Try to stay human. The Walking Dead is already a successful graphic novel series and a successful television series. Now it has transitioned over to video games. Prepare to make some difficult choices. Only the strong survive.
NOTE: This game was released in 5 chapter-based installments. This review was completed soon after the second installment was released but has been updated to include content from all five chapters. The majority of the content focuses on the first two, but anything worth nothing in the other three chapters has been included. 1. Gameplay
I have played a few point-and-click adventure games. I attempted Day of the Tentacle when I was young, but it was a bit difficult to understand who John Adams was when I was in second grade. I successfully completed The Dig, which is definitely one of the best cinematic game experiences I have had the pleasure of encountering to date. I even managed to complete The Castle of Dr. Brain when I was in elementary school, which was no small feat. The Walking Dead is a completely different experience. It successfully blends the television show and the graphic novel into a form that has me eagerly anticipating each installment. Upon its completion, The Walking Dead will have five chapters, all of which will be affected by the player’s decisions. And some of the decisions are very heavy. On numerous occasions, players will be forced to choose who to save and who to let die. Choices like these are timed, so players can’t spend hours considering the pros and cons. You have to make a decision and you have to make it fast. Numerous conversations will also have time decisions. Players can quickly look at the different options and must make a fast decision as to what to say. This is especially true when the conversation has game-changing implications. Sometimes what you say can help a friendly character or hurt the morale of the entire team. It all depends on the situation, so the gravity of even small decisions is very high. There’s a good amount of replayability to this game as a result of the different potential decisions. In one scenario I saved a little boy from the zombies, while in another I can choose to save a much more able-bodied young man. The decision will have an effect on the outcome of the game, so it’s fun to test multiple scenarios and see how things pan out. This is definitely the kind of game that appeals to all levels of gamers. It’s very easy to pick up, very simple to figure out, has a great story, and is presented in a way that keeps the player engaged at all times.
So far, each installment has taken me about two hours each to complete. With a total of five chapters, I expect this game to take just under ten hours to complete. However, there are plenty of choices that will affect the outcome of the game. This gives a great replay value to the game and so far I am already seriously considering a second playthrough with different choices.
So far, there has been nothing frustrating about this game. It’s very simple and straight forward. 2. Parental Notices
This game isn’t designed to allow players to walk around killing zombies. Gamers will have to kill zombies in specific, scripted scenarios. Most of the time, characters will kill zombies using melee weapons like fireaxes or screwdrivers. But occasionally, characters will kill zombies using pistols, shotguns, or rifles. There are numerous occasions when zombies can be seen eating people. This is especially obvious when the player has to choose who he should save and who he should let die. Whoever is not saved will be eaten. People will attack each other in certain instances. This can involve anything from getting hit with crossbow bolts to using scythes or meat hooks to stab people. The amount of blood and gore will vary. Sometimes the violence can get a bit more intense. For example, in the second chapter the player can find one of the protagonists in a hidden bathroom. The protagonist has had his legs chopped off for food. There is a lot of blood involved there. In that same installment, one of the characters smashes the head of another recently deceased character with a heavy salt block to prevent the dead man from coming back as a zombie. The scene is depicted in gruesome detail. Later in the game the player can find the remains of one of his companions. The companion has clearly been eaten and his entrails are left strewn near the body. The player ends up getting bitten by a zombie. He has the option to try and cut off his arm to keep from turning. If he takes it, he'll watch as his arm is sawed off. The main character eventually blacks out. Keep in mind that most of the time the player will not be in violent situations. Violence is present, but when it is depicted it is in small doses. Most of the time the player will be exploring the environment or in conversation with other characters.
Sexuality is not a factor in this game.
Substance use is rare in this game. Occasionally one or two characters might need healing or medication, but for the most part that's the extent of substance use. There are rare exceptions though. As the game progresses, one of the characters gets deeper into depression and ends up turning to alcohol to sort out his issues. He can be seen drinking occasionally. However, this is rare even in later chapters.
Gambling is not a factor in this game. 3. Other Factors
There are no mod tools available for this game.
Other than characters occasionally saying things like “Dear God” or “God help us,” religion is not a factor in this game.
The main character was arrested for murdering a politician who was having an affair with the main character’s wife. He was on his way to prison when the zombies attacked.
There is no multiplayer game mode for this game.
Extreme sports are not a factor in this game.
Magic is not a factor in this game.
Human Disfigurement Zombies, called “walkers” in this game, are constantly present. Most of the walkers are simply grey, decaying versions of people. However, some show much greater disfigurement. This can be anything from a missing nose to missing jaws or other body parts. Cannibalism In the second installment, the protagonists are invited to a farm that claims to have food. It turns out that the meat the farmers were trying to feed the protagonists is human flesh. It was carved from the legs of one of their living friends. The friend is found still alive upstairs in a hidden bathroom. Suicide
On very rare occasions the player can find people who have taken matters into their own hands rather than trying to survive against the zombie horde. These are fairly rare though.
2 Comments
10/14/2013 08:22:23 pm
I like the writing style. It is just perfect. The blog post is very connective and attractive. All the information I found in post is very useful. Thanks a lot.
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John
2/2/2014 12:45:02 pm
Hey SSG, I'd Appreciate it if you added a language section of the game, it plays a major role in the game, and some serious language is used, but it never goes as far as c--k or c--t.
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