The Walking Dead ANF (E1/2) Pros and Cons
So far, only two episodes are out right now, but let's look at some good things and bad things.
PROS:
Javier; his story and voice actor is incredible! During the burial scene and when he calls Clementine a friend after the betrayal gave me goosebumps! I look forward to more of this.
Graphics are a huge step up!
Clementine is older and an even bigger badass!
The fast paced action and cool zombie kills makes Javier look equally like a badass (maybe not equally, yet)
Tripp looks like a viking!
Really good dialogue and voice acting.
Clementine!
Strong opener that shows everyone the new protagonist
Fun and rather difficult choices that will affect your morality. (More on this in cons)
Overall, the story is great! Telltale can not make a bad Season, and this much is evident
CONS:
The episodes are 15-30 minutes shorter.
Flashbacks are short and rather dull.
Lack of character back story. (Telltale needs to add more down time where we can talk to people and ask questions, I want to know more about Tripp, but we don't have any options to talk to him!)
Some choices do not matter. (However, I feel like this game isn't more for the lasting change, but more of the story you create and build up Javier how you want him.)
Kenny and Jane's death felt a little forced.
Clementine is not playable.
Certain dialogue options are lies (Tell Off David is misleading).
IN BETWEEN/NEUTRAL:
Clementine not being playable isn't good or bad. She is still a main character, in fact, the number one next to Javier. In a way it is quite good that Clementine is not playable, we are now a stronger and bigger adult which will give Telltale more options for us to do, and allow us to watch Clementine grow up and develop, giving us the options to help and protect her.
The choices aren't bad. Yes some may not matter, but telltale doesn't make these games specifically to have different outcomes. They want a similar story for all, but they want us to be able to build Javier how we want to and give us hard choices that may just effect the game for a while to come.
Those are the immediate Pros and Cons I can find for TNF. Remember everyone, only two episodes are out now, don't be so angry because certain things don't fit your tastes, you still have 3 more episodes left of this awesome growing adventure.
Comments
The choices shouldn't include Clem.
They're way too easy at the moment (reinforced by end stats).
I love Clementine, but I did not choose the choices because of her.
Conrad was unstable and threatned your nephew. He also planned to use Clementine, a 13 year old, as bargain. She could be hurt and killed for all we know, making the choice quite easy for me.
Tell the truth or help Clementine... I chose to justify her actions. She has given me every reason to help her and look after her, so I didn't feel the need to throw her under the bus.
Lastly, stay with Clementine or go with family.. Frankly, this was hard. Ultimately I decided to stay with Clementine.
Think, your family needs you, but so does she. I know that if I stay, I can help a 13 year old girl and save my family at the same time. In my opinion, covering for them is helping them, so that continues in my head. Tripp could help them, and I could protect them. However, I needed to end the threat and help Clementine, hence why I decided to stay. So far, every choice I have had to pause and think, I hate killing, but I felt highly justified to kill Conrad.
The choices are fine and difficult, you can decide for yourself how you want to play and don't worry about any one else. I frankly want to protect Clementine, but I can't give up the ones Javier loves for it. Also, I like to look at it with a moral stand point instead of choosing my favorite. People will choose, people will side with their favorite, my only advice is, let them.
I'm agree with you on the pros and cons, but I'd add the lack of puzzles to the cons list.
If they add a couple of puzzles to the new episodes they could solve problems like lenght and lack of character development. Most of character development in S1 was found while we were solving those puzzles.
How did I forget that! That is literally my biggest complaint about this Season! That and the lack of down time to talk and learn people's back stories!
Thanks for the heads up!
I made a thread like this, and it got flagged because someone decided to ramble that most of the cons/complaints about ANF were untrue.
Really? There are many problems with this game, but it's not like awful like every single person on this forum makes it out to be.
I love this game, I love Clementine and Javier, but I have many complaints that should be answered!
Sort of weird how people that complain can't accept that it's good, and those that don't complain can't accept criticism.
Con The overwhelming majority wanted to play as Clem. Telltale and abusive trolls like Agent guy ignored the fans.
I'm pretty sure the community was split on this, I and many others love playing as Javier.
Then again, it's opinion. I can see why you are mad though.
I don't know a lot about Tripp, but man do I love him already!
I love playing like Javier. He is great, but I'd like to play more with Clem. Mostly because our choices from past seasons dont affect her lines.
Flashbacks need to be longer, the episodes need to be longer, there is no sugar coating this fall off.
Pros:
Its title refers to the legendary game called Walking Dead by TellTale, released in 2012
Cons:
IT IS DEFINITELY NOT THAT SERIES ANYMORE
Most sequels are never better than the original.
Only two episodes are out and it seems like the only big complaints are Episode Length and lack of down time abd puzzles.
This "down time" should be very important - like in season 1.
With this the playtime would also increase.
Pros: Clementine is fucking cool.
Cons: I can't play as her.
more Clem playtime when
I never found the choice of leaving with family or staying with Clem hard, Tripp/Eleanor can take care of his family, and Clementine needed the help, its not like Javier could have helped very much at prescott anyways
I never thought the game was awful, in fact it is quite interesting, however I do worry what telltale is playing at, switching to a new protagonist and almost dumping every single plotline from season 2, and putting AJ on the backburner.
I would enjoy this season alot more if I could just be sure that it isnt just Telltale trying to write off Clementine, as I still feel like there is alot of potential to develop her character, especially after what Carver said in season 2, it would be interesting to have a game thats all about what Carver was talking about, you play as Clementine, and depending on your choices, you either become ruthless like Carver, or you stay gentle, but still very survivor minded, which means that you still make "wrong choices" because there arent always a right choice.
It wasn't super difficult for me either, the hardest was to Shoot Conrad or not.
I went with Eleanor in my blind playthrough (AKA I'm not changing anything, no matter how bad I mess things up) and I knew she could handle it. Also, I believe covering with gunfire is way better than running like ducks. So I chose to stay because I believed it helped more, and because Clementine, a 13 year old, would have been left alone.
Let's hope for a spin off!
I have been scared since I finished Episode 2 that Clementine would be killed off during this season.
I really hope that it's just a bad gut feeling, but I really hope it's not true.
Let's hope for longer flashbacks and episodes, and bam will this Season be perfect!
Season 1 thrived on this, which led to such a huge attachment with characters! With really good voice actors we have so far this Season, I only want to know more, especially with Tripp!
Down time and puzzles will severely help the longevity of this game and give us more hints at the story and burden the characters hold.
Hear, hear!
Pretty much everything except Javier is a con.
The game is good, it just has some problems. There are many good things to come from this game, the episode length and lack of down time is the only real problem.
Clementine is exactly how I'd expect being alone for two years and in custody of TNF.
Favorite Clementine thus far.
It dosen't have problems; it is a problem.
Well, I can't think of any except Javier.
Yeah, that and the game-crashing bugs, bad graphics, bullshit flashbacks from season 2's ending, and a whole lot more problems.
Pros:
I think the direction and story is superb, especially compared to Season Two, which was really jumbled and all over the place.
Javier is an interesting playable character and playing through some of his backstory before the outbreak is good character building.
The episodes are unpredictable and I genuinely can't guess Telltale's next steps.
The game runs smoother and with less problems.
Interesting side characters, especially the potential for the main antagonist
Dialogue choices between characters have an effect on how they perceive you, something Telltale ignored in Season Two. Especially your relationship with Clem & Gabe.
Cons:
The game feels like you're on rails, episodes are far too short and ultimately episodes feel like glorified cutscenes.
Very little option to talk to any characters outside of cut scenes, no chance to explore the potential backstories for these characters - Which ultimately make me lose investment in them.
One puzzle in 2 episodes is appauling, where's the point and click adventure side of these games gone? I feel like i'm playing a dialogue simulator.
So few sections to actually move around with Javier and explore things, locations have little to no meaning if we can't explore them. Places like Crawford, the Motor Inn and St John's farm are memorable because we spent time there.
Action choices have little to no meaning anymore, for example - If you leave with Tripp or Eleanor then Marianna will still be shot in the same place at the exact same time? That makes no sense! At least have her die in a different way if you're going to kill her off.
Laughable flashbacks which kill off Kenny & Jane - I don't mind killing them off but not in 2 minute scenes with absolutely no tension or meaning!
The new more realistic graphics have partially removed some of the charm and style from the old games.
Ultimately the cons far outweigh the pros, although I feel it's still fixable and am at least interested in where this Season goes, which is enough for me to keep going. If it doesn't improve though then this might be my last telltale game. I'm not paying money for 1 hour episodes with little to no gameplay.
Sounds like you are just mad at it.
I can't really reason, the game itself isn't bad, you named game launching problems and crashes, yet I haven't seen anyone complain at all about it.
Bad graphics? These are the best Telltale graphics I have seen! Have you played there games before this Season?
This made me chuckle.
Basically the biggest problem this game faced can be simply fixed.
Basicslly, just add puzzles and more down time to talk to more people will fix most issues including episode length. Also longer flashbacks as well!
As far as messing up certain events, well, that has always been a thing for Telltale, at this point I just tend to play and see it as a "Say what you want/Choose what to do story" instead of a "Choose your own story game".
Overall, the story is amazing, voice acting perfect, and I don't have many complaints besides the few things I stated above which are EASILY fixable.