The Walking Dead: Episode 1 - Review

Holy fuck. 

So I've been waiting to play these until all 5 episodes launched because I'm not a patient person.  If a really interesting story is happening that I'm really into the last thing I want to do is wait a month to figure out what happens next.

Episode 5 just dropped this week so it was time to dig into Episodes 1 and 2 that were "free" gifts from PSPlus a long time ago.

In case you don't already know it takes place around Atlanta, just like the show and comic, and it starts at outbreak.  The game is basically a point-and-click adventure in a 3d world.  It's a heavily story driven (but NOT heavy handed) game that does an astounding job of sucking you into it's world.  

Never in my gaming life have I ever felt the stresses that came with this game and I mean that as very high praise.  The game has some incredibly tense moments where I found myself moving to the front of my seat with my skin crawling and actually yelling, "Fucking move!"

Decisions.  Decisions.  Decisions.  Before this game the hardest decisional moments I've ever seen in games were in Mass Effect 1 when I had to pick who to let live and who to die and in Heavy Rain there were some difficult moments, but seeing as to how most all decision were based on doing something terrible to save my child they weren't tough. 

This game has some very hard decisions.  The astounding thing is that they flesh out the characters really well....astoundingly equally well and then shit hits the fan and you've got to choose.  The tension gets racked up to 96 because you have about 5 seconds of time to choose.  In Mass Effect I remember taking around 10 minutes to weigh every option and decide what I wanted.  Here it was just 2 very bad options with less time to decide than it takes to get a quick sip of your drink.

The dialog is also surprisingly strong.  You have multiple options and ways to respond to any dialogue and I've been very happy with the options.  I've been projecting myself onto the protagonist and playing how I'd react in real life.  The result is powerful, shocking and jaw dropping.

Several times I made split second decisions that felt right in the moment, but then I had instant regrets.

The best part is there isn't a good checkpoint system to reload if you change your mind.  It's keeping my playing honest and true.  I fucking love it.

I beat Episode 1 in around 2 and a half hours and there wasn't a moment that felt wasted or useless.  Every exchange added something of value to the story. 

At the end you're rewarded with a trailer for Episode 2 and holy balls....I can't wait to play it. 

The most impressive thing about this so far is that I can already see the huge ripple effect that my decisions could be possibly making.  Who I sided with in an argument.  Who I helped save and how that person was related to someone else and how it helps or strains that relationship.  The game carries each and every horrible choice you've made into the next episode and I can see already that I'll pay dearly for one of them.

Honestly, I couldn't recommend this game any higher.  Even if you're not a Walking Dead fan get it.  It's an amazing story told in a convincing and moving way.  The point-and-click works really well on a console controller.

If you're into the show or comics you'll be rewarded with seeing some of the cast from the show in the game. 

I can't believe I'm saying this, but just get the fucking game.  Go to your gaming rig of choice and pay 5 dollars and play it.  Now.