Bordering on greatness?
It feels like an age since the second episode of TftB has been released, and checking back, it has. Telltale’s usual monthly release schedule allows some hype to build between releases, whilst not letting you forget about the characters or plot lines too much, but the bi-monthly releases here just feel too slow. Does it affect the game?
Storyline:
Telltale are clearly worried about this as well, because the episode launches with a far-longer-than-normal recap of the previous two episodes, delivered in a cartoon format. It was quite helpful, but at the same time didn’t seem to take itself seriously enough to actually relay the events in perfect clarity.
Either way, once you get back into the swing of things on Pandora, the strong characterisation is enough to bring you back into the surprisingly good story that Telltale have crafted. Catch a Ride brings in a few familiar faces from the Gearbox games for the first time, whilst also introducing some original characters (including the universe’s most adorable robot – and it’s not even Claptrap). It’s a shame that (spoiler!) one of the better characters from the first couple of episodes meets his demise though.
Funny, well-written, better paced, and with some genuinely touching moments to go with the one-liners and toilet humour, Catch a Ride shows Telltale’s scripting and casting at the peak of their powers.
Gameplay:
Whilst you shouldn’t expect anything beyond the usual mix of story choices, quicktime events and dialogue options in Catch a Ride, the pacing and tone shows a real confidence. Adventure games are normally quite slow, but this episode barrels you forwards at an impressive rate of knots, and is about as action focused as I imagine this style of game could be.
Despite the engine being designed for a slower pace of life, everything is pretty well pulled off, with performance remaining strong despite a number of high-octane chases and shoot-outs throughout the episode.
Previous episodes have felt a little light on value, and whilst Catch a Ride remains on the short side, the exceptional quality and frantic pacing makes the value proposition here a little stronger.
Presentation:
Telltale continue to pull out the visual design stops, as they really nail the variety and beauty of the alien life and landscapes of Pandora; topped off with excellent character design and I think this is my favourite piece of work (visually) by the studio to date.
The voice cast is a superlative slate of classic videogame character actors, dripping with top names like Nolan North and Troy Baker, but the whole cast deliver their lines with aplomb. Humour in games is hard, and getting it right in games is even tougher, but I’m pretty sure Loader Bot is one of my favourite characters in gaming right now.
Conclusion:
‘Catch a Ride‘ is the strongest episode in the series yet. With excellent pacing, a great cast of characters and a plotline that now has some good direction, I really hope that it’s not another two months before the next episode, as that would just be cruel.
You must be logged in to post a comment.