User Score
8.3 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 550 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 44 out of 550

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  1. May 15, 2013
    2
    I just cant believe all those 7s 8s and nines...this is a very poor game, but i would still like and recommend this game if it had a valid choice system and intuiative game play...

    take out the enthusiasm and there you have nothing...

    try heavyrain...
  2. Apr 26, 2013
    8
    Never getting to play The Walking Dead by Telltale games in 2012 and wasin't plaining on getting it in 2013. So one day I go on xbox live and I see theres a Spring Sale. I click on it to see the things on offer and I see this for free. A Walking Dead episode for free? I had to download this! Now I I'm hooked on Telltale's Walking dead series. Story is told quite well. The disions you make is what outcome you will get and will effect you in the another episodes. Trying to gain the trust of your fellow surviviors as the zombies are a small problem was the best thing about this tame, loved it more then any other good thing about this game. Gameplay can be slow but more often quite quick to make you think fast when you are making disions fast. The con I have is sometimes when I'm lookimg for something I feel like walking around in a circle (which made me bored). Overall great game and can't wait to get the episodes and to see how it all turns out in the end. The Walking Dead: Episode 1 A New Day 8.5/10. Expand
  3. Apr 19, 2013
    9
    Bottom Line: Play this game. Technical issues aside, it is amazing and worth your money. If you aren't sure whether or not you will like it, buy this episode first and then decide. If not, buy the whole thing. You will not regret it. (read full review at: http://sleeplesscritc.blogspot.com/2013/04/review-walking-dead-episode-one.html)
  4. Apr 14, 2013
    10
    It can make you laugh. It can make you smile. It can make you shock. And it can make you cry.
    I agree that the options which you choose are not changing the game so much. But if you play this game without prejudgement it will be your best game you have ever played.
  5. Apr 4, 2013
    10
    A charming story of a guy in a post-apocalypse world with a chance to redeem himself for his past. Meet characters from the comic series, interact with them, find out what happens with them before and after they met Rick's group, recruit original characters from the game, discover new locations overrun by the dead, tailor the story with every little choice you make as every single thing you do and say will have repercussions in the future, and take whatever choice you need to survive.

    This game will make you cry. A lot. It is perfectly acted, perfectly written, perfectly designed, and you will love and hate the characters as if they were real. Because that's what this game did to me. I fell in love with it. Its characters have that special something that makes you have feelings towards them, and when something happens to them you will feel it like if they were your friends. I'm very much looking forward to the next season, even though it's said that it will be a new group of people, but if it is at least as good as this one (and maybe it will be even better) then you will see me once again pre-purchasing the f*ck out of it and waiting in line to be the first to play it.

    In summary, this game is a must-have, even if you didn't read the comic books, the novels or if you don't watch the TV series. A GOTY award very well deserved.
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  6. Mar 25, 2013
    9
    Okay so let me start off by saying this game is not for everyone, like most games there are going to be people who love it or hate it and I would say this game shouldn't be downgraded too much even if it's not your type of game. i am not a fan of point and click but man this game pulled me in, it is so captivating, the story, the characters, I felt there were moments I was close too crying as this game can be quite an emotional roller coaster. Despite weather you like the TV series or not, this game is different, so I wouldn't judge based on that either. The only reason I'm not giving this a 10 is because I feel 10's are hard too give out now days. Why not try it out, give this game a go, like me, you might not regret it. Expand
  7. Feb 11, 2013
    5
    Not bad but very disappointing, I agree with many others who are stating that this game was falsely advertised. It is very linear, most of the time I couldn't get into the story or connect with any characters. It is very much like a bad B movie. Many events and actions in the game were so cliche and painfully retarded I was hoping all of the characters would simply die because I found I couldn't care less. The audio is great.
    The Graphics are a simplified artistic style. Like it or don't like it, they could be less black-outlined for my tastes.
    The animations and nuances of characters and movements are overall great but sometimes ridiculous.

    Point and click games are rather boring, "Fahrenheit" aka "Indigo Prophecy" is a good example of a successful point and click game. This game however tailors to people who love the "characters-are-so-stupid" horror film type movies. If you hate horror films because they lack any rhyme or reason then you'll hate this game as well... as did I.
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  8. Jan 27, 2013
    8
    This was a good start to the "The Walking Dead" game series. I felt I should review Episode1/2 after giving Episode 3/4/5 awful ratings. The story starts off quite well, and builds tension and forges the mood quite well. The introduction of characters is well done, and sufficient depth in characters ia also created. Although not enough time was put into certain characters to make it so that the player actually cares about them, certain effects still have some impact. The graphics style is also fairly unique, and similar to something like the Borderlands games, and to previous TellTale games.

    Gameplay is fairly unique, and is nice style of "point-and-click", although the controls seem fairly sloppy and non-responsive at times. This episode was a good introduction to an average series.

    It is quite disappointing that the later episodes completely drop the ball and were rushed, unpolished, and terribly disappointing, annoying mess.
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  9. Jan 20, 2013
    9
    Thw Walking Dead Episode 1: "A New Day" Review Taking a beloved show, movie, or comic book into a game can be a tricky process. Sometimes developers nail it in just about every way. However, some developers put the final nail in the coffin when it comes to others titles. Thankfully, TellTale Games has takin a beloved show and comic book and has turned it into a zombie game that is not all about shooting every undead you see.

    STORY: When the game starts up, you assume the roll of Lee Everett. A convicted murderer who is on his way to jail when the apocalypse breaks out. From there, you meet a little girl name Clementine and the foal from there is to survive. Along the way you will meet a varied of interesting a compelling characters who really bring you into the world. I have never in a game felt so protective over someone as I have with Clemintine even though you just have met her. Another thing is nice is that you do not need to watch the show or have read the comic to understand what is happening. There are some characters from the show that make an apperence but nothing to the point where someone who has not watched the show will know what is going on.

    PRESENTATION: With the amazing characters also comes voice acting, and it is fantastic. You can really feel the emotion in each character, like when someone saw somebody get eaten alive by a zombie or when someone has been bitten by a zombie and is begging you to kill her. Its moments like this where the voice acting really shines. Another thing that shines the graphics. The follow the design of the comic book and it looks slick. However, from time to time, there will be some frame rate drops and when the game is going to a new scene it will freeze for like a second but it is nothing to detract from the over all expierence. GAMEPLAY: The game functions as it should. You move Lee with the left analog stick and move the cursor on the screen with the right analog stick. This cursor allows Lee to do different actions like talk to people, pick up an item, or bash a zombies brains in. When you talk to people, there will be a number of different choices of dialogue you can pick and in some points you have a limited amount of time to pick the one you want. These decisions will change the games outcome and force you to make quick decisions and live with the consequences like someone trusting you and being a trusted ally. Or someone who will be a foe and in some situations end up trying to kill you. There are also some quick time events and some points where if you do not act fast you will end up killed and these make for some tense moments when you will ask yourself "will I make it?". FINAL SCORE AND THOUGHTS: "A New Day" Is a great start to what I believe will be a fantastic series of games. The first episode is only about 2-3 hours long which is perfect considering all the things that could and are possibly going to happen. Sure there are some glitches and some frame rate drops. However, that is a minor complaint on a game that must be experienced SCORE: 9/10
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  10. 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
  11. Jan 1, 2013
    5
    I'll start of by saying that I do love the story line and I found the gameplay to be fun (It's more of an interactive story like Heavy Rain for PS3), but after a second play through it is easy to see that the game is actually quite linear.

    I experienced multiple issues with this game that just made it frustrating to play through at times. Game saves would stop working properly after co
    mpleting the first episode, and if I tried to continue from that saved file I would only be left with a black screen and no progress towards loading the game.

    The mouse also acts up a lot. It seems that the further I got into the game the more stubborn the response is and I actually found myself rushing the last chapter just so I wouldn't have to deal with it anymore.

    In the end, I think the game warrants 1 play through at least. For zombie lovers out there the story will keep you on the edge of your seats. But as long as the same issues plague this game, replaying it will only prove to be more frustrating than entertaining. Telltale Games hasn't really taken any action towards fixing these issues though so I won't be holding my breath.
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  12. DDK
    Dec 31, 2012
    2
    How anyone could rate this game higher than a 3 is beyond my meagre ability to comprehend. It's incredibly buggy on all platforms. It has high requirements despite having poor quality graphics. The characters in it are beyond moronic. The drama is forced to the point of complete farce. And you have zero real choice in anything that happens despite the wondrous claims of Telltale (a telling name if there was any). The people who gave this Indie GotY were either paid off or smoking crack. Expand
  13. Dec 30, 2012
    7
    First of all, THIS IS NOT A GAME.
    Second, the choices you make have only an extremely marginal impact on the development of the story.
    Even though, it is, indeed, a very interesting development in story telling.
    INTERACTIVE ANIMATION, I would say.
  14. Dec 28, 2012
    7
    Great art and a great look throughout the game. Story is well written and most of the instructions are well done, few are lacking direction though. Sometimes the reaction doesn't fit what you thought it should have been...
    Sorry, but this "game" could have been done in flash and put on Kong for free. Not enough "meat" for me being a gamer, this is an interactive comic. However, I am using
    it to introduce my wife into games as she is a big Walking Dead fan.

    I give it a 7 as it really is an overpriced interactive book, pick it up on sale.
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  15. Dec 27, 2012
    0
    I have no idea where these high ratings come from.
    As another Walking Dead property this might be okay, but as the game Telltale advertises it's a zero. The main "game" aspect is all about your choices and the effect they have on the story and world at large. The problem is that this notion of choice is a lie. Even when you have a choice, which isn't that often as many outcomes are set
    in stone, the effects are superficial at best. If Telltale can't really offer a game that is greatly affected by your in game choices they shouldn't advertise it as such. Considering "choice" is the main or lone mechanic in what makes this a game it fails pretty miserably.

    If you're interested in another Walking Dead story I hear you can just watch playthroughs on YouTube. Trust me, with the lack of variation you won't miss anything this way.
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  16. Dec 27, 2012
    9
    One of the best crafted experiences character and story-wise I have witnessed in a long time, on any game genre. Within the boundaries of adventure games, this, as with The Longest Journey series, is a masterpiece of legendary dimensions (if not length), that will be brought into discussion as a measuring unit of how games are supposed to be delivered.
    It is so compelling and interesting
    that the downside of its not entirely satisfactory combat system and its frequent "click-to-not-die" moments is easily forgiven, detracting almost nothing from the overall experience.
    If on top of all you happen to like zombie-related games, the experience of living through such a gruesome and disheartening situation does not get better than this.
    All the characters are precisely that, characters, therefore every decision you make on the game pertaining these people carries the true weight of responsibility on them because of that very fact.
    The Walking Dead includes what could probably be one of THE best child protagonists of all time: Clementine, that along the likes of April and Zoë from the Longest Journey series, you unavoidably care for thus want to carry this persona across all difficulties to see them safe and victorious (even if transitorily in the case of the former one) at the far side of the story.
    With great art, beautifully realistic dialog and a spectacularly wealthy source material to round all up, this is a game you should be installing in your machine right about now.
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  17. Dec 12, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of the series is that it neither falls to the stereotype of zombie games (other than, of course, being a zombie game) nor reduces itself to the sheer point-and-click horror of many adventure games. It is worth mentioning that it could tailor itself a bit better to your choices, as many of the choices you decide to make end up resolving themselves to one plotline a little while down the road, but as far as immediate effects go you certainly can see some measure of fluctuation based on your decisions.

    The gameplay is alright, and good as far as adventure games go, although you'll want to buy this game for the story. It's one of the few games you play a black guy in, so I find it a little iffy that the whole series begins with you in the back of a cop car, but I managed to ignore that. You're in this situation because you murdered someone - who or why you never quite find out - which is a characteristic that has some importance later on, but eventually you realize that murderers in a zombie apocalypse aren't that unique. You adopt, as far as that term can be defined given the circumstances, an abandoned young girl whose baby sitter had a bad case of the brain munchies and soon begin to become her father figure, with her real parents on a trip in Savannah. So you can pretty much predict the main conclusion themes of the story from there, but the ride over the next four episodes is still full of twists and turns that will keep you scrolling from the credits of one episode (they're laid out much like a TV miniseries) to the beginning of the next.

    Zombie stories typically fall into one of three categories. The first is "none at all", where the story exists solely to convey limitless bloodshed, the second is hopelessly absurd, in which some massive cure-bomb reverts the entire planet, and the third is hopelessly nihilistic, which is what this game tends to fall under. Each great boon and potential end to your group's woes ends up being a death trap or a pipe dream, and as the hope fades, tensions grow, and from those tensions often come the most difficult choices. You'll face decisions from killing your friends to dismembering strangers (or yourself), and each of these has some notable consequences. You'll see how respectable society can literally eat itself alive when faced with death. You'll see some people who, upon losing everything, break and destroy everything, or some who attempt to make up for their past wrongs.

    I won't say that the game is without its flaws. The voice-acting is sometimes a bit cheesy. The animations are sometimes choppy and there's a nasty issue with shadows that can cause framerate havoc on the most formidable of rigs. The gameplay is creative, if sometimes a bit drawn out. But in comparison, if I can say anything about The Walking Dead, its that it differentiates itself from the norm. It may not be the most fun zombie game I've played, but it certainly is one of the only ones that tells a good story and for that it was well worth the price of a Steam sale.
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  18. Dec 11, 2012
    10
    Just finished playing through the 5 episodes. This game is the best thing I have played all year, I'm not kidding. The setting, the plot and the twists kept me going for hours and I just couldn't put it down. No game this year made me feel like that.

    Definitely worth every penny. In fact it's worth more that its price.
  19. Dec 6, 2012
    7
    I bought this game because I really liked the show, and the good thing about this game is the amazing story line. Some of the episodes in the game I found to be more interesting than those of the show. However I don't feel like your choices really changed the game, some of the situations had the same outcome no matter which option you chose. I won't lie though there are places where the things you choose change, but it is mostly to do with your group. At the end of the episode you will still end up in the same place and have achieved almost the same thing. This doesn't mean that the game isn't enjoyable over all, it's actually quite fun.

    If you want a game that will give you lots of play time like COD or L4D2 however, I don't believe this is it, it is not created to be a full out slaughter of zombies. It's original though and if you like the show or have read the story, I would recommend playing it.
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  20. 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.
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  21. Nov 29, 2012
    0
    I hope you enjoy having your saves rendered unplayable because that's what this game is all about. Your hard earned progress is likely to be wiped by a faulty save system when you try to resume playing. And guess what? YOU CAN'T SKIP DIALOGUE OR CUTSCENES. Unbearable. Such a great game but so terribly implemented.
  22. Nov 28, 2012
    9
    I literally just finished Ep 5 about 15 minutes ago, and all I can say is, if you're a fan of The Walking Dead in any way, shape or form, or you are a fan of great stories, then this series is for you.

    I would be willing to concede that the game isn't the most impressive visually, or the most innovative, however, this series makes up for it so well in story, and character depth, that I
    am willing to waive it's (arguable) flaws for it's colossal strengths.

    At the asking price for this game, there is really no excuse to at least check out Episode 1, which I am sure, will impress and lead you to get the remainder of the episodes and be in for a real treat.

    I hope some people may find this collection of my opinions as incentive to try out this gem of a game series. It is most certain to keep you interested and attached right to the very end.
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  23. Nov 26, 2012
    8
    The walking dead is an interactive story with mild puzzle elements to it. The story starts excellently with you quickly growing attached to the characters and with a real feeling of influence over the games direction. While playing this game you have to wonder how much money was spent to diversify the storyline. You find out in the latter episodes that actually none, none at all. The choices are little more than an illusion. But as stories go this one is better than 90% of other games hence the high score. The latter episodes, however, i am marking down for a myriad of dissapointments. Expand
  24. Nov 26, 2012
    8
    I'm not a big fan of the TV series that goes with by the same name and I've never seen any of the comic books where this game roots from. Neither did I value the Telltale Monkey Island spin offs much. Based on several high ratings on Metacritic I gave it a go and was quite surprised. The characters evolve beautiful and crawl under your skin. This is for me one of the best story setting environments I've experienced in 30 years of gaming. Don't expect some l33t ninja button bashing or sleepless mind puzzle solving requirements from this game. This is a numbed down adventure game on rails -- but a very good one. Expand
  25. Nov 25, 2012
    9
    Telltale earned a fan with this game. It is simply amazing, one of the best game experiences Ive ever had. Metacritic is making me write more but nothing else needs to be said.
  26. Nov 25, 2012
    8
    I will write this review based on all 5 episodes, mostly because it would be useless to write the same thing 5 times in a row and, most importantly, this is the pilot episode and so it's best to start here and tell if the game is worth or not. Also, I'm not a fan of the tv series so I have no idea if it follows the series or not, so I'm playing from the unknown. In any case, this game it's a great story with well developed characters and a very good setting. The game is a sort of point and click game and it's highly based on quicktime events and quick answers: the game will register your choices and they'll be shown later with different results and different characters. As an adventure game is actually kinda mediocre because they are very few and not that hard: just need a bit of searching. Also, you're not always controlling the character and you'll mostly do the talking and choices more than anything else. There are also parts where you shoot and have to aim with your weapons but it's nothing special: it's more about reflexes than anything. With this out of the way, I do have "one" big complain: the choices. The game as I said will give you choices in what to do, who to save, what actions to make etc, and some of them will eventually change the adventure (the game itself says "the story is tailored by how you play"). However, these choices aren't extreme: you'll just change some minor parts and relations with other characters, which is nice, but the story will be the exact same each time and that alone is kind of small mainly because this would be actually a great game if the choices you made would change the story as well, even in a worse way! This game somehow resembles Heavy Rain, with the difference that ,in there, your choices actually HAVE consequences and actually DO change the story, while in here is only a glimpse. and kinda disappointing. But it's still a great adventure game nevertheless and I really enjoyed playing it to the end (again, this review is made after all 5 episodes are out, and my complaints are the same for all 5 episodes). Maybe it's a bit short (each episode last about 2-3 hours, depending on how fast you're are) but it's kinda replayable if you want to try differently some choices and stuff; it's not costy also (about 25 euros/dollars. I bought on discount though) so it's definitely worth a looking if you're thirsty of adventure games with good stories and good characters: you will have a good time, no matter the flaws. Expand
  27. Nov 25, 2012
    10
    I usually never comment on video game, but I feel that I had to do it for this game. If u want a good adventure game with really nice anime like graphics and rock solid story, this game is for you.

    Long time I didn't enjoyed a game like that. The story is as good as the TV series. Characters are credible, and the choices you make really affect the story.

    Beside that the game has a go
    od replay value, you can play it again and try different course of actions.

    Don't listen to the few bad reviews, most of them rate this game badly just because they doesn't like the genre (Its not a FPS game neither a open world game).
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  28. 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!
  29. Nov 24, 2012
    9
    So, i watched the first season of The Walking Dead (TV Series) and was mind blown when i heard there was a video game about it, so i bought it, and oh boy, i did´nt regret it, it is very addicting, and that is always good.
  30. Nov 24, 2012
    8
    The entirety of the Walking Dead ep. 1-5 (I'll review the entirety of the series) lacks somewhat as a video game in that the game play is rather annoying with simplistic puzzle solving but as a storytelling experience it is outstanding. The story is awesome to put it plainly with a diverse range of great characters. Throughout the game your disposition towards each of them will swing profoundly and this along with your own morality will affect the decisions you make. Some decisions change the game and story dramatically but even if they don't it is satisfying to see even the most minute dialogue choice acknowledged in actions later in the game. Ultimately though this game made me care about the story and its characters, something that only a small minority of games have done and it remains the only one to have actually made me cry upon its conclusion.

    The gameplay itself has its drawback but the game itself is a work of art even if it is slightly flawed. Think of it as the Mona Lisa painted with crayons.
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  31. Nov 24, 2012
    9
    Great game. I don't understand why this game has a score of 8.2 but I love it. Everyone should play it. Skip halo,call of duty and of the other AAA titles out there. This kind of story telling is not found any where else. For all the bugs that people say it has I have yet to encounter any of them(I play on PC) I think this game has made me have feelings for games I have not had since the old days super Nintendo games. Expand
  32. Nov 22, 2012
    10
    Game was amazing. So much fun to play and kept me wanting to come back for more in the second episode. I would highly recommend the series to anyone that is into the walking dead, likes a good story, or has nostalgia for choose your own adventures.
  33. Nov 16, 2012
    3
    The biggest part of this game are the decisions, which at first seem fun, but if you play through different routes you'll realize your decisions don't make much of a difference. The action scenes seem to come out of nowhere, and sometimes you only realize it isn't a cut scene after it's too late. But even if you do realize it in time Lee doesn't seem to be in a hurry to not get eaten. Though even if you are bad at that kind of action sequence there aren't enough to really ruin your gaming experience.

    To sum up, the most advertised part of this game is that it's tailored to your decisions. But it's really not, there's a very strict order in which everything has to be done. And most importantly, usually whatever you decide you have to stay behind 100%, for the most part the game doesn't give you the option to regret any of your decisions. Which is kind of annoying when someone gets pissed off at you for a decision you made while on a timer.

    Overall, I give it a 3.5/10.
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  34. Nov 13, 2012
    10
    Simply Awesome, Amazing game, i always wanted to play Heavy Rain but as i am a pc gamer i never got to play it, but this one is like it, but in horror genre, i liked this game, it is worth buying
  35. Nov 11, 2012
    8
    Good story, as it should be. The first time I played this game through, I was nervous about making choices; those were good and interesting though troublesome. If you like watching movies and dramas, I recommend this game. if you are looking for action game or RPG, don't buy it.
  36. Nov 11, 2012
    2
    Complete waste of money. Nothing like cartoonish terrible graphics and the same outcomes every time. No matter what you choose it's the same outcomes the only thing that changes is the words people say. Unless you care for Story Time, don't bother.
  37. Nov 5, 2012
    10
    It's a **** 10! Best game ever! some people dont like it.. Don't play it if you dont like it..................................................................................................
  38. Oct 31, 2012
    0
    This game is basically tries to sell on a big lie, that you can impact the story.
    And not only do they lie to you in the marketing, they also lie to you when you play the game.
    The game pretends that you have a lot of big choices but its easy to see that you cannot make any impact. If you replay the choices you will see black on white that the result is always the same.

    I cant believe
    this got such a high rating. Most likely it have been doped by the developer.
    If I ever see a game made by telltale ever again I will stay miles away.
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  39. Oct 21, 2012
    4
    The story and the art of this game are great, and so are many of the interactions, but after having played seasons 1-4 I can tell you with certainty that most of the major decisions are decided for you. Certain characters will die regardless of how you try to save them. This is disappointing as the game heralds "adapting to your choices" when in reality practically ALL of your choices are superficial and have no bearing on how the game actually plays out.

    Having watched seasons 1-4 of the walking dead by Myndflame on Youtube, I made a concerted effort to pick the OPPOSITE choices. Yet, in spite of this, my game has been practically identical save for a few superficial differences.

    Another major problem with the game is that MOST of it is cut scene. In the places that you are given control of your character, generally, you are stuck with ONE option to solve the puzzles or progress to the next scene. Often times you'll run into invisible walls, whether it be in the environment or in the choices the game will allow you to make. Too many times I was greeted with Lee telling me "This is probably not a good idea right now..." So what? I thought this game was about making choices?

    Although I find the game, the world, and the story fascinating I am disenfranchised with this promise of "choice". When you compare it to other great games like Fallout or Mass Effect the game falls short on its promise. The story doesn't really change. The results are almost identical, and what you do doesn't really matter.
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  40. Oct 16, 2012
    9
    This, just like the rest of Tell-Tale's games I've played, is a very well done interactive story. If you are looking for a heavy action-oriented game, or an RPG, or a more traditional puzzle or point and click adventure game, look elsewhere. What the game does is tell a gritty, brutal, and interesting story very well, and give you enough choices that actually do affect the story. Some people said the options were cosmetic, this is not true. After having played the next couple of episodes after this one, the choices you make DO MATTER. Different people react to you depending on the side you take during conflicts, who you choose to save during zombie attacks, etc. Many times the game makes you choose between two equally bad options. This a a masterpiece of moral ambiguity. I personally think this is one of the most realistic post-apocalyptic games I've played. There is no good choice or bad choice, just a choice. If you take too long to decide who to save, they both could die. Some people complained about the time limits on conversations and in attacks and such, but I feel like this makes it more real. If you are talking to someone and wait to long to say something, it gets awkward and they walk away or change the subject. The game works like that, makes things flow like they would in real life. The art style is like a comic book. The game is based on a comic book. It makes sense, and I like it. If you want a graphically intensive hyper-realistic zombie game, play Dead Island. This is basically an interactive comic book and the art style reflects that. The first episode is the shortest one, about 45 minutes or so. The second episode was about an hour and a half. The third episode was around 3 hours. I haven't played the other two, but if they each continue to get bigger, the game will end up being decently long. All in all, a great game, and a welcome expansion to The Walking Dead canon. Expand
  41. 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
  42. Oct 6, 2012
    9
    No game has ever made me feel emotion like this. A top-notch creation from Telltale Games, and their best work yet. Puzzles are perhaps a little simplistic though, so don't expect difficult puzzles if that's what you want.
  43. Sep 19, 2012
    0
    This is a point and click adventure focused on dialogue. It has a cheesy mechanic where the time clicks down and if you are too slow in choosing what you want to say, the listener will think you are lying. The game see black and white truths and doesn't understand complexity. In a game that is all about dialogue, this is just painful to play.
  44. Sep 18, 2012
    4
    It's more like watching a game than playing one. Story, artwork and characters fine. Game play - poor. Dialogue options - poor. 1. Far too little freedom of movement. Not a bit too little ENORMOUSLY too little. The point and click system just doesn't cut it. 2. Dialogue options let you choose between one vapid answer and the other. Obvious smart answers are usually conveniently left out.
    3. Controls are awkward.

    The game would have been enormously superior on a standard FPS system, but it would still need to add at least a passing shot at incisive dialogue options.
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  45. Aug 29, 2012
    9
    There are many presentation problems with The Walking Dead Episode 1, like lag, poor voice sync, and some pausing during gameplay. But the story is so engaging, I looked past most of these problems. I felt like I was part of The Walking Dead universe thanks to the decision making and dialogue choices. Episode 1 set a high bar and I'm looking forward to playing the next episode.
  46. Aug 29, 2012
    8
    This game isn't perfect, but it's the walking dead game we all were looking for. Too bad animations are not that great, but the graphic is overall satisfying as it resembles the comic. 8,5.
  47. Aug 26, 2012
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've never played a Telltale game before for several reasons, but I thought I'd give "The Walking Dead" a try because I like the series and the setting.
    To sum it up shortly: I'm not satisfied and here's why: First, this is not an adventure as advertised, it's an interactive movie/comic. The puzzles are scarce and ridiculously easy, most of the game consists of cutscenes and quick-time events. On the plus side, I think the dialogue system is good although a little hasty maybe.
    Second, the decisions you can make are very limited and most have close no effect on the path the story takes (contrary to what has been promised). Most of the time you will not only end up with exactly the same results in the end but all choices are of the "A or B" type. [spoilers] Example: When you have to chose if you want to save Shawn or Kenny's kid it will always turn out the same. The kid is save, Shawn is dead and Herschel is throwing you off his farm. You're not able to solve this situation as a normal person would do if somebody's stuck beneath a tractor: getting on the damn thing and drive it backwards.[/spoilers]
    Third, it is way too short for the amount of money you pay for it. 25$ for a 2 hour game (I hardly see any replay value) is daylight robbery. Maybe 40$ for all 5 episodes with all in all 10 hours of gameplay would've been adequate.
    Forth, the controls are pretty bad. Although you have to use WASD to walk you can't look around as the view is always limited to a certain area. The good old fashioned "click mouse to make player to there" way would've been a lot better.
    Fifth, the engine cause a lot of stutters during fast scene changes. This can be very annoying.
    I'm giving it a 4 out of 10, mainly because I think the story/dialogues and the graphics are done quite well, but overall it's a disappointment and certainly not worth the money. Too bad...
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  48. 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
  49. 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
  50. Aug 17, 2012
    8
    Not nearly as good as Episode 2, but still well written and a good start to a hopefully/probably good game. Due to the episodic character of the game, this exposition was a bit too short for my taste and there was not yet enough dramatic development.
  51. Aug 9, 2012
    1
    Good story and animation, but if you are playing in a PC the controls are horrible and you cannot go where you want. Feels like PC was an after thought. Too rigid in the ability to roam, feels so scripted and controlled.
  52. Jul 26, 2012
    4
    Not great. It IS an interactive story rather than a full-fledged action/puzzle game, but that's not the issue I have with it. I do wish it offered more of a branching story line, if story is where it's trying to shine -- most of the conversation decisions seem to be purely cosmetic. (They're also stressful to make; there's usually barely enough time to read them all before the timer runs out.) But more importantly, the story it does lead you through is just so generic. It must have hit every single zombie apocalypse bingo square in the first half hour. That's what killed it for me. If there's no gameplay to speak of and no exploration of the game's world allowed, the story better be gripping. It wasn't; it never made me care. I'll grant that the characters were decently written for the most part, and I hope they will grow in complexity in future episodes.

    On top of the lackluster story, the gameplay aspects are terribly implemented. It might play better on console, but the PC controls are atrocious, character movement felt cumbersome and stunted, and the fixed camera/scenery drove me batty, since it frequently conceals walkable paths. The player is also artificially held back from progressing at multiple points. Some of the puzzles you're presented with have obvious solutions, but the game won't give you the tools to solve them until you've passed some other check point. (The brick thing was particularly annoying, as was the pharmacy door.) Some other puzzles were also just insulting to the characters themselves. I won't go into detail, but Carly -- presumably at least passing familiar with technology, being a reporter, not to mention perfectly capable of firing a handgun -- couldn't figure out the issue with the radio? Twice? Really, now?

    As for the the visual style, I'm not a fan, though I'll grant that's partly a matter of personal taste. The line work looked sloppy to me, the colours too muddy -- Clementine's face was a good example of this. What's not a matter of personal taste are the graphics glitches, particular the pixelated shadows all over the place. I did play this on an Mac via Steam, however, so it's possible it runs better on Windows.
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  53. Jul 24, 2012
    8
    If you are like me and learned of this series due to the TV show and not the comic then you will be in for surprise. This could be either a good or bad thing depending on what your expectations are. If you're hoping for it to follow the same story with the same characters from the show then you will be disappointed, however you will notice similarities between the two. Now if you DO know of the comics, or you are willing to look past the tv series differences then you will find much enjoyment out of the story presented.

    Those of you new to point and click adventures will have no trouble delving right into this title. The game play is pretty straightforward relying mostly on the player to either make decisions or solve puzzles. Also nothing is so cryptic that you'll feel the urge to go search for answers on the internet, but some areas may stump some people more than others. There are moments that require quick reflexes, but not so much that you're distracted from taking in the story and atmosphere. Sadly, this game offers little in replay value because of the way it is played but most people will want to play the episodes at least twice to see the outcome of different choices made.

    The sound and visuals are all nicely done. The game has a certain comic book style about it (and with good reason since it is based off a comic). There is a nice amount of detail in each character and scene. The game does have a few graphical glitches from time to time though. Occasionally objects might clip through the camera, and sometimes objects and people have a tendency to sort of stutter in the world. It doesn't happen so often that it is problematic though, but it can take you out of the moment for a brief second when it happens. The music and voice really help set the tone for each scene. Most of the voice acting is done very nicely. Characters display emotion which will make some of the decisions you have to make that much harder when the time comes.

    This game isn't for everyone, but for those of you that like a casual/relaxed play style so you can focus on story you should enjoy this.
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  54. Jul 23, 2012
    9
    I thoroughly enjoyed episode 1, it has some similar mechanics to Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy) which was quite a defining game with the game mechanics that were added to the adventuring/interactive drama genre. It is heavily story driven and the "puzzles" are easy to get through but well worth the purchase. If you turn off some of the prompting it is difficult in the sense it's hard to figure out where to click as the margin for error is small. Overall a game I wouldn't skip over. Expand
  55. Jul 20, 2012
    0
    What the hell they call this a game? Yeah nothing more exciting than clicking bubbles that make you do one action. Interactive movies are pointless, I would rather just watch a movie and not have the irritating task of pressing one button. Dialog choices never give the intended result it seems and are usually a black or white issue. Overall quality of the game is okay but the entire time I played this game I didn't feel like it's a game. If you want a zombie game go with something like Dead Island or Left 4 Dead because you're actually playing a game. 0/10 for not being a game but an interactive movie. I'm upset I bought the game because I can go on the internet and find a flash game that gives more entertainment than this crap. Come to think about it, this game is exactly like an adventure game you would find on a flash game site and does not deserve to be a pay to play game especially since they release the entire game in a series of episodes instead of giving you the entire thing at once. Expand
  56. Jul 18, 2012
    9
    First of I consider The Walking Dead more as TV-Series where you can make some decisions rather than a game. If you care and talk to all characters you meet, you will get a nice packed story. One of my few critic points is the fact that your movement-ability is really limited.
  57. Jul 17, 2012
    5
    You remember that old game from the 1980's -- Dragon's Lair? the one where you made a choice and based on that choice you lived or died? That's exactly what Walking Dead is like. The game is a top-heavy scripted cartoon. Especially bothersome, the game doesn't require much in the way of intelligence to even play nor is it real challenging (unless you consider random illogical puzzles challenging). If you like games like Left 4 Dead, you're not gonna like this one very much......The controls of the game are totally confusing. You will find yourself dying in this cartoon not because you don't know what to do but rather because you do not know how to do it with the controls! You learn after a while, but it still upsetting that the controls are counter-intuitive. Perhaps they should have included a small tutorial that would get a player familiar with the controls.

    Speaking of controls, moving around is equally junky. When you move the character around (via 3rd person) you can not move them around just anyway you like. The game severely limits movement and because of this, your perspective of the location is very limited. Coming off a game like Left For Dead, where observing what is going on in all directions is extremely vital to survival, this will drive you absolutely crazy.

    I like a good story driven game as much as the next person, but that is not here. I enjoyed Neil Manke's They Hunger much more. It had a cool scripted story-line but wasn't restrictive in game play at all.

    But with the Scripted Nature of this game, you will spend more time watching scripted cut-scene dialogues than actually Doing Anything. When you actually get to do something, it feels restrained- like a Choose Your Own Adventure Book. You find out it doesn't matter in any case because the story is only going in one direction (unlike a choose your own adventure book)!

    I give the game props for a unique look. that's why it scored a 5, The rest of this game is solid 3.
    I saw some reviews on here where people said, don't rate it low if you don't like this type of game....HUH? That's like saying "don't rate the game if you don't like the game."

    I got this game on sale, I'd wait for it to be five bucks before you buy it if you want to try it. It's seriously not worth more than that.
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  58. 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!
  59. Jul 13, 2012
    10
    For everybody saying your choices makee nothing, play the rest episode then JUDGE. Your choices do affect your progress in the next episode. Beside, you dont need to be a zombie fan to love this game- im not, and I completely loved this game. Well done, TTG
  60. Jul 10, 2012
    8
    I took a bit of a chance buying The Walking Dead, as I'm only vaguely familiar with the comic and was turned off to the TV series once it became Dawson's Creek with the occasional zombie cameo. Fortunately I wasn't let down, as the story is top notch. The Walking Dead isn't an RPG, FPS or really any other modern, gaming related acronym. You don't 'fight' zombies so much as you figure out ways to get around them and progress. I would describe it as an interactive, survival-themed story, with elements of item-scrounging and puzzle solving from earlier adventure games. You make choices throughout that can have outcomes further down the line. It's true that the choices that revolve around characters are simple A vs. B, but there are other things that pop up which add quite a bit of depth to conversations, like how open you want to be about your past. The episodic content, while probably not the best delivery method for a video game, leaves you wanting more. Each episode is about 2 hours long. Bottom line, if you like zombie games but are bored of the shooters flooding the market, give this one a try. Expand
  61. 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. :-)
  62. Jul 4, 2012
    8
    Awesome graphics. Awesome story. Actual consequences to your decisions. No ability to "Save-and-reload", much to the chagrin of the cheat code generation. A little clunky in the movement interface and some odd story elements that go nowhere, but overall, I loved it. I've only played a handful of adventure games in my life, never really caring for them. This game proves that if the story and voice acting are good enough, I'll love it. I hope this is watermark for the gaming industry to begin focusing on story, characters and consequences. Expand
  63. Jul 2, 2012
    8
    I would say roughly 3/5 of the negative reviews for this are just people who are unfamiliar with the concept of point-and-click adventure games, some of whom have actively admitted to only purchasing it because of the title. If you're looking for a survival horror game or shooter of any sort, you're going to be disappointed, because that's not what this game is about (and it's not what the brand is about, so I don't know why you would be expecting that in the first place).

    I'll admit right away that this isn't a great game. The story isn't phenomenal, and sometimes you're pigeonholed into saying things or making decision you don't like, but that's the nature of pretty much every story/character driven video game ever made, so it's to be expected to an extent. What's there, though, is generally well executed, and unless you're going in with unrealistic expectations or you're looking for another genre entirely, you should be pleasantly surprised.
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  64. Jul 2, 2012
    10
    If you're a big fan of the walking dead series and point and click games this is a guaranteed pleaser! This game is more about surviving as a group then actually running around killing zombies so if you're looking for a shoot em up this isn't it!!
    The game ties in with events that occur before the comic and T.V series so you do encounter people form the original series so the story has a
    tendency of merging with that of the original which gives it that feeling you're actually apart of the original story and not just some authentic made up rip off!
    Every episode is released every month, my only problem is that there are only 5 episodes in total, I'm hoping they do additional seasons as I believe this game is not just enjoyable to gamers but Walking Dead fans around!!
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  65. Jul 1, 2012
    10
    Amazing start Telltale! I love TV series about Walking Dead and they are announced the game about it i was surprised cause their prev. games was not so cool. But quality and game style, relationships between the characters and interactivity make a great game about survival-emotional story of ppl against zombies
  66. Jun 29, 2012
    7
    I discovered the walking dead comics after this game, who gave me the taste to try it (and usually i m not so much a comic book reader) or a zombie fan...
    The story is great so far, but there is still a big issue with keyboard configuration: playing on an azerty keyboard, you can't change keymapping and thus rely on arrow keys, which is frankly not good for a game on pc...
    Otherwise, ver
    y cool little game, i just hope they will fix this keyboard problem for the next episodes Expand
  67. 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
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  68. Jun 14, 2012
    7
    Good and interesting game but it has its drawbacks. Too short, the second episode won't soon, and finally i think that The Walking Dead(it's my opinion) is a parody for Fahrenheit and Heavy Rain. But this "parody" is good.
  69. Jun 13, 2012
    0
    As expected with Telltale games; their own devs have been padding the scores. The game sucks; & the episodic continuance is a fancy way to get us to pay to develop their game. Vaporware.
  70. 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.
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  71. Jun 11, 2012
    5
    Episode 1 has some linear parts, where essentially no matter what choice you make in the game- you will end up at the same outcome later. Game Survival is fully centered around quicktime events, where pushing the correct button quickly and multiple times is key. This makes game-play centered more around fast reflexes instead of logical thinking and planning. Unfortunately the player does not get to keep weapons in the game, nor choose which weapons they want to use against enemies. The fighting sequences are fully scripted using a particular weapon (picked up just prior to battle) and seem intended for immediate use. Due to the rather linear style of game-play, I cannot recommend this as a true RPG, more like a scripted movie with quick-time events thrown in. A game that feels very similar to this one is Heavy Rain for the PS3. Since the game is the first-part of a five-part episodic series, the game length of this episode is rather short. I completed episode 1 in approximately 40 minutes. Timely releases of subsequent episodes appears to be problematic for the publisher. Episode 1 was released on April 24th, 2012. When The Walking Dead game was being advertised prior to launch, Telltales Entertainment promised releases for new episodes "every month", but since the launch of episode 1 they have inexplicably postponed releasing episode 2. Now their official stance on releasing new episodes has been modified on their website as "approximately every month". As of this writing it is June 11th, and episode 2 has still not been released which means it has been approximately two months since the last episode has been released. Potential customers should therefor, expect delays if they wish to purchase the Season Pass option. Overall, I feel the game is an average entry into what is essentially a CGI movie with scripted sequences and quicktime events. Heavy Rain, by comparison, is more polished in practically every area to include graphics, sound, characters, and plot. You are also dealing with untimely releases of subsequent episodes- even at the rate of 1 month per episode you are looking forward to 40 minutes of new game-play every month, which most people will agree is ridiculous. At face value, I would usually score an average game like this one with an average score of 6; but the untimely releases of subsequent episodes further degrades the appeal of the series to an even lower-average-score of 5. Expand
  72. Jun 5, 2012
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Horrible. When I heard that Tell Tale Games was making it I knew it would suck. I had hoped when they announced that there would be a video game adaptation, that they would finally give me the zombie game that gamer fans of the genre were looking for. I see Tell Tale's strategy of making games that mimic a "Choose your own adventure", Cutscene styling as lazy game making. I had hoped for something like the DAY Z mod in ARMA 2. Why did I buy it??..simple, it was called "The Walking Dead". Now ofcourse I knew before purchasing it , this game was going to be boring to play, however i had hoped it would atleast have some type of immersion. NONE. Whenever anyone points this out about the game, either a Tell Tale employee or FanBoy states "You dont think that smashing a zombie's brains in with a hammer is immersion"? "You dont think that choosing what happens is immersion enough"?....My answer is NO, not the way the game is styled. All of your decisions are forced. Any action sequences were made so that a child could complete them. This game is more like pressing "Q" or "E" so that you can continue watching a crappy movie/comic book video. And "Choices" ...really...."Choices"...the "S" on the end of the word "Choice" implies more than ONE...and when it comes to this game they are not lying...in fact you get TWO. "Save Carly or Nerd boy Doug", "Save Hershel's Son or the idiot kid".(Which i hope that kid dies). And not even all the choices are logical. Someone mentioned a brick small enough to fit through the gate at the pharmacy....or even the fact that you could use the Cane to grab it....not an option. It would not even let you pick the cane up. The one and only puzzling puzzle was the TV Remote. and that was just lame. Aside from the games integrity, how about the critics....I call BS on the many positive reviews of this game, however i see this alot in gaming. Lets just put it this way...I have come to this site to read reviews on just about every game before buying...until now I have never reviewed a game until being disgusted by the lack truth when it comes to the reviews of this game. I realize that this is only my opinion. I own every zombie/game/mod so naturally, I bought this as well. One more thing, where is episode two? I was told before buying that the game's episodes were to be released monthly. Maybe if they spent less time making you tube videos, patting themselves on the backs for the horrible game they have made, and more time making the game...there wouldnt be alot of angry customers out there. Usually the response to this statemeny by a TT agent or FanBoy is "Do you want a crap episode now or a great one later"? ..my response is I dont really care and TT doesnt either, they already got my money. I'll definitely save my money on the next set of episodes. Think Ill just watch someone playing those on You Tube. Which will get the story told to me for free. Expand
  73. 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
  74. Koo
    Jun 3, 2012
    8
    Overall a great game. The story is involving, and the characters are interesting. The only thing I don't like about TWD game is the point-and-click interface. It would be fine, except that the area you have to click is completely random, and inconsistent from one object to the next. I got stuck at one point and resorted to a walkthrough because of this area issue. The walkthrough told me I should have clicked an object that I DID click... just not the tiny area that is enabled for mouse over context selection. :( If it wasn't for this extremely annoying shortcoming, I could rate this game 10/10. Until Telltale Games fixes this in a patch, however, this game rates 8/10 for me. Expand
  75. Jun 2, 2012
    5
    The guy fall allt the time, it´s so anoying. And a big grafic problem, it shutters at every scene change and my macbookpro is more hot than with game like Alana Wake or Diablo 3.
  76. May 31, 2012
    7
    I'm not even sure I would call this a game - it's like one of those "choose your adventure" books. Huge Walking Dead fan here, so had to have this and am glad I got it. But I'm also an avid computer gamer (going on 25 years now) and if I referred this to my other gaming friends - those who aren't into the Walking Dead - as a "must have" game, they'd never trust my opinion again.

    Think t
    he voice acting and art work is terrific. The limited character movement and generic choices in this point and click story are weak to average at best.

    If you're a Walking Dead fan, you won't be disappointed. However, if you're a gamer looking for another zombie shoot 'em up like L4D2 or rpg/action game like Dead Island, I'd look elsewhere.
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  77. May 25, 2012
    5
    The game can be some what fun in respect to the comic book and movie events with only less then 2 hours of gaming. Then on to what the game has to offer, lacks in the forced story line and the character control. well that just doesn't cut it. The original story line can not be changed no matter what decision is made the game still contnues in the direction it was forced into, also any time there is a puzzle to be solved any idea of interacting to solve it with a locial decision never seem to be the key to get it to work. The usage of items in the game that you would never think of using for a solution to puzzles is off the wall decision making.I hope the next episode is better then the first. I gave it a 4 because it did get less then 2 hrs of game play out of me and $20.00 out of my pocket. Expand
  78. May 24, 2012
    8
    This game is a must for Walking Dead fans since it provides insight before the series started. Players are allowed to make choices in the game with no real wrong choice besides dying but will be shortly revived to continue the story. All in all, it's a fun experience seeing how the choices you make influence the storyline and has pretty good replayability and game time for the first episode. Already looking forward to the next one. Expand
  79. May 24, 2012
    6
    I gave it a lower score not because of the game play but for the game play time. It took about 2 hours to finish. There are supposed to be a total of five episodes. If each of the episodes have a play time of 2 hours, that would be $125.00 for a ten hour game. That is a little steep by anyone's standards I think. Yes it was an interesting game, and the artwork very well done. You really had the feel of playing a moving graphic novel. The point and click thing does get a little hairy when your in the heat of the moment but it was all good. Easy to get used to. But I think I will wait till the whole series comes out and then buy the packaged deal. I think the complete series should be no more the $50, and that is still a little pricey for 10 hours of play. Expand
  80. May 24, 2012
    9
    I really enjoyed this game. It was a little short, but the entire game was filled with content and it didn't feel like you were just going through the motions. Each scene had a point and it was fun too see how it turned out. Can't wait for the next episode!

    -1 for shortness
  81. May 22, 2012
    9
    If you're a fan of the comics or television show, get this game. If you enjoy a good story, get this game. This is an adventure game, but without all the pixel hunting. This should be used as the template for future adventure games. Timed dialogue forces your decisions based on instinct. If you're new to adventure games, I'd recommend watching some gameplay videos first to make sure this is the genre for you. There are plenty of videos online showing the first 10min of gameplay, so not much is spoiled. The only annoyance is paying for the full price on Steam and waiting this long for the next installment. Of course being angry that you can't play more kinda just speaks to how much I like the game. Awesome game, get it now. Expand
  82. May 22, 2012
    10
    Amazing game! I thought the story was great but if you are someone who likes games where you walk around shooting zombies then this is not for you. It's about the decisions you make and the characters remember the actions you take. This game is a lot like Heavy Rain (excluding the story) and I cannot wait for the second episode, in this game series, to come out.
  83. May 20, 2012
    8
    Pros: Gret graphics voice acting and multiple well written scenerios. The characters are also very memorable. Choices made in the game creates a genuine feeling of tension rarely found in other gam
    Cons: Very linear, limiting replay value somewhat. Choices on action is somewhat limited. Point and click gaming of this sort is not for everyone.
  84. May 20, 2012
    8
    Telltale have really out done themselves with this first in the series of Walking Dead games. Having read many of the comics, the episodic formula certainly fits the series. If you've played any of telltales previous games and been put off the generic point and click functions, the good news is that they've taken the initiative and delivered a new and compelling control scheme [best played with a controller]. The characters and voice over work are great and in this first episode there's a nice inclusion of a couple of key character from the comics. While the puzzles aren't particularly challenging, they work well to progress the story and help build empathy and distrust alike for the characters you meet. It's hard to review a game like this without giving away a plot point so it is quite brief; however if you enjoy zombies, story and characters then treat yourself to The Walking Dead. The series may run the risk of becoming to repetitive but only time will tell if the subsequent episodes can build of the momentum this one creates. Expand
  85. May 17, 2012
    3
    With the reviews I was hoping for A LOT better. You don't really get to make the choices you want to or at least I wanted too, everything is forced generally one direction. Story is mediocre. This isn't a game, its a bunch of cut-scenes.
  86. 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.
  87. 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!
  88. May 15, 2012
    8
    Very good game. I'm not a big fan of the graphics but they are ok. the characters are interesting. The developers didn't just develop a classic point and click adventure but something more modern. Dialogues are solid as is voice acting. It's sometimes frustrating to notice that some choices don't really matter but those that do are rewarding. I can't wait for the second episode
  89. May 14, 2012
    10
    this game is not for everyone however i loved it, i dont like the episode way of releasing i really want to play the next part and i want to see the effect of my decision
  90. May 14, 2012
    10
    one of the best games this year, and one of the most exciting adventures. Although the graphics in this game is not very interesting (but who recently drew attention to the chart tell me?), But the plot, characters, dialogue carried on the top ten and this game should be on the list of the best games from Telltale games
  91. May 13, 2012
    9
    Ð
  92. May 13, 2012
    10
    This is the first point and click game I've ever played that wasn't a flash game on a web browser. I was totally into the whole story. I could not put my controller down (I love the fact that you can use your xbox360 controller!) till I finished the chapter! I can't wait for the 2nd chapter to come out! :D There is a timer for almost every choice you make, so you have to make a decision right away, which makes it more exciting and scary. The choices can be pretty hard, but the story really pushes you to choose. Being able to decide choices helps players to really get into the gameplay. I'm so glad I got this game, so I totally recommend it. 10/10 rating! Expand
  93. May 12, 2012
    8
    This game is great. I wasn't expecting much considering how most games based off of a movie, tv show, comic, etc turn out to be, but this game certainly exceeded my expectations. The story so far is engaging and I like the characters as well. The art style is nice too. The only problems with the game are that the animations especially during conversation are weird and the controls are a bit stiff, but it's nothing that breaks the game. I would recommend playing this game on a console however, the controls were obviously made for them. Expand
  94. May 11, 2012
    10
    Amazing start to a promising series.Was very sceptical since i hated back to the future, and jurassic park. But i loved the Monkey Island ones. They really captured what i felt was the essence of what the walking dead is about! I await the second episode eagerly!!
  95. May 10, 2012
    10
    Simple game play, but its great to go though the story. Fun and I really enjoyed playing through the game a few times just to see what would change. Great fun.
  96. May 10, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'll be serious. I'm not into zombie games; I get bored of the same old hack n' slash action and the witty one-liners. But TellTale Games' "The Walking Dead" is something else - it's not just the 'same old' - its an episodic well-done masterpiece - action, adventure and even an element of puzzle. Presented in a comicy graphic style, the game opens with Lee, a convicted murderer, driving out of Atlanta on the way to prison. During this scene, you're introduced to the choices that shape the story (although, these ones don't have any effect on the rest of the story), prompting a different response which the character will remember. This is the case when choosing who should live and who should die, or sticking and siding with a certain character - if you are loyal, you will be rewarded. The thing for me that sets the game apart from others is the emotional value of the characters - by the end of the first episode, I had begun to develop a sense of care for Clementine and emotion for the entire ensemble. Then again, its not just the other characters - you begin to develop a bond with Lee, the main character, especially when you go and start a second game - you try to make him a tough, no-nonsense kind of guy, who doesn't care about anyone but himself - but you don't, because it doesn't feel right. I cannot critique the game's story or characters or game-play in any way - but I did experience a couple of problems with the game's performance - despite being perfectly matched to my laptop's specs. Sometimes the game's cutscenes lagged and paused, or sometimes the sound was repeated or out-of-sync - only small problems, but nevertheless problems that could be fixed with a simple patch.

    Despite those defects, The Walking Dead is definitely a fantastic game that spins off from the zombie genre gamers have come to know and love. I personally can't wait for episode two (each episode is released monthly) and another couple of hours of gameplay. I'd definitely recommend you to buy this (even though the season pass is about £21 on Steam and even if you haven't followed the franchise), because this is an excellent game-changer from that zombie genre we're all too familiar with.
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  97. May 9, 2012
    10
    Provided you are aware that this game is neither in the Survival Horror genre OR the Adventure genre, then there's no reason why you won't enjoy the heck out of it! While I love the Adventure genre, I have yet to encounter any game by Telltale that I enjoyed. Up to now I've pretty much hated every game they've done. Well, they finally broke the mold and put out a heck of a fine game, and yet ironically it isn't in the genre they're known for. Do NOT assume this is another Telltale cookie-cutter Adventure snorefest. Puzzles are not their strong suit, but fortunately the gameplay in this title does not have much use for puzzles. They're not meant to be brain teasers like in a classic Adventure game, rather in this game they are meant to either increase tension (find a quick way to distract the zombies over by the TV store) or create empathy with certain characters (administering a band aid to a youngster).

    As far as the gameplay is concerned, it is basically identical to The Indigo Prophecy, but with much better graphics, story, acting, and execution. If you were intrigued by the gameplay of Indigo Prophecy but hated the shoddy execution, then you really should check this game out because it succeeds where the other failed.

    People expecting survival horror will be disappointed by the lack of spontaneous action. People expecting Adventure will be disappointed by the lack of any real puzzles.

    BUT, those people who expect to be drawn into a well-told, beautifully rendered interactive story will find this very entertaining. Dialogue in this game is more than just methodically selecting every dialogue choice in the tree just to get all the content out of the game. Most dialogue choices are timed which really adds to both the tension and the immersion: if you say something that offends somebody, you can't just make it all better by then choosing the other dialogue choice. This means it really matters what you say in most instances. AND it really adds to the replay value, which would otherwise be non-existent for a game with no action gameplay. For me, the desire to find out what would have happened if I said something else was irresistible, yet there is no way to undo what you've said until you play the game again. This may sound annoying but trust me, you won't get bored listening to the dialogue because so much depends on you really meaning what you say.

    I am totally unfamiliar with the comic which inspired this game. I cannot say whether it does the comic justice, but it certainly made me curious to check it out and learn more.

    So far the story is fairly generic for a zombie apocalypse retread: strangers brought together from dissimilar backgrounds learning to cooperate with each other to defeat a common, slow-moving, brain-eating undead enemy. Nevertheless, I am totally hooked. With only the first episode out so far, who knows which way the story could go, but if the beginning is any indication of the rest, it might not take the zombie apocalypse story into new original territory, but it nevertheless is a worthy addition to the genre. And I'm not one of those zombie-game fanboys; frankly I've been getting a little sick of zombie-related stuff. I really liked the original George Romero film but most stuff since then has just been so cheesy. Regardless, I still loved this game.
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  98. May 9, 2012
    8
    The concept of a "series" based game is what made me purchase The Walking Dead. I like the idea that I will be given the next episode at a later date, giving a whole new dimension to the gaming experience. As for the game its self, well, graphically nice, story great, but I just felt too restricted with the controls and camera that the game just did not "flow" right for me. I intend running through the first episode again now I understand the mechanics better, but I'm sure I will feel I'm cheating! I will look forward to Steam sending me the next instalment and for price and playtime I would recommend it. Expand
  99. 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.
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  100. May 6, 2012
    6
    Simple and enjoyable, yet not worth the price of admission so far - I hope it gets better. I have never read the comics but I enjoy a good zombie game. I have always based my overall approval of a game based on how much time I get out of it compared to the price -- 1 hour of game play = $1 regardless of genre. As an example playing Skyrim I am way over 200 hours, and can say I got my value for my dollar. COD, I don't play multiplayer and finish the single compaign in 10 hours (not worth the price for me). With Walking Dead Ep1. I finished the first episode in about 2 hours. If this is the same across all episodes then I would only get 10 hours... and I paid about $26 on Steam. Thus not worth the price for me. Not having read the comics the story line felt like it skipped or went through too fast. There were several scenes that felt disconnected or forced through the story. I did like the characters however and I believe the voice actors did a fine job. I look forward to the future episodes and hope the developers do more, I enjoyed the puzzles and choices presented. Expand
Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 40 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 40
  2. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. 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. 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]
  3. Jun 28, 2012
    72
    Rich atmosphere compensates for poor gameplay mechanics of The Walking Dead.