The Walking Dead (Telltale) (Review)
Platform: PC, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Author: J.W.
It’s that time of the year again: the leaves are falling, the wind is getting colder, and the spookiest things imaginable will soon be roaming the streets. To get into the spirit of the season, let’s take a look back at one of the greatest horror game series out there: Telltale’s The Walking Dead. This article will cover both Season 1 and 2 of this series, as well as the DLC.
Clementine is working hard to survive
Much has been said about The Walking Dead‘s merits. In terms of gameplay, the Telltale experience doesn’t disappoint: despite long sections of dialogue, the choices peppered throughout the character’s conversations serve to enliven each scene. These choices extend to the action sequences, where players must think quickly in order to save themselves and others from various threats. Furthermore, the consequences of each choice often have a powerful impact on the story, forcing the player to face their own morality when making difficult decisions.
This type of gameplay is a perfect match for this particular story. Making choices allows the player to truly put themselves in the shoes of player characters such as Lee and Clementine, which results in an emotional connection to said characters and a sense of true danger as they navigate this post-apocalyptic universe. Players who are familiar with the television show and comic book will find some great connections between stories, but knowledge of the other series is not necessary in order to fully enjoy this particular experience.
Children don’t have a place in this world….
The games’ audio and graphics reinforce this immersion. The soundtrack is excellent: the spine-chilling theme music used in certain segments effectively heightens the games’ terrifying atmosphere, while the theme music at the end of each episode drives home just how bittersweet the entire experience has been. Sound effects such as the buzzing of insects and the moaning of walkers further enhance the atmosphere throughout the games. The graphics provide a great callback to the comics while retaining their own unique, Telltale-influenced style. The watermark-esque stains covering characters’ clothing contrasts sharply against the thick, black lines used to define them against the muted tones of their half-dead world. The character design is also excellent, with each character’s personality clearly communicated through their visual appearance.
Since The Walking Dead games revolve around choice, they innately have high replay value.The urge to revisit each episode to discover alternative story events is heightened by the display of the player’s choices at the end of each episode, complete with the percentage of other players who made the same choice.
Unfortunately, The Walking Dead has, in the past, suffered from some game-crashing bugs which completely destroy the immersive experience. Telltale has come up with several patches and has promised to address these glitches more thoroughly in the future, however.
Telltale has announced that a new three episode mini-series featuring Michonne will be available “after October”, and Season 3 will premiere sometime in 2016. If you haven’t had a chance to play The Walking Dead just yet, now is the perfect time.
Scorecard
Gameplay: 4/5
Story: 4.5/5
Audio: 4.5/5
Graphics: 4.5/5
Replay Value: 4/5
Overall score: 4.5/5
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