The Walking Dead Season 2: Amid The Ruins is finally here, and it brings us one step closer to the end of this great second season. As was the case with Episode 3, this review is a bit heavy on the spoiler side of things, so reader beware.

After things went South at the end of In Harm’s Way, Clementine finds herself among a “new” group made from the survivors that escaped the compound… which is smaller than he group of people that TRIED to escape from the compound.

The episode opens with Clementine having to deal with the consequences of her last choice made in Episode 3 while also trying to escape from a mob of walkers that have blocked the group’s escape route in a few seconds. Having to reapply walker guts at the midway point proves to be a good choice since it is better to play things safe and slowly move one step at a time than rushing through the mob and risking a bite.

Soon after this the game shifts gears and goes back to being more about interacting with other members of the group, and it then sends Clementine out to explore and help gather new intel and items/supplies in the area, which I definitely liked after so much action over the last couple of episodes.

As has come to be expect of the series, things only tend to get worse and the group is soon faced with a walker invasion that hits them in a moment when they’re definitely not ready to stand their ground (especially with a pregnant woman that is moments away from labor), and this gives the player a new chance to mold Clementine’s personality, marking her for the rest of the series.

Unlike other episodes in Season 2 (and definitely unlike everything that happened during Season 1), an increasing death count and the pace at which it occurs definitely makes this episode the weak-link of the season. It’s still an enjoyable episode with great moments, but it definitely feels more as a setup for the final episode (up to its cliffhanger).

The Walking Dead Season 2: Amid The Ruins keeps things moving at a steady pace until it speeds up to never slow down again. While still enjoyable, it definitely feels different from other episodes, making the wait for Episode 5 feel much, much longer. Sure, they can’t all be winners, but we had come to expect more from Telltale Games, and I do hope that Episode 5 (and the content from Season 3 – which was announced during the San Diego Comic-Con) ends things right.

[review score=”80″ pros=”More exploration than other episodes.
Clementine can be changed more than on other episodes.” cons=”Too many deaths keeps the player from relating to the group as a whole.”]

Disclaimer

This review is based on a PS3 copy of The Walking Dead Season 2: Amid the Ruins provided by Telltale Games