The Walking Dead “A New Day” (April 27, 2012) Episode One of five, released by Telltale Games, is an adaptation of the series of Robert Kirkman’s award-winning comic book. This review is in no way to be taken literally. It is the opinion of a Gamer for the Gamers.
The graphics of The Walking Dead are reminiscent of graphic novels. Having not read the graphic novels myself, but knowing the series, I know that it is bloody, and this transfers over into the game very well. The “M” rating is duly deserved, between the blood and guts. There is also the language, which caught me a little off guard at first but became necessary as the story continued.
Gameplay
You’re given a menu choice of minimal or UI help. Minimal of course shows no dots on the interactive items, while the UI help highlights interactive items and things that you can pick up or use. Your first objective is to get out of the car, once that is done your next is to get the cuffs off. This is where the controls get a little weird. Typical game left stick controls the movement and right controls the “looking”. In this game it’s pretty much the same, with the exception of the restrictions on how far you can look around. This gives the game a pretty straight forward approach, not an open world RPG, but still interact able. From here on the game continues to lead you on. Play is a little slow, point and
click for the most part. Even with the UI help, this takes up most of your time and can be a pain when in a tight spot, having to aim at a zombies head or interact with an item in a certain amount of time.
Characters
Lee – We meet Lee riding in the back of a police car. Here is where the controls and the game interface are introduced. Controls are a little stiff; the reticule when placed on an item represents each of the four buttons to interact with the game, each corresponding to an action that can be taken; talking, picking up, opening, etc. While talking to the cop you learn a little about Lee and what he did to end up back there. As the conversation continues you run into a zombie and crash, your given four options right before impact, none of which will keep you from hitting the zombie. After the crash is where you finally get to take over Lee.
Clementine – A lone girl you find in a house close to where you crash, she has been in her tree house on her own. She becomes part of your “party” after she rescues you from her babysitter. You learn, while looking through her house that her parents were out of town when everything went down and that she was being babysat, but where is her babysitter?
Shawn Green– You meet Shawn shortly after meeting Clementine. Shawn and his friend Clet are trying to get back home and you help them to move a car to get a truck. He takes you to his farm where you meet his dad Hershel. Hershel helps to mend your leg that got hurt in the crash, and takes note of the things you say and don’t say.
Kenny, Katjia, Ken Jr or “Duck” – A family that is staying on the Green farm when you arrive. Through interactions on the farm with Kenny and his family, you learn that they are from Florida and they were on their way through the city heading home, when everything started to happen, and were lucky enough to happen upon Hershel and his farm.
Impression of the game
I was thoroughly impressed with the story, the choose your own fate type of game play has been used tons of times before, but in this game the decisions you make could get you killed, literally. The characters you interact with will take note of things that you say and do, which will in turn determine how they interact with you later in the game. They have captured the essence of the mood with the music, which keeps you on the edge of your seat. I have to admit I did jump a time or two. This is in no way like any other zombie game where you just run around and kill zombies; the developers did an awesome job at immersing you in Lee’s world. You become Lee and feel his pain and hardship in
making decisions that will affect him or the other characters that he interacts with. While the game was short, I finished it in a little under two hours, you feel like you are Lee, having to make the choice to let someone die or to save them and which one to choose, really brings you in.
The controls were a little awkward at first but I think that lends to the mood of the game, the slowly bringing up to aim and jab an awl into a zombies head only to be jerked at the last second by the same zombie and hit it in the shoulder, leads to a gruesome ending.
The Verdict?
In my opinion The Walking Dead series is going to go far. With this being the first of five episodes, I was very impressed with the story and game play. I can say that if you are a fan of the series (TV or Graphic novel), you will easily fall in love with this game. Keep in mind the “M” rating before letting smaller children watch or play this game. My twelve year old son watched as I went through this episode. While playing I asked him what he thought of the game, “It’s Awesome” was his reply, indeed it truly was awesome. I can’t wait to play the rest of this great series, and see what more it has to offer.
About the Author
Alfredo “TwiztdFred” Garcia Jr hails from South Texas, where he grew up in the City by the Sea. Now living in California, his love of gaming began in the eighties when he got his first console, the Super Nintendo, and he has been hooked since then. He has been married going on twelve years and his wife, Marla, is the best. She is actually the one who bought most of his consoles. Father to six, yes six, oldest twelve, youngest two, who are all budding gamers. He has been in the Navy for almost twelve years. An electrician by trade and works on helicopters, he’s been around the world and has the pictures to prove it. Juggalo by choice, for those who know, Whoop Whoop. Gaming is a passion that he takes to heart, as he is always willing to try new games and ready to help those who ask.
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