The Walking Dead: The Game – Episode 1 Review

Telltale Games hasn’t really made any amazing interactive games since the Sam and Max games. Back to the Future wasn’t very fun at all to play and Jurassic Park was decent, but it didn’t live up to the expectations of a great deal of the fans. Neither game was able to provide an engaging experience. The Walking Dead: The Game is Telltale’s latest attempt at making an adventure game to please the fan base of a particular series.

Telltale games is releasing The Walking Dead over the course of 5 episodes with the first being Episode 1: A New Day. Has Telltale finally struck gold? Or have they killed off this series before it has even started? Here are the HOTs and NOTs of The Walking Dead: The Game Episode 1.

HOT

“A New Day”, A New Beginning
Let it be known that the events of the game take place before those in the comics and television series. This means Rick is still in a coma in the hospital and the zombie apocalypse has just begun. The story for Episode 1 “A New Day” tells the story of Lee Everett, a convicted murderer who is freed from the back of a police cruiser when a walker comes shambling in front of it causing an accident. This begins the story of his survival and the hardships and horrors he must endure throughout his travels. It makes for an intense experience that tells an excellent story. The best part of the game is that it isn’t all about the mindless slaughter of the shambling corpses, but rather the dialogue that fleshes out the story for the game. Fans of the comics or the television show will definitely love the story that this game has to tell them.

Over the course of the game you will have to make decisions that will affect the outcome of the story. Some may be minor, like the way a survivor will view you or speak to you. Other decisions will cause a more catastrophic event, like the death of one character over another. These moments flow seamlessly throughout the game and it feels more like a fleshed out story rather than a chore to make decisions and never see the consequences of each one. At the end of the game, you will be treated to a “trailer” for episode 2 that will change depending on the decisions you made throughout the game. It definitely adds to the replayability of the game if you want to see all of the different options available.

Graphics Look Like A Graphic Novel
Just to get the ugly part out of the way, there are a few sharp edges and some blurring on the smaller objects. That aside, the game pulls off a vibrant and colorful look and makes it look as if you were playing a comic book. This along with the excellent voice acting and seamless story telling really adds to the depth of the experience and makes each kill and decision that much sweeter. The real stars of The Walking Dead, the walkers, all look visceral and play their part just as well as the main characters of the game. When the action hits and the skulls start to break, Telltale lets the gore loose and doesn’t pull any punches.

Sounds Like A Zombie Apocalypse
All of the various sound effects in the game ranging from the moans of a zombie to the crunching of said zombies craniums. The characters also perform their dialogue well and you will soon find yourself immersed in this end of the world experience thanks to the dialogue alone. Lee shows a wide range of emotions and attitudes depending on the choices you make for him and survivors will treat him and speak to him in a manner fitting for the demeanor you have chosen for him. The game blends all of the different elements so well that by the end you will be counting down the days until the second episode releases.