A few years back when everyone went crazy for a new game by Telltale Games called the Walking Dead I didn't see the appeal. The whole zombie apocalypse thing has been done to death & the little I had seen of the TV show did not really grab me. So the Christmas Season One was released it was on special offer on XBOX Live so I thought, why not give it a go - I was not disappointed. Season One was fantastic, there were so many great characters & what happened to them really mattered to me. Naturally when Season 2 was released I was all over it & once again I loved it. Unfortunately though there were big delays when it came to Season 3: A New Frontier & there was even talk of it being cancelled at one point, but luckily enough in the end that never happened.
Let's take a moment to talk about Ham & Cheese Toasties. First off you get some nice thick cut bread (or thin depending on your preference), some tasty carved ham & a ton of cheese all heated together to perfection. It's something so simple but yet truly satisfying, it makes me feel warm & happy inside. Playing A New Frontier I had to ask myself would be I left feeling warm & happy inside by something so simple?
As you know traditionally I don't spend significant time talking about the story of a game as I don't want anyone who has not played it to have a dampened experience. However as with all previous seasons of the Walking Dead they are heavily story driven & I really need to spend a little more time than normal taking about the story. I have split it all up by the episodes & have given a little taste of what they are about while trying not to give away any spoilers.
Episode 1 - Ties that Bind Part 1
The episodes starts with flashback to before the outbreak, brothers Javier & David Garcia are fighting after a death in the family. This episode is interesting as it primarily focuses on family & helps to establish the character of Javier. We see Clementine returning (yay!), a little older, a little wiser & a little tougher. Episode 1 rounds out being both intense & shocking.
Episode 2 - Ties that Bind Part 2
This episode gives us a look at how the world has changed & moved forward since Season 2, but not for the better. We get introduced to the New Frontier who are one bad group of people. We also get to see what has been happening with Clementine since Season 2, she is deeply troubled & her life has continued to get harder. A new character enters near the end of episode 2 but can the newly assembled group trust him. The closing of episode reveals a shocking revelation.
Episode 3 - Above The Law
Javier & the group have to deal with a wounded member of the group by entering the belly of the beast - The New Frontier's base of operations. Javier's fiery temper helps risk the groups safety & they narrowly avoid getting killed. We get to see a flashback featuring Clementine & the heartbreak she has suffered. Friendships are tested & betrayal is around every corner, episode 3 was a slow start but finished strong.
Episode 4 - Thicker Than Water
The episode starts with a flashback of David & Javier that I felt really helped you see things from Davids prospective. It left me thinking a little better of David & slightly less of Javier. After some of the group is kicked out of the New Frontier's base we see Javier trying to break back in to rescue the rest of the group. Getting in seems easy but getting out is a whole other challenge. There is a good section in the episode featuring Javier & Clementine working together, I felt a real bond growing between them. We get to see another flashback with Clementine & her complicated past with the New Frontier. Episode 4 ends explosively & slightly unexpectedly.
Episode 5 - From the Gallows
This episode takes us back to the past & shows the Garcia house with David, Javier & their father. Some bad news deals a blow to the family & some handle it better than others. After this we pick up were episode 4 left off & everything is descending into chaos. Everyone loves shouldering the blame for everything on Javier even for things he is not really responsible for. We see family ties tested & severed. A sad ending but for everyone still alive but there is hope for a brighter tomorrow.
The visuals are fantastic & this time have a little extra polish, but it does not take away from the charm of the art style we have grown to love. The world feels bigger than in previous seasons & a lot of this comes down to the details. The abandoned cars & derelict buildings each adds to the atmosphere of the game. I could not fault the overall look of the game & it stayed in keeping with the previous seasons.
The music is definitely more prevalent than in previous seasons but does not feel out of place. There is a lot of use of somber tones to help punctuate the atmosphere in the game. There is heavy use of electronic sounds to create a sense of panic & pressure. These sounds were created by American composer Jared Emerson-Johnson; who worked on; The Walking Dead, Wolf Among Us, James Bond: Everything or Nothing & Poker Night at The Inventory.
While I would consider for the most part the music to linger in the background there were pieces that really stood out, my favorites were; 'Credits', 'New Frontier Part 1', 'Attack', 'Prescott Bar', 'Intruder Parts 1 & 2', 'Tense Part 1', 'Action', 'Clementine Part 1' & 'Mystery'. Sorry for the lack of album cover art but I just couldn't find any.
Onto the ham, I mean meat - the gameplay. The quick time events (QTE's) are much cooler than the first two seasons & some had me with my heart in my mouth. I really liked the way QTE's are displayed, sometimes they appear from the cover you are hiding behind or erratically appearing on the screen when things are tense. I felt like it all really helped add to the urgency & franticness of what was happening in the story.
There is more opportunity to explore than before & this really helps the world feel more real. Playing as both Javier & Clementine was an interesting touch, I was dubious initially but it actually worked really well. I liked Javier but no matter what happened he just was not as awesome as Clementine. I liked the use of flashbacks throughout the game, it often felt like you were witnessing accounts of war stories. Despite the constant darkness there is humor in the game which helps break the tension of everything that is going on.
As a whole the game play was great with very few bad things to mention, that being said they are worth mentioning. I was unable to import my saves from Walking Dead Season 1 & 2 instead I got the option of answering questions to create my story, I didn't really like that much. Some of the dialogue options are a lot more harsh, in episode 4 especially I felt the selected option did not always represent what was said by the character & I found this to be a little jarring.
How did I feel after 12 hours of playing Walking Dead A New Frontier? Pretty happy & eager for the next season. There were a lot of likable characters, the gameplay for the most part was great & as always I love the art direction. Is it as good as Season 1 & 2? No probably not but I know I will play it again without a doubt. I would give this one a big monkey thumbs up.
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