The Walking Dead: Season Two Episode 3 - In Harm's Way Reviews
Perhaps age and the formulaic (for better and worse) nature of The Walking Dead means that it is becoming harder to really appreciate the nuances.
Episode three In Harm's Way is quite possibly the most defining moment not only in season two of The Walking Dead, but it's also a defining moment in Clem's character development.
"In Harm's Way" is even more brutal and violent than the season premiere, but Telltale manages to hold it together.
The Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 3: In Harm's Way manages to up the ante of Clementine's new adventures in a great way while developing her character, not just the people that surround her. New survivors are introduced and it's going to be interesting to see if the little girl can continue making grown-up choices.
I don't need to be a passive viewer of any more zombie stories, especially in 'The Walking Dead' universe. The proof is in this episode's finale, which I conveniently forgot to mention until now. It's a brilliant scene, something I won't spoil, but it's brilliant because I was a part of it. Everything else uncomfortably unnerved me, I was watching a TV show with a dialogue wheel. I never touched the story, and so the story rarely touched me. That's the cost of promising a video game and delivering a script.
If you are interested in reading the review for previous episodes, you can check out our episode 1 review, or episode 2 review.
The thought of where Telltale will head with Episode 4 will fill the mind with excitement, and if it's as good as In Harm's Way, we're probably looking at another helping of shiny videogame trophies come awards season.
[E]pisode three is a strong one and definitely delivers on gore and tension. Here's hoping the last two episodes continue to deliver.
The final ten minutes or so make it worth the purchase, and I really liked where the Carver storyline ultimately went here, but don't be surprised if you get a bit bored getting to that point.
The Walking Dead Season 2: Episode 3 – In Harm's Way is another strong addition into an already compelling universe. While the new setting is shallow and lacks much exploration, it's the phenomenal storytelling and new characters introduced that help compel the player to move forward.
If The Walking Dead keeps producing episodes this strong, though, I'll happily keep playing it for years to come.
Trust me, by the end of the episode you'll find yourself reliving some of these moments and wondering if the decisions you made were the right ones.
But aside from those few gripes, The Walking Dead Season 2: Episode 3 – In Harm's Way is still a phenomenal game. The episodes truly do feel like they are getting better and better with each passing one. Let's hope that Telltale can keep up this string of hits right up to the conclusion of the series. Only two episodes left now!
This is certainly the most confronting chapter so far, which some will love, but may put off others (like it almost did me). Clementine continues to grow, and her strength is put squarely to the test, but in other aspects, Episode 3 just doesn't hold up to what's come before.
If you can get past the narrative dissonance introduced for the sake of agency, In Harm's Way is still a cracking entry in the season with a few super twists, a truly satisfying punch-the-air moment, and an ending which leaves you in no doubt that the momentum started in the previous chapter shows no sign of abating.
Despite being slightly predictable in places I really enjoyed the story of In Harm's Way and Clementine's key role in it, but it's a bit light on things to actually do. I don't expect huge adventure game sections anymore but I do want to feel like I'm experiencing an interactive story rather than just an episode of the TV show.
If you liked Season 1, give Telltale more of your money.
In Harm's Way ends literally right in the middle of a frantic scene where the characters are surrounded by zombies. Here, you need to choose whether or not to take a particular action, foreshadowed by an earlier character, which has life-or-death ramifications. That in and of itself is nothing new to the series, but the way it is carried out is particularly telling of how Clementine is changing as a character. Without giving it away, I chose to do the action and the expression on her face as the episode closed out both elated and scared me.
In Harm's Way does a great job of developing The Walking Dead: Season Two's cast and furthering the story, even if its highs don't match those of the previous episode.
Though Clementine's story may be drawing closer and closer to some grim truths and hard choices, "In Harm's Way" proves that The Walking Dead: Season Two is not worth looking away from just yet.