GAME REVIEW: The Walking Dead: Michonne – Episode 2

Full disclosure – I switched from Mac to PC between episodes, as expected the game runs much better on Windows OS but most of the technical complaints persist, from audio glitches to screen freezes.

A man lies on the ground, gagged and crying, staring straight into the bullet-filled skull of a close friend. Michonne stands above him, calculating her next move. Welcome back. The introductions are over and the groundwork established, episode 2 drops us straight back where we left off a month ago.

Much like the first episode, a key part of what makes Michonne stand apart from the main Telltale series is the protagonist, who feels far more at home with violence and weaponry than Lee – or, of course, Clem. There’s a certain level-headedness handed to the universe which isn’t afforded by either series before, and it comes through in episode 2. I found myself feeling more engrossed and among the inhabitants of the river village, more so a person living with and dealing with this reality than a survivor pining for the past.

But the story offered here is nothing new, and indeed feels at once slow and too fast. Characters I feel obliged to care about fly past, bad things happen, people feel bad about the life they lead, but none of this is fresh to tread. In many ways it feels more akin to an expansion pack (which, in actuality, this is) than a new adventure – in serving it’s purpose of being ‘more’ Walking Dead, it succeeds. But even two episodes in I find it hard to recommend picking up, especially when the unbeatable first series is often to be had for a few pounds during sales.

I mentioned Life is Strange in the last review, but it feels to difficult to not compare again. Telltale games have taught us all that, yes, there are ‘choices’, but they only really boil down to, at worst, a few lines of dialogue and at best a different tone of voice used for said dialogue.

When you made a choice in Life is Strange, it had (if not immediate) drastic implications, serious narrative defining stuff. When, early on in episode 2, I was told to drop my machete at gun point, I knew for a fact nothing would happen if I held onto it. This is doubly true owing to Michonne not being an original character. I don’t personally watch the show, but she’s popped up over there, and the whole idea of this being ‘my’ (or indeed the player’s) story is missing.

This is, for sure, a fun little adventure. It’s nice to be back in Telltale’s Walking Dead universe, but more and more I feel myself caring more about what is missing and the collapsing engine than I do the narrative, which is perhaps the worst thing that can happen in a narrative experience. With both previous series being defining moments, episode 2 adds to the growing feeling that Michonne is a palate cleanser to bide our time.