The Best 'Walking Dead' Story Is Actually In A Video Game
The Player Gets To Choose What Happens To The Characters
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Unlike the show and comics, Telltale's TWD is a fully immersive experience that puts you in the driver's seat. The game is built around all the different decisions you can make, and major narrative choices are up to the player. Your decisions influence who lives and who perishes, and it really feels like you're under pressure to make the right choices. The characters in the show make these choices for you, and sometimes those decisions just don't make any sense.
The Georgia Setting Actually Matters
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In the show, it's easy to forget most of the cast is supposed to be from the South. That's not the case with the video game, as the environment plays a major role in the storytelling. The Telltale series is aware of the characters' backstories and relationships to the setting, and it uses the Georgia landscape as a canvas to tell powerful stories.
A Quicker Pace Means You're Never Lingering In One Spot
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Even fans of the show can admit that TWD could use some help in the pacing department. Story arcs stuck to one location can go on for seasons, and filler episodes are as epidemic and mind-numbing as the zombie virus. The show should take a hint from the Telltale series, which never stays in one place.
There is always pressure to keep moving, and your journey takes you throughout Georgia and other parts of the South. While the show characters are often chatting idly while they wait for the action to come, the player gets to dictate the conversations without stopping the plot in its tracks.
Clementine Is A Way Better Character Than Carl
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Dumb kids can bring down any series, and TWD's Carl is no exception. Whether he's getting himself shot or bumbling directly into Negan's camp, plenty of fans have pointed to some of his decisions as objectively stupid. This is in huge contrast to Clementine, who is widely regarded as a rare example of a well-written kid character. Even as Telltale was forced to close its doors, the people behind the scenes knew fans needed to have a satisfying ending to Clementine's story. She is that important of a character, and it's not hard to see why.
Clementine is both capable and naive, mature but friendly, and always evolving. Her story is the heart of the game, and players can't help but care for her.
It's Not Afraid To Take Bold Risks
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At this point, fans know TWD loves to off its characters. No one is safe, and after so many seasons, it's hard to really get attached to anyone. When a character meets their end (or almost does) it can be sad, but it's not really surprising. On the other hand, the Telltale Games version of the story has a much smaller cast, and it's not afraid to pull out totally unexpected plot twists.
Players start the first season playing as Lee Everett. He's pretty much the hero, and he's the one who takes care of the young Clementine. However, close to the end of Season 1, he gets bitten and it's clear he's not going to make it. The player has to either make Clementine end him or leave him to turn into a walker - either way, the game shifts focus onto other characters in the next season.
Whatever you choose, you're going to feel bad about it, and having a lead character expire before the end of the story is a major oddity for video games.
The Team At Telltale Genuinely Cared About Making The Game As Good As Possible
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The story of Telltale Games is almost as fascinating at TWD itself. The game was a major hit for the studio and paved the way for further growth, but the company collapsed in the middle of the game's final season. The game's developers were all let go, but there was a ton of passion behind the project, so the creators were determined to see it to the end.
Making tremendous personal sacrifices, the game's development team agreed to come back for a limited time and finish the game. Many of them felt it was their responsibility to faithfully conclude Clementine's long journey.
The Writers Ended The Story On A High Note
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TWD is on its ninth season, and many critics believe it should have wrapped up by now. The comic book series has been going since 2003, and fans are starting to get fatigued by the repetitive plots and lack of an endgame. Telltale's TWD wrapped after a four-season run, which seems downright brief in comparison, and that's one of the best things about the game. It feels like a cohesive story with a central theme of choice, and it ends exactly when it needs to.
There Are No Filler Episodes
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Like a zombie in the water, TWD is extremely bloated. Filler episodes are all too common, and the personal drama has reached soap opera levels of corny. Telltale's game is lean, with only 23 episodes spread over four seasons. The story is constantly moving forward, and TWD TV series could learn a thing or two from the game's pacing.
The Game Humanizes The Villains As Well As The Heroes
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One of the most fun aspects of the game is the changing perspectives. You are constantly stepping into the shoes of different characters and seeing the world of TWD from new angles. You even get to play as characters who become villains in later episodes, empathizing with the struggles of post-zombie life and understanding how a survivor can turn into a predator.
It's Interesting Even When The Zombies Aren't Around
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At times, it feels like AMC's TWD uses its zombies as a crutch. Zombie action scenes tend to break the monotony of otherwise boring episodes filled with inconsequential conversations. If anything, the zombies in Telltale's TWD are the least interesting part of the series. Making decisions and talking to survivors ends up being more fun than the zombie slaying action, and that's really impressive for a video game.
