The Walking Dead Episode 1: A New Day Review

Share Review

The Walking Dead- A New Day

If Zombies every attack us, and if all the films and games etc. are anything to go by, I think it’s safe to say we are in trouble. This newest release by the almighty adventure game creators Telltale Games is all about Zombies and follows the story of a lonely man called Lee. The game starts off with no cut-scene or anything like that. It just throws the player into the game immediately as you find yourself playing the part of Lee. Your first introduction to the game and the storyline is when you find yourself sitting in the back of a police car; being transported by an annoying cop that won’t shut up. As he jabbers away you are introduced to the basic controls of the game. The game revolves heavily around your answers and interactions with people. This is a key part to this game and your actions and reactions to the different characters you meet all have an effect on the outcome of the storyline. This is a really nice feature, and helps build up the feeling that you have some impact on the storyline.

Right from the offset, you get the opportunity to chat away to the cop or just tell him to f**k off. Yes, this game has bad language. Something I am not used to from Telltale Games. However, we are dealing with the walking dead, remember. This is a game based on the successful comic book series and the television series. This is the first episode I am reviewing here, as this game is an episodic game, as we are all used to by now from Telltale, as each new episode is released I will of course bring you the latest news and updates about any changes etc.

So the graphics in this game are lovely. Telltale Games have decided to go the cel-shaded route this time. The colours are vibrant and the whole cel-shaded look just feels right and suits this game down to the ground. It has that grainy look. A look you would expect to have in the world of the brain-munching un-dead. The controls are also pretty good. You have the usual key combinations. As you chat away to characters you have four different responses of dialogue to choose from that appear on the screen. To select them you just highlight the one you like. This is also the case for using objects and interacting with things. The game uses hotspots for this. As you look around the place you see spots appear and the options pop up again. This makes the gameplay very simple and really adds to the feeling that you are watching a movie more than playing a game.

Although this game is probably best played by adults more than adolescents, this is certainly not a hardcore gamer’s game. It’s very simple to play and enjoy. You also have the choice to use a gamepad. This is the option I chose as it made the controls even easier and also, if you use a Microsoft 360 gamepad as your weapon of choice, it pops up with the actual coloured buttons on your screen. As with most of Telltale’s games, The Walking Dead is best played with a gamepad. I did feel when using a mouse and keyboard that this was a last minute addition and the game has been written for an Xbox more than the average PC gamer.

The Walking Dead- A New Day

So to round things off, this game has a lot of people hating it and a lot of people loving it. I guess if you love Zombies, and the thought of eating brains sounds great, then this is the game for you. It’s easy to pick up and enjoy and certainly has a great storyline and leaves you hanging on for the next episode. However, if you prefer a more hands-on game and are not really into brain-munching then I would stay away. It will probably be a bit boring for you and you will just hate it.

I love this game for what it is. Telltale Games have pleased me again. It seems every new game they release I love. I don’t know if it’s their business model or releasing their adventure games in episodes rather than one long game or if it’s there story writing skills. Oh, and if you’re a fan of the TV series I can pretty much say you will love it. It portrays the feel of the TV series in a similar way.

REVIEW CODE: A complimentary PC code was provided to Bonus Stage for this review. Please send all review code enquiries to press@4gn.co.uk.

Subscribe to our mailing list

Get the latest game reviews, news, features, and more straight to your inbox

Thank you for subscribing to Bonus Stage.

Something went wrong.

  • Gameplay - /10
    0/10
  • Graphics - /10
    0/10
  • Sound - /10
    0/10
  • Replay Value - /10
    0/10
0/10
User Review
0/10 (0 votes)

Share Review