- Spoiler Warning – As always, my review will be kept as spoiler free as possible. But if you’re yet to play episode one In Too Deep, I’d advise not to read ahead.
In speedier fashion then usual (thank you Telltale Games), episode two for The Walking Dead’s mini-series based upon the popular character Michonne is out right now entitled Give No Shelter and the titles of this episode couldn’t be more fitting. After being held captive on the floating colony known as Monroe, Michonne finds herself desperately trying to escape from the colony with her close friend Pete and one of the young survivors that she has recently found herself aligned with. Of course depending on how you acted in the closing events of episode one, will all depend on who you will be escaping with, but your destination to the family home of your young comrades will remain the same.
As I briefly spoke about in my previous review, playing as an already established character such as Michonne, allows you to play the game from a different approach, in comparison to playing a character already created by Telltale Games. But what this approach does, is that it gives those who have not read The Walking Dead comics from Robert Kirkman an opportunity to learn some back-story and it is here that we are given that very opportunity to learn more about Michonne, a separated mother of two, with a fear of love to give.
Michonne is just about as tough as they come in The Walking Dead universe and while most of the choices will be made by yourself, you start to learn more on why Michonne can be distant towards some, even her closest of allies, especially towards children. Following her sudden escape from Monroe, Michonne has no choice but to leave her comfort zone, with Norma and her group led by her brother Randall, who are hot on their heels with a relentless lust for blood. Before long, Michonne and Pete, accompanied by the youngsters find their way to their family home, but there is no sentiment or time for a homecoming party, as Michonne must patch things up (literally) knowing that the folk from Monroe will be gate-crashing at any given moment and blood will most certainly be shed, no matter what choice may be made.
The tension in episode two has definitely be turned up a notch from the previous outing and there was at least one ‘hand on mouth’ moment, but for me the true story that really begins to unfold is the haunting past of Michonne. While we don’t know exactly what happened to Michonne’s two daughters (for us non Kirkman comic readers at least), we do start to learn more about her children as we begin to piece together the troubles of her past.
Michonne is clearly a woman that had once given uncompromising love, but due to her loss, she struggles to allow herself to get close to anyone again. Michonne may be haunted by her ghosts of past, but the events in Give No Shelter forces her hand to the feeling of being exposed and I feel that’s what she fears the most.
The events in episode two do end a little abruptly from what I expect from Telltale Games, but it’s clear that all hell will break loose and blood will be shed in episode three “What We Deserve”. With Michonne clearly carrying an uncompromising guilt, perhaps she feels this is exactly what she deserves? However, the one thing we do know about Michonne, is that she’s a fighter and a mother, but how can a mother fight for everyone she cares about, when everyone she truly loves has gone?
- Episode One: In Too Deep Review