Should Telltale continue to go more Cinematic/Hollywood like? Or should they go back to their roots?
First of all, hello guys! I really missed you all and it feels great to be back. I don't how many of you are still here, but I hope everyone is doing okay 
I’m sure this has already been discussed before, but I haven’t been on these forums for 2 years and had this thought recently. So wanted to share it with you all to have some discussion. First I’m going to share my thoughts about it, and then from an ex-Telltale employee.
TWDG S1 had very good writing. Many call it an interactive movie, but it didn’t feel like a movie to me. Nor did it feel like a book. It was an experience, as cheesy as it may sound. I think what helped with that, is that you could just walk around talking to characters. Learning about them, and the backstories.
But this was thrown away in ANF. The game is more fast-paced and honestly feels like a Hollywood movie. The camera-angles are more cinematic, there is more action, less time for backstory. The Final Season had more backstory for the characters, but still nowhere as much as season 1
But there just something off. Like, I don’t remember a lot from Detroit: Become Human. Perhaps because the story didn’t resonate with me that much, I don’t know. But I also think that, the reason is that it feels too much like a movie, or more accucaretly, a TV show. And I'm sure that's the vibe the board of Telltale at that time was going for. I just think it's a bad thing. It makes it less immerse.
And yes, movies/shows can be emotional, immerse, gripping. I have cried, laughed, been angry while watching several. But I don’t feel that big of a connection than when playing the old Telltale games. I guess one of the reasons for that is because you make the choices, so it really feels like you are there. But also because you learned more about the characters, like how books are more fleshed-out than movies. But now that modern Telltale games had less time to learn about characters, the pacing might be more fluent and movie-like, but at what cost?
After Telltale’s downfall, a documentary went online which I’m sure most of you have seen. A few ex-employees of Telltale were interviewed, mostly talking about what went wrong in the company.. In it, Kent Mudle, Creative Director of a few of their games, brings this point up. He said that, after a scene has been developed, it was shown to the higher ups. And their top priority wasn’t likability of characters, or even if they were fleshed out. No, it was pacing. That was the most important to them. So they told the development team to scrap all this walking around, talking to people. Because, it wouldn’t been good pacing-wise.
However, Games like Batman: The Enemy Within also had less time for exploring and learning, and that game turned out amazing.
So, what are you guys thoughts on this? Should future games like The Wolf Among us have more time to look around, explore and talk to people? Or should Telltale continue to become more Cinematic and hollywood-like.
Comments
I prefer exploration myself, but then, I'm from Telltale's Sam & Max days, so of course I would. TWAU Season 1 included a little of that, though it also sometimes cut you off and forced you into the next scene. This time, with this team, I think it could go either way.
Ah. Personally I haven't played Sam & Max yet, but I get where you are coming from. Personally I wouldn't mind the exploration, but it might make the replay value lower if there is too much of it. To show you what I mean: If I had to choose which Telltale game I had to play for the rest of my life, it probably won't be TWDG S1. It's good and detailed. But sometimes too detailed. And hearing the same backstories of characters, doing the same puzzles, it feels more like a chore.
I like the old adventure game style, but I'm not sure has successful that will be in 2022. I think there's something to be said for cinematic and well-paced things. Still, I think one hub or puzzle per episode wouldn't hurt, because sometimes a breather and opportunity to connect more deeply to the characters benefits pacing a lot. Just walking around and talking to people can really serve character and worldbuilding, if employed effectively.
I don't think people prefer the cinematic feel that much, because the modern games haven't had that many sales. In my opinion, Telltale needs to just stick to their old formula. Good character building, puzzles and exploration. Making it too much like a movie will force players to just watch it on YouTube.
As a minecraft : story mode fan i think they should go back to their roots