The Walking Dead (video game series)

The Walking Dead
Genres Interactive movie
Developers Telltale Games
Publishers Telltale Games
Platforms Microsoft Windows
OS X
Nintendo DS
PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
PlayStation Vita
Xbox 360
Xbox One
Android
iOS
First release Season 1 – "A New Day"
April 24, 2012
Latest release Season 2 – "No Going Back"
August 26, 2014
Official website telltalegames.com/walkingdead

The Walking Dead is an episodic interactive drama graphic adventure video game series developed and published by Telltale Games. Based on Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead comic book series, the series consists of ten episodes and one downloadable episode from Season 1.

The game takes place in the same fictional world as the comic, with events occurring shortly after the onset of the zombie apocalypse in Georgia. However, most of the characters are original to the game. Season 1 centers on university professor and convicted criminal Lee Everett, who rescues and subsequently cares for a young girl named Clementine trying to protect her from the dangers of zombies and dangerous people while preserving her innocence. Season 2 focuses on Clementine herself as she is emotionally and physically challenged by the dangers of the world as a child as her innocence is slowly diminished and is torn between her own morality and brutality.

Concept

The Walking Dead series is based on the comic series of the same name, but also has tied into the television series adaption of the comics. The game's events run concurrently to the comic, starting at the onset of a zombie apocalypse, where dead humans have become undead "walkers" that feed on the living which quickly overwhelmed most of the population. As established in the comic and show, this is a result of a virus that all living humans possess that takes over the brain of the body once the person dies, and the only way to stop this is to destroy the brain.

The game series initially starts in Georgia, with the whole of the first season and the events of 400 Days content taking place within the state. The second series follows the protagonists as they move north along the United States' eastern seaboard, believing there to be a human encampment in the north as well as the colder temperatures slowing the walkers' speed.

Gameplay

The Walking Dead games follow the same point-and-click adventure game approach that other Telltale Games episodic series have followed. Within an episode, the player controls a protagonist as the store progresses through several scenes. Within a scene, the player can move the character to explore the area, examine items, and initial conversation trees with non-player characters; in these dialogs, the player has the option of selecting a number of options to reply to characters, including the option to stay silent. Other scenes are based on cinematic elements using quick time events in which the player must hit a controller button or a keyboard command as indicated on screen to react to an event. Failure to do so in time can lead to the character's death or other undesirable ending, and the game will restart just prior to these scenes.

All choices made by the player in The Walking Dead are tracked by the game, and certain choices ("determinants") will influence later scenes across the episodes and the series to date, when the player continues from the same saved game state. For example, in the first episode of the first season, the player has an option to save one of two non-player characters from a walker attack; the other character is killed, while the surviving character will uniquely impact other aspects of the story. Other times, selection of certain dialog options will influence the attitude of a non-player character towards the protagonist, and can manifest in later scenes as providing additional options for the player to select from. Telltale Games tracks these decisions, including five main choices made during the course of each episode, allowing players to compare their choices to others.

Series overview

Season 1 (2012)

At the onset of the zombie apocalypse, Lee Everett rescues young Clementine whose parents had traveled to Savannah prior to the apocalypse. They join with other survivors in Macon, Georgia to protect themselves from the undead, taking shelter in a defensible motel. When their position is overrun by both walkers and scavengers, the group flees and heads towards Savannah hoping to find boats to flee the mainland. Lee promises to reunite Clementine with her parents while teaching her rules of survival in this new world. In Savannah, they find no boats, and a strange man communicating to Clementine via walkie-talkie. When Clementine goes missing, Lee in his panic searching is accidentally bitten by a walker. With his time short, Lee assures the safety of the remaining survivors and goes to rescue Clementine, held by a man who has blamed Lee directly for the death of his family. Lee and Clementine overwhelm the man, and as they escape, they witness Clementine's parents, who have already become walkers. Clementine drags a weakening Lee to a safe location, and Lee, in his final moments of rationality, directs her to find the other survivors, before telling her to kill him before he fully becomes a walker.

400 Days (2013)

Main article: 400 Days

"400 Days" is a downloadable special episode. It focuses on five different protagonists and it serves as a bridge between Season 1 and Season 2. The five stories are unconnected outside of a final scene, where the survivors of each story are offered to be taken into a safe camp.

Season 2 (2013–14)

More than a year after the first game, Clementine is separated from the other survivors and forced to fend on her own. She meets up with another group that are attempting to flee a man named Carver, who runs the human survivor camp at a strip mall, as alluded to in 400 Days. Clementine learns Carver seeks to capture Rebecca believing her to be carrying his child while she insists it is her husband Alvin's. They come into another group, discovering that Kenny, one of the survivors that Clementine traveled with from the first season and who had lost his wife and son to walkers, has managed to survive. In the midst of a walker attack, they are captured by Carver. Learning that a massive walker horde is approaching the strip mall and will readily overrun it, the group manages to escape with other prisoners, killing Carver in the process after he kills Alvin. During their escape, a woman that Kenny had taken a romantic interest in is bitten by a walker, forcing Clementine to intercede to kill her before she can turn, angering Kenny. As they regroup, Clementine becomes close to Jane, a loner that was part of the prisoners at Carver's camp and who teaches Clementine survival skills. Later, Rebecca dies after giving birth to a child, which they name Alvin Jr. As winter sets in, Jane and Kenny become hostile towards each other, and Kenny's distrust of the group leads to a fraction of them fleeing from Kenny, Jane, Clementine, and Alvin Jr.. Jane forces Clementine to see what Kenny has become from witnessing the deaths of his loved ones by faking the death of Alvin Jr., and Clementine is forced to intercede, killing one of them and opting to continue with the other while overseeing to Alvin Jr. herself.

Season 3 (2015)

The Walking Dead comic publisher Skybound has announced that a third season is being developed.[1]

Cast and characters

Main

Actor Character Status Seasons
1 400 Days DLC 2 3
Dave Fennoy Lee Everett Determinant: Deceased/Undead Main Guest
Melissa Hutchison Clementine Alive Main Main TBA
Gavin Hammon Kenny Determinant: Alive/Unknown/Deceased Main Guest Main TBA
Cissy Jones Katjaa Deceased Main Guest
Max Kaufman Kenny Jr. "Duck" Deceased Main Guest Guest
Nikki Rapp Lilly Unknown Main Guest; Determinant
Terry McGovern Larry Deceased Main
Sam Joan Doug Deceased Main (Corpse; Determinant)
Nicole Vigil Carley Deceased Main (Corpse; Determinant)
Trevor Hoffmann Ben Paul Deceased Main Guest
Nick Herman Glenn Rhee Deceased[note 1] Main
Roger L. Jackson Chuck Deceased Main
Owen Thomas Omid Deceased Main Main
Mara Junot Christa Unknown Main Main
Erin Yvette Molly Unknown Main
Anthony Lam Vince Unknown Main Determinant
Jace Smykel Wyatt Unknown Main Determinant
Vegas Trip Russell Unknown Main Determinant
Erin Yvette Bonnie Determinant: Deceased/Unknown Main
Cissy Jones Shel Unknown Main Determinant
Brett Pels Becca Unknown Main Determinant
Rashida Clendening Tavia Unknown Main Determinant
Kid Beyond Carlos Deceased Main
Louisa Mackintosh Sarah Deceased Main
Brian Sommer Pete Deceased Main
Brian Bremmer Nick Deceased Main
Scott Porter Luke Deceased Main
Dorian Lockett Alvin Deceased Main
Shay Moore Rebecca Deceased Main
TBA[note 2] Alvin Jr. Alive Main TBA
Julia Farmer Sarita Determinant: Deceased/Undead Main
Dan White Mike Unknown Main
Christine Lakin Jane Determinant: Alive/Unknown/Deceased Main TBA
Michael Madsen William Carver Deceased Main

Minor

Actor Character Status Seasons
1 400 Days DLC 2 3
Robert Kouroukilis Hershel Greene Deceased[note 3] Episode 1
Peter Edward Mussad Shawn Greene Deceased Episode 1
Brett Pels Irene Deceased Episode 1
Mark Middleton Mark Deceased Episode 2
Jeanie Kelsey Brenda St. John Undead Episode 2
Adam Harrington Andrew St. John Determinant: Unknown/Deceased Episode 2
Brian Sommer Danny St. John Determinant: Unknown/Deceased Episode 2
Terry McGovern Gary Deceased Episode 3
Cissy Jones Jolene Deceased Episode 2
Anthony Lam The Stranger Deceased Episode 3 and 4 and 5
Erik Braa Danny Deceased DLC
Trevor Hoffmann Justin Deceased DLC
Will Beckman Bennett Deceased DLC
Brandon Bales Eddie Unknown DLC
Jefferson Arca Nate Unknown DLC
Mark Barbolak Walt Deceased DLC
Rhoda Gravador Jean Deceased DLC
Adam Harrington Leland Determinant: Deceased/Unknown DLC
Cissy Jones Dee Deceased DLC
Andrew Chaikin Roman Deceased DLC
Dana Bauer Stephanie Deceased DLC
Kiff VandenHeuvel Walter Deceased Episode 2
Wylie Herman Matthew Deceased Episode 2
Najwa Brown Michelle Deceased Episode 1
Michael Ark Arvo Unknown Episode 4 and 5
Erik Braa Randy Determinant: Alive/Unknown Episode 5 Determinant
Julie Neil Patricia Determinant: Alive/Unknown Episode 5 Determinant
Aidan Kwasneski Gill Determinant: Alive/Unknown Episode 5 Determinant
Rebecca Schweitzer Edith Alive Episode 5 TBA

Critical reception

Season 1 and 400 Days DLC

The Walking Dead has received global acclaim, with reviewers giving praise for the harsh emotional tone, the characters, story and the resemblance to the original comic book, although criticizing the graphical glitches. The game received over 80 Game of the Year awards and many other awards. To this day, The Walking Dead is considered one of the greatest video games of the Seventh Generation, 2012, and one of the greatest examples of video game story telling.

"Episode 1 – A New Day" received positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic calculated scores of 85.14%[2] and 84/100,[3] respectively, for the PlayStation 3 version, 83.87%[4] and 79/100[5] for the Xbox 360 version, and 83.38%[6] and 82/100[7] for the PC version. The game received various accolades including the IGN "Editors' Choice", PC Gamer "Editors' Choice", Xbox Editors' Choice Award, and the PlayStation Gold Award.

"Episode 2 – Starved for Help" received positive reviews. GameRankings and Metacritic calculated scores of 86.53%[8] and 84/100,[9] respectively, for the PC version, 86.26%[10] and 84/100[11] for the Xbox 360 version, and 85.90%[12] and 84/100[13] for the PlayStation 3 version. The game won the GameSpy E3 2012 award for "Best Adventure Game".[14]

"Episode 3 – Long Road Ahead" received positive reviews. GameRankings and Metacritic calculated scores of 88.47%[15] and 88/100,[16] respectively, for the Xbox 360 version, 86.11%[17] and 87/100[18] for the PlayStation 3 version, and 85.41%[19] and 85/100[20] for the PC version. IGN's Greg Miller gave the game a 9 out of 10, saying "It's a disturbing, depressing and entertaining entry in a journey that's been nothing short of excellent so far."[21] GameSpot gave the game an 8.5, saying "The Walking Dead has passed the midway point of its series of five episodes with every indication that the game will keep getting better right through to its inevitably depressing and unsettling conclusion."[22] MTV also gave it a positive review, saying "Telltale has created a series of wrenching, emotional decisions in the middle of a collection of not-too-hard puzzles in a visually-impressive adaptation of the Robert Kirkman comic series (with some nods to the TV show)."[23]

"Episode 4 – Around Every Corner" received positive reviews, but to a lesser extent than the previous episodes. GameRankings and Metacritic calculated scores of 84.00%[24] and 80/100,[25] respectively, for the PC version, 82.50%[26] and 82/100[27] the Xbox 360 version, and 78.94%[28] and 81/100[29] for the PlayStation 3 version.

"Episode 5 – No Time Left" received critical acclaim. GameRankings and Metacritic calculated scores of 94.75%[30] and 89/100,[31] respectively, for the PC version, 88.15%[32] and 89/100[33] for the Xbox 360 version, and 87.75%[34] and 88/100[35] for the PlayStation 3 version.

"400 Days" received positive reviews. GameRankings and Metacritic calculated scores of 78.20%[36] and 78/100,[37] respectively, for the PlayStation 3 version, 78.00%[38] and 78/100[39] for the PC version, and 76.88%[40] and 80/100[41] for the Xbox 360 version.

Season 2

Season Two overall gained positive reviews with many critics praising the story, atmosphere, and main character but also criticizing the short episode lengths, lack of meaningful choices, and minimal character development compared to the first season.

Episode 1 – All That Remains received positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation 3 version 81.29%[42] and 82/100,[43] the PC version 78.76%[44] and 78/100[45] and the Xbox 360 version 77.50%[46] and 80/100.[47] Matt Liebl from GameZone gave the episode an 8.5/10, stating that it "...is just a taste of what's to come -- a mere setup for the horror that awaits us in the final four episodes."[48]

Episode 2 - A House Divided received positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation 3 version 87.29%[49] and 82/100,[50] the PC version 81.39%[51] and 81/100[52] and the Xbox 360 version 79.44%[53] and 80/100.[54] Mitch Dyer from IGN gave the episode a 9.5/10, saying it is one of the best episodes Telltale Games has ever made.[55]

Episode 3 - In Harm's Way received positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation 3 version 82.43%[56] and 80/100,[57] the Xbox 360 version 82.25%[58] and 82/100[59] and the PC version 82.22%[60] and 81/100.[61]

Episode 4 - Amid the Ruins received mixed to positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation 3 version 79.22%[62] and 78/100,[63] the PC version 78.58%[64] and 78/100[65] and the Xbox 360 version 72.00%[66] and 71/100.[67]

Episode 5 – No Going Back received positive reviews, higher than its predecessor. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation 3 version 81.67%[68] and 87/100,[69] the PC version 79.19%[70] and 78/100[71] and the Xbox 360 version 77.00%[72] and 84/100.[73] Mitch Dyer of IGN gave the episode a 9.5/10 saying that the finale is "an impressive and intelligent episode, and among Telltale Games' finest stories."[74]

Notes

  1. Character died in the comic book series
  2. Character is a newborn, therefore has no voice actor
  3. Character died in the comic book series

References

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External links