I sat down with a cup of coffee while the final episode of Telltale’s The Walking Dead loaded and I couldn’t help but prepare myself. A signature of Telltale games has always been the storytelling and The Walking Dead was the culmination of their work as a new age gaming company. In episode 3, we left our heroes AJ and Clementine stranded on a rusted out ship that served as a hideout for Lily and her rival faction trying to survive in the world of the walkers by any means necessary. Things went south quickly on the ship and it left our heroes fighting for their lives until AJ pulled the trigger saving himself and his pseudo mother from Lily. The final episode picks up right here. It picks up in this moment of complete triumph and fear. This is the final chapter of the story that launched Telltale into the stratosphere of gaming companies, so it’s only appropriate that it’s also the story that ends it.
Like many of the other Telltale games, the graphics and art style are stunning. The Walking Dead started as a comic book and this game captures that art style while still making a playable game. The game moves seamlessly from cutscene to gameplay with no difference in graphics which really adds to the fluidity of the game. The controls are simple, but that definitely doesn’t take away from the enjoyment of the game. Telltale has built a reputation on simple gameplay, and The Walking Dead is no different. If you liked the other episodes in this series or if you’ve enjoyed Telltale games before then you will enjoy this episode, but it could be a bit disappointing if you’re looking for a “traditional” video game.
My only complaint about the game is that the levels can get a bit monotonous at times. I know I just talked about how the game’s emphasis was on the story and how it doesn’t necessarily need to be more complicated, but there are times where I wish the levels with a lot of action were more varied. There are only so many times where shooting walkers with Clementine’s borrowed bow at the apex of a dangerous moment is still fun. Maybe we could change it up and have her find a gun somewhere or something else. The same thing applies to her last minute escapes. It’s okay for her to escape in a reasonable amount of time or for her plan to work a few times over the course of the game. I understand that the objective was to inject as much drama as possible and it really works in some of the dramatic moments of the game, but it really takes away in others.
The most impressive part of this game (and my personal favorite) is how immersive the story is. Telltale has done a fantastic job of creating real depth for the characters in this story from the main characters down to the extras that only have a few lines. There were moments where even characters with a less than 10 lines carried a gut punch that I really felt after playing through all the episodes. I cared about what happened to my version of Clementine and AJ which is still pretty rare for a video game despite all the great games we’ve been spoiled with lately. You can simulate through the previous episodes and the game will make decisions for you if you want to start from the final episode, but I don’t think you should. The story builds on itself in a very meaningful way that’s really worth playing through. It will take time and there will be times where it’s frustrating (I’m looking at you every level where Clementine has to make her way through a huge herd of walkers that killed me several times), but every second was worth it.
Overall, this was a fantastic ending to The Walking Dead games and I’m glad this series got to be the final Telltale game. In 2012, the first Walking Dead Telltale Series game paved the way to the run of properties like Batman or Guardians of the Galaxy that Telltale was able to adapt. If you’re looking for something in the vein of something like Dying Light then you should definitely look elsewhere, but if you’re looking for a very unique gaming experience with a great story then this game is definitely worth a play through.
8.5/10
Check Out The Walking Dead Game, “Take Us Back” Ep. 4 Trailer:
TELLTALE’S THE WALKING DEAD: THE FINAL SEASON, titled TAKE US BACK, is now available for PC via the Epic Games Store, as well as Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Visit Skybound.com for more information.
Xbox One Review
My first console was the original Playstation and I would play Twisted Metal every now and then but games didn't hook me until I played the original Halo at my friend's house. As soon as I picked up that controller, I knew I needed an Xbox and I had to have that game. Since those early Halo days, I've branched out and played any game I could find with a great story and memorable characters but Master Chief is still my favorite. @thenotoriousTGT on Twitter
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