[Fresh Tendrils]

Made It Through Jefferson County:

Spoiler

Holy crap the last scene before Fall. Damn.

Henry was pretty worthless as far as companion AI* goes, but the story-aspect with them was great. It definitely lifted your spirits to find others that you could still trust and co-exist with. Then the rug gets pulled out. As if Joel didn't have enough baggage. "This is your fault!" Bam! Damn.

I knew when Tess and Sam had gotten bitten, but leaving Tess didn't have nearly the dramatic/emotional effect that Sam and Henry did. I guess because with Tess there wasn't any time to process. The game, looking back, foreshadows it somewhat with the survivors that were living in the sewer tunnels with the children. I've been scrounging around every corner (when I can - some areas I just have to hightail it out of there) and into nook collecting artifacts. The little notes that tell stories that themselves could have been enough to fill a game really helps flesh out the world and they just hit you with the words and the after-math of what's left. Coming across those kids draped over with white, bloody sheets in the sewers. There's no emotional connection to them 30 minutes prior, but it just hits you that the world is out for its own and no one else. Having Henry and Sam join you made the game a little brighter, but it was certainly short-lived.


*I don't know if the game has ramped up difficulty (humans are insanely easy to circle around and stealth kill whole groups) or if the companion AI gets progressively dumber, but since leaving Boston they've been little, if any, help. At the end of Pittsburgh where you have to turn off the generator running the flood light that triggers a group of 5-6 Outlaws, Henry basically stood still for most of the encounter.

Before exiting Jefferson County on the way to find Ellie and you run into the group of Outlaws at the bend in the road where Tommy tells you to "sneak around." It sounds like a good plan, but damn if Tommy doesn't run up the damn middle of the road and/or give your position away every damn time which ruins any kind of stealth plan.

I was able to navigate through Boston and most of Pittsburgh prior to meeting Henry silently and without firing a weapon. I don't mind the combat, but its a little jarring when the game takes that choice of approach away from you and funnels you into gunplay (which gameplay wise is really tight). If I'm going to be forced into combat situations at least make the AI a little more helpful and more on my level as a player.

I'm making it a bigger deal than what it really is, but playing on Survivor it is a little bit jarring and frustrating.