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The Walking Dead: A New Frontier Episode 1 And 2 Review – Far From Dead

Published Tue, 20 Dec 2016 02:00:05 -0600

Last updated Tue, 20 Dec 2016 02:15:23 -0600

Telltale's The Walking Dead's first season remains one of the best storytelling achievements in games in the last few years by my account. It's the game that transformed Telltale Games from an odd studio that seemed strangely focused on episodic adventure games, two things that weren't exactly lighting up the charts in 2012, into a heavy hitter. With some real ground breaking moves, The Walking Dead almost invigorated both the genre and form, and the developer hasn't looked back since. The series is just one among many franchises that Telltale now looks after, but it remains the flagship, the jewell in the crown.

And so, here we are at Season 3, of which I've played the first two episodes called The Ties That Bind Part 1 and Part 2 (which are being released at the same time as a double bill). While it is hard to say I 'enjoyed' my time with the episodes, it's hard to deny their quality and Telltale's understanding of this franchise.

A New Frontier feels a little different to what came previously in this series, with one obvious reason. Clementine isn't the focus here. While some didn't much like the second season, I had a real soft spot for it, really bringing Clementine out of her childhood and shaping her into a survivor based on your definitions. Instead, this time around though, you will be taking up the role of Javier Garcia. He's charged with looking after his late brother's wife and two children as they use their car to survive through the zombie infested world. As is always the way though, the family find themselves in a spot of bother with a potentially nasty group called The New Frontier, which eventually leads to 'Javi' meeting Clementine.

While some might kick and scream about moving away from Clementine a little, I think this really is a stroke of cleverness on Telltale's behalf. Javier comes into his own over the two episodes, so I never found myself missing Clementine, but what it also allows you to do is meet the character you crafted over the last two seasons. It's easy to not trust anyone and be a live wire when your in her shoes, but to be on the other side of Clementine's gun, in the third person, you can really appreciate (or look on in horror) at the character you created. You are no longer protecting her like Lee, or making her choices directly. You are now at the mercy of the survivor she has become, no longer influencing her under your guardianship. It's a really fresh idea, and one that allows Clementine to grow into her own thing, while never forgetting the past. And chances are, you might not love everything she has become either, but that is powerful. While there is certainly a gap between when you last saw her, she does more or less feel like the character you left off with, albeit with a little more expereince.

Now, I said earlier, I didn't quite 'enjoy' my time with the game, but that isn't a slight against the episodes. Any fan of the franchise will know that 'enjoyment' or 'fun' aren't a huge part of the experience. For a recent example, The TV show's season 7 opener was brutal and awful, chewing up an audience and spitting them out. When I caught that episode, I thought there was more than a twinge of sadism to it, the writers almost gleefully punishing its audience with reckless abandon. I don't quite get that from Telltale's newest efforts, but it's hardly feel good either. There is no glee here on the writer's behalf, but rather a willingness to really do some bad stuff to their characters in order to progress everything a step. Once or twice in the two episodes it skirts on the edge of gratuitous, but never quite fell off that edge. Still, there is a ton of tough material in here, really making the player's first time with Javi feel like a baptism by fire. You aren't going to feel great after playing these two episodes, but I do think what I played was of a great quality, and a really smart direction to take the series.

It's also worth noting that the game is by far, the best looking game Telltale have ever released. Even Batman: A Telltale Series, which felt like a massive leap forward graphically for the developer, feels a step or two below what Telltale have brought to The Walking Dead. Make no mistake though, if you are looking for an evolution of gameplay, this isn't that. This is a Telltale game through and through.

On that note, The Walking Dead Season 3 doesn't reinvent the wheel by any stretch of hte imagination, but that doesn't mean it has no ideas. Shifting your perspective on Clementine, to witness the survivor you built over the last two seasons is a really fascinting place to take the character, especially as you may not love who she has become. It's a fascinating choice that really does make the first two episodes of the new season feel distinct from what has come so far in this series. Javi is an interesting enough character to hang your hat on and his struggle to keep his family together in a difficult portion of their journey is compelling enough to push you forward, and it most certainly comes to an end that will make you auidbly say, "what?!". The episodes are jammed packed with feel bad moments, and some of it can be tough to get through, but it never quite tips over to indulgent on Telltale's behalf. You certainly won't walk away from the two parter with sunshine and rainbows, or feeling like this is a revolution of form by the developer, but I believe you will feel a you've played a solid entry in the franchise, and one that certainly surpasses the current state of the popular TV show. That's more than good enough.

Buy it if: You want a strong two part outing that continues this long running story, with new ideas on how to present this world and its characters. Also if you want to play by far the best looking outing by the developer.

Avoid it if: You don't like Telltale's style, or if you don't fancy getting involved in a harrowing and upsetting story.

Score: 8.3/10

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