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The Walking Dead: Season 02: Episode 02 - A House DividedAs with all games that are episodic in nature, if you have not yet played All That Remains stop reading right now. A House Divided is episode two out of five for the second season of The Walking Dead game and once again raises the bar for the series.
Episode one put poor Clementine through the wringer but proved once and for all how tough this little girl can be. Episode two doesn't have quite as many harrowing events but believe me there is still more than enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. A House Divided continues from the cliffhanger ending of All That Remains and Clementine is in peril right from the start. When the dust clears a new villain is revealed and the group has to leave their cozy cabin in the woods behind. As this episode once again clocks in at less than two hours this is about as much as I can reveal about the plot without delving into spoilers. What I like about this episode is that it finally allows you to interact with the characters you met in episode one. After getting to know some of them better I changed my opinion of more than one. The dialogue is up to the usual Telltale standards and Clementine has some great responses to choose from. While it proves that she can finally stand on her own without relying on a protector it also seems a bit weird at times. Adults readily share their secrets with her or even blame her for situations over which she had very little control. It would have been more realistic had she been older but I guess in a zombie infested world age doesn't' matter as much as your ability to survive. This episode has a few quick time events and even a zombie shooting gallery but as the name suggests, the focus is more on conflict between characters. The new villain, who is expertly voiced by Michael Madsen, throws everything into disarray and Clem finds herself right in the middle of it all. The game delights in making you choose sides and testing your loyalty which results in plenty of tense situations. Bashing open a zombies skull with a hammer is one thing but seeing words such as "Nick will remember what you said" is often more terrifying. I found myself second guessing my choices quite a few times and this episode also seems to be the most complex in terms of what impact your actions may have. There are some interesting new developments in this episode and those waiting to see how the 400 Days DLC ties into it all should be pleased by what unfolds. I was also pleasantly surprised by a certain reveal and there are some nice links to season one. Some of the twists you'll see coming but overall A House Divided has plenty of drama and intrigue. If you felt that episode one was a little light on character development this episode should rectify that. The audio and video is still top notch and we didn't encounter any technical issues during our playthrough of the game. Melissa Hutchison still shines in her role as Clementine but the gravelly voiced Madson in his role as Carver steals the show with his aura of menace. The music also remains moody and low key until the action ramps up which makes for a very cinematic experience. A House Divided doesn't have as big a cliffhanger ending as episode one but it does hint at some very interesting stuff to come. This episode shows that Clementine has finally moved out of Lee's shadow and turned into a fully fledged character that others depend on with their lives at times. The final 30 minutes or so of A House Divided contains some of the tensest situations yet in the series, and will definitely leave fans counting down the days until episode three arrives. 
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TAGS: The Walking Dead, Season 02, Episode 02, A House Divided, Clementine,
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