The Walking Dead: Episode 1 - A New Day PC
User Score
8.3 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 550 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 487 out of 550
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 550
  3. Negative: 44 out of 550

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  1. kailip
    Apr 26, 2012
    10
    This is a game style which you either like it or hate it. I think if you don't like this style of game you shouldn't rate the game, because you're not rating its quality, but rating by your taste over its genre. I personally liked it a lot, it's mainly based on your choices throughout the game, and it's more focused on the story than killing zombies like a retarded.
  2. BrowniePoints
    Apr 24, 2012
    10
    After finishing the second season of the Walking Dead, and the first compendium, my interest in this game Skyrocketed! This game is not like any other zombie game you have ever played, not like Left 4 Dead, not like Dead Island. It seamlessly integrates the story into the big picture of the Walking Dead comics. I was satisfied that my concern of a point and click game ruining the experience were false. The action scenes are great, and the voice acting is great. I recommend it if you want to play a story driven game, in which all the choices you make, have consequences. Where you have to choose sides, and who lives and who dies.… Expand
  3. kimaasen1984
    Apr 24, 2012
    10
    A great first episode, with a huge replay value! You have alot of dialogue choices that seemingly Willy make a difference later, a very interesting history. The graphics are really nice as well.
  4. AirMartino347
    Jul 10, 2012
    10
    Really amazing game!My first teltale game ever. Play through the really intsresting story and jump straight into episode 2.Every choice you make is important! Have fun. :-)
  5. Finkelroy
    Apr 25, 2012
    10
    I know Tell-Tale get a rough deal for their games and I've avoided them until The Walking Dead because of the harsh criticisms. I'm a huge Walking Dead fan, both comic and tv show, so was very skeptical when this game was announced with Tell-Tale as a developer. I bought it anyway and was pleasantly surprised. The graphics are a wonderful homage to Charlie Adlard's work in the comics and the engine will run on the vast majority of pcs. I found myself caring about the characters and agonising over the decisions I made and how they would affect future episodes. It's true you don't get full control or a free roaming world but what you do get is an interesting experience that many AAA games could learn a lot from. The story is the unique selling point of this game and it delivers, in episode 1 at least.

    I would recommend this to anyone, Walking Dead fans or not. Now hurry up and release episodes 2, 3, 4 & 5.    … Expand
  6. ArtisanActual
    Apr 25, 2012
    10
    Telltale has been known for some time now as a quality developer of a genre that is otherwise under-flowing with not only quality, but sheer number of titles in general.With TTG's most recent additions to the industry (Back To the Future, Jurassic Park) lacking majorly in some areas, including limited puzzle elements, lack of exploration, a choppy engine, and overall disappointing conclusion to the story; I'll admit, I was skeptical. However, unlike some of the more ignorant members of the gaming community as a whole, I knew that TTG had discovered something special in the form of creating a flowing, horror-filled adventure experience within the confines of an extremely zombie-rich apocalyptic universe. The story of Kirkman's comics have always been about the progression of the plot through the characters. The game adaptation is no exception. Right from the get-go, both the characters dialogue & and the actions they carry out not only create a sense of an authentic emotional impact upon the more sensitive aspects of your mind, but they make you care about the characters as well. Never in my life, in any horror franchise, including The Walking Dead, up to this point at least; have I ever appreciated a child who plays a large part in the story. Generally speaking due to their obnoxious and helpless nature, as well as the fact that they only tend to bog the main characters down in place. Clementine, the little eight year old girl you come across within the first half hour of the game, not only makes a dramatic appearance where she acts sensibly, as well as bravely. But quite literally, she saves your life. She's intelligent, witty, brave, cute, and most importantly, a damn fine companion. You care about the well being of this girl. Although simply a game, I found myself immersed and enthralled in a different rendition of the same post-apocalyptic world I discovered in the comics, as well as rediscovered in the TV show. I instantly became protective of this little girl, not only because she was a an ultimately reasonable character in such repeatedly dire situations, but because she can keep her **** together when individuals forty years her senior cannot. Suffice to say, the narrative is spot on. You'll make decisions as to whom to which you will give food, ally yourself with, trust, or even which particular character will live or die. These decisions then subsequently carry over to the soon-to-be-released follow up episodes set for launch throughout Summer. The only gripes I have with this first episode of the game is the fact that just like recently released TTG titles, "The Walking Dead" suffers from some stuttering due to a slightly flawed graphics engine developed in-house by TTG. This isn't really a complaint that can be isolated with "TWD" specifically. As I said, it plagued previous TTG game too. In comparison to those titles, the stuttering is near nonexistent. It doesn't even effect game-play, and perhaps it'll be fixed in the future. It only serves as an annoyance to distract players from brief cinematics. In reality, the only flaw I can see with the mechanics of the game itself is occasional discrepancies in the conversations of the characters between one another. Occasionally you will receive a mixed reaction from a character, while this isn't unrealistic in any way, nor is it entirely unexpected, it makes it hard for you to know where you stand with each character unless you have the UI updating you about their current emotions. In fact, it can be argued that this isn't a flaw at all, and only serves to up-the-anty in decision-making processes as well as making the characters so integral to the plot more dynamic. Regardless, it still allows for the every-so-often awkward replies between the player and other characters that seem to be contradicting to either what the player was hoping to establish, or what the reaction the player was expecting. A more common criticism I've seen if that particular reviewers, such as those over at the gamespy website, believe that certain major decisions have no impact on the story. While this statement in itself is contradictory seeing as how an important decision would have to have an impact on the story, these reviewers are also wrong to assume that only one episode into a five episode arc that these specific decisions have no impact. Perhaps if they had even payed attention to the preview for the second episode after the conclusion of the first, they would know from the characters dialogue featured that certain characters have problems with the decisions that were made by the player previously, and have yet to say anything. In the end, I recommend this game highly to anyone looking for an "old school" adventure game with items and exploration, fans of the comics (which the game's art style is inspired by), or perhaps even people who only watch the show.… Expand
  7. ghostbuster
    Apr 24, 2012
    9
    First I've seen this game I'm a little bit confused because the walking dead has a very good story and I hoped that telltale games makes good.Thank god they made a wonderful game and can't wait for episode 2!
  8. SpazzBrozz
    Apr 24, 2012
    10
    Episode 1:
    This game is totally different than any game I am used to and so I decided to try it. The main reason I gave it a go and many others is because it is Walking Dead related. I spent $20 on all five episodes and I do not regret it one bit. To me it was just like watching another episode on TV but this time I had to, solve problems, make hard choices and lead a group. It took me a l    ittle over 2 hours to finish the episode and it left me wanting more. I loved the graphics Telltale has chosen; it fits right in. The blood and gore is also amazing. I loved this episode and I cannot wait til the next is released. Walking Dead FTW!… Expand
  9. Aisling
    Apr 26, 2012
    10
    I know a lot of people are probably disappointed it's not a shooter/hack n slash where you find hordes of zombies like in L4D or Dead Island but that's not really what The Walking Dead series is about. Making 'THAT' game would have just been incredibly gimmicky and there are already decent zombie-killing games. This game stayed true to the comic book & series by focusing primarily on characters. Your choices (and there are SO many of them) define you in this game and those choices have a lasting affect well into the next episodes.… Expand
  10. Ascanio
    Jun 20, 2012
    9
    Having played a few Telltale games before, and having watched the entire Walking Dead TV series, I had pretty big expectations about this game. Well, they have been more than fulfilled, and I will be sure to buy the next four episodes of this game as soon as they come out. I will divide my review into five sections, although the average of the four will not be the final score.

    Audio: I     personally feel that although the voice acting is very good, it should've all been recorded with a better microphone. The background effects and sounds are extremely good, and I really felt immersed in the game as I was playing it, but the voices are crackly and not loud enough. 7/10

    Gameplay: This game is interesting because - although the game is a point and click game at heart - it also has first person and third person sequences, and a few QTE's. (quick time events) Although I do not feel as if this mix is detrimental to the game whatsoever, it is pretty surprising because the game switches between them instantly and without warning. 8/10

    Story: This really captivated me. you feel for every character in the game, and when something happens to them you genuinely feel worried. The story is extremely well written and well thought out. I won't go into detail for fear of giving out spoilers. 10/10

    Graphics: I always thought that if a game based on the walking dead were ever to come out, it would have ultra-realistic graphics with a gritty, dark style. Although the game does have quite a gritty art style, the graphics are certainly not ultra realistic. If anything, they're actually quite cartoony. I'm not sure how, but it works. 9/10

    Overall: If you don't like point and click games STAY AWAY. This game is completely story orientated so don't expect to play another dead island. If you don't have patience, and don't like getting involved in stories, then do not buy this game. However, if you do, (and you should) not buying this game would be a terrible, terrible mistake. 9/10    … Expand
  11. Beric_
    Apr 27, 2012
    9
    This game is amazing for anyone who love the Zombie genre. I haven't played a point-and-click game in a while, but it's amazingly easy and it feels and looks natural at most times. I love the fact that you have to make tough choices, who you want to save from death, to tell the truth or not. You get emotionally attached to most of the characters, and you would want to see this through. You can tell the game is developed for consoles, because of some graphical glitches, audio glitches and the controls. Don't fret! I could look past those tiny imperfections, because everything else is awesome! If you love zombies and an engaging story, you'll absolutely love this game. I can't wait for the next episodes. This game receives a 9/10 from me because of the story, comic-style graphics, music and characters. The game is very much worth its price too, that's good. It does not receive a 10/10 because of a few tiny bugs and some audio-glitches. Apart from that, I recommend it highly!… Expand
  12. aqurban
    May 6, 2012
    10
    This game is an absolute thrill, despite the clunky and outdated graphic design, it reaches out to the player and deliver an experience like no other Tell Tale game has ever done before, even for those who are not fans of either the critically acclaimed TV series or the comic.
  13. Soujirop
    Dec 5, 2012
    10
    Probably the best zombie game I have ever played. When I first looked into this game, I thought it would be some shooter resident-evil wannabe, then I found out it was a graphic adventure with lots of action on it, which is really original and cool. But what I liked the most was the story, so epic and inmersive, really at the level of the TV series and more touchy. The flawless voice acting helps a lot.

    The other strong point in the game is the dialogue choice options. Everything you say almost always have some kind of impact in the story, from gaining influence over some pal of your group, to trigger a whole situation that may save your life or kill you. In fact, the difficulty of the game is not killing the zombies, but preventing your group to split or fall into hysteria.

    The only thing that could be better, are the puzzles. For a graphic adventure the puzzles are quite weak, but it kind of compensates with a great dose of action. All crowned with a great and moving ending.

    This game is a must have so try it. You won't be dissapointed.    … Expand
  14. AbsorbInfo
    Apr 26, 2012
    10
    The fact that I was lucky enough to win a Season Pass to this game on Twitter via Gary Whitta (who worked as a Story Consultant on this game) blew me away. But what really blew me away was how this game sucked me in so quickly and began forcing me to make tough choices immediately. Literally, seconds after I made some tough choices, I wondered what would have happened had I made a different decision. The game indicates when a choice will be remembered or is noticed by other characters. It makes for one of the most engaging stories I have experienced in a while.


    Game: "Clementine will remember you said that"
    Me: "Oh no, did I make the right decision? How is this going to change things???" I instantly decided that I would have to play through again to see alternate outcomes. In addition to the Steam version, I will treat myself to the Xbox Live Arcade version as well so as to have two versions of the story side by side. I can't remember another game that caused me to want to do this.

    As a huge fan of the comic and the television series, I find that this game succeeds in creating a new story with some new characters and some existing ones. It all feels right at home in its universe. The game is compelling and the characters are memorable. I just get the feeling that with this game, Telltale was like "Ok, we're not **** around". It just keeps throwing the player into interesting and tense situations. Aside from all of the story and making choices talk, the art style is also very pleasing to the eye. Facial expressions are really nailed which add to the overall tone of the often visceral situations. When you sit down to play this game, get ready to have your fingers on the proverbial trigger as there are timers on making decisions. This helps in making it a somewhat realistic engine. This is how you might have to make decisions in real life. There's action. There's drama. There's gore, thrills, and chills. (And spills. I slipped on a huge puddle of blood) The Walking Dead: Episode 1 delivers on everything you would want in a Walking Dead adventure game while keeping the story front and center. Some games have forgettable stories or stories elements you might not even remember. This game sticks with you because the experience is so very personal. It feels fantastic to finally play an episodic adventure game that makes you care, second guess yourself, and ultimately react. The best part, was that by the end, I was truly entertained and ready for the next episode.

    What more could I ask for?    … Expand
  15. Armokir
    Jul 15, 2012
    9
    I love this game! Some people would say it's like Heavy Rain with the choices and stuff, but I hated Heavy Rain. This game is really well done. Your choices will put you on different sides and will affect everything in the game. I love the action and the suspense of that great story. Well, it's a strong 9!
  16. andytimber
    Aug 22, 2012
    10
    This game is absolutely amazing! It might simply be the best story ever told in a PC game. And the coolest thing: YOU are part of it, YOU are calling the shots, YOU decide where the narrative is heading. Forget all criticism about lame puzzles and little interaction. That's missing the point. If you want puzzles, play Puzzle Agent, if you want interaction, get yourself a Wii. Yet, if you want to enjoy a gripping plot, a thrilling rollercoaster of emotions and some seriously scary situations, then play the "Walking Dead".… Expand
  17. smk123
    May 3, 2012
    9
    A really refreshing break from the usual zombie game, if you're looking for action look elsewhere, this is a game of storytelling and character building and it does this well, if this interests you I implore you to try it! It's also a welcome departure from the usual adventure game mould, it's still point and click but it pulls this off in an unusual way, and I for one am fond of the control scheme Telltale adopted. And to top it all off it has some really crisp comic style graphics and this looks fantastic, I gave it a 9 however for some weak voice acting at times. Other than this minor gripe, well done Telltale! Here's hoping the next episodes are of equal quality!… Expand
  18. ScottReid
    Apr 28, 2012
    10
    This really is a fantastic start to the five-part horror "The Walking Dead".

    Telltale's use of storyline layout make you, as the player choose the fate of certain characters. This isn't a game where you slice as many zombies as you can with a katana, this game makes clever use of minimal zombies to add a certain extent of fear, and the lack of zombies in certain parts show how dangerous i    t might be to cross one of them. I was sceptical about buying this at first, but playing this proved me very, very wrong. This is the saddest game I've ever played (well, with the exception of Portal 2's ending) I hated making horrible decisions and I did feel really sad at certain parts. Negatives : The Walking Dead relies too much on cutscenes and background visuals could be refined (hoping they'll make the backgrounds more scenic in the coming episodes.)

    The voice acting is superb. Telltale have brought together some really awesome voice actors.    … Expand
  19. Mcintosh
    Apr 27, 2012
    10
    Not being an Adventure Genre fan, The Walking Dead was a gamble for me. I tried it since i thought the zombie survival plot would fit this genre better than most other topics, i was amazed. I have enjoyed it so much my view on the whole genre has changed. I highly recommend this game as a starting point to Adventure games, Specially if you are into other genres and you are interested in the Story side of those other games. Here you won't get to play a FPS, 3PS, RTS etc. (which before TLD i thought would beat adventure any day of the month) But it does come close to a really good RPG in the choice area (actually i wish many RPGs could really incorporate more things like this into their actual plots). It's true that the content from one decision to the other doesn't drastically change everything and many times plot devices are inserted to make things run leaving a bit of holes. But it's a zombie game! The whole idea is that Zombies are already plot devices in a fictional scenario. Still the story is compelling and full. So my recommendation is that if you want to shoot zombies, u have a lot of options and if you want everything to be just like it would be in real life... get one. This game is a great game and could re define the comic book experience imho. Just sit back, relax, stress, have fun and have emotions with choices that will make you wish to know what would happen if... and that is re playability. The only thing i wish they programed is a fast forward or skip button that u could unlock after you first run, since it would just be nice to fast forward through some of the already given story. Well in a nutshell. it's a comic book, tv program, movie... where you interact... just give it a try! i did... and i am already buying more adventure games.… Expand
  20. EtaYorius
    May 15, 2012
    9
    I totally LOVED THIS GAME! Its scary and it lets you choose different possible ends! also the dialogue between characters is really awsome! loved it! cant wait for Episode 2!
  21. Barrowsx
    May 6, 2012
    10
    This is just the first episode, and it's already gotten me hooked to the story. Let me start by saying this: If you are going to buy this game just to mow down endless waves of zombies, DON'T. This isn't Left 4 Dead, this is a game that is about the actual survival aspect of a zombie survival game. The game makes it clear that if you try to fight more than one zombie by yourself, you are going to die. If you want to survive in this game, you're going to have to be cunning, and think strategically.

    The only complaint that I have with this game are the graphics. They aren't bad per se, but are low quality. This does mean that the game will run smoothly on any system, though. One more thing about the graphics though, is that they are very similar to those of The Sims 2. If you look at the facial expressions and animations, it's almost like they just made a third-person Sims: Zombie Survival game.

    All in all, this game is AMAZING, and after the first 400 MB episode, is already worth the $25 I spent on it.    … Expand
  22. hollowfication
    Jun 3, 2012
    10
    i love this game best game ever only thing is it not like what i thought it be going out killing zombie this more like how to survive in zombie holocaust
  23. JwGaming
    Apr 30, 2012
    9
    Telltale's Best Project yet! Walking Dead Ep1 is a great start for the series; it contains great locals, likable characters and great main protagonist, beautiful visuals and excellent storytelling and decision making. Whats really amazing about the story is that moral choice actually does matter, Choose to save one of the two and the consequences will be heavy. Overall the traditional puzzles that Telltale always includes in their games was missing but the story and the characters more than make up to that, Great game - 8.5/10… Expand
  24. killerlink46
    Apr 27, 2012
    9
    The games overall gameplay is something i have never experienced this is amazing im not a huge fan of the show but the game blew me away so i give it a 9 out of 10 the graphics are like a comic book which i love its the first episode out of five and its a time worth playing so for only 4.99 or 400 microsoft points its a steal.
  25. Xanyr
    May 16, 2012
    10
    The Walking Dead is a zombie game in the truest sense. It is an excellent simulation of the post apocalyptic zombie future which is gratifying in that it does not focus on the combat. The game focuses on story and characterization and does an excellent job with both. The timed dialogue choices mean that you don't choose strategically but with your gut.
  26. xetelian
    Aug 18, 2012
    10
    This is not open world, this is not a shooter, this is a TellTale game, an adventure, like a book or movie you get to play through. All the Red reviews seem to not understand that and haven't had experiences with games in this genre before. As an adventure game, this is tops, it is incredible. Voice acting is amazing, the design is beautiful (even the zombies) and the story is gripping and wonderful.… Expand
  27. blizbiggy
    Oct 13, 2012
    10
    The game has a style of an interactive video. The story line of this game is amazing and makes you want to play more. Different options you pick depend on how you turn out in the end and how people reflect to you. I have completed the new Episode 4 and excited to play more to see how this long journey ends. I rate this 10 of 10 for being an original game that gives a new feel and style to the gaming community with an awesome story to back all of that up. It is a must get! Why are you still reading this?! BUY THE GAME!!… Expand
  28. UglyBaby
    Jun 11, 2012
    10
    Adventure games are not for everyone. No question about it. However, my girlfriend and I found Walking Dead to be a great couples gaming experience. It's an adventure game that incorporates elements of film, but with enough quick decision making and branching plot aspects to keep you from feeling like you're just hitting continue. Simply put, if Walking Dead is an interactive movie, it is a really, really fun one. Pros: The storytelling is deeply engaging, truly top shelf for video games. The animation, voice acting, writing and story arc are all genuinely good and engaging. It doesn't feel like settling for a second-rate story just because it is a game (MMORPG anyone?) . The choices feel important, stilted maybe, but important nonetheless. Cons: The graphics were not stellar, they are very well used and the game looks and feels good, but the modeling itself seemed a little simplistic. Despite claiming to react to your play style and choices, I would describe Walking Dead as a game with a simple branching plot (at least thus far). However even if it is a 'con' it is a huge step forward from the typical point and click adventure.

    The first episode took around 3 hours to complete. One of the best games (especially adventure games) I've played in years. Can't wait for the next installment.    … Expand
  29. MikeBenacquista
    Jan 4, 2013
    10
    While i've been a fan of the TV show and Comics since they both began, I was hesitant to start with the game, simply because of its method of play. However, after finishing the first episode I was hooked, and can now say that it's without a doubt one of my favourite games from 2012 if not top 10 of all time. The method of distributing episodes is new and unique, however I started them after they'd all been released, and so could play continuously. Overall I would HIGHLY recommend this series, I've never truly felt as connected or attached to any characters as I did in this series. Astounding.… Expand
  30. blackShawarma
    Nov 24, 2012
    10
    Telltale does just that - they bring to life compelling characters and a rich and captivating story. It's a great experience and a lot of fun. A great game and a great series!
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 40 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 40
  3. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. Hyper Magazine
    Jul 8, 2012
    80
    Great both standalone and as a gateway to a larger series. Let's hope it all pans out. [July 2012, p.76]
  2. PC PowerPlay
    Jul 3, 2012
    80
    A slow-burn character study, some quick thinking and a constant air of menace make for a gripping start to a new adventure. [July 2012, p.68]
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  3. Absolute Games
    Jun 28, 2012
    72
    Rich atmosphere compensates for poor gameplay mechanics of The Walking Dead.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »