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On 17/11/2016 at 12:33, Benji said:

Anyone heard anything about when TWD Season 3 drops? Last I heard was this month, but nothing else seems to have happened.

Announced that it's out on the 20th of December. 

Going to be the first time I've played through one of TellTale's games on an episode basis rather than having the entire game to play through. The wait for each episode is going to be a killer isn't it?

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13 hours ago, Asuka's Gonna Kill You said:

Announced that it's out on the 20th of December. 

Going to be the first time I've played through one of TellTale's games on an episode basis rather than having the entire game to play through. The wait for each episode is going to be a killer isn't it?

Personally I stopped trying to keep up with episodic games. In the beginning I was all into that, with TWDS1/2, TWAU. But I gave up during GOT when TellTale was taking on more and more different IP's and the waiting times got silly.

Now I just wait for the full thing to come out, and I get that and marathon through it.

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The ending of episode 4 of the first season of the Walking Dead has to the be most up emotional I have ever been about a video game.

Me and the SO played it the other night and man oh man, I had tears in my eyes as it was leading up to Lee getting bit. SO was still pissed last night about Lee getting bit and was still asking "but like... maybe he can get cured? Maybe he won't turn. The end of Episode 5 is going to be raw for him.

  

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Eurgh, Minecraft is so boring. I'm forcing myself through it because the idea of a half complete Telltale Game annoys me, but it is really rubbish. Major spoilers within:

Spoiler

Currently on chapter 6, still annoyed that the story ended at chapter 4 and then tagged on chapter 5 to start another story, plus Reuben dying took out any emotional investment I had in anyone else. This stupid murder mystery stuff in this chapter is dull too.

I don't even think it's because I haven't played Minecraft, the story telling just is not good, the voice acting is terrible, and the scripting is downright diabolical. Most of the conversation decisions are just variation on the same exact thing, meaning you can't even make your own story from tone. How this got three extra DLC episodes and Borderlands and Wolf Among Us didn't is beyond me, they are significantly better games.

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Probably because Minecraft is a much easier sell amongst the younger demographics. TWAU was very high-concept at the time, and despite its acclaim hasn't been as well sold as the bigger namesakes. And Borderlands, who knows why that didn't got more episodes because it was amazing.

On another note though, I have given up all hope of TellTale ever truly fixing their engine and creating something that is truly accessible for all systems big and small. I've heard multiple friends complain about the past few Batman episodes that had horrid lag spikes and total loss of audio sync throughout the later part of the chapters... And that's just ridiculous for an engine that's for all intents going into its twelfth year. And sure, they make 'graphical improvements' by making the shading a bit better, but the stability has been utter arse for years now.

And TellTale is no doubt never gonna fix it until their shit stops selling.

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Honestly, their BTTF game on PS4 was the most buggy thing I have ever played in my life. In a game that should run about 6-10 hours, it crashed in the late teens total. Like I said with Minecraft, if it weren't for a half-complete Telltale game bugging me, I'd never have finished it.

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Spoiler

Batman Episode 2...

 

All my choices were the majority except for one. I decided to rescue Harvey Dent over Catwoman. It was tough but I thought she had better odds of fighting than Dent. This is right up there as one of the better TT games I've played. Fantastic stuff!

 

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We just finished Episode 5 of Season 1 and it was real good. Like, "best video game story of all time" good. 

I know that Season 2 will almost without question be a step down, but at least I know it. I played the first 3 episodes and thought it was very good, but not great. Hope it ages better. 

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31 minutes ago, RPS said:

We just finished Episode 5 of Season 1 and it was real good. Like, "best video game story of all time" good. 

I know that Season 2 will almost without question be a step down, but at least I know it. I played the first 3 episodes and thought it was very good, but not great. Hope it ages better. 

Season 2 lacks the emotional hook that Season 1 had, with Lee's devotion to Clem being such a massive part of the story that really helps make the story come alive. Episode 4 and 5 were great because of it, because despite being on his last legs he gives everything to protect Clem, and well, many manly tears were shed at the ending of S1.

S2 puts you in Clem's shoes, as the product of how you left her. But Clem herself lacks 'power' in the Season 2 story, due to the character's youth she's often kept slightly on the sidelines as the grown-up's are doing stuff. The story gets a bit better when a familiar face returns, but the Lee/Clem connection is always lacking, and that's what made the first such an amazing story.

The way they actually made you care about Clem in S1 (and the other characters too), is quite something else, because in most such games the kid would be an utterly annoying scrappy who are way too competent for their own good. But Clem is written as just a kid in the middle of the apocalypse, she's not a zombie killing machine, or able to make big decisions, she's really just a timid and scared kid.

Season 2 still finishes with a strong emotional beat, but the story (and characters) stumble around with some really weird choices. Also don't know whether I like taking the reigns of a new character in season 3 rather than continue with Clem, but i'll trust in TellTale to make it work.

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As far as I know you still play as Clem in season 3. It's just that you play as her and as the new guy, Javier.

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Awesome! Speaking of, episode 4...

 

Spoiler

Did anyone choose to go to Wayne Manor instead of the Tower? I thought I made the best decision to take down Penguin before secrets got out. But then Dent burns down the manor!? Also, I owe Joker a favor. I'm really hoping that plays out in season 2, not this game. Personally I hope Dent goes full Two Face next season as well. Absolutely love his character in this game. 

Excited to see how this season ends. To me, Batman right up there with Walking Dead. Just under because Lee was such an amazing character.

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

Played through Batman now that the season was fully out. And all in all (despite the bugs), I really liked the creative direction they went with regarding the story. Some of it being classic Batman, some of it being way different, but ultimately writing a story that really felt like a Batman story. Episode 1 started a bit slow, maybe a bit too slow and plodding, but E3-4 really upped the tempo and worked towards a pretty good crescendo to the story (and in TellTale fashion, wrapped up practically all loose ends).

Time for spoilery things...
Episode 1:

 

As I had said, Episode 1 was a really plodding way to start off. But it made sense to take it slow and establish all the players on the field. And with the way it was set up, it made sense from the start with a few big 'shocks'. Cobblepot being rewritten as a 'well spoken' former-friend of Bruce Wayne was an interesting twist, and he immediately brought the sinister edge to the story. Making it clear that he was gonna be a major player as the season progressed (spoilers, he was).

Also Harvey running for mayor whilst being backed by Bruce, made plenty of sense. Although I really wasn't a huge fan of how they 'spoiled' Bruce's secret and had Selina/Bruce know each other's alter ego's from the get go.

The big plot hook of course was that apparently the Wayne's where just as big a scumbags as Falcone and Mayor Hill were. And at the end of course, it pretty much shows the truth in that statement. Wayne's being dirty isn't a completely original story hook, but it gives something different to the established norm.

Episode 2:

 

The second episode really dealt with the aftermath of what happened. Falcone's death was an interesting one, immediately removing a player from the board and adding more intrigue about the drug-stuff shown in episode 1. Of course it had to be good-gal Montoya to be the one doing the shooting.

Naturally, the biggest part of it all was the whole speech in the finale of the episode. Hill gets killed by the Penguin, and I chose to save Harvey from getting killed. Of course, it meant Selina got shot but she got away with her life intact, as I had expected she'd do.

But of course, this episode confirms that the rumours of the Wayne's criminality. And fully commits to Thomas Wayne being a scumbag extraordinaire who had innocent people committed to keep the status quo and his power/wealth in check. Dun Dun Dun!

Episode 3

 

Hill is dead, Dent is mayor. And the drugs have sent poor Harvey over the edge and into his two-faced persona that is dedicated to arbitrary justice, and with Mayoral power he does whatever the fuck he pleases.

(My) Bruce also decides to do the ol' hokey pokey with Selina, since the game was writing that narrative pretty well and I gotta make sure Bruce is Bruce by tapping that ass. But just a shame Harvey didn't really appreciate Bruce boinking his woman, and this completely sends the guy over the deep end. Well, shit...

And Bruce has to step down to protect the company and himself (big shock, right?), but then the game decides to throw a big plot twist at you that I personally didn't see coming. As it is shown that paragon of truth Vicki Vale is actually Lady Arkham, and the big bad behind all the terror going on. And on top of that, she drugs and gets him to beat that cuntwaffle Cobblepot into a bloody pulp!

Episode 4

 

Big things happening, and Bruce wakes up in Arkham Asylum with a lot of angry inmates that don't like Bruce Wayne a lot. But wait, who is there to save him? Some mysterious pasty guy with green hair and a massive smile! Oh yeah, gotta have the Joker in there. And I must admit, he had me intrigued despite being effectively a cameo this season. I liked his frantic persona, his crazy reasoning and actions, and also his voice actor, he's no Hammill but he had the laugh and mannerisms down pretty well considering.

Also liked seeing a couple of cameo's like Zsasz and Wesker, who I hope I will see more of. (spoilers, we will)

But this episode certainly is the tipping point action wise, Cobblepot and Arkham setting their nasty plans in motion and forcing me to make a few decisions. Like trying to stop a crazed Harvey, and having to save Lt. Gordon from his goons.

And then the big choice of having to pick between stopping Penguin from breaking into all of Batman's systems, or save Alfred from Two-Face continuing his spree of insanity. I ultimately chose the former, since I knew that the manor would be save, and Alfred is an old tough codger that can hold his own against a coin wielding maniac.

Episode 5

 

The big finale of the series, gotta stop that bastard Two-Face who is holding all the side characters hostage and stop him from killing them. Which I did, kinda (Sorry Deb, I chose poorly). I also tossed that fucking coin away and let him fall, because after all this time trying to get through to him it was clear that he had gone through the event horizon. But at least I stopped Harvey, and saved most of the innocent people, as Bruce Wayne!

- Here I get a little bit annoyed, as TellTale decided to effectively retcon some of the stuff that has happened. With Bruce Wayne suddenly becoming more loved again, and him getting his CEO spot back without any sort of extra effort on anyone's part. Which makes me wonder why they even went through the charade of having Bruce step down for him to get everything back just over an episode later. It's a bit of lazy writing, and clear proof that TellTale wrote themselves in a corner on that regard, but at this point it's nothing that truly pissed me off, just a tidbit. -

Buuut, finale time! Alfred is abducted, and Bruce and Lucius (Love that it's the same VA as the Arkham series (and Lee from TWD), btw) gotta team up to save the tough old bastard from a painful end. And through some Batassery, and we get face to face with Vicky 'Lady Arkham' Vale, after finding out how she got physically abused by her foster parents and turned a nice girl into a crazy murderer hellbent on making the powerful pay.

I chose to unmask Batman, because after all that is what Batman would do to in such a situation. He'd put other people's well-being over his own, and so forth. He gets half his ear blasted off for the effort (which I am 99% certain they'll retcon if there's a Season 2), and makes sure Alfred gets away unharmed.
And of course, in true TellTale fashion, post-fight they wrap up the loose end by killing off Vicki through the scenery falling on her nogging (keeping Bruce kill-free, of course).

In the end, I went as Batman to back up Gordon because the game is all about that caped freakshow. And I remember a speech earlier in the season that whatever Bruce did, would mostly come across as self-serving and trying to get ahead himself. So it would be a bit poor taste for Bruce to act a big damn hero weeks after his reputation was in the shitter.

And then the ol' stinger, with Joker enjoying a martini and giving us the plot hook for a potential season 2. And personally, I am down for another season of action, because I quite enjoyed the series despite some wonky writing logic and the TellTale engine being a dodgy piece of crap. Once I got into the game, I ran through it till the finish.
I personally also liked that they changed up the backstories, to give recognisable villains a new lease on life and keeping me on my toes about what they'd do next, even making me believe I could prevent Harvey from turning into Two-Face, and that Oswald could be somewhat of an ally in episode 1.

And then there's Vicki, the love interest and heroic reporter in all Batman media. This time around turned into the twisted and crazed villain behind all of the badness. It was a bold move, but I feel it was one that was written pretty well, and it wasn't jarring despite the shock at the end of episode 3.

 

TL;DR - Good Batman-y fun. But still nowhere as good as Wolf Among Us, or Tales of the Borderlands. I rate it in the middle of all TellTale series, above Minecraft, Michonne, and GOT, but behind the other TWD stuff and the aformentioned series.

EDIT: the spoilering fucked up for some reason, but it still makes sense... kinda.

 

Edited by Jasonmufc
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