! There's no reason to skip The Walking Dead: Season 2: Episode 2: A House Divided. Heck, there's more reason to go back and purchase Season 1, and play it start to finish, just so that Season 2, has its full effect.
Clementine and her group may face uncertainty and (most certainly) death around every corner in The Walking Dead, but in its newest episode Telltale Games ensures that players will face a tense, thrilling ride for the rest of Season Two that will have us only looking forward, with no chance to look back.
For now, this is a solid continuation, and having had one episode to reintroduce Clem and this one to really get the new plot started, it's hard to imagine the next episode won't ramp things up considerably with more of the human darkness we saw in 400 Days and exactly no chance of a happy ending. Telltale has promised that we won't be waiting as long for it as we were for this or the second part of The Wolf Among Us. Broken fingers crossed.
As much as I harp on the topic of autonomy and linearity, I still find it extremely difficult to fault the game in my final calculation. 'The Walking Dead' as a whole and this latest episode are doing amazing things for storytelling in games. Clementine is an all-time great character, this season solidifying her as a unique and compelling protagonist, and William Carver might just be the series' best villain. He may not even be a villain in the coming episodes, and it's exactly that kind of ambiguity that keeps me on my toes. It keeps me wanting more. 'A House Divided' fleshed out the group and offered up some moments of sincere tension and, for some of us, regret.
Telltale continues to shine as A House Divided is the best episode of any Telltale game yet.
While some critics have bemoaned the limited interactivity in The Walking Dead, Telltale should be applauded for creating a story that simply would not work as well as it does in any medium other than a video game. It's only once you're handed control of a character that you can fully appreciate just how little control they have.
The Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 2: A House Divided is one of the strongest chapters yet in terms of story. Unfortunately, true gameplay sequences are a bit scarce, although some of the dialog scenes are certainly intense enough to make up for it in some regard.
Walking Dead Season 2, Episode 2 ratchets up the stakes and pulls Clementine into different directions emotionally and physically. Some tense action sequences, engrossing dialog, and the addition of a formidable threat to everyone makes "A House Divided" a solid chapter despite its short three-hour running time. When it comes to storytelling, Telltale is still one of the best in the business and this episode doesn't betray that reputation.
If you liked Season 1, give Telltale more of your money.