The Online Portfolio Of A.J. Dugger III
  • Home
  • Cover Stories & TV Appearances
  • Gallery Of Work
  • Books
  • Celebrity Interviews
  • Awards
  • Music
  • Blog

The Walking Dead Season 1 (Telltale) 2012

3/22/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
So, I turned 28 years old last week and finally decided to get a PS3. Being a huge fan of The Walking Dead television series and comic books, it was only natural that I buy the game. Initially I was torn between this one and Survival Instinct, a more recent Walking Dead game starring The Dixon brothers. But after hearing mixed reviews about Survival Instinct and seeing all the awards that The Walking Dead Season 1 won, it became a no-brainer. I got the Game of The Year Edition (pictured above) which has all 5 episodes and a bonus episode called 400 Days.

The game begins with good and bad news - you play as a black man going to jail. Damnit!! lol. I was pleasantly surprised to see an African American man as the protagonist, but it came with a price. This brother was on his way to the slammer for committing a murder. Seconds into the game and he's already being stereotyped. Son of a biscuit!! 

But anyway, the lead character's name is Lee Everett and the zombie apocalypse suddenly hits as he's being transported to the pen. Lee finds his way to a nearby house and is rescued by an 8 year-old  girl named Clementine. Your primary purpose is to protect Clem and survive at all costs.

I was expecting The Walking Dead to be a "shoot em' up" zombies game like Resident Evil. But I should have known better. This game captured the beautiful storytelling techniques of The Walking Dead. As in the show and the comic books, the zombies are always a threat but the real danger is other human beings and the tough choices you have to make for survival. 

What immediately got me hooked was the fact that you control what Lee says or does. The picture down below is a great example.
Picture
Courtesy of the X-box version
In the scene pictured above, another character asks Lee who is he to Clem. Not surprising - a dirty black man walking around holding hands with a small Korean girl is bound to get questioned, even during the zombie apocalypse. You can lie to the character  and say you're a neighbor or her babysitter, or tell the truth and say you're "Just some guy." Or you can say nothing and just stand there looking like a creepy pedophile. There are almost always different consequences for whatever you say.  

Whether you're honest or dishonest, whether you're aggressive or calm, etc, other characters will respond in different ways. Some choices you make in the game will result in the life and death of different characters. Because of this, you can play the game four different times and have four different storylines.

I'll give another example without spoiling too much. At one point, a character in your group will murder another in cold blood. You can abandon the murderous character in the woods, (leaving him/her at the fate of the zombies) or take him/her with you. Because I was curious of what would happen, I let the murderer stay with us. And you know what happened next? The murderer stole our RV from us. We suddenly had no transportation and everyone was mad at me! lol. 

True to The Walking Dead, a lot of people close to you will die, quickly and unexpectedly. Because of this you'll find yourself in different groups and locations along the way. People in your groups will die but you'll come across other survivors, both good and bad. Also, it's hard to find a safe haven to relax in and call home. No place is 100% safe during a zombie apocalypse. 

The tie-ins to the TV show and comics are nicely done. First, you meet Hershel Greene. Yep, the same Hershel Greene who first appeared in Season 2 of the television show and fixed up Carl's gunshot wound. You spend a little time on Hershel's farm. (Unfortunately, Scott Wilson does not voice Hershel. The Hershel on this game looks more like his comic book adaptation).

Later you run into Glenn Rhee. Yep, the same Glenn who rescued Rick from the tank in Season 1 and constantly banged Hershel's daughter, Maggie, in the prison during Season 3. Glenn will be part of your group for a while but not for too long. Sad, because his speed and bravery will be a great asset to you while he's around. I don't wanna spoil his reasons for leaving but after his time with you, he goes to Atlanta and meets up with Shane, Lori, Dale, Daryl, etc. Seeing as to how Glenn had yet to go to Atlanta and Hershel was still a naive and un-trusting jerk, the first episode of the game obviously takes place a few weeks before Rick Grimes wakes up from his coma.
Picture
There are many puzzles and obstacles throughout the game that you have to figure out. At one point you have to figure out how to start a train, teach Clem how to shoot a gun, find clever escape routes, etc.  

I have to applaud the character development in this game. Clem constantly looks up to you and has a way of making you warm up to her no matter how much of a hard ass you think you might be. When she compliments you and looks up at you with those big brown eyes, how can you be mean to her? 

There are other characters you'll find yourself getting attached to as well. Even though it's just a game, I personally cared about each and every member of our group as the episodes progressed. If you make certain choices, everyone will look to Lee as their leader. If that happens, you're not responsible for just yourself and Clem, but everyone in your group. When you come across other survivors, will you invite them to join you or not take any unnecessary chances with strangers? Your morality and maturity will always come into question. Other examples....

*There is a racist man in your group at one point named Larry. Larry makes things difficult for you. You have a variety of options of how to respond to him. What do you do? 

*If your best friend's child is bitten by a zombie and about to turn, do you put him down yourself or make your friend do it? 

*At one point a crazy woman with a crossbow threatens to shoot off your balls and string em' up in a tree. Do you talk her down or just kill her? (Obvious answer, here).

*If you kill another human being in front of Clem and she asks you about it, are you going to be upfront with her or sugarcoat things?

*Do you feel safe at your current camp site or do you decide to move on? 

There are so many decisions to make and you have to make them quick. The decisions are game-altering and for some characters, life-altering. 
Picture
Working with Glenn Rhee to fight off a swarming zombie attack at a motel.

A.J.'s Final Word

I haven't been this hooked on a video game since playing Metal Gear Solid on the original Playstation back in 1999. That game had a great cinematic story to it and required you to think fast to solve certain obstacles. The Walking Dead Season 1 has those same elements but at a whole 'new level. The only thing I didn't like was the sad ending. Other than that, the game was near perfect and really forces you to decide how you would react in a zombie apocalypse.  I might have to break tradition and give this one 5 stars out of 5 because I honestly don't know if I've played a better action/adventure game.

***** 5 Stars out of 5

July 2014 Update: Now that I've played the game twice since blogging this, I caught several things I didn't catch the first time. For one, the character I called racist may or may not have been. Secondly, little Clementine is African American! Damned if she doesn't look Korean!!! Here is a picture of her parents.
Picture
Oh! My bad! Wrong couple. Here's Clementine's REAL family  (Silly me).
Picture
As the picture proved, Clementine comes from a normal African American family, not unlike The Cosbys. Also, after beating the game, you have the option of playing 400 Days, an anthology game of 5 different stories post-apocalypse. In the end, the stories are all cleverly intertwined and, depending on your choices, affect upcoming situations in season 2.
Picture

Game Trailer

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Award-Winning Journalist A.J. Dugger III

    Promote Your Page Too

    Author

    A.J. Dugger is an Award-Winning Television and Print & Media Journalist.

    He appears as a crime analyst on the TV-One crime series, For My Man, and is the author of four books: Black Journals,  the horror anthology SoUtHeRn TeRrOr, the mystery crime thriller Who KILLED Joel Larson? and The Dealers: Then and Now, the sensational story of his mother and uncles' career as a funk band.

    The Dealers: Then and Now

    Promote Your Page Too

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    2002
    2006
    2011
    Abby
    Abigail Anderson
    Allie Colombo
    Allie Columbo
    Al Weil
    An American Werewolf In London
    Andre Bishop
    Anxiety
    Archie Moore
    Aron Tager
    Assault
    Autism
    Bad Intentions
    Barbara Cousins
    Baritone
    Barrett
    Barry Gordy
    Bass
    Batman
    Batman Forever
    Bel Biv DeVoe
    Berry Gordy
    Bipolar
    Bipolar Disorder
    Bite
    Black Hercules
    Blog
    Bloodsport
    Bluffington
    Bobby Brown
    Bolo Yeung
    BOXING
    Brockton
    Bruce Williamson
    Carmine Vingo
    Catwoman
    Charles Winkler
    Charley Goldman
    Charlie Goldman
    Chong Li
    Chris Ferry
    Chuck Lane
    Civil Rights
    Clifford Etienne
    Cody Darbe
    Crime
    Crook Brothers
    Curl
    Cus D'amato
    Damon Harris
    Dancin Machine
    David
    David Ruffin
    David Tua
    Death
    Dennis Edwards
    Deontay Wilder
    Depression
    Donald Ho
    Doug Funnie
    Drago
    Duane Jones
    Duke Desmond
    Ear
    Earnie Shavers
    Eddie Futch
    Eddie Kendricks
    Ellie
    Evander Holyfield
    Facebook
    Falsetto
    Fight To Survive
    Floyd Patterson
    Forest Whitaker
    Frank Dileo
    Frank Dux
    Frankie Carbo
    Freddy Krueger
    Freddy Versus Jason
    Freelance
    Friday The 13th
    Full Moon
    Gazelle Punch
    George C. Scott
    George Foreman
    Ghostwrite
    Hair
    Hasim Rahman
    Haye
    Hbo
    Heavyweight
    Heavyweight Champion
    Horror
    Ingemar Johansson
    Invincible
    Italian
    Jack Dempsey
    Jack Johnson
    Jackson
    Jackson 5
    Jason Takes Manhattan
    Jason Voorhees
    Jean-Claude Van Damme
    Jeffrey Crook
    Jheri
    Jimmy Jam And Terry Lewis
    Jimmy Young
    Joe
    Joe Frazier
    Joe Herndon
    Joel Larson
    Joel Miller
    Joe Louis
    Joel Schumacher
    Johnny Gill
    John Ruiz
    Jon Favreau
    Joshua Crook
    Journalism
    Judy Funnie
    Justin Timberlake
    Ken Kirzinger
    Ken Norton
    Kevin Rooney
    Kickboxer
    Knockout
    Kumite
    Larry Holmes
    Lauren Currie Lewis
    Left Hook
    Lennox Lewis
    Low Latent Inhibtion
    Ma
    Martial Arts
    Marvis Frazier
    Max Baer
    Memphis
    Mental Health
    Mental Illness
    Mentally Ill
    Michael
    Michael Jackson
    Michael Moorer
    Michael Spinks
    Mike Tyson
    Mills Lane
    Miss. Wingo
    Monte
    Monte Barrett
    Moonwalker
    Motown
    Moving Violation
    Muhammad Ali
    Murder
    Mystery
    Mystery Novel
    Nation Of Islam
    Naughty Dog
    New Edition
    New Jack Swing
    Nickelodeon
    Nightmare On Elm Street
    Novel
    On My Own
    Otis Williams
    Paco
    Patti Mayonnaise
    Peekaboo
    Penelope Ann Miller
    Phil Funnie
    Playstation 4
    Porkchop
    Primo Carnera
    Prince
    Principal Lamar Bone
    Privacy
    Ps4
    Ralph Tresvant
    Razor Ruddock
    Rematch
    Review
    Ricardo Morra
    Richard Nixon
    Richard Street
    Rick Grimes
    Rocky Marciano
    Roger Klotz
    Roland Lastarza
    Ron Tyson
    Salvage
    Schizophrenia
    Sensitivity
    Sister Ruth
    Skeeter Valentine
    Smash Adams
    Sonny Liston
    Southern Terror
    Stan Bush
    Stephanie Mcmahon
    Stephen Glass
    Still Here
    Stone Cold Steve Austin
    Sugar Ray Robinson
    Sumo
    Suspense Novel
    Suzy Q
    Suzy-q
    Teddy Atlas
    Teen Nick
    Tennessee
    Tenor
    Terry Weeks
    The Gentleman Of Boxing
    The Howling 4
    The Howling IV
    Theismann
    The Jawbreaker
    The Last Of Us Part 2
    The Making Of Thriller
    The Old Mongoose
    The Rock
    The Tempations
    The Temptations
    The Walking Dead
    Thriller
    Timeline
    Tommy Morrison
    Tony Galento
    Tony Lo Bianco
    Triple H
    Tua
    Tyson Fury
    Uncle Tom
    Undefeated
    Undisputed
    Victory
    Video Blog
    Vince Mcmahon
    Vitali
    Wave
    WBC
    Werewolf
    What If?
    Whodunit
    Who Killed Joel Larson?
    Wig
    Wladimir
    Wladimir Klitschko
    Wwf

    Archives

    January 2022
    December 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    November 2020
    September 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    February 2013
    May 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.