Gaming News 10 years ago, the ending of this video game left its mark, but no one talks about the sequel, which is even better
Season 1 of The Walking Dead, released 11 years ago, left its mark with its more than heartbreaking finale. However, a decade later, I think the sequel is even better, and I’ll explain why!
After finishing the first season of Telltale’s The Walking Dead, I was hesitant to commit to a second episode. The experience was so captivating and immersive that I wondered how a sequel could top it. Well, I stuck my finger up to my elbow in my eye! First of all, a little reminder. The Walking Dead is a point-and-click narrative video game based on the famous comic universe. But here the scenario emerges from the minds of the developers: the player embodies Lee, a character who has to survive against the zombies thanks to a series of dialogue options and actions. These decisions can have serious consequences for the development of the story and the relationship between the characters. And of course this is The Walking Dead. So expect dilemmas where a character can die with a single click.
A first game that lays the foundation
In this world where death is everywhere, I find it very difficult to bond with children, and Lee quickly meets Clémentine, a little girl aged… 6 years old. Adult deaths are hard enough, I can’t help but feel even sadder when it comes to younger ones. It’s a shame for me, our hero leaves us no choice: he makes the decision to take care of the child. A commitment that will lead him to his downfall after several adventures. At the end of the first season, our character dies, leaving little Clementine alone. The game then presents us with one of its famous choices: ask our protégé to shorten our suffering, or let us turn into a zombie. While Clementine had only learned of her parents’ deaths a few minutes earlier, this conclusion is even more startling! Despite this heartbreaking finale, I stand firm and agree: I prefer the sequel.
Controlling Clementine changes everything!
One of the strengths of The Walking Dead season 2 is that we take direct control of Clementine… At the time, I was curious about the rest of this story and the future of this little girl who will surely be traumatized forever. But although my fear was already high when I took on the role of Lee, a resilient and resourceful adult, I couldn’t imagine how much it would be heightened by the role of a defenseless little girl. Confronted not only with monsters but also with human violence, I felt even less at ease in this second experience. Furthermore, these points are clearly highlighted in the introduction to the second season. Within 20 minutes we find ourselves wandering through the forest alone, fleeing these two threats after losing our former companions.
As for my decisions, in this new work there is no longer any need to worry about Clementine’s reactions, because we are the ones who guide her actions. This results in the character becoming more “grown up” and clearer. Consequently, this second part gives our former protégé a leadership role. Something that some did not like and argued that it did not correspond to the universe of The Walking Dead. To me this seems completely consistent, especially when you compare his journey to Carl’s in the TV series. Like him, she turns out to be a central figure in a world in which children are forced to grow up quickly: Unlike in the first work, Clémentine is confronted directly with this reality.
Sometimes children have to show their parents the way. Carl Grimes, The Walking Dead
Much more effective supporting characters
In Season 2 of The Walking Dead, new game means new team. To me, Clementine only had one family: Lee. Although she is quickly accepted into a new group, I didn’t feel particularly close to them. The loss of one of the five members of this group initially did nothing for me. However, this view quickly developed… In fact, after Lee’s death, I never thought I would find such an influential figure again. However, in this second season there is Kenny: he was one of the protagonists of our group in the first part. His fate was tragic as he lost his wife and son. Originally I couldn’t really appreciate this father; his outbursts of anger often dominated, which often put us in danger. In the second part, however, his presence touched me deeply. He does not act as a surrogate father, but as an uncle who offers Clementine valuable support and advice. His return was a moment of comfort and familiarity, one of the reasons I loved this album.
on the left the figure of Kenny, on the right the figure of Jane
In contrast to this nostalgic character, we meet Jane, who brings another interesting dynamic. Individualistic and pragmatic, she presents herself as Clémentine’s big sister. His presence raises questions about trust and loyalty in a world where alliances are often fragile. After Episode 4, a rivalry arises between Kenny and Jane, revealing the reasons for their respective attitudes. Jane in particular serves as a spiritual big sister to our character, influenced by her own past with her sister. On the other hand, Kenny is tormented by the traumatic events he faces: his “new” wife is bitten as we try to escape from a horde of zombies. At that moment his anger and frustration reach their peak.. For him, this work is a descent into hell in the continuation of the first season and, frankly, it is exhilarating to follow. Despite his violence and questionable decisions, Kenny represents Clementine and I’s final connection to the first game, making it difficult to emotionally detach.
A well-constructed story for a successful finale
The conclusion of the second season is unforgiving, perhaps even more heartbreaking than Lee’s inevitable death in the first game: Kenny or Jane, only one of them can live, the other must die. I remember stopping and thinking for a good fifteen minutes before making my decision. The reason for this purpose is simple: AJ. His real name is Alvin Junior, he is a baby who was just born at the end of the second season. For Kenny he represents the last hope for a better world, which is why he takes care of it at the risk of his life. When it’s Jane’s turn to take care of him, she explains to us that she had to escape and leave him with the zombies. Full of anger, the widower attacks her and begins a fight to the death. It is up to us to make the final decision: to kill one or the other. For my part, I have decided to end Kenny’s suffering. When we find AJ hiding in a car further away, I understand that our spiritual sister had planned everything. I take Alvin Junior with me and leave behind the person who just lied to me and forced me to kill the man I thought was my uncle, my friend.
Kenny and Jane face each other to the death
This decision led me to abandon every trusted person I had, even Kenny, who I knew very well, to pursue my own destiny. This time the game’s ending clearly made me want to play a sequel. I was convinced I wanted to experience Season 3, even more so with this “new” Clementine and this little baby AJ. In true Lee fashion, I would become a new mentor and potential spiritual mother! In fact, Telltale games are designed to be enjoyed together, and each episode enriches the story. We follow the development of this young girl over four seasons and how she goes from guard to protector.
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