The Walking Dead Episode One: A New Day

Blog Post: A Great Addition To The Walking Dead Universe

freezeimacop690 — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 16:43:00 GMT

I had heard a lot about this game, and specifically about this series, and how good it was, but I never really had the money for all five episodes. Then, this last week, I saw that the first episode was free on Xbox Live, and the other four episodes were all half-off. Yes. Please. I booted this game up, and got down to the business of experiencing the first episode.

What works in this game more than anything else are the story and the characters. Every interaction is important, and every dialogue choice is important, which is great, because most (read: 99%) of the game revolves around talking to other people. Lee is handled well, as are Clementine, Carley, Herschel, and Glenn. Each character has reasons to do things, and acts accordingly. There is only one instance I can think of where a character acted differently than what I expected. You can chalk that up to good writing. There are some pretty weighty decisions in this game, such as deciding (twice) whom to save out of two options, and putting someone out of their soon-to-be-a-zombie misery. The choices are generally tough, even when deciding how much of your past to reveal to other characters, but there is one glaring exception. The decisions that Lee makes in the game make sense. I understand why a 30+ year-old would want to attach himself to this young girl, I understand why he would want to go with Kenny and his family towards Macon, and I understand why he would want to rip up a picture in the back of a pharmacy. Even the decisions of others make sense, like Herschel having misgivings about Lee (after all, I did choose to lie to him), and a character wanting to shoot a child because of the possibility that they were bitten. In this dark world, these things make sense.

Maybe this is just because I have to play on in standard definition, but this game doesn't look very good. Or maybe it's Telltale's style-choice. Yeah, it's probably that. Zombies, while scary, could be much scarier. I'm more afraid of them because I know what they can do to me, than I am afraid of how they look. You can chalk that up to having read the comic, having a general understanding of zombies, and having been killed by the first zombie in the game (more on that later). There is no one character that I would say actually looks good in this game other than Lee. And that's really only because he's a very generic looking character. If something isn't an available template in a character creator, like Lee would be, then something just feels off about them. They feel too cartoony for the serious world of Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead.

This game is certainly of the adventure variety, and it both suffers and gains from this. First, what works for this game. In a zombie apocalypse, things are going to be tough. If you're in an unfamiliar location, then you probably won't know where the keys to the back room of a pharmacy are. Much like how a real-life survivor would have to scrounge for supplies, that's something that's a big part of this game. Some of the solutions necessary to finding items like said keys are ingenious. Something else that I really liked about the game was that it wasn't your typical adventure game. In this game, there are subtle hints as what you need to do next, instead of the usual "Find X, but I don't know where you should look." For example, when you're looking for those keys, you don't find them where you expect to. But, if you do something that the game suggests earlier, you'll find them. It was a great moment of sudden realization when I remembered that the game had really given me a hint as to how to get past what had become a huge annoyance to me (I had spent at least an hour looking for them). If this is where adventure gaming is headed, I'll be there.

What I don't like about the genre choice (and the kind of game it is in general) is that it's locked into a combat style that does not work. In order to satisfyingly work when just walking around, the cursor moves around relatively slowly. But the combat requires that cursor to move quickly, or at least, more quickly than it currently moves. During the first combat sequence, I died because I didn't know where exactly the shotgun was, and so I overshot it, and the zombie started chomping on my leg before I could get back around to it. There also appears to be a sweet spot in this game during combat, which is annoying. You won't be able to hit the zombie before it, and after, you're going to wind up sliding through the bowels of the undead. During two of the last three combat sequences, I was killed because I couldn't hit that sweet spot, or the game wasn't registering that I had hit it. I say that it wasn't registering it because when I restarted (the game has a good checkpoint system by the way), I could swear that I hit the button at the exact same time, and had the exact same moment of terror for a second when my character didn't do anything, but it was only on the second try that the figurative hammer fell on the literal zombie skull.

This afternoon I'm going to rip into the last four episodes, and this one has certainly left me excited for the prospect at seeing more of Telltale's wonderful take on The Walking Dead property.

Blog Post: The Walking Dead: Episode 1 (XBOX 360)

TeddyAssassin33 — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 01:30:00 GMT

One word: walker-tastic.

Yeah, it's a made up word, but it really should be considering all the walkers.

My brother decided he'd buy the game after playing a demo of it he got off the XBOX marketplace. The Walking Dead series has been one of my all-time favorites so, of course, I sat down to watch. The minute the game started, I knew I wanted to play.

The game begins in a police car with the main character Lee Everett. He has been arrested for an unknown crime that is revealed later in the plot. The police officer makes small talk with him and at some point stops paying attention--big mistake. You only have about five seconds to choose what to say before the car veers of the road and you fall into the forest.

Upon waking up, your leg is hurt, the police officer seems to have been thrown out, and you're trapped in the car. You call out to him, but he's not responding. You find your way out of the car through the window and approach the "unconscious" police officer. You reach down to grab the keys to your handcuffs, skillfully drop them, and then pick them back up to unchain yourself.

Sweet freedom, right? Wrong.

The police officer was dead, not unconscious. He gets up to attack like all walkers do when they're around a living being. Ultimately you kill the thing with a shotgun and run out of there with the walkers following suit.

Now because the rest of the storyline is more fun to experience than to read, I won't add any more. Instead, I'll get to the gameplay.

The game is like those Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books that a lot of people read when they were kids. You choose what you want to do, and it changes the way things will end for Lee. There are a lot of responses to choose from and reactions to be had. Some of these are split-second decisions that require you to make some hard decisions. All-in-all, I think this was a great way to build the game because it lets you be in control of the horror movie/show/whatever.

There isn't a lot of violence, but I can assure you that when there is, it's gruesome and awesome. Any fan of zombie violence wouldn't be disappointed in the gross scenes to come.

The art in the game, I thought, was awesome. It made me feel like I was experiencing the comic books instead of another random zombie game. The 3D graphics that were originally 2D was great and left me commenting the entire time about it.

The Walking Dead Episode 1 is a "New Day," and it certainly makes it a good one. There are still many surprises and even characters from the show that show up in the game that make it absolutely worth it.

Blog Post: The game that reanimated my ios gaming

jubender — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 23:55:00 GMT

I am about to start the second episode after beating the first, and I have to say, I was never happier to spend the $15 for episodes 2-5. The game really gives you many choices and the controls are not too hard to use. However, it played more like an interactive movie than a game. Not that that is a bad thing, I finished it in just a few hours of straight gameplay. It was truly an engaging and fun game to play.

Blog Post: good

Blue blood outbreak — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 21:15:00 GMT

The first episode of this five part game is a great introduction to the world of Walking Dead and to adventure type games. This is not really a "game" but more of an interactive movie. If you can read and click than you should have no problem with this game.

Story - You are Lee, a man on his way to jail for murder. The story begins like any other zombie movie. Everything is fine when suddenly *** happens and before you know it, the dead have come back to life. You meet a small group of survivors and have to find a way to survive.

My Rating - This is a great introductory part even though it is very short and not a lot happens. You get to kill a few zombies and solve a few puzzle but none are actually that good. The most interesting thing about this first episode are the conversation. They are interesting and the voice work is wonderful. Overall this is still a great game and I give it a 8/10

Wiki: The Walking Dead Episode One: A New Day Guides

Anonymous — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 00:22:00 GMT

Guides for The Walking Dead Episode One: A New Day

Blog Post: Walking Dead: The Game Translates Perfectly To iOS

Matt Bertz — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:05:00 GMT

One of the surprises of the summer, Telltale's imaginative video game adaptation of the transmedia phenomenon The Walking Dead is still spreading to new platforms. Today the game has landed in the App Store, and it's just as compelling on iOS as it is on PC, Mac, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. [Excerpt]

This adaptation stays faithful to the spirit of the original comic book penned by Robert Kirkman. Rather that shamble down the well-worn path of zombie hunting like Left 4 Dead and Dead Rising, the game eschews action-heavy conflicts in favor of stress testing the the fragile alliances that form between survivors who meet in happenstance and frequently butt heads over the best way to continue living in a world dominated by the undead.

Players take the role of Lee Everett, a former history professor who is being driver to jail after being convicted of murdering a state senator who was sleeping with his wife. Before his police escort makes it to the penitentiary, he accidentally slams into a zombie on the interstate and the car careens down an embankment. When Lee awakens, he sees the dead cop in the woods and slowly pieces together that something has gone horribly wrong.

During the rest of this point and click adventure, Lee crosses paths with a few familiar faces from the comic books and television show, including Hershel Greene and Glenn. Like a Choose Your Own Adventure novel, what you say in conversation and how you act when survivors turn on one another determines how other characters will react to you in trying moments. Thanks to sharp dialogue and convincing characters, these interactions are the highlight of the game.

Given the game's slow pace and comic book art style, nothing has been lost in the transition from television to touchscreen. You simply drag your finger across the screen to move, and tap items to interact with them. The more frantic encounters are driven by quick-time events packed with frantic screen taps and swipes. The environmental puzzles aren't going to test your mental prowess, but are executed well enough to keep you playing.

The Walking Dead runs on runs on iPhone 4, iPad 2, and the new iPad. I played through it on the iPad 2 and experienced no perceivable hiccups. The first episode costs $4.99, and is worth checking out for any fan of the franchise or adventure games. You can purchase the next four episodes individually, or spring for the $14.98 bundle. Look for the next chapters to release in the coming months. In the meantime, read our full review of Episode One's original release here.

Blog: The Walking Dead Episode One: A New Day - iOS

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:22:00 GMT

Blog Post: Telltale does a successful job bringing Walking dead to videogames

Juanolo — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 13:52:00 GMT

When I first heard the walking dead was coming to videogames, I was excited and nervous. Excited because I'm a big fan of the show, but nervous because telltale was making it. It looked all right but, I was stil going to get it. I waited a while, and then when I got it, it was a blast. The walking dead is a great game to download that lives up to what's on Tv.

Graphics are good. The comic book like style looked pretty good. Story is intense. You will have to make big choices that will change the story. That what makes it so intense. Score all right. Not alot, but it's descent. Gameplay is good. It's about only 2 hours because it's only the 1st episode out of 5. How's it's narrative, and just goes by, it reminds me of Heavy Rain gameplay.

Overall, walking dead is a real fun game. If your a fan of the show, or a horror fan, your going to really like this. Anyone wil probably think it's real fun. That's why I would give Walking dead episode one: A new day a

9 out of 10

Blog Post: Zombies Title All

Laharl Ps3 Jefferson Fernando — Fri, 18 May 2012 01:24:00 GMT

call of duty World at war and Black ops in zombies other snow dead nazi zombies hard watch other zombies vs flower war good Zombies Apocalypse hard

trophies hard veteran long zombies.

Blog Post: Interactive story full of tension

Josh Wagner — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:43:00 GMT

I could not have chosen a more opportune time to play The Walking Dead. I had just finished Resident Evil 4 HD, and my frustrations at some of the ridiculous deaths during the interactive cut scenes (aka QTE, or Quick Time Event) was building to a point of impulsive controller throwing. QTE's teeter on a tight rope, trying to find a balance between interaction and distraction. A lot of times, I lose track of what is actually going on because I'm frantically pressing a button, waiting for the next one to appear. Think of it like sub-titles. Where Resident Evil 4 fails numerous times, forcing me in to a trial and error situation, The Walking Dead succeeded with a double tap. Simple, but almost always causing a sweaty palm scenario. The action is top-notch thrilling.

The situations Lee gets put in; siding with one character over another in a fight, answering and asking questions that could make or break his relationship with others, choosing to help one live at the expense of another, all choices made in a matter of seconds... this game is absolutely crammed with moments that I knew I would have to replay again in order to see what else happens. I can't stand not knowing what else could have unfolded had I taken a variety of other routes.

The biggest issue I had with this release was the viewpoint. Occasionally, I just wanted to look around, but the fixed camera makes it impossible. Lee can walk around the set pieces, he can interact with other characters and objects that are highlighted, but he just can't do much else. This limitation bugged me, because I couldn't get a feel for my surroundings in some locations. There was also one spot in particular (in a hotel parking lot) where the option to look up, left, and right were available. Strangely, up and right did the same thing.Instead of moving on to another area to find what I needed to continue, I kept trying this d*amnable up and right dance. Two issues in a couple hours of gameplay, though---hardly diminishes the outcome.

If you like zombies, a gripping story, adventure, or (obviously) The Walking Dead... play this now.

Blog Post: Maverick Reviews- The Walking Dead Chapter One: A New Day Review

Maverickx25 — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:53:00 GMT

Maverick Reviews- The Walking Dead Chapter One: A New Day

*This is a little different from my normal reviews because I usually save a section in the end for bonus points and deductions. These are more for certain aspects that I think deserve praise or criticism that don't fall into any of the above categories (usually graphics and sound is worth ten points because they aren't as important as the elements of the game, which leaves twenty points to fiddle with as wished). However, I'm trying something a little more classic. Hope it works :)*

It's no real surprise that The Walking Dead has finally limped its way into the video game world. Zombies are an always increasing fad and after a best-selling graphic novel series and an award-winning TV show, it was inevitable.

This is going to be a short review because it is the first of five chapters. However, unless TellTale decides to change a lot over the course of its run, then this review should signify how the remainder of the series will play out (unless they drastically change something, but I don't see that happening).

So, come! Let's traverse the zombie apocalypse, Reader.

Graphics: -2 (18/20)

I have to give the developers credit. The comic book art style fits perfectly for this game. Everything from character models, environments and gore are presented in a very understated yet artistic way. The only gripe is that some animations are a bit choppy, but it doesn't break the illusion.

Sound: -1 (19/20)

Apart from some hiccups in terms of voice acting, it's more than solid all across the soundboard (zing!).

Controls: -2 (18/20)

Definitely a huge difference from the BttF series. It's more streamlined. Controls are simple. Walk, click on an object of importance (character, item, obstacle, etc) and repeat. The only deduction comes from a sometimes-finicky camera.

Style: -5 (15/20)

Alright, onto the juicy stuff.

Something that many true horror-based games have lacked in the past few years (with a couple exceptions) is lack of a good atmosphere (I'm looking at you RE5 and Raccoon City). Apart from the opening scene, the remainder of the game always holds the ever-present depressing gray-shade of gloom. While anyone smart enough can know at what moment something bad is going to happen, eliminating the element of surprise, they throw a curve-ball that will catch you off guard.

The game (much like the material is based off of) is a drama with many characters you absolutely love or absolutely wish would get the chomp.

As new character, Lee Everett, you are on your way to what is presumably a death sentence, when you are set free...into the zombie apocalypse.

The best way I can use to describe this game is Heavy Rain-ultra lite (which is in no way a bad thing for me, I absolutely loved Heavy Rain). As you play through the game, Lee is put into many situations to where your choices dictate how the remainder of the story plays out. Do I lie to someone and lose their trust? Or do I respond honestly and ensure that they'll have your back when the time comes? Do I save this person or that person, and if I do, how will this effect me later on? There are only a few of these choices in the game, some holding more weight than others, but it's all up to you and how YOU feel the situation should be handled. There are no wrong moves.

The one huge beef I have the game is the unevenness of the game-play. The story stays consistent throughout but certain things like balancing puzzles, combat and other elements is very hit or miss. I personally think there wasn't enough interaction with the environment or enough puzzles (except for a brilliant one involving a pillow and a spark plug).

Combat is a little on the simplistic side, as well. It's just aim and hit a button. Whether or not this is an ode to how it will be in the future zombie outbreak (point and shoot, swing at its head) remains to be seen. It doesn't detract from the experience though, considering it's not an action based game.

Fun: -5 (15/20)

Much like other games of this type, I don't really think it's about “having fun” in the traditional sense. I tend to think of it as a “you find the enjoyment in it” sort of deal. If you are interested in story, the relationships you form with characters and how you will deal with the consequences that follow your actions, than this is will be right for you.

Final Score: 82/100 B-

Is it worth the $5 price tag? Only if you are going to play through the entire series and put the time into it. As for me? I can't wait to see what happens “Next week on: The Walking Dead.”

Cheers.

Blog Post: Unexpected, beautiful, and terrifying

Big Sister — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:25:00 GMT

It has been a long time since I have felt any sort if emotional connection to the characters in a video game. With most major market games being first person shooters with heavy focus on action rather than character development, The Walking Dead Game" caught me completely off guard. This is the first zombie game that has ever had me biting my nails in distress and holding my breath in anticipation as I dread the doomed fates of its beautifully crafted characters.

Everything about The Walking Dead game feels exactly how a zombie game should. It throws you into the heart of a darkened world in which the only light comes from the friends made around you. This is exactly what caught me off guard during my experience. The Walking Dead game is less of a game and more of a novel. The protagonist, Lee is carefully crafted, holding a mysterious past and having a likable personality. He is a man of compassion and as the game progresses, specific instances show off what kind of hero he really is.

Early on in the game Lee befriends a small eight year old girl by the name of Clementine. Clementines parents are no where to be found and in the classic act as the hero Lee takes her along with him on his journey across a zombie riddled nation. The friendship that lee and clementine develop is one that is believable. It is something that is rarely seen in today's world of gaming anymore. Dead Rising 2 attempted to create the same sort of "father-daughter" bond but failed to do so with the lack of interaction between the two. By the conclusion of the first episode, I felt as though lee was centimes father, battling for his daughter with an unending fire fueled by compassion.

The conversations that take place between them both are so expertly written it was hard to remember that these characters were fictional, and at any moment disaster could strike separating them from one another. Lee and clementine come in contact with a small variety of side characters, each with their own believable personalities. The group of survivors you build are surprisingly deep and realistic. Which makes deciding who must live and who must die so difficult. I cannot remember the last time I replayed conversations with certain characters in my head before choosing between them,bro actually reminisce with the memories they had created with lee.

The Walking Dead Game is the most beautiful and startling arcade game I have ever played. It is the biggest surprise of 2012 so far and I cannot wait for episode 2.

Blog Post: Playing Dead

WereWolf1203 — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:42:00 GMT

I was suprised i really liked this game. After playing Jurassic Park i was hesitant playing another Telltale Game. This game was a great story taking place during another great story. The QTE events never seemed out of place, and aside from getting lost in acouple places looking for items or trying to figure out how to move forward (couldn't open the lock but was able to leave to save Glen) it was a great game. I enjoyed it and can't wait for more episodes in future.

Blog Post: A Shambling Success - Review of The Walking Dead: Episode 1

Jonathan Barnes — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:06:00 GMT

Helplessness. To describe the world of The Walking Dead in one word, it would have to be, “helplessness”. Walkers have taken over and are a constant threat. Nobody knows how or why this modern plague happened, nor do they know if there is any hope for cure or salvation. Walkers may be the biggest threat, but not always the most immediate. In a certain homage to Lord of the Flies the most pressing dangers can often come in the form of infighting amongst the living. The struggle with group dynamics and the forced pairing of strong archetypes make the human drama just as high as the suspense. With an award-winning series of graphic novels and a hit TV show, The Walking Dead: Episode 1, entered the market with some high expectations. Backed with an original story, Telltale Games aimed to bring gamers into Robert Kirkman’s universe without needing to read the books or watch the show. These efforts, on the whole, are highly successful and make for one of the most riveting, interactive stories in gaming this year.

Most happy stories don’t start with the protagonist cuffed in the back of a cop car. The Walking Dead: Episode 1 is no different. As Lee, your first interaction is with the police officer hauling you to jail.

I suppose you didn’t do it.

From here you’re given several conversational options and, much like games like Alpha Protocol, you’ll only have a short time to pick your response. As the details of Lee’s life begin to come into contextual focus, you’ll begin to realize that dialogue options can allow you to be honest, vague, or downright lie to people. You can treat them nicely, harshly, or nonchalantly. You’re basically given the opportunity to play Lee as you want to play him. Such choices are not without consequences, though. All of the characters you interact with will remember the things you tell them and judge whether or not they like you, trust you, and/or believe you to be honest.

The majority of the gameplay boils down to walking around the various environments, talking to fellow survivors, interacting with set pieces, and picking up various story-related items. As the game progresses, you’ll find yourself forging alliances, backing certain characters and people, and building relationships of mutual trust. This trust affects the story as Episode 1 progresses and is likely to carry over into future episodes. Much like “point-and-click” adventure games, the most scenes can be taken at a leisurely pace… that is until the walkers (inevitably) arrive.

While most action scenes are played through with quick-time button presses (and completely serviceable as such), the biggest drawback to Episode 1 is that some action scenes require you to “click” on certain points within a specific time limit and those points are often hard to distinguish or spot. There were several points during my playthrough where I was forced to go through scenes multiple times in order to find those action spots.

The art style is excellent and reminiscent of a good blend between hand-drawn comic artistry and fluid motion. It truly feels like you’re playing a comic book.

The ambiance is further enhanced by excellent voice acting and sound design.

As an episodic experience, The Walking Dead: Episode 1 is a runaway success in same vein as Alan Wake. With solid gameplay mechanics, a riveting story, and a “Next On”-style teaser, Telltale has gone above and beyond to give gamers a unique, highly-satisfying, experience in their interactive narrative.

Blog Post: The Walking Dead Review

Adam Robert Paris — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:44:00 GMT

Like the zombies that populate its universe, "The Walking Dead" franchise has slowly consumed all facets of our culture. From the original comic series to the hit AMC show and now video games, it's hard to escape the clutches of Robert Kirkman's creation.

When Telltale set out to adapt the series into their adventure style format, they hoped to create a game that exemplified the franchise's character driven storytelling while providing a compelling gameplay experience. With intense scenes of action complemented by extensive levels of choice, "The Walking Dead" is a thrilling interactive drama.

Players begin as Lee Everett, a former professor, as he rides in the back of a police car on his way to the local penitentiary. As you gradually answer the inquiries of the driver, players are introduced to the conversation system that is integral to the experience. Suddenly, a lone zombie saunters into the road and the collision drives the car off the side of the road.

Lee comes to consciousness trapped in the back of the car and players must use the onscreen cursor to search for the proper way to escape. Lee escapes from the flood of zombies that rapidly appear in the forest and finds refuge in a nearby home. Once there, he finds Clementine, an abandoned little girl, and their dynamic together is a central focus for the remainder of the episode.

Gameplay typically consists of walking around various locations and searching for the items needed to proceed. Oftentimes these puzzles are fairly simplistic with obvious answers that require menial tasks to be completed in a specific order.

Hopefully future episodes feature more challenging puzzles, however, this lackluster aspect is bolstered by the true highlights of the game: player choice and dramatic situations.

Throughout the episode you will meet many characters who will inquire about your background. Little prompts let you know that these NPCs will remember what you've said or acknowledge that you have sided with them in an argument. I felt as if every conversation had real ramifications and one wrong choice may cause these strangers to snap at any moment.

The dynamic of this group of strangers bandying together is executed extremely well. Every character seems realistic, even if some are obvious archetypes. Players will also encounter several life and death decisions that can radically alter the course of their playthrough. Once again, every one of these choices made me wonder whether I had made the right decision for the group and how it may affect my standing with the others.

Combat is simplistic, but it works really well within the Telltale style of adventure games. It usually involves simply tapping a button over the zombie to trigger an attack with whatever dangerous object you may have at the time.

However, the beauty of combat lies in the drama it creates. Whether it's fending off a zombie as it grabs hold of you or bludgeoning one clutching at the leg of a partner, every interaction elicits a sense of desperation few other zombie games capture.

Episode one's story ends on a cliff-hanger of sorts, but still provides a satisfying ending to this group's first journey together. Although it has some references to the comics, I enjoyed the new characters, particularly Lee and the slow unfurling of his background throughout the episode. The story does tend to bog down in the middle though and players must perform trivial tasks that take away from what is otherwise a tension-filled episode.

Players who go into "The Walking Dead" expecting a run and gun zombie shooter will be disappointed, but what it lacks in gameplay it more than makes up for in its storytelling and interactions between characters. The amount of player choice and consequences that go along with those options is staggering.

Few games have ever made me stop and ponder the outcome of my choices like "The Walking Dead". Although this was only episode one of a five-part series, I am already hooked by the fantastic atmosphere and can't wait to see how my decisions will affect my playthrough in future episodes.

As published by The Daily Cardinal

Blog Post: Walking Dead Game

microphonist — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:56:00 GMT

I played through it twice, unless the game is going to be super long, I feel the choices have no reel effect, just a different scenario, but having just 2 choices is to thin for me, sometimes we have 1, or 2 choices but sometimes we have 20-100 choices to accomplish a task, give us full control over what we do, so far , Rockstar is the only company to achieve this realism..... how much longer can games be this boring an paper thin.

If I was a Zed fan, or better yet a WD fan I would have trashed this, like Jurassic Park and Back to Future which both sucked....

Step it up TellTale..... or the only tell tale you'll be telling is your story to the unemployment office.....

Blog Post: Maverick Reviews- The Walking Dead Chapter One: A New Day

Maverickx25 — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:40:00 GMT

Maverick Reviews- The Walking Dead Chapter One: A New Day

So, come! Let's traverse the zombie apocalypse, Reader.

Graphics: -2 (18/20)

Sound: -1 (19/20)

Apart from some hiccups in terms of voice acting, it's more than solid all across the soundboard (zing!).

Controls: -2 (18/20)

Style: -5 (15/20)

Alright, onto the juicy stuff.

The game (much like the material is based off of) is a drama with many characters you absolutely love or absolutely wish would get the chomp.

As new character, Lee Everett, you are on your way to what is presumably a death sentence, when you are set free...into the zombie apocalypse.

Fun: -5 (15/20)

Final Score: 82/100 B-

Is it worth the $5 price tag? Only if you are going to play through the entire series and put the time into it. As for me? I can't wait to see what happens “Next week on: The Walking Dead.”

Cheers.

Forum Post: Re: Confused as hell

King OF Cake21o — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 22:41:00 GMT

Hmm... I don't know. You know what will fix this, right? Cake.

Blog Post: Awesome!

Jballer — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:31:00 GMT

I really enjoyed this game. It definatly is a breath of fresh air. You have to make split minute descisions just like real life and the graphics are pretty neat I'm glad I downloaded it and I really cant wait for the other episodes, if you havent checked the game out, you must!

Blog Post: Telltale Breathes Fresh Life Into The Zombie Apocalypse

Ben Reeves — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:30:00 GMT

Telltale Games hasn’t always been able to live up to the promise of its licensed properties, but not for lack of trying. The company stays true to the heart of each franchise; the Sam & Max and Strong Bad titles tap into the unique humor of both franchises, and Back to the Future feels like a real trip back in time. These titles weren’t bad, but they held little appeal to anyone other than diehard fans of the properties. The Walking Dead, on the other hand, might be the company’s first game that can reach beyond an already devoted base and earn a broader audience.[Excerpt]

The game opens in the back of a police car. You are Lee Everett, a convicted felon whose crimes are ambiguous. As you banter with the sheriff behind the wheel, it quickly becomes clear that something terrible is happening within the city behind you. Police convoys wail towards the city, and the shortwave radio sitting in the front of the car is squawking with activity. Eventually, disaster strikes your transport, and you are set free – free to survive a world gone to hell. The Walking Dead is an artfully told narrative; Lee’s backstory and crimes are slowly revealed, and watching this character evolve throughout the episode is one of the most compelling aspects of the adventure.

This first installment – and presumably the rest of the five-episode series – is about struggling to survive in a world gone mad. How do you find sustainable food sources in a world that wants to eat you? The comic and the show do a good job of exploring this topic and Telltale’s adventure slides neatly into the series fiction. Lee quickly teams up with a small crew of survivors and bonds with a young girl who’s lost her family. The game even offers Walking Dead fans a chance to interact with franchise mainstays like Hershel and Glenn.

Many games about the zombie apocalypse feature frantic action and gunplay, but the majority of Telltale’s experience is crafted around making quick decisions. Most of the dialogue choices – and all of the important decision moments – come with a time limit. Wait too long to choose and characters assume you’re opting for the silent treatment. Hesitate to act when people need your help, and they die.

The full effects of these choices likely won’t be seen until two or three episodes down the road, but Telltale’s splintering narrative is certainly intriguing. These choices carry extra weight because of how they affect the story’s progress. If you stand up for someone during a fight, that person will remember your loyalty and thank you later. If you don’t stick to the truth and your story starts to contradict itself, someone might pull you aside and call you out on your lie. The cast varies depending on who you assist during crucial story moments. Thankfully, no matter who you end up with, the ensemble is always interesting even if the voice acting is a little uneven. Every character is well written, featuring a mix of heroic traits and flaws.

The Walking Dead’s narrative is strong, but the title shambles along in a few other areas. Players have few reasons to explore the small, self-contained environments due to the limited number of interactive objects and a meager selection of items. Some of these tools also function as weapons, but you won’t feel empowered while using them.

The Walking Dead isn’t an action game, but taking down a zombie rarely feels rewarding because the combat is overly simplistic. Occasionally, you’ll go toe-to-toe with one of these flesh eaters, but all you have to do during these sequences is highlight the area you want to attack and tap a button. In this way, combat boils down to clicking over a zombie’s skull while holding a hammer or an axe or some other destructive tool. Fortunately, combat is rare, so its faults don’t detract much from what the story does well.

Puzzles are few and far between, but unlike combat, they’re enjoyable. Rather than solve a block puzzle or rearrange chess pieces on a desk, you must overcome environmental challenges. For example, how do you clear out a street full of zombies so that you can run across the street? How do you take down a group of zombies with a sparkplug, a pillow, and a gun without making a ton of noise and attracting a larger horde? I enjoyed working my way through situations like these, but they aren’t frequent enough. I wanted more puzzles to balance out the narrative-heavy experience.

With The Walking Dead, Telltale’s experimentation with an unusual formula pays off. With its focus on dialogue choices and puzzles that more naturally fit into a narrative, The Walking Dead is a unique experience. In less than three hours, the game delivers a thoughtful, character-driven story that takes a refreshing look at the zombie apocalypse. And like any great episodic show, I'm eager to see what happens next.