You can select which character’s story you want to dive into first. The order isn’t explicitly shown on the selection screen (though really, you could just go left to right), but playing out of order creates a unique Pulp Fiction-esque experience. Regardless of the order you play, various plot threads move along from chapter to chapter, and you’ll get a sense of the bigger picture when you get to the final segment.

Next, there’s Daud’s actual powers. Take careful note when you do your first set of upgrades because Daud’s setup is a consolidated version of Corvo’s. In short, Dark Vision and the Heart have become one… so have Blink and Stop Time. Therefore, upgrading from the default level to level 2 makes a big difference, so allocate your runes accordingly.

In addition to Blade Mode, Raiden can parry attacks simply by pointing the left analog in the direction of the attack while tapping the light attack button. This will effectively stun most enemies, opening them up to quick strikes which can then lead to Blade Mode awesomeness. You can actually play the entire game without executing a single parry but it adds a lot to both the flow of combat and the visual flair, so it’s a skill worth learning.

I really don’t want to spoil anything. And as The Walking Dead series has let us explore how we build relationships with people (along with choosing who lives and who dies), you could have a different bond between characters than my playthrough. So the short review is that No Time Left is fantastic, but let’s talk a little bit about just why it works.

Given all of the different controls, there probably is a way to create a more refined solution — using the face button to fire does feel a little outdated but it’s not something that necessarily brings the game down as long as you give yourself time to adjust. Fortunately, the first game presents a bit of a ramp-up learning curve to get used to this, along with an interactive (and somewhat redundant) tutorial. The second game, though, is a little more feet-to-the-fire in its approach, at least in terms of difficulty.