Telltale, please don't make the same mistake twice. [SPOILERS, obviously]
A New Frontier, which I will be referring to as ANF from now on was a huge disappointment to me. I've just played all the episodes, watched the alternate choices to see what I've missed, and now I'm ready to come to a conclusion. Also P.S, a lot of caps, you've been warned.
Don't make an ANF 2... For the love of god.
It's time to end Javi's story here unless it's DLC. ANF is the biggest disappointment I've seen from any of the Walking Dead Game's so far. That's not to say that everything was bad, just the majority of it was. Some things should be welcomed into a season four for TWG. I mean I liked the ending screens where it shows your past actions in a more diverse way than the previous episodes.
Let's just get down to how bad ANF is. Each bullet-point will be represented by my own review.
- The episode times
Why are the episode times so ridiculously short? One of the main problems with ANF I believe is how there's little development of anything that's going on in the game. Episode 1, Episode 2 and Episode 5 we're extremely short to say the least. Episode 2 in my opinion, was the worst. Everything is so rushed. I remember a time when we had around two hours worth of content EACH EPISODE.
Remember Season 1? Can we please go back to those episodic times? You can see how much of a masterpiece can be created IF you give your content ENOUGH time. In Season 1 episode 2, we had where you had to chop off someones leg or not, deciding who gets food, amazingly rich hubs with so much optional dialogue, we had the dairy scene which also had a TON of optional dialogue for characters, we had the bandits involved, Mark getting shot, scoping the bandit camp out, cannibals, that whole intense situation at the dinner table, saving larry or not, the car scene. Like Come on guys! ANF's Episode 2 is not even half as long as Season 1's of episode 2. There's NO reason to defend this. At LEAST one hour and fourty five minutes per episode, can we PLEASE have this as a target? You grew your team after Season 1's success, which USUALLY means more content! Does more team mean less content now...?
- Stop working on multiple games!
I don't need to explain this one. Have your entire team focus on ONE thing at a time. Sure you're not going to churn games out as fast, but at least they'd be good! I remember a time where I was working on two series at once. It was a massive mistake. I found myself overburdened and wanting to rush out episodes as soon as possible. After I realized the quality of my series's was dropping, I worked on one only. It was a good decision because I knew I could make a good compelling story if I just FOCUSED on one series at a time. I'm not sure what this would be on a business level for Telltale, but I'm willing to put ANF's short episode blamings partially on this. Have your team dedicated to one thing and then after that, move on to next one. Rinse and repeat like a charm.
- What the?! Where the hell did Max, Lonnie, Clint/Joan go?! Why isn't Conrad with us?! Why did Ava/Tripp get killed almost as soon as we saved them?!
Okay let's just stop for a moment to think about this. In my mind, I expected answers on the ending. Is this being saved for DLC? If it's I sure hope it's free. (YOU DON'T CASH IN FOR MISSING QUESTIONS THAT SHOULD'VE BEEN IN ON THE MAIN STORY!)
Max, Lonnie, Clint/Joan aren't in episode 5. What the fuck is this? WHAT WAS THE BIG BUILD-UP FOR?! I saved Max. Which in turn saved Lonnie and these guys don't even appear at all. LAME. Disappointing!! Clint/Joan should've been chased by David who is determinately being covered by Gabe. So what the hell went wrong? Why is David still with us? We see them run off, why isn't David going after them? This whole plot line is gone, you just WASTED an entire opportunity.
So what about Conrad? I don't know what the hell happened, he was literally right next to us, he isn't seen until THE END OF EPISODE FIVE. Okay, I think I could've made something for Conrad. Have Conrad go into the building, determinately have Conrad stay with Eleanor to help by Eleanor revealing to Conrad what happened to Tripp. If Tripp dies but Javi tries to save him, Conrad will go with them up to the top of the building, if he picked Ava to live, Conrad will get mad at Javi for trying to save Ava instead of his best friend (despite Tripp living anyway). This will result in Conrad staying with Eleanor unless Javi's previous actions with Conrad convinces him otherwise.
Conrad lives if he stays with Eleanor but his interaction to Javi at the end is either hostile or neutral depending on your previous actions towards him (such as letting him kill Badger). If Conrad decided to go up he will be seen on the freeway. Conrad will pass the car near the slope along with Ava. The walker grabs Conrad, Javi can choose to help in time or not, if Javi fails, Conrad will fall to his death. If Javi manages to help Conrad, he doesn't die. Either way Ava lives. Ava is dependent on Conrad to survive. If Tripp is alive and Conrad went with them. Conrad will go after Tripp, leaving him alone on the other-side. Instead of Javi snapping the helicopter blade and almost dying, this will be Tripp. Conrad, noticing his friend is in danger, will attempt to think of a quick plan, he will make a quick run up and jump onto the Helicopter, barely grabbing onto the Helicopter but managing to hold on it. During this time, Tripp will be moving up just as Javi did onto the Helicopter blade. Conrad lowers himself down on the helicopter, helping Tripp up. Boosting him up onto the top of the helicopter and jumping first onto the bridge. Conrad, still on the helicopter which is about to collapse, tries to to jump onto the bridge. If Javi puts his hand out to Conrad in time for Conrad to grab onto, Conrad will not die, but if Javi fails, he will die.
Probably went a bit too far with that, but it's something to work with. Trying at something might be difficult but it's usually well worth the wait.
- Make Clementine fucking playable in the main story.
I didn't like the multiple protagonist thing to begin with. It's not my type. But if you're going to make multiple protagonists, don't lie about it. Clementine is not playable in the main story. This is bullshit. She's forced into flashbacks which are five minutes. Of which, episode 5 doesn't even have a flashback for Clementine!! LAAAAAAAAAME. She's not playable in half of it, she's not even playable for a quarter of the play-time. I would even go to argue that she's not even 1/8th of the play-time in ANF. What a complete joke. Stop this Telltale. Don't push your mascot to the sidelines!
- You ruined Season 2's endings with the start of ANF.
That diversity is gone. I have no desire to play the previous episodes like I did before ANF was released. Kenny, Jane and Edith all die. What in the fuck, Telltale? This was an opportunity of a life-time. Something that could've made your choices matter. [Mod edit: Don't insult writers] REALLY? Really...? This is definitely the worst section in ANF by far. It's just Clem and AJ now who have any connection before ANF... Oh wait I'm sorry, AJ is taken away. Which leads me to...
- Finding AJ should've been in ANF.
Heck this would've probably been enough to fill out how short the episodes are. Instead AJ is taken away from us. In Episode 4 we find out where he is, in Episode 5 we expect to find him.... AND WE DON'T. WTF?! So wait... WAIT A MINUTE. We spent FOUR episodes not knowing what the fuck happened to AJ and he isn't in episode 5?! WHAT?!
I'm shivering. Is this being saved for DLC? WHY WASN'T IT IN THE MAIN STORY? So hold on... If he's going to be the focus of the DLC for ANF, this DLC sure as FUCK better not be paid for. I want my questions answered in the story, not in some DLC later on that I will HAVE to pay. Heck, we deserve it for free, with how bad ANF is. You better not be pulling a Dead Space 3 DLC ending.
- Make choices that matter.
Let's give some examples.
- Giving AJ the medicine or not is the same thing.
- If you let Clementine choose Linguard death or not, she will ALWAYS choose to kill Lingard, the past seasons DO NOT weigh her opinion in.
- Siding with David near 100% of the time and still having the fight confrontation happen. Even if you dismiss Kate, it still happens.
- Ava/Tripp dying stoopid deaths. Ava's in particular, is really bad. She dies and then the whole fucking crew forgets her in TWENTY SECONDS!!!!!
- Clint/Joan, Max and Lonnie mysteriously vanishing into thin air. Spooky shit. They were forgotten completely in Episode 5.
- Kenny, Jane, Edith all dying. One of the worst development decisions in the Walking Dead game by far.
Please stop doing things like this.
- ANF 2 would be bad. Really bad.
In my opinion. From what I saw with how Season 2's endings were treated, I can no longer trust Telltale with determinant endings. We have a lot of determinant characters at the end of ANF and I'm almost sure if ANF 2 happened that these characters would either be forgotten, would die, or would go into some sort of unknown status. It's not a good compromise to make ANF 2 or even consider it. Bin any ideas of it. I can't trust an ANF 2 to happen after what happened to our Season 2 endings. Focus on Season 4 with Clementine. Please.
This is pretty much all I have to say now. The things above need to stop. If you don't stop it, you're going to keep getting shit for it. People are going to trust you less, your reputation is going to get worse. This is a stepping stone for learning a lesson.
Mod edit: Refrain from personally attacking writers.
Comments
ok
I would add another little touch to the list:
Stop the idiocy with amputations. In season two when we chop Sarita's arm off we are playing as a little girl, trapped in the middle of a zombie herd, which somewhat justifies the absolutely stupid decision. But in the New Frontier in the apartment scene, when we are asked to amputate an arm and literally nothing is done to stop the bleeding/reduce pain - that is plain dumb. Learn about the tourniquet, Telltale!
And another thing, not regarding the NF, but the Walking Dead games in general:
There are some choices that are just irrational and stupid, the one that comes to my mind is the lake from S2. I'm a northerner myself, and where I live every bloody child knows you don't walk on thin ice, especially when someone has already fallen through, so the choice of helping Luke/letting Bonny help him is pointless since the beginning. Okay, once again you can say that Clem is but a child and doesn't know all that. But she is surrounded by adults, who make the same idiotic choice if Clem is clever enough to stay away.
Please, give us the options that are clever instead of several options of equal stupidity.
season one remains to be the best season of twd. The 400 days dlc was better than the new frontier imo. Season two was also better.
The only thing I really want is Clementine to be the playable lead again, but a few things I disliked about A New Frontier: Too short episodes, frankly I feel very empty inside now, since I only really started caring for the characters in episode 5, so if there had been like, 3 or 4 hours of gameplay after episode 5, it would have been alot more interesting (obiously the ending would have to come after those 3-4 hours)
The other thing is, the players motivation is at odds with the main character, the main character has his family to take care off, but the player doesnt care, because the player does not know his family, however, who does the player know? Clementine, what does Clementine do? put you at odds with the choice that would help your family. And frankly, I dont really give a fuck about roleplaying, I like to get immersed in the games, but I think the argument that you should "roleplay as the character" to get into the game is dumb, its a game about choice, why should I have my choices shoehorned into one choice just to roleplay the character
BRING BACK SEASONS 2 GRAPHICS STYLE AND HD THAT SHIT UP IT WILL GIVE OFF THE PERFECT AND I MEAN THE PERFECT COMIC BOOK LOOK!
Its clear that they'll now focus on Clem, just like s1 and s2. The next one is SEASON 4, not anf2
Finally well written non-hateful opinion. I think that ANF was just experiment and when they realize it did not work, they just rewritte episodes to end Javi's story so we can play as Clementine again.
I seriously feel like they thought they were hot shit so they make this for "newcomers" expecting newcomers but guess what? No newcomers, but a
lot of angry fans
I can only hope you're right. This is a fresh start for Telltale. Focusing on Clementine is where Season 4 should be.
I agree with Season 1. 400 days didn't really go anywhere tbh... In Season 2 episode 3 you see the 400 day characters but they're just pushed off to the side. Season 2 was still better than ANF though.
I agree with that. It didn't but it was more pleasant and enjoyable than a new frontier was imo and I liked more characters in that dlc than in a new frontier.
I would disagree on making Clementine the playable character again. Yeah, there are a lot of people who want her back as the main character, but at the same time there's also players who enjoy the idea of and want a new main character. Should the players who like the idea of a new protagonist be pushed to the side just because others want Clementine back?
I prefer anf over s2 tbh.
It's because, and Telltale even confirmed this, The Walking Dead is Clem's Story. Not Lee's. Not Javier's. Much like how the Walking Dead comic is Carl's story. It doesn't always need to focus on Clem, but her being the main character again is long overdue. TWD comic isn't always about Carl, but most of the critical moments from the comics involve him.
It's like making a Batman trilogy but having Robin take over as the main lead for two of the movies.
I just don't think an entire side of a fan base should be ignored just to make the other half happy.
Fair enough.
I'm sure they have plans for Javier in S4, but he won't be playable. The best thing I can see Telltale doing is giving him the Clem treatment and have players play him in flashbacks during his time in Richmond while Clem gets AJ.
ANF shows exactly why telltale cannot have several determinant characters since they end up dying off pointlessly,being additional bodies or simply being forgotten about such as (determinately) Max,Lonnie,Clint,Conrad,Tripp and Ava.
They could've at least handwaved most of these things away.
Also, why didn't we get a hub at least at the end to wrap things up with each character?
Let's use your logic again here. For fans of the first two seasons, who have grown to adore Clementine (the character and playability), should they be ignored to cater to the wants of others? Based on the fan feedback, most of the players would like Clementine to be more involved in the story, as well as being made the main protagonist and playable character again. A smart business decision for Telltale Games would be to appease the masses by allowing players to reclaim their role as Clementine, in all honesty. I say this because, this has been Clementine's story for as long as we know, and she's literally become the face of The Walking Dead (by Telltale Games).
Telltale: Fuck you, that's why.
Ah, but of course! You fucked over 75% of my favorite new characters, what was I thinking?
Translation: Why didn't you make the game that i wanted?
Since he wanted a much better game, correct translation.
Translation: You're basically saying you don't want longer episodes, more time to know the characters, more hubs, more gameplay, all loose ties to be resolved, etc.
Why didn't they make the game everyone would've wanted for one reason or another?
Hold up, choices mattered most in this Season over any other Season of TWD.
I think Telltale is just suffering from Episode 3's syndrome. Which also had no hubs.
At least the story direction somewhat justified that there. Here, when it's the grand finale and there are at least three instances where the characters are just hanging around for a bit, it's more conspicuous.
Mind giving some examples?
Just some off the top of my head.
Conrad doesn't change anything.
Rufus doesn't change anything.
Clementine's actions towards David in the fight makes no difference.
Richmond is fine no matter what.
There is only a few choices that makes a difference: How Clementine worked with the New Frontier and where Javier goes in the end, and it only impacts the life of Kate, David and Gabriel.
I think, in terms of story and ambience, The next official season needs to start from a clean slate. New people, events, groups... A reboot.
Recently, this YouTube channel I watch that analyses mechanics in games did a 3 part series on the Dead Space games. It shows how the series slowly changed from survival-Horror, to Action based gameplay, with a theme of horror.
His thoughts in the ending of the third part reflect what is going on with the walking dead right now. I highly suggest you watch it, as it could give insight to what we are experiencing with our series right now...
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Edit: Also, yes. I looked up jacksepticeye's end thoughts in the finale and season and... He gets it. As a fan, he understands how the quality of the game has shifted. I agree wholeheartedly with what he said.
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Lmao, Kenny's face in Season 3. He looked like Santa.
Clem is the only one left in the OG Crew, she needs to be playable. If only TellTale listened sooner.
I swear if Clem is a S3 DLC I'm going to...
"SHIT MY NUTS!"
I don't understand why you guys act like TWD ANF did bad on choices; TWD Season 1 and 2 barely had any choices affect the game in any way.
Let's just hope that TTG won't do the same mistake again, I believe that season 4 or whatever they are going to pull with Clem is going to be fine.
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LOL