I write this first post whilst keenly awaiting the second episode of Telltale Games 'The Walking Dead'. I have wanted to love adventure games all my life, having attempted to play a huge number over the years. The only one I can remember completing from start to finish is Grim Fandango and, despite starting Sam and Max, several Monkey Islands, Full Throttle, Leisure Suit Larry (to my shame, but I was of an age) and the more recent Back To The Future and Puzzle Agent, they were never the game I wanted.
Where The Walking Dead gets it right and so many others failed is character. From the stark opening dialogue with a cynical US cop through to the shocking finalé of this opening chapter I was living Lee Everett's life. I didn't have to labour through obscure puzzles, linking up strange objects and jumping through far-fetched logical links. I didn't have to spend a long time in the same three room setting. I did get to make genuinely troubling moral decisions. I did connect with an array of well written and scripted characters in a mature and well-paced storyline.
Of course, this is a zombie game and there is the chance to smash undead skull but I'm not coming back for the action. I'm coming back to find out what happens to Lee, Clementine, Carley and company and to find out if Lenny is going to get his just desserts.
Sadly I've only been able to play through the short few hours once because I want my snap decisions and reactions to be the ones that I must live with without being tempted by other (possibly more attractive) outcomes. I'm looking forward to coming back though when all five episodes are released and playing through the whole story with some different outcomes.
Hopefully Telltale can manage to keep the pace, variety, tough choices and great cast entertaining me throughout the remaining four episodes. I trust that they will.
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