The Walking Dead Episode One: 'A New Day' Review
The first episode of Telltale Games video game adaptation of The Walking Dead is out, and it is better than expected.
rating:4.5
I was a little apprehensive when I heard that The Walking Dead was going to be transformed into game form. I have read the comics for years, was pleasantly surprised by the TV series, but for some reason could not imagine the series as a game. Whatever worries I had, thankfully, were unfounded. The developers, Telltale Games, have resisted turning the series into something it isnt and instead have kept with the kind of story telling that helped The Walking Dead stand out. In addition to this they have kept the comic book look to the game, complete with cel-shading and defined line work. It has that recognisable look. The events of The Walking Dead game take the form of 5 episodes, the first of which entitled A New Day is out now for download. Rather than throw you into a known plot line with familiar characters, you take the role of Lee Everett. Lee is first met in the back of a police car, on his way prison for a crime that he may, or may not, have committed. Unknown to him, and near enough everyone else, zombies now roam the land. Through a turn of events Lee finds himself free, but injured, and taking care of an eight year old girl by the name of Clementine. The events of Lees story start with the start of the zombie uprising, it essentially runs alongside the storyline found in the comics so while Lee is learning how to survive, Rick is still unconscious in the hospital. You can expect to see a couple of familiar faces, but for the most part there is a whole host of new, and complex, characters to interact with.
As I have said, it is not an action game. Do not expect to be running about hacking zombies to bits, if you know the comics youll know its about survival, not rampages. Thats not to say there are no action sequences, they take the form of quick time events and are blended rather seamlessly into the game. You wont really have a warning, theyll just happen. If youre at all worried about the gore being dulled down for the game at all, you will not be disappointed; it stays true to the comics and holds that realistic feel when a zombie is taken out. Most of the episode is spent trying to make sense of what is going on, finding allies and shelter, and working out your next move. The environments are littered with items of interest, though whether you have the pointers visually on screen or not is a choice you can make at the start of the game. You will find people, but not all of them are on your side, and they will react differently depending on your choices. The choice system, while not new, has been done rather well. When a question comes up you have a limited amount of time to pick from up to four choices, which can affect the storyline in different ways. Some choices will have an immediate effect; some give you the feeling that they may become important in later episodes. It does give the impression that each play through will be slightly different, certainly making it worth more than one go once all the episodes are out. As an added element, once you finish the episode you can see how many others chose the same to you in the form of a percentage bar per key choice. 
Thanks to the excellent voice acting you do find yourself becoming oddly attached to the characters even after just one play through of the first episode. You make your choices on impulse and have to live with them. Sure you can be mean to Clementine and let her get on with things, but for a change she is a child in a game that you actually want to take care of, quite unlike another kid you encounter who for reasons unknown, I took a disliking to. Even after getting him out of a jam. As I said before, it is very much a story driven game, and action takes a back seat for much of the episode. There are a couple of minor puzzles, one in particular struck me as odd as it involved a journalist not knowing how to put batteries into a radio (or even check if there were batteries in the first place), but for the most part it is a satisfying start to the series. If you are a fan of the series in any capacity, or just want to try out a story driven take on the zombie theme, then give it a try. Available now on PC, Mac, PS3 and Xbox 360. Check back with WhatCulture for further Walking Dead video game reviews.