My favourite game series of all time. 1 TWD 2 RDR2 3 Skyrim. For a QTE game to securely best a game with the prestige of RDR2 is truly remarkable.
First of all, the art style is amazing. Its the perfect balance between comic and real life and im glad Telltale didn't decide to make it black and white. The environments always look stunning and life-like but you can see all the effort in the cross hatchings etc if youre looking for that. Otherwise, you are memorised by how relatable everything seems.
The whole backstory from the previous games leading up to this game deserve limitless praise. Though, specifically to the final season, there is still so much that can be said. Clementine is the main selling point as the greatest gaming character of all time. She is so likeable and the perfect character you want to play as; she is the kind-hearted, sweet pretty girl she looks like if you want her to be but a brutal, cunning menace otherwise. This is because no game is as good as Telltale at making player-decided storys. Sometimes, if you replay the story, there are decisions that have less effect then you think they would when picking the other choice but somehow its still so captivating and on your first playthrough, you feel like your story may be 1 in a million if not for a singular ending and Telltale does such an extraodinary job at that.
Also, the game does so well at drawing emotion from you, its the only game to make me cry. This is because of how relatable and realistic everything is, from scheming cannibals in season 1 to reinhibited slave labour in season 4. The juxtaposition between the cool art and 18 rated events is perfect.
This is mainly due to to Clementine as she is easily admired yet so relatable. She is extremely athletic and i dont think people realise it, she plays football in season 1 and wears a baseball cap throughout the series. Not alot of tell but you cant see this unless you play the game. This is so well- made in relatability as she does these things but not like Lara Croft who does impossible feats all the time. Instead, Clem uses her super smarts, charisma and athleticism and precisely, cunningly uses them in different situations. You see this as an effect of the apocalypse as well with her incredible durability to go alongside her genetical prowess. This is what makes the game so fun, you can play as the scavenging survivor Clem is in the most calculating fashion. You can really grow attached to her and it draws mental stimulation from you to want to pretend what you would do in those circumstances. Though, behind the screen you can never get bored of using her to deceive people or build relationships. And yet the game does not pretend she is without weaknesses, you lose a grapple to Abel, a skinny , wiry man until she uses her surroundings to defeat him. It does enough to remove plot armour. You see her athleticism in her unparalleled endurance and rapid speed. Her intelligence through her decisive actions and unbending leadership. You even see her ego at times as she knows how easily she can best you. This is what you would expect from a skinny, apocalypse surviving, ruthless girl rather than brute strength and constant unrealistic chance events.
If i had enough characters i could praise to the end of time but this is the main factor why the game is so successful and that realism and realisticness is portrayed in every sense of the game, start to finish.