The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - Episode 2: Ties That Bind Part II (PlayStation 4) Review

The first episode spent its time establishing the world and its characters, introducing the audience not only to Javi and his family, but also to a very different Clem. That episode also gave enough choices and branching points in the narrative to justify multiple playthroughs to get the whole story, not to mention taking the player's choices in the previous series and showing unique flashbacks for Clem set between series two and three.

Continuing the trend of the first episode - of mixing present day with flashbacks for both Javi and Clem - this episode has more glimpses into the past of the protagonists. For Javi, this shows that his flirtation with Kate is not something new and was happening even before David was out of the picture. Meanwhile, Clem's history between Season 2 and Season 3 is further fleshed out, based on the choices of the player in the previous season. The first episode showed how Clem's time was spent depending on if she went out alone, if she stayed in Howe, if she teamed up with Jane, or headed off with Kenny. Regardless of these choices, the world kicked Clem's backside - hard. These flashbacks continue and are expanded upon here. Each truly justifies their viewing and all contain a real gut punch for those who built attachments to the characters in the previous seasons.

Speaking of characters, Javi gets a few more allies here, too, as some of the residents, along with a friendly local bartender from Prescot, and then branches into two potential additions to the party, either Tripp, the no-nonsense leader of Prescot, or Eleanor, the young doctor from the same town, a girl that shows a great rapport and potential flirtation with Javi. Then there are the "bad guys." The Walking Dead world has always been filled with villainous groups, whether it the Governor's people, the Saviours or the Whisperers. This time there is the titular New Frontier, the same group who had taken over the junkyard that Javi's family clashed with. This episode explains a little more about the group and its members and, as with most groups like this, they aren't all bad. There's even a cameo from a fan favourite character.

Gameplay-wise, the QTE sections are same old, same old, but at least they are fast and fun, with plenty of zombie stomping moments. The real shine in the gameplay corner of this episode is once again the choices - other than a very annoying moment in Javi's flashback where the option has no relation to the outcome… "Tell him off" indeed, that's really not what's implied - the rest of the options are filled with truly difficult choices to be made, all ending on an unbelievable cliff-hanger that will keep players on the edge of their seats waiting for an explanation to the sudden revelations of this episode.