Wow. What can I say about The Walking Dead? It’s was on every game reviewer’s “best game of the year” for a reason. TWD is one of the best experiences I’ve had in a game in a long time.

Let’s start with the story, which is the highlight of the game. TWD puts you in the role of Lee, a man who was on his way to prison before the zombie outbreak occurred. You meet up with a little girl named Clementine, whom becomes your constant companion, as you travel with a revolving door of characters and doing everything you can to survive. The story itself is no different than a typical zombie misadventure, but it’s the characters and writing that make TWD stand out.

I became so involved with the plight of Lee and company that I almost believed they were real people. I became all the more invested with the fact that I helped shape the story I was experiencing. At crucial moments, Lee has to make choices that will affect who lives and dies in the story, among other things. It felt like MY story, and I plan to play it again someday to see how things can turn out differently.

The gameplay itself is decent, albeit a tad frustrating. This is an adventure game, much like Telltale’s Back To The Future, or Monkey Island. Most of your time is spent solving puzzles or partaking in “quicktime events” to get out of danger. Some of the puzzles are a bit obscure and take forever to figure out. Sometimes during action scenes, my controller wouldn’t repsond, and I’d die cheaply (SIDE NOTE: I played this game on xbox, so I can’t speak for PC gameplay). These problems weren’t enough to deter me from playing, but it’s worth noting. Adventure games aren’t for everyone.

The graphics are what I like to call “Telltale” graphics. They really do have their own style. It’s cartoon-like, with cell shading and lots of heavy shadows. Though they should have felt out of place in a game as serious in tone as this, the graphics complemented the game well. I liked them, but I can see where someone might not.

The Walking Dead was an amazing experience. It’s worth every penny for every chapter. The storytelling is stellar, and it’s a fun and unique experience that will keep you hooked right up until the credits roll.

NOTE: The images used is this review are © to their respective owners.