Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Masterpiece"

I want to begin by stating that this was by far one of the best gaming experiences I have ever had, and certainly the best one I had in 2012 even though I did not get to play every new release, The Walking Dead was my clear candidate for Game of the Year.

Telltale Games wrote a story for this game that will tug on your heartstrings. It's easy to become lost in this world and connected with the characters or in some cases annoyed with them as well. The game isn't entirely about killing zombies and as such it stays true to the Walking Dead's theme of portraying how people react in an apocalyptic situation. Amidst the chaos, the main character Lee, stumbles upon an 8 year old girl named Clementine. She is separated from her parents who had left on a trip before the walkers came about. It quickly becomes Lee's (the player's) responsibility to choose how to protect and care for Clementine in this new twisted environment.

The Walking Dead is split up into 5 different episodes, making up the entire game. I believe it would be an injustice to the game as a whole to review each episode individually because the story builds upon itself. This game separates itself from other titles in more ways than one, making it a unique gem. The Walking Dead is crafted around the player's ability to make certain decisions that affect the outcome of the story and also the disposition of the other characters towards Lee. Most importantly, the game will at times give you some pretty difficult decisions to make, many times without warning. In addition to this, your time to choose a response is limited, making the situation that much more frantic.

It is difficult to give a clear representation of what to expect when playing the Walking Dead without giving away spoilers. It is an experience unlike any other and deserves to be pristine from the start as the story can sometimes surprise you quite well. The simple gameplay is refreshing and relaxing but also makes the game incredibly easy for just about anybody to pick up. I strongly recommend the Walking Dead to any person looking for a great story with plenty of emotional shock value. The Walking Dead is a masterpiece.