Telltale's The Walking Dead: 5 Reasons Why You Should Be Playing

1. It's Better Than The Television Show

Warning: Some Spoilers for AMC's The Walking Dead Ahead All the above reasons eventually lead me to the conclusion that Telltale€™s The Walking Dead is actually better than the AMC show, at least up to this point. Despite the popularity and critical acclaim, the television series is far from perfect. I myself find watching it an exercise in frustration. One moment it can be riveting and gut-wrenching, full of genuinely compelling drama mixed with brutal violence. Other times it can be slow-witted and dull, not unlike the zombies themselves. The show has issues in areas that the game does not. Where as the show is populated with a large cast, many of which are either annoying in their stupidity (Lori), completely useless (T-Dog), or just downright stereotypical (Merle), the video game gives you a smaller, more intimate cast in which everyone has purpose. This gives the game a distinct advantage, as too many characters in the show get lost in the shuffle, leaving them under-developed. Sophia is a perfect example of this problem. Up until her death, she was given no time for characterization, resulting in her being a non-entity. Yet when it came for her to die, her death was treated like that of a beloved character, tragic only in that it was an innocent child, and not because we actually grew to care for her. Compare this to the game, whose two children are both given personality, and thus are set apart as individuals that we grow to know. This makes all the horrible things that happen to and around them a true punch to the gut. The characters in the game also don€™t act illogical for the sake of drama, which is one of my biggest gripes with the show. The greatest example of this is Lori€™s car crash in season two. Instead of generating genuine surprise and tension, one can only roll their eyes. Her crash existed only as a means of providing some drama in an increasingly dull situation, while simultaneously making Lori look like a moron. This no doubt is the result of the writers not knowing exactly what to do during all that down time spent on the farm. The game never has to stoop to such levels, as it never meanders and is always moving forward, even if that means destroying its very foundation to do so. The game also captures the efficiency and pace of the comic books through its top-notch writing, something the series has yet to do. While the comics had the characters stay at Hershel€™s farm for a brief time, the show dedicated an entire 13 episode season to it. The result was a whole lot of nothing punctuated with moments of brilliance that only serves to highlight the potential. The game, meanwhile, more than lives up to its potential, as it provides an authentic Walking Dead experience, despite lacking any of the characters from the comics or show. The relationships feel more real, the drama more genuine and intense, and the stakes always shifting. Instead of meandering, it pulls the rug out from underneath you. It consistently tries to one up itself, and so far has succeeded. I urge anyone who is a fan of The Walking Dead (comics or tv show), video games, or storytelling in general to play Telltale's video game adaptation. I have no doubt you won't regret it. Have you played Telltale's The Walking Dead? Love it? Hate it? Please leave a comment down below, and thanks for reading!