Sure, Gabe throwing Javi under the bus for shooting Conrad when he is the one who asked for his death, staying with his father even after seeing what David has become and trying to stop his father by touching the wheel which made them crash makes him smarter than Clementine.
I largely agreed with David's actions (breaking Fern's arm, shooting Rufus, wanting to leave Richmond behind and keeping the family safe- everything besides attacking Javi basically) in the finale and wished we had more options to show our support for him.
I don't know if this is really an unpopular opinion, but a few people on this forum would disagree with it.
I absolutely think that Mariana was the right child to kill in Episode 1. Some people keep saying that Gabe should have died, which would have just been dumb and makes me think they wanted him dead just cause they don't like him. You'd lose the character interplay between Javi and Gabe, adding another boring character to the already bland game filled with blank slates. Mariana was built to be killed in episode one and was simply too nice to have Gabe's personality anyway.
I don't know if this is really an unpopular opinion, but a few people on this forum would disagree with it.
I absolutely think that Maria… morena was the right child to kill in Episode 1. Some people keep saying that Gabe should have died, which would have just been dumb and makes me think they wanted him dead just cause they don't like him. You'd lose the character interplay between Javi and Gabe, adding another boring character to the already bland game filled with blank slates. Mariana was built to be killed in episode one and was simply too nice to have Gabe's personality anyway.
Sure, Gabe throwing Javi under the bus for shooting Conrad when he is the one who asked for his death.
He's a teen. Even Clem does dumb things because she is a teen. They do irrational things. Clem is no exception.
staying with his father even after seeing what David has become.
Oh. You mean the man that raises Gabe for 10 years before the outbreak. Also, the person that he probably dreams of meeting again everyday. Clem would do the same for Kenny, who is even as much as a "monster."(determinant)
crash makes him smarter than Clementine.
Not the smartest move. But some of the previous actions from Clem would make it seem like a honest mistake. People need to look at Clem's character from a outside view. She mature, but is very much still a kid.
Sure, Gabe throwing Javi under the bus for shooting Conrad when he is the one who asked for his death, staying with his father even after se… moreeing what David has become and trying to stop his father by touching the wheel which made them crash makes him smarter than Clementine.
Sure, Gabe throwing Javi under the bus for shooting Conrad when he is the one who asked for his death.
He's a teen. Even Clem does d… moreumb things because she is a teen. They do irrational things. Clem is no exception.
staying with his father even after seeing what David has become.
Oh. You mean the man that raises Gabe for 10 years before the outbreak. Also, the person that he probably dreams of meeting again everyday. Clem would do the same for Kenny, who is even as much as a "monster."(determinant)
crash makes him smarter than Clementine.
Not the smartest move. But some of the previous actions from Clem would make it seem like a honest mistake. People need to look at Clem's character from a outside view. She mature, but is very much still a kid.
I feel like Javi was an amazing protagonist (Like he was a much better version of Luke-- The "big brother" trope character to Clementine) and I don't think Gabentine is that bad. It's good that's she is growing up and developing relationships like that.
I agree with the Clementine thing. Honestly, I hated playing as her in season 2, and it made the whole season a drag for me. Like, I love her, but I rather play as an adult.
Let's see...
Gabe's character makes sense even if players hate him for it. He's a teenager that Javi and Kate have sheltered forever, jus… moret had his little sister get murdered, and is caught between his uncle and his father. Meanwhile, he has an uncle who, depending on the circumstances, preaches certain things while practicing in another way.
Clementine is starting to get on my nerves. I'm incredibly grateful that I don't have to play her again because I really thought they did it badly in season 2. But now I feel like she has no purpose in this season. Plus the angry fans who will accept nothing but Clementine being the main character are annoying. She's better as a secondary character, even if they're messing it up in this particular story. No matter what, I hope that this season is somehow her final stop. They clearly don't know what else to do with her and I can only foresee her dragging down future stories because Telltale keeps he… [view original content]
Here's one for the books-- From The Gallows is my second favorite finale episode, behind No Going Back (which itself is an uncommon opinion)... which also means that No Time Left is in third place (which is also also an uncommon opinion). Move over everybody, the newest most unpopular opinion is in the house.
Bring on everybody severely questioning my intelligence behind my back
Here's one for the books-- From The Gallows is my second favorite finale episode, behind No Going Back (which itself is an uncommon opinion)… more... which also means that No Time Left is in third place (which is also also an uncommon opinion). Move over everybody, the newest most unpopular opinion is in the house.
Bring on everybody severely questioning my intelligence behind my back
i liked jane a lot. (not enough to choose her over kenny tho lmao) also the best ending of season 2 was leaving wellington with kenny and AJ.
Also i kinda wish instead of introducing a new character Jane, they shouldve just brought back molly. seriously, jane and molly are BASICALLY the same character. both liked being alone, both were agressive and tough (but had a good heart), and both had little sisters. i never got why they made jane when they couldve just brought back molly?
i actually kind of liked kate and javi together lmao... i got loving relationship with her and javi. but i kind of want to replay and totally reject kate, that way javi can have a good relationship with david instead
i liked jane a lot. (not enough to choose her over kenny tho lmao) also the best ending of season 2 was leaving wellington with kenny and AJ… more.
Also i kinda wish instead of introducing a new character Jane, they shouldve just brought back molly. seriously, jane and molly are BASICALLY the same character. both liked being alone, both were agressive and tough (but had a good heart), and both had little sisters. i never got why they made jane when they couldve just brought back molly?
Firstly, I just want to make this clear from the get-go-- what I consider to be a favorite is not the same as what I consider to be the best. Is FTG one of my favorite finales? Yes. Do I think it's objectively the best finale of the series? No. That honor still probably goes to No Time Left. I'm more than willing to admit FTG has flaws, and that from an objective standpoint, it probably is the weakest finale... but to me personally, I still enjoyed it in lieu of that.
For the sake of making this easier, I'll just focus on From The Gallows exclusively:
Character dynamics: One of the things I really liked about FTG was the interplay between characters. The central dynamic of the episode is most definitely Javier and David's relationship, and seeing it get pushed to the edge. To that end, the episode did a good job trying to further explore David's psyche, why he acts the way he does, and why he does the things he does. The rooftop scene with him was a good introspective, and him talking about AJ on the overpass helped further flesh out his conflicted nature-- he's a man that has been at war with himself for years, and new challenges kept getting added as the days pass by. And those scenes ultimately helped make the climactic fight between the two feel emotionally satisfying to me. The build-up was ultimately worth the pay-off. And depending further on your choices, the potential for David to not only live, but the choice of getting him to come back to Richmond or not acts as a high note to end this tumultuous relationship.
After that, we also explore the relationship with Gabe a bit more. We get to see him question his loyalty to his father, as well as his integrity. It's also neat because we haven't really had a character that has had to do this yet-- a kid questioning the morality and integrity of their parent(s). I think it helps establish that a lot of Gabe's actions, like David's, are spurred by an inner conflict Gabe's having with himself; trying to figure out who he wants to be. Gabe has a lot of affection for his dad, but he's slowly coming to the realization that he might not be the infallible hero he has always made him out to be. And as a result, he's starting to realize that his uncle, who he's been more than harsh towards (partly thanks to what David has told him in the past) might have been the better father figure all along. So now he's dealing with conflicting family values-- he wants to be more like Javier, but I get the impression that he feels like that would be betraying his dad in some small part, which factors into why he tried to go with David at the water tower.
Bottom line being, Gabe showcased some growth as a character this episode.
Choice tailoring: Another great aspect of the episode. There are a lot of small permutations and changes between scenes, depending on the things you've done. And then you have small branches, which branch off from other branches. Things like having a choice to amputate Rufus' arm, when his appearance altogether is determinant, is nice. Having the S2 endings affect Clementine's choice to shoot David, as well as what she does when confronted with a dying Gabe, is also a great way to make old choices feel relevant again, and much like Rufus, in scenes that might not even happen to begin with. As well as small things like spitting on David or accepting Ava's offer factor into her choice to split up with Javier or not. There's so many little changes that can potentially occur throughout the episode, arguably more than any other finale episode has done yet.
The flashback: The beginning flashback is without a doubt one of the stand-out moments of the finale. But more importantly, it's very heartfelt. The situation that flashback revolves around-- a cancer diagnosis, and a father's wish for his sons to stay brothers-- is something people can understand and relate to. It also probably helps that Javier's dad is a pretty likable guy, just from the 5 minutes we see him. It makes the promise feel more weighty. That flashback just feels organic. It establishes one the key themes and dynamics of the episode in a respectful and sympathetic manner.
Pacing: I already know this is going to be a questionable one to some people. And I'll admit this one is pretty subjective, but I thought the episode was paced well. Granted, are there a few moments that pass by a little too quickly (forgiving Eleanor, etc)? Yeah, there's some stuff that they could have spent a bit more time lingering on, but as a whole, the episode felt like it moved at a decent pace. It had its share of action sequences, but it was interspersed with a healthy amount of character interaction and one-on-ones. Again, this one is quite subjective, but the episode didn't feel like it moved too quickly or too slow for me. By and large, it felt just about right, save for a few scenes here and there that could have benefited from getting a bit more focus/time.
Character screentime: This episode was centered almost exclusively on the Garcias; Javi, David, Gabe and Kate. Most choices revolved around those four, most scenes revolved around those four, and most conflict of the episode itself involved those four. And I consider this an upside-- the episode made a choice to focus in on a much more concise group of characters, which allows for more development and establishment of these characters, in comparison to say, S2, which tried to focus on a rather large and varied group of people, which meant that while more characters got focus, they ultimately got less development and characterization. By trimming the fat, and limiting the supporting characters of the episode down to Clementine and Tripp/Ava, it gave the episode the opportunity to focus on its star players, so to speak.
Emotional gravitas: Another relatively subjective thing, but I felt this episode did a good job in cultivating emotional responses to the events that occurred. Again, this is definitely helped by the fact that the episode centered itself on the most established characters, but I felt quite connected to the things that happened, and the decisions as a whole felt like they had some serious weight to them. Most death scenes that can occur were handled respectfully (with at least one exception, as I'll list below), and actually packed a punch. Just look at Gabe's death. They were able to take a character most people either hated or were largely indifferent towards, and managed to make a death that a lot of people agree was actually sad. There's even a portion of people that hate Gabe that have admitted that his death was good. Granted, that's all just anecdotes, but if you went from everyone being pissed at the kid for ratting out what you did to Conrad last episode, to feeling all bummed out when the kid's on his death bed, you have to be doing something right. Another thing I like is how they attempted to remind people that all of these characters were normal people at one point. And hell, some of them still are. Learning that Rufus, this irrelevant mook from the first episode, actually had a family makes for a nice little development. Then you have the memorial wall at the end of the episode, which also helps makes a statement about the characters. Seeing people in better times goes a long way in not only helping to make the world feel more alive, it also provides some retrospective that's easy for players to forget when they're in the thick of everything; you get used to thinking of some characters simply as jerks, or just another body on the pile. Then you see a picture of one of those guys enjoying a beer with a smile on their face, and suddenly you have just this slightest twinge of regret or pity. And that's the kind of reaction you look for in a series like this.
The herd sequence: The little gameplay segment where you have to walk through the herd is great. I just need to put that out there. Not only is it a gameplay sequence we haven't seen in the series yet, it's an innovative twist on sequences seen in the previous games. The other times we've walked through a herd in this game, it was just in a straight line. Most people probably expected similar from S3, but now for a change, you're given full control and have to actively avoid bumping into them. The added layer of interactivity helps raise the stakes and make the scene feel a lot more tense... unless you bump into one of the low-res zombies by accident, then the scene starts getting a little bit funny instead.
Gore: Alright, I'll be honest, this is more of a superficial reason for liking the episode, but I like how there was more zombie gore this episode. Zombie getting its face smacked off? Cool. Zombie having its head explode from a gunshot, leaving its jaw flapping around? Awesome. Shooting a zombie's leg off? Neat. Having a zombie get completely crushed by a bulldozer? Sweet. It's something the season was lacking in. Most of the time when characters killed zombies, they didn't have any kind of injuries afterwards. No gunshot wounds, no bullet holes, and so forth.
Soundtrack: Much like gore, another superficial thing, but the soundtrack in this episode definitely deserves a shout out. The music during the David fight scene, and the tracks during most of the major death scenes are very well done. It's great to have some melancholic, emotional tracks that can match up with some of the series' best tracks from the previous seasons. And even the music that is reused felt like it was utilized well. The first two episodes suffered from heavy reuse of particular tracks, as well as some less-than-stellar transitions between tracks. If a soundtrack is doing its job right, you shouldn't be noticing things like abrupt cuts or transitions, or realizing that you've already heard this same track 2 other times in the episode already. A good soundtrack supplements what is happening on screen, and falls into the background. And if you ask me, episode 5's soundtrack did a good job of using music accordingly, as well as knowing when to use it more sparingly. One small touch I liked is how Tripp's death didn't have any music to it. Just the ambient sounds of wind. It's one of those times where refraining from using music actually makes the scene more impactful. Case in point, the Stranger confrontation back in S1. No music, just Lee and the stranger talking to each other the whole way through. So much more effective than if they had some soundtrack playing over it.
Of course, all of that doesn't mean it isn't without flaws, either. Despite my feelings on the episode as a whole, there are most definitely a few gripes I had with it:
The David fight: Despite loving the scene itself, how exactly it ends up occurring leaves a bit to be desired, at least depending on what you did. This fight pretty much hinges on Kate more than anything else. And if you tried to keep your distance from her the entire time, that makes Kate's role in the conflict feel a lot weaker, or dare I say contrived.
Ava: Honestly, I'm fine with the way Tripp was handled. Having the difference of him just tossing the walker away, being able to bury the hatchet regarding Conrad, and getting a relatively honorable death, that's all good. But Ava? Hoo boy, Ava definitely got the short end of the stick in comparison. Firstly, the only time you get to talk to her is much less dynamic than with Tripp. It basically boils down to you telling her why you did what you did... which she just shrugs off like "yeah, that sucked, let's keep moving." And then, just a few minutes later, she simply dies. Just poof, and she's gone. And then the only person that really shows any emotion towards her demise is David... which only sticks for like, 5 seconds. Then the scene just continues as usual. Basically, Tripp vs Ava is like Ben vs Nick-- Ben in ep 5 felt organic, like he still fit within the story. You got worthwhile scenes with him, that made him feel relevant, and more importantly, that he was worth keeping alive. Tripp is largely the same. But then we have Ava and Nick; two characters who basically fade into the background, and end up getting underwhelming deaths, with major underreactions from the other characters to boot. Does keeping Nick alive feel worth it to you? You get the option to talk to him once in ep 3, and you get the little Kenny/Nick exchange towards the end ("Thanks, asshole"), but that's about it. Otherwise he's simply just there in the background, barely speaking up or playing a role in the events of the episode. Ava is pretty much the same. You quickly talk about the ep 4 choice with her, and then she saves your life... but otherwise, she's just there... for the ~10 minutes she survives.
Max: Where the FUCK did this guy go? I don't really have some thought-out response to this in particular. I just really want to know what the hell happened to this beanie-wearing, anti-villain bastard.
I could keep going, but I've been typing this out for at least an hour now... I think. So I think I'll call it there for now.
more endings? no. honestly i wish that gabe was a sole survivor and that he would develop more in the future. but i kinda agree, kate should've been dead in every ending. fuck her.
clem and gabe can both be hotheaded at times, but they can also be smart at times. i feel like ep 5 showed that gabe was actually smart at times, like how he interpreted joan/clint's deaths and like the generator and stuff
Comments
Sure, Gabe throwing Javi under the bus for shooting Conrad when he is the one who asked for his death, staying with his father even after seeing what David has become and trying to stop his father by touching the wheel which made them crash makes him smarter than Clementine.
It's 100% better than A New Trash!!!
Ah, okay. I thought you were agreeing that David is better than Kenny.
Well I do think that. All I'm saying is that I like David more, not that he's better at saving kids or something.
I largely agreed with David's actions (breaking Fern's arm, shooting Rufus, wanting to leave Richmond behind and keeping the family safe- everything besides attacking Javi basically) in the finale and wished we had more options to show our support for him.
I don't know if this is really an unpopular opinion, but a few people on this forum would disagree with it.
I absolutely think that Mariana was the right child to kill in Episode 1. Some people keep saying that Gabe should have died, which would have just been dumb and makes me think they wanted him dead just cause they don't like him. You'd lose the character interplay between Javi and Gabe, adding another boring character to the already bland game filled with blank slates. Mariana was built to be killed in episode one and was simply too nice to have Gabe's personality anyway.
Edit: Nevermind I read you comment wrong shame on me
I agree, though I don't think she needed to die. Or exist at all when it's all said and done, but that's another matter entirely.
He's a teen. Even Clem does dumb things because she is a teen. They do irrational things. Clem is no exception.
Oh. You mean the man that raises Gabe for 10 years before the outbreak. Also, the person that he probably dreams of meeting again everyday. Clem would do the same for Kenny, who is even as much as a "monster."(determinant)
Not the smartest move. But some of the previous actions from Clem would make it seem like a honest mistake. People need to look at Clem's character from a outside view. She mature, but is very much still a kid.
More like A New Fuck-up, if you ask me.
haha it was funny while it lasted
That's not an excuse
Clem would never do that same shit as Gabe.
Season 2's choices were very two-dimentional.
Clem does inject a baby with unknown drugs. Also, she shoots a guy over a fit.
I feel like Javi was an amazing protagonist (Like he was a much better version of Luke-- The "big brother" trope character to Clementine) and I don't think Gabentine is that bad. It's good that's she is growing up and developing relationships like that.
You mean Eli? That asshole gave her fake bullets
I agree with the Clementine thing. Honestly, I hated playing as her in season 2, and it made the whole season a drag for me. Like, I love her, but I rather play as an adult.
I am 100% convinced Ava/Tripp didn't die and will return in Season 4 or sometime in the future 100% for sure.
Here's one for the books-- From The Gallows is my second favorite finale episode, behind No Going Back (which itself is an uncommon opinion)... which also means that No Time Left is in third place (which is also also an uncommon opinion). Move over everybody, the newest most unpopular opinion is in the house.
Bring on everybody severely questioning my intelligence behind my back
That justifies murder now? Though to be fair it was an accident but Clem pulled a gun on him when she didn't have to.
Eli almost got her killed. What did you expect her to act like?
Not questioning your intelligence. Mind explaining why though?
i liked jane a lot. (not enough to choose her over kenny tho lmao) also the best ending of season 2 was leaving wellington with kenny and AJ.
Also i kinda wish instead of introducing a new character Jane, they shouldve just brought back molly. seriously, jane and molly are BASICALLY the same character. both liked being alone, both were agressive and tough (but had a good heart), and both had little sisters. i never got why they made jane when they couldve just brought back molly?
i actually kind of liked kate and javi together lmao... i got loving relationship with her and javi. but i kind of want to replay and totally reject kate, that way javi can have a good relationship with david instead
i HATE gabentine or whatever tf. lmao. i want clem to develop relationships but..not with gabe lmao
Fern's VA did a great job, even for a brief cameo.
That's actually a popular opinion.
I actually think Gabe and Clementine's crushes on each other is cute. I also just liked Gabe's character in general.
I suppose. Or better yet, have Luke or Mike do what it.
Like Lee taught her stuff.
Putting me in a tough place, I see.
Firstly, I just want to make this clear from the get-go-- what I consider to be a favorite is not the same as what I consider to be the best. Is FTG one of my favorite finales? Yes. Do I think it's objectively the best finale of the series? No. That honor still probably goes to No Time Left. I'm more than willing to admit FTG has flaws, and that from an objective standpoint, it probably is the weakest finale... but to me personally, I still enjoyed it in lieu of that.
For the sake of making this easier, I'll just focus on From The Gallows exclusively:
Character dynamics: One of the things I really liked about FTG was the interplay between characters. The central dynamic of the episode is most definitely Javier and David's relationship, and seeing it get pushed to the edge. To that end, the episode did a good job trying to further explore David's psyche, why he acts the way he does, and why he does the things he does. The rooftop scene with him was a good introspective, and him talking about AJ on the overpass helped further flesh out his conflicted nature-- he's a man that has been at war with himself for years, and new challenges kept getting added as the days pass by. And those scenes ultimately helped make the climactic fight between the two feel emotionally satisfying to me. The build-up was ultimately worth the pay-off. And depending further on your choices, the potential for David to not only live, but the choice of getting him to come back to Richmond or not acts as a high note to end this tumultuous relationship.
After that, we also explore the relationship with Gabe a bit more. We get to see him question his loyalty to his father, as well as his integrity. It's also neat because we haven't really had a character that has had to do this yet-- a kid questioning the morality and integrity of their parent(s). I think it helps establish that a lot of Gabe's actions, like David's, are spurred by an inner conflict Gabe's having with himself; trying to figure out who he wants to be. Gabe has a lot of affection for his dad, but he's slowly coming to the realization that he might not be the infallible hero he has always made him out to be. And as a result, he's starting to realize that his uncle, who he's been more than harsh towards (partly thanks to what David has told him in the past) might have been the better father figure all along. So now he's dealing with conflicting family values-- he wants to be more like Javier, but I get the impression that he feels like that would be betraying his dad in some small part, which factors into why he tried to go with David at the water tower.
Bottom line being, Gabe showcased some growth as a character this episode.
Choice tailoring: Another great aspect of the episode. There are a lot of small permutations and changes between scenes, depending on the things you've done. And then you have small branches, which branch off from other branches. Things like having a choice to amputate Rufus' arm, when his appearance altogether is determinant, is nice. Having the S2 endings affect Clementine's choice to shoot David, as well as what she does when confronted with a dying Gabe, is also a great way to make old choices feel relevant again, and much like Rufus, in scenes that might not even happen to begin with. As well as small things like spitting on David or accepting Ava's offer factor into her choice to split up with Javier or not. There's so many little changes that can potentially occur throughout the episode, arguably more than any other finale episode has done yet.
The flashback: The beginning flashback is without a doubt one of the stand-out moments of the finale. But more importantly, it's very heartfelt. The situation that flashback revolves around-- a cancer diagnosis, and a father's wish for his sons to stay brothers-- is something people can understand and relate to. It also probably helps that Javier's dad is a pretty likable guy, just from the 5 minutes we see him. It makes the promise feel more weighty. That flashback just feels organic. It establishes one the key themes and dynamics of the episode in a respectful and sympathetic manner.
Pacing: I already know this is going to be a questionable one to some people. And I'll admit this one is pretty subjective, but I thought the episode was paced well. Granted, are there a few moments that pass by a little too quickly (forgiving Eleanor, etc)? Yeah, there's some stuff that they could have spent a bit more time lingering on, but as a whole, the episode felt like it moved at a decent pace. It had its share of action sequences, but it was interspersed with a healthy amount of character interaction and one-on-ones. Again, this one is quite subjective, but the episode didn't feel like it moved too quickly or too slow for me. By and large, it felt just about right, save for a few scenes here and there that could have benefited from getting a bit more focus/time.
Character screentime: This episode was centered almost exclusively on the Garcias; Javi, David, Gabe and Kate. Most choices revolved around those four, most scenes revolved around those four, and most conflict of the episode itself involved those four. And I consider this an upside-- the episode made a choice to focus in on a much more concise group of characters, which allows for more development and establishment of these characters, in comparison to say, S2, which tried to focus on a rather large and varied group of people, which meant that while more characters got focus, they ultimately got less development and characterization. By trimming the fat, and limiting the supporting characters of the episode down to Clementine and Tripp/Ava, it gave the episode the opportunity to focus on its star players, so to speak.
Emotional gravitas: Another relatively subjective thing, but I felt this episode did a good job in cultivating emotional responses to the events that occurred. Again, this is definitely helped by the fact that the episode centered itself on the most established characters, but I felt quite connected to the things that happened, and the decisions as a whole felt like they had some serious weight to them. Most death scenes that can occur were handled respectfully (with at least one exception, as I'll list below), and actually packed a punch. Just look at Gabe's death. They were able to take a character most people either hated or were largely indifferent towards, and managed to make a death that a lot of people agree was actually sad. There's even a portion of people that hate Gabe that have admitted that his death was good. Granted, that's all just anecdotes, but if you went from everyone being pissed at the kid for ratting out what you did to Conrad last episode, to feeling all bummed out when the kid's on his death bed, you have to be doing something right. Another thing I like is how they attempted to remind people that all of these characters were normal people at one point. And hell, some of them still are. Learning that Rufus, this irrelevant mook from the first episode, actually had a family makes for a nice little development. Then you have the memorial wall at the end of the episode, which also helps makes a statement about the characters. Seeing people in better times goes a long way in not only helping to make the world feel more alive, it also provides some retrospective that's easy for players to forget when they're in the thick of everything; you get used to thinking of some characters simply as jerks, or just another body on the pile. Then you see a picture of one of those guys enjoying a beer with a smile on their face, and suddenly you have just this slightest twinge of regret or pity. And that's the kind of reaction you look for in a series like this.
The herd sequence: The little gameplay segment where you have to walk through the herd is great. I just need to put that out there. Not only is it a gameplay sequence we haven't seen in the series yet, it's an innovative twist on sequences seen in the previous games. The other times we've walked through a herd in this game, it was just in a straight line. Most people probably expected similar from S3, but now for a change, you're given full control and have to actively avoid bumping into them. The added layer of interactivity helps raise the stakes and make the scene feel a lot more tense... unless you bump into one of the low-res zombies by accident, then the scene starts getting a little bit funny instead.
Gore: Alright, I'll be honest, this is more of a superficial reason for liking the episode, but I like how there was more zombie gore this episode. Zombie getting its face smacked off? Cool. Zombie having its head explode from a gunshot, leaving its jaw flapping around? Awesome. Shooting a zombie's leg off? Neat. Having a zombie get completely crushed by a bulldozer? Sweet. It's something the season was lacking in. Most of the time when characters killed zombies, they didn't have any kind of injuries afterwards. No gunshot wounds, no bullet holes, and so forth.
Soundtrack: Much like gore, another superficial thing, but the soundtrack in this episode definitely deserves a shout out. The music during the David fight scene, and the tracks during most of the major death scenes are very well done. It's great to have some melancholic, emotional tracks that can match up with some of the series' best tracks from the previous seasons. And even the music that is reused felt like it was utilized well. The first two episodes suffered from heavy reuse of particular tracks, as well as some less-than-stellar transitions between tracks. If a soundtrack is doing its job right, you shouldn't be noticing things like abrupt cuts or transitions, or realizing that you've already heard this same track 2 other times in the episode already. A good soundtrack supplements what is happening on screen, and falls into the background. And if you ask me, episode 5's soundtrack did a good job of using music accordingly, as well as knowing when to use it more sparingly. One small touch I liked is how Tripp's death didn't have any music to it. Just the ambient sounds of wind. It's one of those times where refraining from using music actually makes the scene more impactful. Case in point, the Stranger confrontation back in S1. No music, just Lee and the stranger talking to each other the whole way through. So much more effective than if they had some soundtrack playing over it.
Of course, all of that doesn't mean it isn't without flaws, either. Despite my feelings on the episode as a whole, there are most definitely a few gripes I had with it:
The David fight: Despite loving the scene itself, how exactly it ends up occurring leaves a bit to be desired, at least depending on what you did. This fight pretty much hinges on Kate more than anything else. And if you tried to keep your distance from her the entire time, that makes Kate's role in the conflict feel a lot weaker, or dare I say contrived.
Ava: Honestly, I'm fine with the way Tripp was handled. Having the difference of him just tossing the walker away, being able to bury the hatchet regarding Conrad, and getting a relatively honorable death, that's all good. But Ava? Hoo boy, Ava definitely got the short end of the stick in comparison. Firstly, the only time you get to talk to her is much less dynamic than with Tripp. It basically boils down to you telling her why you did what you did... which she just shrugs off like "yeah, that sucked, let's keep moving." And then, just a few minutes later, she simply dies. Just poof, and she's gone. And then the only person that really shows any emotion towards her demise is David... which only sticks for like, 5 seconds. Then the scene just continues as usual. Basically, Tripp vs Ava is like Ben vs Nick-- Ben in ep 5 felt organic, like he still fit within the story. You got worthwhile scenes with him, that made him feel relevant, and more importantly, that he was worth keeping alive. Tripp is largely the same. But then we have Ava and Nick; two characters who basically fade into the background, and end up getting underwhelming deaths, with major underreactions from the other characters to boot. Does keeping Nick alive feel worth it to you? You get the option to talk to him once in ep 3, and you get the little Kenny/Nick exchange towards the end ("Thanks, asshole"), but that's about it. Otherwise he's simply just there in the background, barely speaking up or playing a role in the events of the episode. Ava is pretty much the same. You quickly talk about the ep 4 choice with her, and then she saves your life... but otherwise, she's just there... for the ~10 minutes she survives.
Max: Where the FUCK did this guy go? I don't really have some thought-out response to this in particular. I just really want to know what the hell happened to this beanie-wearing, anti-villain bastard.
I could keep going, but I've been typing this out for at least an hour now... I think. So I think I'll call it there for now.
I actually really liked her voice acting too! It felt really real.
A New Frontier is good tho
Too bad they didn't give much efforts for her expressions
But it said in the ending credits that they died
Gabe was the most interesting character of ANF.
There should have been an option to have both Kate and Gabe dead.
more endings? no. honestly i wish that gabe was a sole survivor and that he would develop more in the future. but i kinda agree, kate should've been dead in every ending. fuck her.
clem and gabe can both be hotheaded at times, but they can also be smart at times. i feel like ep 5 showed that gabe was actually smart at times, like how he interpreted joan/clint's deaths and like the generator and stuff