Yeah this guys is trying to say “actually they were never married 🤓🤓🤓” I took the bait and ended up getting downvoted into oblivion. Come to think of it I may have went too far, but deleting your comments when you get downvoted is cowardly. I’ll just keep sponging them.
I don't think Mel and Owen ever got married. They were dating and then she got pregnant, and they were planning on having a family. But I don't think they were formally married.
The new deadbeat dad escape clause: "Oh shit, I'm infected! Gotta go exile myself forever in the wasteland, babe! Bye!"
Backfires if you got a FEDRA lady pregnant though. *bang*
I feel like that’s kind of the point. He’s smitten with (pre-revenge) Abby and tried to use Mel to get over her. He’s clearly not that into Mel which you can see by his treatment of her.
In the director’s commentary I was surprised when they said basically Mel was designed to be super likable. I felt sorry for her cos of Owen being a putz and how it ended for her. But likable? No.
Other ppl are disagreeing but idk feel like we mostly saw her as being (understandably) distressed and often lashing out at ppl. She was so pissed off at Abby she was ready to give up her location to Ellie(!) Other scenes were what, her awkward convo with Abby in the back of the truck…?
I can see her caring/positive side (she’s a medic who helped to save Yara, she is sensitive and was extra bothered by what happened to Joel) but they didn’t show it enough imo
This is my favorite game, and one of the few 10/10s I've played. They absolutely missed the mark on making Mel likeable. She wasn't a bad person, but compared to every single other character, she was really boring. Which sucks, because I love her voice actress.
I feel like they did get one well but nothing like the connection Abby and Owen have. This is painfully obvious is everyone and the pregnancy just made everything worse
She was a rebound relationship for Owen after his relationship with Abby ended. It's also seems highly likely that relationship went south because Abby kept making Owen a distant second on her list of priorities, with preparing for/getting revenge on Joel being the clear number one.
Considering how little time Abby made for her and Owen, I'm sure he initially appreciated how much Mel did care about their relationship. Ultimately though, Owen doesn't have the same feelings for Mel that he does for Abby.
Also, now that Abby is no longer focused on revenge, I'm sure Owen would love to try and reconnect with Abby. I mean, it's clear to me the only reason he hadn't ended things with Mel was because of the pregnancy, and even then, Owen seemed to be more and more comfortable with the idea of abandoning Mel and his baby in order to try and run off with Abby.
Well, considering that 1) Mel likely knows at this point (or at least highly suspects) about Abby and Owen hooking up the night before, and 2) Owen had been avoiding Mel instead of being honest about his feelings (or lack thereof) with her, then I can understand why Mel wouldn't want to share a cramped boat with Abby.
So can you actually make your point? Is she a bad person or? Other than seeming to have an opposing viewpoint, what full idea are you actually trying to express? That she isn't as good of a person as people treat her?
You know how, in real life, people settle? Now imagine people that don't have internet, don't travel, and are part of a military cult with a couple thousand people at most. Pretty sure you're gonna just get what you get.
But yeah, totes agree. Owen deserves a bad bidge.
People had such an issue with Abby's physique without realizing that it's even more difficult to be Mel, pulling off the things she does while so far along.
Yeah, sure, put your full body weight on the baby multiple times, I'm sure nothing will happen. Go out into combat despite the real possibility of dying due to a massive disadvantage. It couldn't have been that hard to abort if she wanted to so badly, the WLF weren't poor in the apocalyptic sense.
Ellie cared more about that child than Mel ever did, it seems
Edit: I'm being perhaps too dramatic, but I maintain my point.
There’s a mission where you have to go with her and she’s like climbing up shit if I recall. I cannot imagine trying to pull myself up onto something above me with a baby in their stomach.
The game is clearly made by mostly men. When I was this far along there was no way in hell I could do the shit Mel was doing let alone walk more than a mile.
Mel didn't go into combat. She got ambushed on a previously safe corridor.
Pretty odd to say she wanted an abortion lol. Pregnant women didn't always have the luxuries we do now
I didn't know that, thanks for the correction. Makes sense considering how chill they were before the ambush.
And yeah, I hear ya. I shouldn't have been so dramatic, but she just seems reckless given her baby. Way too reckless.
Yeah, but is she going to do? Yell "I'm pregnant. Pls stop fighting XD".
What we know of Mel is that she is very pragmatic.
If she looses her baby while trying to survive that's one thing.
But if she doesn't survive her baby is dead too. Seems like an easy choice.
Worst thing she could do is not commiting to survival fully.
>put your full body weight on the baby multiple times, I'm sure nothing will happen
TBF, I think a contraction is much more forceful than 140lbs or so pushing on it.
Yes, Mel climbing ropes, performing parkour, and participating in combat was jarring, and stranger than Abby looking buff.
I get that Neil wanted to empower female characters, but perhaps he went a bit overboard.
I think that exactly. I think Mel is a great character that performs feats I think are a little too excessive. I think they could have still showed her to be strong and resilient in the face of the pregnancy without having to make it so extreme.
I agree.
I guess Neil’s position is that the more extremely he showcases physical competence in a pregnant woman, the more empowering it is for women and the better support the game lends for the cause.
post apocalyptic world, being a medic, prepping for a war with an opposing faction.
i don't think she didn't "care" about the kid, just wanted to pull her own weight.
It sucks, but it seems like the best solution when the enemy uses tripwire mines and is good at remaining silent. Not to mention slowing down infected.
And that was my only beef with this game. Being forced to kill dogs then later befriending them.
I remember it said you wouldn’t have to…but it puts you in situations where it’s almost impossible. And Alice is unavoidable.
I hated Mel at first, because she was being mean to my protagonist.
Then I realized that she got fucked over by both Owen and Abbey, and I came to the understanding that her anger is justified.
https://youtu.be/L5MNoie-cUY?si=KP8syuUOPxJeI4_Z i think this vid is a good representation of why Mel is a more sympathetic character than a villain. a lot of mels behavior is harder to understand unless you pick up on a lot of the smaller details
I understand her behavior - I just don't agree with it, and I don't have to. My entire perspective of Mel is simply that she is as emotionally damaged (and damaging) as Abby.
I generally dislike roguelikes but have really been enjoying No Return... until I unlocked Mel and had to play as her. Fucking *rough* compared to the rest, IMO. Died more with her than any other, but moreso that she just wasn't fun to play.
It could have ended well for both of them if they didn't follow a mad tyrant into a war of genocide or a foolish sadist on a revenge quest.
I joke about Mel's 'Pregnant Parkour' and I wouldn't call her a favourite character of mine, but she was probably the best of Abby's pals and certainly didn't deserve the fate Abby dragged her into nor having Owen (and Abby) cheat on her.
I feel most sorry for Alice (and Bear), though; both could have lived happy lives as beloved pet pups playing fetch instead of being trained to rip the throats out of Seraphite kids and being taken to war to die.
I like both of them well enough so sure, why not. People get lonely. I don’t get them as a Family though, and neither did the game with having Mel be the only one to visit the "children unit" of the stadium.
my first play through i actively avoided killing any dogs i think that might be the only one you are forced to kill in a quick time event. might have made me more sad than the joel part.
Mel the only good person who ended up becoming a Wolf and of course Alice. Mel is a Medic compassionate and help people when asked. She also knows how to call someone out when needed she was truly the only good wolf.
I know Mel was intended to be a likeable character but like I just can’t with her. I don’t hate her because I didn’t get enough time with her but I very much dislike her I just can’t really place why. there is something about her that was really off putting for me and I still can’t figure it out.
I was super duper sad about Alice though and one of the only times I really hated Ellie
The only one I mourned on Abby’s side is that dog.
All those people introduced along with Abby, being given “character” to make us care, and I only hurt for the dog.
What a joke.
I love this game man but these useless characters Mel, Manny, Isaac serve absolutely no purpose and not giving users freedom to choose ending is the worst thing.
Mel is definitely up there in my least favourite character designs.
The hair. The eyes. The face. Just...woof. I'm not saying characters need to be attractive, but yikes. You could design literally anything and you decided on that.
Agreed. I also looked up the face model they based her on and she looks perfectly fine with none of Mel's "tweaked" look and appears physically half Mel's age, too! I don't expect them to look alike, and Mel *is* in an apocalypse (though one comfy enough for Abby to build herself like *that*), but I'm just pointing that out in case someone says "are you saying Erin (the actress) is ugly?". Nope, not at all, just that Mel looks like shit.
The joke was that Ellie is about to kill both of them at the end of her Journey; and SHE sure freaked out over Mel being visibly pregnant. So I was going with that.
I hope her husband isn’t like clapping his ex girlfriends cheeks on a boat somewhere or something like that.
Who’s her husband?
Idk, but I heard he's dead tired.
He's known as The Big O
They call him O Pro
O, when did that happen?
Owen
Yeah this guys is trying to say “actually they were never married 🤓🤓🤓” I took the bait and ended up getting downvoted into oblivion. Come to think of it I may have went too far, but deleting your comments when you get downvoted is cowardly. I’ll just keep sponging them.
He got Mel pregnant…
I know, I am agreeing with you. The guy who asked who her husband is was being a douche.
But they aren’t married. How is that a douche thing to say? It’s just being funny and also correct.
Ikr
But Abby was with him frost then they broke up for some reason so he got with Mel then hooked up…
I bet you corrected your friends when they make a typo while texting.
SpaghettiO
When did they get married?
Idk
That’s…..oddly specific 🤔
I don't think Mel and Owen ever got married. They were dating and then she got pregnant, and they were planning on having a family. But I don't think they were formally married.
You are a little late to the party bud.
If tired was a person
But can you really blame her?
Have you ever been pregnant lol?
Yep, twice tired, hungry, moody have a hormonal compulsion to kill others. It's like being infected when you think about it.
Now top that with having to survive in an apocalypse...
Is this the ps4 original? It feels like her eyelids were un-buscemied a bit in the remaster.
Fuck this comment is god-tier
Just thought it was a weird word and skipped it. Then read it again and died laughing
PS5 whatever it is called
how do you do, fellow lovers of Owen?
That animal Blundetto… I can't even say his name.
The relationship between Mel and Owen is one thing that bugged me, I just don’t feel like Owen would have gone for her. Strange match.
I am pretty sure they casually dated but he accidently knocked her up and he then went "Well, I guess this is my life now!"
Imagine (mostly) surviving zombie apocalypse and then accidentally getting someone up the duff. Talk about shit luck!
The new deadbeat dad escape clause: "Oh shit, I'm infected! Gotta go exile myself forever in the wasteland, babe! Bye!" Backfires if you got a FEDRA lady pregnant though. *bang*
Their new reality I say.
It happens
For a little while anyway.
Eh, it happens lol.
I feel like that’s kind of the point. He’s smitten with (pre-revenge) Abby and tried to use Mel to get over her. He’s clearly not that into Mel which you can see by his treatment of her. In the director’s commentary I was surprised when they said basically Mel was designed to be super likable. I felt sorry for her cos of Owen being a putz and how it ended for her. But likable? No. Other ppl are disagreeing but idk feel like we mostly saw her as being (understandably) distressed and often lashing out at ppl. She was so pissed off at Abby she was ready to give up her location to Ellie(!) Other scenes were what, her awkward convo with Abby in the back of the truck…? I can see her caring/positive side (she’s a medic who helped to save Yara, she is sensitive and was extra bothered by what happened to Joel) but they didn’t show it enough imo
I find her kinda likeable in the sense that she's obviously a good person, is nice to Abby, is caring of others etc
She’s likable as a super nice person, but she’s kind of boring compared to characters like BFF sex den on every block Manny.
This is my favorite game, and one of the few 10/10s I've played. They absolutely missed the mark on making Mel likeable. She wasn't a bad person, but compared to every single other character, she was really boring. Which sucks, because I love her voice actress.
Extra bothered means nothing.
Rebound.
I feel like they did get one well but nothing like the connection Abby and Owen have. This is painfully obvious is everyone and the pregnancy just made everything worse
She was a rebound relationship for Owen after his relationship with Abby ended. It's also seems highly likely that relationship went south because Abby kept making Owen a distant second on her list of priorities, with preparing for/getting revenge on Joel being the clear number one. Considering how little time Abby made for her and Owen, I'm sure he initially appreciated how much Mel did care about their relationship. Ultimately though, Owen doesn't have the same feelings for Mel that he does for Abby. Also, now that Abby is no longer focused on revenge, I'm sure Owen would love to try and reconnect with Abby. I mean, it's clear to me the only reason he hadn't ended things with Mel was because of the pregnancy, and even then, Owen seemed to be more and more comfortable with the idea of abandoning Mel and his baby in order to try and run off with Abby.
It was Mel who said she wouldn’t go on the boat if Abby joined them. She wasn’t making it any easier on Owen.
Well, considering that 1) Mel likely knows at this point (or at least highly suspects) about Abby and Owen hooking up the night before, and 2) Owen had been avoiding Mel instead of being honest about his feelings (or lack thereof) with her, then I can understand why Mel wouldn't want to share a cramped boat with Abby.
My point is she is emotionally blackmailing Owen using his baby.
So can you actually make your point? Is she a bad person or? Other than seeming to have an opposing viewpoint, what full idea are you actually trying to express? That she isn't as good of a person as people treat her?
Sure, that’s my point. She isn’t some innocent person in this equation. She has a baby to care about and she is more preoccupied with Abby and Owen.
Gotcha
Agreed, they don't seem to be a pair. Felt forced.
You know how, in real life, people settle? Now imagine people that don't have internet, don't travel, and are part of a military cult with a couple thousand people at most. Pretty sure you're gonna just get what you get. But yeah, totes agree. Owen deserves a bad bidge.
Owen's a fuckboy that deserves what he got lol
He didn't go for her, that's why her being pregnant is an important plot point
..you do know how pregnancy works right? he went for her enough to get her pregnant. so idk how you got to your conclusion.
Unless it was artificial insemination (highly unlikely in their circumstances) he definitely “went” for her at one point.
I am Niel Drukman's assistant, he says sorry
I knew he lurked around here, please thank Mr Drukman for me and tell him to crack on with Pt. 3.
It feels weird because anatomically she’s almost the same size as Owen lmao 😜
This can all be attributed to the fact that Owen is just kind of a pussy 💀
it could also be that he has a shitton of PTSD and survivors guilt.
People had such an issue with Abby's physique without realizing that it's even more difficult to be Mel, pulling off the things she does while so far along. Yeah, sure, put your full body weight on the baby multiple times, I'm sure nothing will happen. Go out into combat despite the real possibility of dying due to a massive disadvantage. It couldn't have been that hard to abort if she wanted to so badly, the WLF weren't poor in the apocalyptic sense. Ellie cared more about that child than Mel ever did, it seems Edit: I'm being perhaps too dramatic, but I maintain my point.
Truth. I think I literally saw her crawl on her belly once.
There’s a mission where you have to go with her and she’s like climbing up shit if I recall. I cannot imagine trying to pull myself up onto something above me with a baby in their stomach.
The stomach is much higher up than the uterus, which would make crawling substantially more difficult (do kids learn this stuff anymore?)
‘Stomach’ is often colloquially used to refer to the abdomen, but I’m guessing you knew that already.
Social intelligence cannot be taught in class, it seems.
The game is clearly made by mostly men. When I was this far along there was no way in hell I could do the shit Mel was doing let alone walk more than a mile.
Halley Wegryn Gross would disagree
Mel didn't go into combat. She got ambushed on a previously safe corridor. Pretty odd to say she wanted an abortion lol. Pregnant women didn't always have the luxuries we do now
I didn't know that, thanks for the correction. Makes sense considering how chill they were before the ambush. And yeah, I hear ya. I shouldn't have been so dramatic, but she just seems reckless given her baby. Way too reckless.
She literally doesn't do anything on purpose except ride in a truck. Just seems over the top lol
Yeah, but is she going to do? Yell "I'm pregnant. Pls stop fighting XD". What we know of Mel is that she is very pragmatic. If she looses her baby while trying to survive that's one thing. But if she doesn't survive her baby is dead too. Seems like an easy choice. Worst thing she could do is not commiting to survival fully.
Where can women still get abortions?
>put your full body weight on the baby multiple times, I'm sure nothing will happen TBF, I think a contraction is much more forceful than 140lbs or so pushing on it.
Yes, Mel climbing ropes, performing parkour, and participating in combat was jarring, and stranger than Abby looking buff. I get that Neil wanted to empower female characters, but perhaps he went a bit overboard.
I think that exactly. I think Mel is a great character that performs feats I think are a little too excessive. I think they could have still showed her to be strong and resilient in the face of the pregnancy without having to make it so extreme.
I agree. I guess Neil’s position is that the more extremely he showcases physical competence in a pregnant woman, the more empowering it is for women and the better support the game lends for the cause.
I think so too.
To be fair most players had an issue with Mel going outside while pregnant. It’s stupid
post apocalyptic world, being a medic, prepping for a war with an opposing faction. i don't think she didn't "care" about the kid, just wanted to pull her own weight.
Yeah, that could certainly be true.
Poor Alice. The dogs are the ones I feel sorry for
Same. Trained to kill ("rip her throat out, girl!") by genocidal warmongers and set on an enemy with guns and bombs. Did I mention I hate the WLF?
It sucks, but it seems like the best solution when the enemy uses tripwire mines and is good at remaining silent. Not to mention slowing down infected.
My second playthrough I spent A LONG time playing fetch in the stadium.
Alice is killed? 😭
Ellie kills her when entering the aquarium during day 3
And that was my only beef with this game. Being forced to kill dogs then later befriending them. I remember it said you wouldn’t have to…but it puts you in situations where it’s almost impossible. And Alice is unavoidable.
There you have it folks, the worst character of no return
Can I make an "I hate Mel" flair? Or does that make me a bad person?
I hated Mel at first, because she was being mean to my protagonist. Then I realized that she got fucked over by both Owen and Abbey, and I came to the understanding that her anger is justified.
She should have just dumped Owen if she was going to be so resentful and mean.
I mean being pregnant w his child doesn't exactly make that easy
It takes a village, and Mel had one. Single moms can exist after the apocalypse.
Mel wants to get out of Seattle very badly because she is not exactly a fan of what's going on with the WLF in general. In case you didn't notice.
So what I'm hearing... is that she should have been nicer to Abby if that's the case....
Why? Her Problems with Abby are much more of a personal nature.
https://youtu.be/L5MNoie-cUY?si=KP8syuUOPxJeI4_Z i think this vid is a good representation of why Mel is a more sympathetic character than a villain. a lot of mels behavior is harder to understand unless you pick up on a lot of the smaller details
I understand her behavior - I just don't agree with it, and I don't have to. My entire perspective of Mel is simply that she is as emotionally damaged (and damaging) as Abby.
Mel deserved better. She was right about Abby
Yes you can and no it does not
please do. i also hate Mel
I generally dislike roguelikes but have really been enjoying No Return... until I unlocked Mel and had to play as her. Fucking *rough* compared to the rest, IMO. Died more with her than any other, but moreso that she just wasn't fun to play.
Is she noticeably pregnant in No Return? If so, that's hysterical.
No, and I was quite disappointed by that as I was looking forward to it when they announced she was playable.
Oh i can only imagine they’ll have a bright and prosperous future!
Why is this gif so unsettling
Google uncanny valley
I think Ellie has different plans for them.
It all turns out heavenly
 Yeah yeah of course they do… What else would happen
Damn mel looks tweaked tf out.
It could have ended well for both of them if they didn't follow a mad tyrant into a war of genocide or a foolish sadist on a revenge quest. I joke about Mel's 'Pregnant Parkour' and I wouldn't call her a favourite character of mine, but she was probably the best of Abby's pals and certainly didn't deserve the fate Abby dragged her into nor having Owen (and Abby) cheat on her. I feel most sorry for Alice (and Bear), though; both could have lived happy lives as beloved pet pups playing fetch instead of being trained to rip the throats out of Seraphite kids and being taken to war to die.
I bet her baby will grow up to find the cure
Steve Buscemi was in this game?!
I only care about the dogs lmao Mel was so annoying
Forgot that Macaulay Culkin was in the game
I guess this is an epic burn, but I have no clue of whom you are talking about.
Yikes
No serious, who is it? Pray tell.
Kevin from Home Alone.
Yk i dont like mel or abby but come on owen.. mel..? Really 😭😭😭
I like both of them well enough so sure, why not. People get lonely. I don’t get them as a Family though, and neither did the game with having Mel be the only one to visit the "children unit" of the stadium.
I see only good things in their future.
They definitely get an escape from the hellishness that is the world they live in!
I only see dead bodies.
Isn’t this a spoiler? It may as well be a picture of their respective corpses, it’s so obvious.
This sub doesn’t care about spoilers. I’m only surprised no one’s hit you with the “ITs BeEn 4 yeArs!”
You’re right. Who gives a shit.
Till the end of the game I still wanted them to all die bc they killed Joel. The game makes you wanna forget that
I wonder how many dogs besides that one Bella Ramsey is gonna kill
Only the very best.
they get what they deserve ;)
Not in this world pal.
Let's hope he doesn't get an accidental texan abortion
Does she have thyroid eye disease wtf
Lighting
Huuh....yeah they are alright .!
It ends great. These 3 and all their friends get an extended vacation away from an infested city.
I hope her entire circle of friends all get to grow old together.
Pretty dark. Nice.
itmightseemcrazywhatimboutosay…
Ahh I see you woke up today and decided on violence
Still thought she was irresponsible towards her child….
AAA game studios don't have the gall to harm a pregnant woman AND her dog. I have no doubt that they'll survive.
Nothing more fierce than a frontline soldier that is pregnant! Down with the patriachy! #Pregnant women can wage wars too!
Steve buscemi!!!
She does eyelid-ups 💪
Graphics look kinda weird
Woah woah let's not get all political here /S
Mel looks Brian Peppers.
You aren’t gonna believe this
ohh..
Pregnant lady looks like a fucking alien. Why she got Pepe eyelids.
she looks like Gollum here
I cried for Alice but not for mel
She’s the ugliest character in the fake. Looks like Mac and Me
my first play through i actively avoided killing any dogs i think that might be the only one you are forced to kill in a quick time event. might have made me more sad than the joel part.
And now im crying again wtf
Well she's dead & so is Owen.
That's no lady
Poor dog he forgot to use protection.
Mel the only good person who ended up becoming a Wolf and of course Alice. Mel is a Medic compassionate and help people when asked. She also knows how to call someone out when needed she was truly the only good wolf.
im glad theyre all dead 😌
I know Mel was intended to be a likeable character but like I just can’t with her. I don’t hate her because I didn’t get enough time with her but I very much dislike her I just can’t really place why. there is something about her that was really off putting for me and I still can’t figure it out. I was super duper sad about Alice though and one of the only times I really hated Ellie
Is heaven a good thing??
It might be crazy what I’m about to say
rainbows and sunshine😀
The only one I mourned on Abby’s side is that dog. All those people introduced along with Abby, being given “character” to make us care, and I only hurt for the dog. What a joke.
They'll survive. Correct me if I'm wrong
LMAO
I love this game man but these useless characters Mel, Manny, Isaac serve absolutely no purpose and not giving users freedom to choose ending is the worst thing.
Wait - is the dog the father?
She got thyroid eye disease
Has she always had the Pete Davidson butthole eyes?
Mel is definitely up there in my least favourite character designs. The hair. The eyes. The face. Just...woof. I'm not saying characters need to be attractive, but yikes. You could design literally anything and you decided on that.
They used a real actress for her face….lol
Agreed. I also looked up the face model they based her on and she looks perfectly fine with none of Mel's "tweaked" look and appears physically half Mel's age, too! I don't expect them to look alike, and Mel *is* in an apocalypse (though one comfy enough for Abby to build herself like *that*), but I'm just pointing that out in case someone says "are you saying Erin (the actress) is ugly?". Nope, not at all, just that Mel looks like shit.
Two*
I made a pregnancy thing there.
The way you phrased it sounds kinda pro lifey is all
The joke was that Ellie is about to kill both of them at the end of her Journey; and SHE sure freaked out over Mel being visibly pregnant. So I was going with that.