10 Smartest Horror Video Game Decisions

Season 1 of Telltale’s The Walking Dead revitalised adventure games. Focused on Lee Everitt and Clementine, it broke new ground in its handling of player choices, ones that ultimately affected the narrative but some made little difference in the long run.

Season 2 began releasing the following year, making Clementine the playable protagonist and saw her join a new group of survivors. During Episode 2 “A House Divided”, they make their way to Moonstar Lodge, being accepted within upon her reunion with Kenny, one of season 1’s main characters.

Whilst residing at the lodge, they discovering the wind turbine is spinning out of control and realise it’s been tampered with. Discovering it’s the work of William Carver, leader of his own group within a fortified mall, it becomes clear he’s after Rebecca, a pregnant lodge survivor carrying his child.

Creating a distraction to secure entry, Carver then takes the lodge group hostage and executes one of them, Walter, after Kenny shoots one of Carver’s men. You’re given a choice in this moment, surrender or tell Carver to stop.

It can be tempting to let characters run with their emotions, but this isn’t always a sensible approach. In this case, surrendering ensures the survival of Alvin, Rebecca’s partner.

Should you try and stop Carver though, Kenny’s next shot misses and hits him in the shoulder, leading Carver to execute Alvin. It’s a false choice that sees you lose either way, but it’s one which shows the necessity of reason, helping to spare another innocent survivor, if only for a time.