“The year 2012 is going to be a great year for video-games”. I don’t know how many times i’ve said this. But it’s turning out to be a fact; one which makes me happy and excited. And as such, there is the possibility of that odd game totally passing under your radar. The game might not be popular on the hype meter, or it just might not look good in the previews. One such game which totally surprised me is The Walking Dead episode One.
First of all this is not your typical Zombie slaying game. So if you’re expecting something akin to Left 4 Dead, don’t give this game a try. It’s based on the critically acclaimed television series, and hence its focus is more on the story and the characters than on the zombies. It’s a character driver game where you interact with the world around you and unravel the story. And Telltale game studios have done an excellent job of recreating the world as shown to us by its television counterpart.

The major highlights of the game are the solid story and the immersive graphics. The graphics are especially impressive, and coupled with the brilliant set-pieces, really bring the game to life. Again, I did not really expect the game to be this good, and so I had to play the game twice just to ensure that I wasn’t getting carried away! That does not mean that it does not have its flaws. The game lacks good puzzles; a game such as this needs some puzzles to keep the entertainment factor going throughout. The other thing that I didn’t like is the low level of difficulty. Difficulty makes the game even more entertaining. Well, I guess Dark Souls has spoiled me.
Overall, I feel The Walking Dead is an amazing achievement. It does not have the hype or the funding, but Telltale games have created a shocker of a good game which will be an underground sensation and will be talked about for years to come. And this is just the first episode. More are coming, which just adds to the excitement. This year just keeps getting better!
Gameplay