The Walking Dead Season 1 Headed to Vita Along With New Bundle
The dead will be walking onto a new platform soon.
The Walking Dead
Players: 1 offline
Publisher: Telltale Games
Genres: Adventure
Publisher: Telltale Games
Genres: Adventure
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Developer: Telltale Games
MSRP: $24.99
Developer: Telltale Games
MSRP: $24.99
A series set in the same universe as Robert Kirkman’s award-winning series. Play as Lee Everett, a convicted criminal, who has been given a second chance at life in a world devastated by the undead. Experience events, meet people and visit locations that foreshadow the story of Deputy Sheriff Rick Grimes. A tailored game experience – actions, choices and decisions you make will affect how your story plays out across the entire series. Additional episodes available as downloadable content.
The Walking Dead: Episode 3 Review
Posted By Shaun K. about 9 months, 2 weeks ago
Is Episode 3 of Telltale Game’s The Walking Dead video game, Long Road Ahead, a trail worth taking or is it finally time to get off this crazy train once and for all?
| PROS | Overall Story, strong gameplay & visuals/audio, excellent replay value |
| CONS | Cutscenes & dialogue still unskippable, still only three save slots |
| WTF?! | The moment outside the RV. You will know it when you see it. |
Honestly there really is not all that much new to say regarding the gameplay or graphics of Episode 3 of Telltale’s The Walking Dead that I have not already expressed in the course of my previous reviews of the game’s first two episodes. The gameplay in Long Road Ahead continues to strike the near-perfect blend of classic adventure game tropes and more naturalistic challenges appropriate for a world that (undead corpses aside) is fairly realistic in nature. Meanwhile, Telltale also does an excellent job of sprinkling various action packed moments of gunplay and the like throughout the episode’s running time to help break up the otherwise generally quiet and morose tone of the story. At the same time, said action moments tend to be both simple and straightforward enough not to be overly difficult for those lacking in reflexes and twitch skills. Finally, the game continues to brilliantly balance giving players the ability to makes choices that effect aspects of the plot and character relationships even while still keeping the game moving forward along a single and focused overarching plotline. It is just enough to help give the feel to players that they are active participants in events without ever going so far as to threaten to derail the overall proceedings.
Graphically and aurally, the game remains a triumph of style and strong artistic vision overcoming some of the limitations of the now aging graphics engine still being employed by Telltale. Episode 3 opens with a brief return to one of the central locations of the first episode and simply seeing the amount of devastation and decay that has already begun to claim this locale is a powerful moment. It does more than any words could to help sell the bleak reality of the situation facing the band of survivors upon which Telltale has chosen to focus upon. This is not to say that the words that are in the game do not have sufficient power in their own right, thanks to both great writing and strong voice work. The latter in particular really brings to the life the different kind of relationships and reactions a player can create among the cast depending on their choices. However one looks at it, The Walking Dead’s third episode continues a strong run of production values made all the more impressive considering some of the weaker visual elements in Telltale’s previous title, Jurassic Park the Game.
Can any kind of happy ending really await these two?
And then there is the episode’s story. Telltale’s The Walking Dead is shaping up to be one of the hardest games I have ever played and for reasons that have nothing to do with the challenge level of its gameplay. Which is not a surprise; the comic it is based on is infamous for its bleakness and emotionally devastating plot developments and character fates after all. So it only makes sense that the same would be true of the game as well and while the series has certainly had its dark spots up until now, in some ways they pale in comparison to the events that occur in Long Road Ahead. While not necessarily as graphically intense in terms of blood and gore as Episode 2 was, Episode 3 still ultimately features story developments that are of a far more devastating and upsetting nature. This is because while last episode was filled with shocking moments of more akin to a standard horror story, the events that surround Episode 3 are in general of a more grounded and human nature. This makes them less about shock value and more about genuine emotions and in turn also makes them harder to shake off and move on from.
And yet it is this unwillingness to flinch or sugarcoat that is what gives Episode 3 its power and effectiveness. By all means, do not play The Walking Dead if you are in a depressed mood and looking for something to cheer you up. While the series has yet to succumb to the almost utterly and inescapable nihilistic tone that has long since overtaken its comic book counterpart, there is no denying that terrible things happen to a good number of the cast this time around. Indeed, the amount of major character death in this episode continues to rise in comparison to previous episodes and ultimately there is nothing players can do to prevent it. I do not consider this a spoiler either because The Walking Dead has never been shy, in any of its incarnations, in terms of expressing its central messages: in life there often is no one right choice and humans are far more horrible, dangerous, and terrifying than any monster or bogyman.
Welcome to the series Chuck. I hope you survive the experience.
Finally, this particular episode of the game ends with what is easily the series best cliffhanger to date. The development that occurs in the final moments of Long Road Ahead is as genuinely shocking as it is potentially exciting. Between that and the glimpses of the next episode via the now standard preview trailer that the game presents in its final pre-credits moments, it is clear that Episode 4 of The Walking Dead is set to both raise the stakes and take the series into some new territory in more ways than one. As well done as these plot developments might be though, it is still ultimately the character moments that drive this game and they are what will keep players coming back to the series even during its darkest moments.
Main character Lee and his young charge Clementine in particular continue to be real standouts and they have some great moments throughout that really highlight their deepening relationship even while continuing to build a palpable sense of dread for what the future might hold for the duo. And yes I know that Telltale has already confirmed that they will be developing a second episodic game set in the universe of The Walking Dead, but who is to say that said game will even star any of the characters from this one? Yet really all the characters, both old and new, in this episode continue to have enough strengths and flaws alike to feel like achingly real and complex individuals. It is that believability and three-dimensionality that makes the deaths that do occur in Long Road Ahead pack so much more power and punch than the ones featured in your standard zombie movie or video game.
The drugstore has clearly seen better days.
No matter how tempted one may be to look away from the often tragic and horrific events that occur throughout Long Road Ahead, the need to see these characters through to the finale of their respective journeys, whatever this might entail, will keep one playing all the same. So if The Walking Dead is one of the hardest games I have ever played, it is also one of the most compelling. By the time the credits on this latest episode rolled, my desire to play the next episode was palpable to the point of nearly being a physical need. I can think of few higher compliment to pay the middle episode in an episodic series than that.
A review copy of this game was provided by the game’s publisher for PC. The reviewer spent approximately three hours playing the game and completed it.
Also, feel free to follow the reviewer on Twitter @bigred_13 please if you feel so inclined.
9/10
The Walking Dead: Episode 3 Review
Is Episode 3 of Telltale Game’s The Walking Dead video game a trail worth taking or is it finally time to get off this crazy train once and for all?
The Walking Dead: Episode 1 Review
Does the first episode in this five part episodic series succeed or is it simply time to put a bullet in the head of the whole thing and be done with it?
The Walking Dead: Episode 2 Review
The dead may walk, but this time around it's the human elements that are the real threat in the latest episode of Telltale Games' continuing adaption of the hit comic book-turned-TV series. Does the series continue to be worth one's time or should players to look elsewhere for their zombie related fix?
The Walking Dead: Episode 4 Review
Choices have their consequences and the plot begins to ratchet up in the penultimate episode of Telltale's The Walking Dead series.
The Walking Dead Episode 5 Review
Does the final episode Telltale's The Walking Dead Season One brings things to a suitable close?
The Walking Dead Review (Game) - ZGR
Daniel checks out The Walking Dead (Game) from Telltale Games - Review - ZGR
The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct Review
You don’t need me to tell you that The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct is a terrible game. 
Steam Database Hints at Possible New Walking Dead DLC from Telltale
Something called 400 Days might just be coming soon.
"A Little Something Extra" Walking Dead Related Inbound from Telltale Before Season 2
What exactly that ‘something’ is remains to be seen.
The Walking Dead Review (Game) - ZGR
Daniel checks out The Walking Dead (Game) from Telltale Games – Review – ZGR
The Walking Dead is AWESOME! - Episode 5
Lee is desperate, zombie bitten, and running out of time to find Clem and whoever is holding her captive.
The Walking Dead Episode 5 Review
Does the final episode Telltale’s The Walking Dead Season One brings things to a suitable close?
The Walking Dead is AWESOME! - Episode 4
Maybe this city will be better than the others. Maybe we’ll find a boat and get away from all this. Maybe we’ll all be eaten alive.
The Walking Dead: Episode 4 Review
Choices have their consequences and the plot begins to ratchet up in the penultimate episode of Telltale’s The Walking Dead series.
The Walking Dead Season 1 Headed to Vita Along With New Bundle
The dead will be walking onto a new platform soon.
Steam Database Hints at Possible New Walking Dead DLC from Telltale
Something called 400 Days might just be coming soon.
"A Little Something Extra" Walking Dead Related Inbound from Telltale Before Season 2
What exactly that ‘something’ is remains to be seen.
Death is Around Every Corner in The Walking Dead: Episode 4
“In the wake of terrible loss, the group arrives in Savannah in search of a boat and escape from the horrors around them.”
Telltale's The Walking Dead Episode 3 Gets New Trailer & Screenshots
Did you really think things were going to get better?
New Trailers & Screenshots Accompany Official Release of The Walking Dead Ep 2
Things got fairly intense in the first episode of Telltale Game’s The Walking Dead but
The Walking Dead Reaches 1 Million Sales in Under Two Weeks
The only thing bigger than the ravenous horde of the living dead is the success they have brought to Telltale Studios.
The Walking Dead Debut Trailer Finally Features In-Game Footage
A new trailer for the game adaptation of The Walking Dead for the first time shows off just what the game will look like in action.
The Walking Dead Episode 5 Review
Posted By Shaun K. about 6 months, 3 weeks ago
The Walking Dead Episode 5 Review
So it all comes down to this. We’ve arrived at the finale of the first season of Telltale’s The Walking Dead. Since time is such a premium, there is not much point talking about gameplay and graphics at this juncture. If you have read my previous reviews you already know all you need to know on that front and if you have not read them, then go do so already. This review will keep in the meantime and will still be here when you get back. I promise.
Now that we have that out of the way, on to business. In many ways, the greatest danger an episodic series–be it a 7-year TV show stretched out across hundreds and hundreds of episodes or a more modest five part affair playing out across half a year or so–is the ending. Although it may be more about the journey than the destination, that destination does still matter. The rest of your story can be exceptional, but if your ending does not please the audience there will be trouble all around (see the whole kerfuffle over Mass Effect 3 for proof enough of that). The central question that this review has to answer is this: Does Episode 5: No Time Left satisfy?
| PROS | Writing, Voice acting, Music, Set pieces, Game design, Appropriate conclusion |
| CONS | Scope of the game strains against its graphical limitations, Short, Little challenge |
| WTF?! | Dealing with the arm. *shudders* |
The answer is a tricky one and needs some clarification of the non-spoiler kind (for a more spoiler-filled take on my feeling regarding The Walking Dead stay tuned for our end of the year piece sometime next month) before it can be fully addressed. Here is the thing: The Walking Dead as a franchise is in many ways the antithesis of satisfactory. By which I mean that the stories the various incarnations of the series tell (especially in terms of the original comic) are dark, dour, and downright nihilistic tales of a world where pretty much everyone is at their worst and even good moments are preludes to even more horrifying and/or heart breaking occurrences yet to come.
Indeed, if I was going to use one word to describe the comic that word would be “nasty” and it is an aspect of the series that has only grown more prevalent in recent years. It is one of the main reasons I do not read the comic anymore; the inherent nastiness and nihilism has become overwhelming and, more importantly, overplayed. When I briefly hopped back onto the comic recently for the lead up to its one hundredth issue, things had become so rote and predicable I was able to call pretty much everything that happened in advanced, right down to who would die and when. Also, as a brief aside, there are only so many times I am prepared to buy the idea that a complete and obvious psychopath would be able to successfully build a community and armed force capable of sustaining order within its ranks while also surviving long term. A single such character is one thing, but three separate and otherwise unrelated examples of that same character type on the other hand is just getting ludicrous and more than a little silly.
Whatever is to come, you cannot face it alone.
That is the comic however, but what we are really here to talk about today is the game. The Walking Dead game, for the most part, has done a great job of dialing back on the more nonsensical elements of its progenitor (a particular plot twist in Episode 2 aside) while still hewing closely to the dour and dark tone of the property as a whole. So I knew going into this final episode that the idea of the season ending with puppy dogs, rainbows, and everyone living happily ever was never going to happen. I was looking less for a satisfactory ending and more for an appropriate one. And on that count I was more than satisfied by the time the credits for Episode 5 played. This episode brings closure to many of the key plot points and/or characters from throughout the series to date. At the same time, is also does a good job of leaving room for the upcoming Season 2 to pick up and keep moving the story forward should Telltale decide to not simply start from scratch.
This is probably the shortest episode of The Walking Dead to date, at only a couple hours in length, but it still finds plenty of time for two impressive set pieces that will likely leave players cheering, a few simple yet well done environmental puzzles, and a whole lot of talking. Do not misunderstand, these conversations are anything but boring or dry and it is here that the choices made throughout the season come back into play in a very effective manner. Understand that The Walking Dead is ultimately a game on a set path and the choices players make can only have so much impact on the plot and the ending. This is definitely not Mass Effect or The Witcher in terms of player choice determining the way the story unfolds.
The calm before the storm.
Where the impact and meaning of these choices does come into play is the emotion behind the way these events play out and Episode 5 as a whole manages to have a real sense of reflection and looking back from start to finish. The weight of your choices and the consequences they have brought about is palatable throughout Episode 5, especially during a chilling late episode confrontation. You will end up being called out on what you did and why and this retreading of the past helps to make the game’s final devastating minutes all the more palatable. This sense of reflection is even more impressive in light of the clear sense of a ticking clock that also fills Episode 5. The subtitle of this episode is No Time Left for a reason and between the pacing of this episode and the events at the end of previous one, it is a subtitle the game more than lives up to. Overall, this final episode of The Walking Dead‘s season is a adroit mix of satisfying action and powerful character beats likely to leave few players with a dry eye by the time they are done. It will likely leave those who play it feeling more than a little empty inside, but I doubt few who have played the series from start to finish will regret the time they spent with it. I know I do not.
The Walking Dead is without a doubt one of the most legitimately depressing and emotionally draining games I have ever played. Normally, I tend to gravitate more towards upbeat tales and happier fare (since I find real life offers plenty of the other as is) and yet even as I type this I find the itch to play The Walking Dead again–this time from start to finish and all in one go. The desire isn’t even to necessarily make different choices so much as to soak in the game’s riveting story and amazingly realized characters. That’s no mean feat either, considering that the game is brimming with what has become, hands down, one of my least favorite elements in all of fiction: zombies. That alone is one of the best testaments to the game’s quality that I think I can give.
How far will you go?
At the risk of falling back on cliché, if you only play one adventure game this year then make it The Walking Dead. Telltale has not only raised the bar for what they are capable of as a developer, but for the entire genre as a whole as well. Whatever problems (length, lack of challenge, occasional graphical glitches) might be present in the game ultimately fall away in the face of its accomplishments. The fact that Telltale managed to find a way for the choices throughout all five episodes to have an emotional payoff that makes them seem worthwhile was the final piece needed for me to declare that The Walking Dead is one of the best games of 2012. The score below is less for Episode 5 and more for the series as a whole and this is one game no one can afford to miss out on.
A review copy of this game was provided for review by the publisher. The reviewer spent approximately 1 and 1/2 hours playing the title on PC.
Also, feel free to follow the reviewer on Twitter @bigred_13 please if you feel so inclined.
10/10
The Walking Dead: Episode 3 Review
Is Episode 3 of Telltale Game’s The Walking Dead video game a trail worth taking or is it finally time to get off this crazy train once and for all? The Walking Dead: Episode 1 Review
Does the first episode in this five part episodic series succeed or is it simply time to put a bullet in the head of the whole thing and be done with it? The Walking Dead: Episode 2 Review
The dead may walk, but this time around it's the human elements that are the real threat in the latest episode of Telltale Games' continuing adaption of the hit comic book-turned-TV series. Does the series continue to be worth one's time or should players to look elsewhere for their zombie related fix? The Walking Dead: Episode 4 Review
Choices have their consequences and the plot begins to ratchet up in the penultimate episode of Telltale's The Walking Dead series. The Walking Dead Episode 5 Review
Does the final episode Telltale's The Walking Dead Season One brings things to a suitable close? The Walking Dead Review (Game) - ZGR
Daniel checks out The Walking Dead (Game) from Telltale Games - Review - ZGR The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct Review
You don’t need me to tell you that The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct is a terrible game.-
November 24, 2012 at 01:23pm
I am waiting for the retail version of this. I just hope that they went for a bitter-sweet ending instead of a straight up depressing one, since depressing endings usually make the entire journey seem pointless (like if Clem dies, after all the time and effort you spend into protecting her, and that’s just hypothetical, not a spoiler).
-
November 23, 2012 at 12:01pm
While I compltelely disagree with giving these episodes as a whole a perfect 10 (I’d probably put it more twoards 7-8 range) these games are a MUST buy for the stellar writing alone.
-
November 23, 2012 at 11:05pm
You have to understand that a 10 does not mean something is perfect. No game ever made has been perfect. Ever. Name me a game and I guarantee you I can find legitimate flaws. What a ten means is that a game is both an essential play for any audience and a game that moves the medium forward either through innovation or sheer quality.
-
December 04, 2012 at 06:18pm
Yeah, I get where you’re coming from, I still don’t agree that it’s “that good.” But, that’s all opinion, of course.
-
December 12, 2012 at 05:17pm
I’ll agreed with you, although I’d go as far as to give it a nine. There are some things in this game that feel really forced.
For example, spoilers for those who haven’t played.‘Taking a fucking stand’ as I think Kenny put it, just felt like a REALLY stupid excuse to get rid of everyone’s ammo. The house was being flooded with walkers, what opening was he expecting!? Then there is the unavoidable death of Kenny, moments after potentially complaining that suicide was wrong, he locks himself in an alley that zombies are pouring into so that he can shoot Ben? He could have done that and still come along!
Finally, the Stranger. The world is overrun with the walking dead, and the surviving people are at each other’s throats very often, or screwing each other over for the sake of their own survival. Even if you’re a near perfect saint and always do what is best for Clem, he finds a reason to chew you out! Of course the guy is crazy and just looking for an excuse to take her, but still it pisses me off a bit.Ultimately this game is a must play for anyone who values a good story that will give them all the feels, but at the same time some things feel forced.
I’d give it a 9/10 personally. -
November 23, 2012 at 12:11am
I’ve been watching an LP of the first four seasons and about to start on season 5.. It really is some of the most compelling dramatic story-telling I’ve ever seen in a game. I’m more invested in the story of the game than I am the story of the show.
-
November 22, 2012 at 08:05pm
While certainly a fantastic game I don’t see this being GotY material. From the final moments of episode 2 the direction of the game is utterly ripped from the player’s control. I’m a huge fan of story, in fact I’m a writer myself, but I played it to create my own tale. Why would I ever go back to this game if my decisions ultimately mean nothing?
I also thought the ending was a little inadequate. You can’t think of it like an ensemble cast when you have a distinct POV on the whole game, so there really needed to be more of a transition. The cut to black felt incredibly cheap.
Still a great game though, and one I would highly recommend.
-
November 23, 2012 at 06:38pm
Woh, back up everybody, we got us a cynic over here. I’m sorry you think you had little control over the story’s flow, but why is it that I heard other people saying that they had a lot of control over their choices?
Also, what do you mean that a distinct POV on the game means that there can’t be an ensemble cast? Do you even know what an ensemble cast is? It means that everyone, not just the main character, is of equal importance to the flow of the story presented to you, and that’s exactly what these characters were.
-
November 23, 2012 at 07:35pm
How am I cynical? I said it was a great game.
The game certainly does give you the impression of choice, but only so much. As soon as you find the car with supplies in episode 2 the ending is set. It doesn’t matter what choice you make. Be the biggest asshole in the world, or the nicest guy ever, you will still come to the exact same conclusion.
They are definitely not an ensemble. Their reactions are designated by your actions as Lee, so how could they be of equal importance? This is most noticeable in regards to deaths, especially the one that’s possible near the end of episode 4. It doesn’t matter what you do there, as they’ll still die one way or another. It might give you the feeling you’ve done something good, but so what? There are no real consequences.
Telltale had a specific story to tell in The Walking Dead season 1, and that’s what you get no matter your choices. It’s a fantastic story, and I love that it comes in a video game format (the show is way too silly and safe for me), but what I mean is GotY can’t be determined by a great story that has little impact on gameplay itself.
I only make these arguments because I loved these games. As a whole they would certainly be in my top 5 of the year, I was just disappointed to find that there’s no replayability besides to hear a few different lines of dialogue, even though the gameplay is meant to be based on choice.
-
November 24, 2012 at 01:01am
My only real counter-point to the “There’s no real consequences” argument is that as a player, you don’t know there’s no change in consequences. If you’re playing the game, not looking up guides or videos or spoilers to see what could have happened differently, just playing, you don’t what will cause what on your first play through. Additionally, your actions do change how the events play out. They may not change their ultimate result, but I think changing how you get from point A to point B is a significant change, not just changing point B to some other letter.
On your second play through, which you would need to do to learn that there’s no changes, you’d start to see how little your actions influence things on a more grand scale. But, as you even stated, this is not a choose your own adventure game. They have a place to get to. They couldn’t offer up a bunch of drastically different endings since they are planning to do future seasons of this.
The Walking Dead Review (Game) - ZGR
Daniel checks out The Walking Dead (Game) from Telltale Games – Review – ZGR
The Walking Dead is AWESOME! - Episode 5
Lee is desperate, zombie bitten, and running out of time to find Clem and whoever is holding her captive.
The Walking Dead is AWESOME! - Episode 4
Maybe this city will be better than the others. Maybe we’ll find a boat and get away from all this. Maybe we’ll all be eaten alive.
The Walking Dead is AWESOME! - Episode 3
Time is running out as the group is forced to fend off both the living and the undead.
The Walking Dead is AWESOME! - Episode 2
Our survivors are running out of food and getting desperate. If only there was a dairy farm nearby.
The Walking Dead is AWESOME!
A man with a troubled past, a little girl with out a family, and a duck that just won’t die.
I don’t see the benefit of skippable dialogue and cutscenes when a game is nothing but dialogue and cutscenes. Even on subsequent playthroughs.
No no no, outside the RV wasn’t the biggest wtf moment, the entirety of the RV chapter was a wtf moment. The tension that comes from the previous chapter, what we learn during the ride, and the ultimate outcome of the RV section really drives up the tension level to almost unbearable levels. Also, that one scene with Clementine, for those who played know what I’m talking about, THAT was my biggest wtf
All I can say about this episode is… my body was not ready =’(
Which is to say the game was very well-written and I love it. IMO this is by far the best episode so far, and it makes me wonder if the following ones will be better/fuck with me more =P.