The Walking Dead: Season Two Episode 4 - Amid the Ruins

 PC
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 251 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 187 out of 251
  2. Mixed: 37 out of 251
  3. Negative: 27 out of 251

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  1. snorlax634
    Jul 24, 2014
    10
    A great episode. The way Telltale Games immerses you in their story is something to be marveled at. An extremely powerful episode. It ranks in my top 5 Telltale episodes. Play this Game. Now.
  2. paperbacklucy
    Jul 28, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This review contains spoilers, so look out!

    Amid the Ruins was another excellent episode with plenty of tricky decision and dialog choices to make as always. The episode's ending had me yelling, "OH F#&K!!" as I panicked and wondered if I had made a totally rash decision, and I cannot wait for the next episode to come!

    Something that continues to bother me about this particular season of The Walking Dead is the lack of an adult who has a good balance of the sense of survival and humanity. Perhaps the way that I played as Lee Everett, but I felt that Lee had a good sense of what he needed to do to survive, but also what he needed to do to keep his humanity. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I didn't get the sense that if I wanted to Lee could go totally sociopath. In season 2, although there are some minor characters who also seem to have that balance of survival and humanity, the strong characters seem to swing to one extreme at pinnacle moments. I understand that this creates more drama and tension for Clementine's decisions, but I find myself thinking, "I don't like what either of you are saying!" in this season quite frequently. In this episode in particular, I chose not to side with Kenny or Luke a couple of times just because I didn't agree completely with either of them. I don't remember ever not picking dialog choices before!

    Aside from that, the episode was fantastic. Lots of hard choices, lots of surprises, and a cliff hanger ending. The next episode cannot come out faster! I will be very sad when this season is over...    … Expand
  3. djrussell
    Jul 23, 2014
    8
    Overall i thought it was a really good episode. I have to say though that this episode, unlike any in the past, feel like character dialogue was written by someone else completely. Some characters feel incredibly out of character in what they would usually say or do and some situations dont have the obvious dialog option available at all. I really wanted to explain my actions to certainOverall i thought it was a really good episode. I have to say though that this episode, unlike any in the past, feel like character dialogue was written by someone else completely. Some characters feel incredibly out of character in what they would usually say or do and some situations dont have the obvious dialog option available at all. I really wanted to explain my actions to certain characters but the game never allowed for that, instead opting for "defensive" or just outright aggressive answers. Still, a great episode in terms of story. Looking forward to the last episode.… Expand
  4. TheWalkingFat
    Jul 22, 2014
    10
    This is potentially the saddest most heart wrenching episode of Season 2, and it's my favourite. It has lots of character development from within the characters, and they are setting up for a very hard choice. It had an actually kind of hard puzzle and some nice hubs. Overall it's my favourite episode of Season 2.
  5. rottnpeach
    Jul 22, 2014
    10
    Far and away the best episode of the season so far. The evolution of Clem's character from the first episode of the first season to this episode hits a certain climactic peak with this one. Still motivated by helping others, but scarce trace of innocence remains. The episode forces you to make decision after decision where there is no good answer, only least bad ones. To the idiotsFar and away the best episode of the season so far. The evolution of Clem's character from the first episode of the first season to this episode hits a certain climactic peak with this one. Still motivated by helping others, but scarce trace of innocence remains. The episode forces you to make decision after decision where there is no good answer, only least bad ones. To the idiots at Polygon who gave this episode a bad rating - it's called character development. Get used to it.… Expand
  6. JackValentine
    Jul 23, 2014
    9
    Quite simply the strongest episode of Season 2 thus far, making the long wait for the finale all the more difficult.

    Check back for a full review once the season is complete!

    Jack Valentine
  7. Escherichia
    Jul 23, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. An overall good episode, gives some much needed character development. I think a song from the first season plays at some part where we get to check on everyone. Thanks for that.

    It bothers me a little that some characters started acting in a way that does not seem to fit them, but just a little. Its always better to dislike characters for their recently adopted traits than to hate them for their complete lack of personality.

    The thing that does bother me more than a little is that most of the deaths in this episode feel meaningless. With the sole exception of Kenny's girlfriend, no one even seems to care that someone died. I get that Telltale wants to dwindle the cast, I find it great that they are trying to steer away from having a group that felt like a constant burden, but lets at least acknowledge that someone just died.

    And what's with this Jane mary sue character? Its even weaker than Molly from season 1, probably because it is a repetition of Molly from season 1. When she was introduced in episode 3 I thought I would have to deal with some kind of feral girl. Hell, that still is weak, but at least it wouldnt be Molly 2.0    … Expand
  8. rjdude13
    Jul 22, 2014
    10
    This episode is the BEST of the season. The choices Telltale puts you through and how fast you must choose makes the game more intense than ever. Everything about this episode is amazing. Critics like Polygon giving this episode a 6/10 WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! The episode deserves AT LEAST a 9/10. Best episode of the season 10/10.
  9. Enforcer122
    Jul 24, 2014
    9
    Well, this episode was worth the wait. I don't think it was the best episode so far, but that's not an insult by any means. This season 2 so far has been nothing short of perfection and always sets their expectations very very high. Amazingly paced, well thought out action and yet again dialog choices are exactly what you want. If you think you want to say a certain thing, the choices theyWell, this episode was worth the wait. I don't think it was the best episode so far, but that's not an insult by any means. This season 2 so far has been nothing short of perfection and always sets their expectations very very high. Amazingly paced, well thought out action and yet again dialog choices are exactly what you want. If you think you want to say a certain thing, the choices they give you always cover all basis. Ending on a cliff edge sets it up for one hell of a finale! Well done TellTale games.… Expand
  10. qwazdal
    Jul 24, 2014
    5
    In my normal experiences, the 4th episode of a Telltale Product is supposed to make me excited for a finale. This just made me feel exhausted and let down. I get that not all of my choices can matter, none of them do? Strange plot devices are weird to the story and Jane is just a copy and paste of Molly from Season 1. Not looking forward to the next.
  11. Loganis
    Jul 22, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amid the Ruins is easily the best episode in the season so far. It made me sit back, tense up and just keep talking to myself. I even began saying "adaboo" like a baby when I had no clue about what I was looking for. I have made terrible choices, and left my morality. But in the end result, I figure I should have just stuck to it throughout the episode.

    What drags the episode away from me a bit, is that I really had no clue about the plot until the end of episode 4. At first, I thought Wellington was Carver's facilliy. Also, I lost the ONE person I've tried to keep alive throughout the season. I can't help but feel a little pissed off when I have tried so hard.

    So I give it a solid 9.5/10.    … Expand
  12. PolisKanin
    Jul 25, 2014
    8
    The story in this episode is pretty good, but the glitches I experienced in the episode bring it down. While no one else I have spoken to has experienced these glitches, it took away from the whole experience for me. The game crashed at least 10 times, and it was not my computer as this has never happened on any other game I have ever played. However, the story deserves 9/10, so overallThe story in this episode is pretty good, but the glitches I experienced in the episode bring it down. While no one else I have spoken to has experienced these glitches, it took away from the whole experience for me. The game crashed at least 10 times, and it was not my computer as this has never happened on any other game I have ever played. However, the story deserves 9/10, so overall due to the glitch, I will rate this game 8/10.… Expand
  13. pancakegaming
    Jul 28, 2014
    8
    episode 4 was a good episode , some characters die and some new one are introduced , i did feels like the choices i made had less impact in this episode , but i finally had a chance to kill of Sarah. i don't feel like it is the best episode as so many people are saying but i do feel like it is still a good episode . i can't wait to see what telltale will give us next.
  14. angarvin43
    Jul 24, 2014
    10
    An outstanding episode. When the last episode comes out, the charm of the series is back. In this episode, another peak has risen. Glad that the developers have good understanding about what the fans of the series like about.

    This episode is packed with conflicts, moral decisions and intense moments, which are well thought out. The personality of characters start to grow and become    An outstanding episode. When the last episode comes out, the charm of the series is back. In this episode, another peak has risen. Glad that the developers have good understanding about what the fans of the series like about.

    This episode is packed with conflicts, moral decisions and intense moments, which are well thought out. The personality of characters start to grow and become apparent, taking advantage of the hints planted in previous episodes. The characters are just depicted with more dimensions and become attractive.

    Some players prefer more exploration, so this episode has much more in this aspect. The decision with significant consequence is also highly praised by the community. Apparently, the developers know about this, and there are more harsh choices to be made by player this time.

    I can really feel that life is really hard in this episode. At the end of episode, I am really eager to know what will happen in the next episode.

    To summarize, the success of this episode originates from the fact that developers have good understanding about why their product is so charming to their fans. As a result, they take advantages of this, and make such episode become more appealing.

    I hope that the developers can keep up their good work in the upcoming episodes.    … Expand
  15. JohnWitten
    Sep 29, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Overall Premise: Clem and her group fights harder against each other than ever before and many factors other than the zombie horde threaten to split them apart.

    Graphics and Sound: The graphics are essentially the Telltale standard for the series and have no noticeable differences for better or for worse. The voice-work still isn’t quite as good as that of The Wolf Among Us’ however it is quality work and the music that accompanies tense moments nails the mood.

    Playability and Entertainment: Both the story and the tense moments progress naturally- as naturally as they can during a zombie apocalypse anyway. The entertainment has been amped up even more but everything still controls solidly.

    Replay Value: Moderate.

    Overall Score: 8.5/10.0    … Expand
  16. Dejey
    Jul 30, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ok so where do we start with this episode? I think it is best to start off with what happened in episode 3 and the ugly of it.

    The ending of episode 3 leaves us with that event with Sarita. This sadly was so watered down for my liking, what I mean by this is that while said event did have some downsides late on in the episode it felt to little of an effect to me. Kenny's reaction just seems to fall off way to fast for my liking!

    Next we have Jane; I will not say I do not like her... It is just she came on to strong I feel. Yes she is progressing the "Clementine growth" and as the story did go on it worked. I think it was just me getting use to her due to the fact she came out of left field with her comments that linked her to Clementine.

    There will be spoilers that will end I will mark it off with 2 or 3 lines of chat if you wish to keep on reading what I loved!

    And we have last what is dislike about the story! up to this point I have made it without spoilers unless you look deeper into it. So you have been warned!

    ****SPOILERS AHEAD****
    ****SPOILERS AHEAD****
    ****SPOILERS AHEAD****

    The deaths in this one just felt weak and thrown in,I have to say we all saw Sarita but the fact that nothing we did could trade off her life got me mad. Throw in it felt like the ending event in episode 3 did feel a little cheapened, although it did have small consequences latter on it still just did not sit well with me.

    Poor Luke! What else can I say how they did this was just bla. That is all.

    Let us not forget Sarah's end I mean the events that followed just where shocking to me, she is forgotten and no one cares just because of the baby? NO! that is not OK! I may have wished to kill her off from the first episode I saw her, but that does not change the fact that she was a very important player in the Clementine we see today. This was in my eyes one of the worst kill offs ever in this game. Do not do this again ever!

    *************************spoilers over****************************************
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    Now lets talk about what it did right. It is starting to show the growth in full swing here of Clementine! This is portrayed almost flawlessly. We see just in our options how she is starting to view the world, a latter dialog with Sarah really took me by surprise and drove that home to me far more than anything else has to date. It felt like a major turning point for Clementine and I loved every second of it!

    Plot even tho there was parts I heavily disliked it was overall well done for a lead up. We have a overshadowing even that has been around for very long, finally finish! I need to try and see if other outcomes can happen but in my back and forth loading chapters I could not as of yet and really I am ok with this! It starts out moving a little to fast but does slow things down in the middle before speeding up at the end. Overall after the events at the start the pacing is fine less the spoiler section of this review.

    and last we have Kenny, outside this one mess up on him I loved how they did handled most of his events, I wont spoil anything but we see him go full circle and have to reflect on his past, This has always been a strong point for me in this game and I really hope they keep it up. Kenny is by far one of the better flushed out characters and they do him justice almost always.

    Now for the final answer, based off all I have said was wrong you may think it turned out to be a terrible episode. The episode does not rank up there with the best but it could of, if they had split its contents into two, sadly we know they have set their limit to 5 and thus some events received far to little time, but what they did do right they did so well I can forgive some of the blunders. Overall It is a 8 out of 10

    A point is taken off for screwing with the cast and not fleshing it out more, and another is taken out for pacing. If you can overlook some small turn offs the payoff is well worth it. Clementine really shines here and even more focus is put on what we all want, to see her grow as a person.

    If at the time you are asking yourself should I pick the game up now? I would say hold off if you have waited to this point. Episode 4 does not have any true fulfillment yet and it is the lead up episode. If you own it already it is well worth a play right now.    … Expand
  17. anclave
    Aug 7, 2014
    7
    Much as I longed for episode 4, it struck me as disappointing and even slipshod (though its elaboration took the standard 2 months). Unlike another game by the editor in question "The Wolf Among Us", the second season of the Walking dead franchise has accustomed us to a linear storyline with digressions being evanescent and foul. For starters, the developers should have fabricated a sendMuch as I longed for episode 4, it struck me as disappointing and even slipshod (though its elaboration took the standard 2 months). Unlike another game by the editor in question "The Wolf Among Us", the second season of the Walking dead franchise has accustomed us to a linear storyline with digressions being evanescent and foul. For starters, the developers should have fabricated a send up to Kenny mortifying Larry in the 1st season (when the former tries to impute Sarita's death to Clem we cannot allude to that murder). The second botch comes with the "apparition" of a "Russian"-speaking band. Here's the catch: each of the scavengers has a divergent accent with the two thugs speaking the Ukrainian vernacular and Arvo's parlance being common. All in all, I can hardly allege to have been enthralled and would appraise it at 68 out of a hundred.… Expand
  18. LeeEverett
    Dec 25, 2014
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bad story writing. I've played the whole season now and it's not the worst, probably the second worst...in my opinion. I hear the guy who wrote Amid the Ruins wasn't even working for TellTale...Please don't put story writing in the hands of someone who's not as experienced.

    I'm just lost for words really. I rate this episode 5/10 and even then I think I'm being generous. It started off alright but messed up. If Nick dies in episode 4 no one gives a crap apart from Rebecca and no one else cared enough to react (Luke's reaction was disgusting), and the way Nick dies off-screen, really TellTale? That is awful writing. Secondly Sarah's death on the observation deck is horrible and stupid..it made no sense to just kill her off like that.

    Arvo and his group come after you whether you steal the supplies or not - what a way to end the episode, it might have been intense but it was silly...I was expecting a better ending. Also, I liked Luke until Amid the Ruins...he didn't feel like the same character he was back in episode 1, episode 2 and episode 3; his personality changed completely and he became I don't know, reckless? Anyway he was one of my favourite characters and it sucks that his role in episode 4 and episode 5 became increasingly unimportant until he was killed off completely in a stupid way.

    There's also too much focus on one character in this episode and that is Kenny, there's too much focus of him in episode 5 too. I've been a huge Kenny fan throughout this season but it seems to me that TellTale wants him to look like a complete **** lot of the focus is always on Kenny and how badly he reacts to everything...and Luke and Kenny arguing. GIVE HIM A BREAK TELLTALE - he's had enough by the looks of it so stop placing emphasis on his character and trying to make him look bad. It seems like TellTale place too much emphasis on one character and forget about another character (like Sarah, if saved, is completely forgotten about in episode 4...she has about 5 lines worth of speech).

    The only thing I really liked about episode 4 is when AJ was born. It really sucks that Rebecca died soon after but her death wasn't as bad as Nick and Sarah's, at least her death was predictable. Carlos' death was also bad in episode 3 and same with Luke's death in episode 5. It sucks to see all the cabin survivors die and there's nothing we can do about it. YOUR CHOICES DON'T MATTER.    … Expand
  19. gold
    Feb 17, 2019
    9
    Эпизод 4:
    Интерактив отсутствует, сюжет развивается на 10. Было круто.
    Итог: 9.890/10

Awards & Rankings

91
#91 Best PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 39 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 39
  3. Negative: 0 out of 39
  1. Riot Pixels
    Sep 26, 2014
    69
    Amid the Ruins gave me hope that The Walking Dead: Season Two may still go out with a bang.
    Read full review
  2. Post Arcade (National Post)
    Aug 21, 2014
    85
    The great allure of The Walking Dead – beyond the game’s brilliant moral questions and compelling exploration of human nature – is that we simply don’t know how things will turn out.
    Read full review
  3. Gamer.nl
    Aug 20, 2014
    75
    The Walking Dead: Season 2 isn’t on par with the first season, but every episode is still fun. Every episode was entertaining in its own right, but the synergy between episodes is lacking.
    Read full review
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