The Walking Dead: Season Two Episode 3 - In Harm's Way Reviews
'In Harm's Way' is probably the worst episode of Telltale's The Walking Dead so far, but in light of the game's consistent high quality that doesn't make it bad. Purely in terms of writing it remains head and shoulders above most other games currently being released. More than any other episode so far however, 'In Harm's Way' felt like reading one of The Walking Dead comics or watching the TV show, and this sense of detachment from the narrative hits at the heart of the game's strongest quality. Let's hope that the next episode has a little more audience participation.
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.
Offers a proper bad guy for you to hate, but also asks how far you'll go to escape.
An episode of grim, despicable moments and further fascinating tests of Clementine's morality, but one which persists with some of the weaker aspects of this second season.
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 The Walking Dead keeps producing episodes this strong, though, I'll happily keep playing it for years to come.
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.
[E]pisode three is a strong one and definitely delivers on gore and tension. Here's hoping the last two episodes continue to deliver.
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.
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.
Even if the player interaction has been toned down, there are still some really great things to see and do in Episode 3. It is a gruesome ride that is full of peril, difficult decisions and some great moments. If you have already invested time and money into Season 2, keep going; it is well worth it. If you haven't picked up the full season or are thinking about starting it up, do yourself a favor and do it already.
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.
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.
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.
Telltale's latest episode puts players waist-deep in formative moments that will determine what sort of adult young Clementine is going to become.
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.
If you are interested in reading the review for previous episodes, you can check out our episode 1 review, or episode 2 review.
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.