The Walking Dead

"If you just want to blow heads off, then this game isn’t for you. It certainly is an acquired taste, but if you love this niche genre of gaming, you don’t need to worry too much about this game."

85%Game Brain Score

story, emotional

stability, grinding

97% User Score Based on 43,040 reviews

Critic Score 88%Based on 6 reviews

Platforms

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About

"The Walking Dead" is a five-part game series set in the same universe as the comic book series, where you play as Lee Everett, a criminal turned protector of a young girl named Clementine in a post-apocalyptic world filled with zombies. The game offers a tailored experience with choices that have lasting consequences, and decisions must be made quickly in tense situations. Experience the true horror of a zombie apocalypse while shaping your own story in this game based on the Eisner-Award winning comic book series.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 43,046 reviews

story11.6k positive mentions

stability278 negative mentions

story
23,757 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
50%
2%
The story of "The Walking Dead: Season One" is widely praised for its emotional depth and character development, centering on the relationship between Lee Everett and the young girl Clementine as they navigate a post-apocalyptic world filled with moral dilemmas and tough choices. While many players appreciate the gripping narrative and the way choices influence character interactions, some note that the overall plot remains largely linear, with predetermined outcomes that can diminish the perceived impact of player decisions. Overall, it is regarded as a masterclass in storytelling within video games, making it a must-play for fans of narrative-driven experiences.
- “Telltale's The Walking Dead is a masterpiece in storytelling, blending tough choices with a deeply emotional journey.”
- “The characters are rich, the atmosphere is tense, and the story pulls you in from the start, building to one of the most powerful endings in gaming.”
- “The story is intense and emotional, and it manages to balance hope, fear, and loss in a way few games achieve.”
- “The company markets it as 'tailored by your choice,' but it is, in the end, a linear story.”
- “Your choices only will change the interactions with some characters or few dialogues but it won’t affect at all to the big plot devices of the story, so the replayable value of these games is very low.”
- “The choices you make really do impact the story and once you have completed it you will want to go back and see what happens if you make different choices.”
emotional
5,854 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "The Walking Dead: A Telltale Series" is overwhelmingly praised by players, who describe it as a deeply moving and heart-wrenching experience. Many express that the game's narrative, particularly the relationship between Lee and Clementine, evokes strong emotional responses, often leading to tears during pivotal moments, especially the ending. Players highlight the game's ability to create genuine emotional connections with characters, making difficult choices feel impactful and resonant long after the game concludes.
- “TWD is a masterpiece of storytelling, blending tough choices with a deeply emotional journey.”
- “Clementine and Lee's story is so heartbreaking, I've never cried as much as I did at the end of a game.”
- “This game, especially the ending, will be one of the most emotional moments in my gaming life.”
- “Boring story.”
gameplay
4,042 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
67%
6%
The gameplay of "The Walking Dead" is primarily focused on storytelling, utilizing a point-and-click adventure style with quick-time events and dialogue choices that significantly impact the narrative. While many players find the gameplay simplistic and sometimes tedious, the emotional depth and character development are highly praised, making the experience engaging despite its minimalistic mechanics. Overall, the game is celebrated for its compelling story rather than traditional gameplay elements, appealing to those who prioritize narrative over action.
- “This game incorporates immersive storytelling into digestible gameplay.”
- “The story is superb, the gameplay is great and has lots of endings depending on what you choose to say and do within the game.”
- “With its engaging gameplay, memorable characters, and impactful choices, 'The Walking Dead' game offers an unforgettable experience that resonates long after the final scene.”
- “The gameplay is outdated and the UI is confusing.”
- “The gameplay is tedious and the puzzles are needless, but the story holds up even after a decade.”
- “The gameplay is very simplistic, which makes sense since it is obviously not the focus of the game.”
graphics
2,840 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
55%
6%
The graphics of "The Walking Dead" are characterized by a distinctive comic-book art style that effectively complements its narrative, creating an immersive atmosphere. While some players note that the visuals are dated and occasionally glitchy, many appreciate the cel-shaded design for its ability to convey emotion and enhance storytelling. Overall, the game's unique aesthetic is often seen as a strength, allowing players to focus on the impactful story rather than high-end graphics.
- “The graphics have a comic-book art style, paying homage to the original source material, and the soundtrack intensifies every key moment.”
- “The art style, with its comic book-inspired visuals, perfectly complements the source material, and the voice acting is stellar, bringing characters to life in a way that makes you deeply care about their fates.”
- “The graphics feel like a comic come to life with its cell-shaded graphics and exaggerated expressions.”
- “Looking back on it now, the graphics are bad compared to today's standards; however, it's still a great game I would recommend if you're looking for a good story game to play.”
- “The graphics were simple but stylistic, which made it pleasant to look at; the only thing of note is the contrast between the skin and the eyes made the low polygon count of the eyes very, very noticeable.”
- “For starters, the graphics are noticeably dated, and while the cel-shaded style remains visually appealing over ten years later, there are some issues with canned animation in Telltale's repository that show themselves up a little too often.”
music
740 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
51%
1%
The music in the game is widely praised for its emotional depth and ability to enhance the storytelling, with many players noting how it perfectly complements the game's atmosphere and pivotal moments. The soundtrack, composed by Jared Emerson-Johnson, features haunting melodies that evoke a range of feelings, from tension during action sequences to somber reflections during quieter moments. Overall, the music is considered a standout element that significantly contributes to the immersive experience of the game.
- “The visuals, combined with a haunting soundtrack, effectively capture the bleak and tense atmosphere of a world in chaos.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing and fits in every moment.”
- “I bawled my eyes out at the end, and when the credits started rolling with that amazing music, I was left feeling completely shattered and empty.”
- “The soundtrack, while not noteworthy, can hit you right in the feels.”
- “I thought the music was lacking; I felt the characters were shallow.”
- “Soundtrack is also a weak part; most of the melodies are repeating themselves, but there were a few moments when the soundtrack supported the game, to be honest.”
atmosphere
558 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
42%
1%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its intense, immersive quality, effectively capturing the bleakness and tension of a post-apocalyptic world. Players appreciate the combination of haunting soundtracks, stylized visuals, and rich character development, which together create a gripping emotional experience. Many reviews highlight how the game's atmosphere enhances storytelling, making choices feel impactful and the overall journey unforgettable.
- “The visuals, combined with a haunting soundtrack, effectively capture the bleak and tense atmosphere of a world in chaos.”
- “From the very first moment, the game immerses you in a tense and desperate atmosphere where survival becomes paramount.”
- “The atmosphere is dark and gloomy, it truly feels as though there is no hope.”
- “The atmosphere was near non-existent, the cartoonishness killed it and the zombies ended up looking comical.”
- “A game world that almost solely evolves around caricatures of human beings - dim-witted, selfish and self-pitying - cast into story events so forced and so numerous that it could be comical if the atmosphere were not so depressing - I could never recommend that to anyone!”
- “While it doesn't have the best gameplay, its story, music, and overall atmosphere made it all worth it; the game is a lovely experience I'd recommend to anyone looking for a good story-driven game.”
replayability
548 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
62%
7%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising its choice-driven narrative that allows for different outcomes and experiences, leading to high replay value. However, some reviewers note that despite the potential for varied decisions, the overall story remains largely linear, which can diminish the incentive to replay. Ultimately, while many find the game engaging enough to warrant multiple playthroughs, others feel that once the story is known, the replayability significantly decreases.
- “This choice-based gameplay adds a layer of replayability, as players are tempted to see how different decisions could change the course of the story.”
- “The replay value of the game is insane too.”
- “The game is heavy on its choices and what you choose to do or say will affect the outcome of your story, giving the game replay value.”
- “Other than that, this game has little to no replay value, so make sure you are in for the experience because I can assure you this game will give you one.”
- “Limited replayability: while choices affect the story, the overall narrative remains largely the same, reducing the incentive to play multiple times.”
- “Sadly, in my opinion, this game does not have any real replay value as once you play through it once, you really don't see the point of playing it again as you are not likely to deviate from the original choices you made in the game.”
character development
518 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
47%
1%
The character development in Telltale's "The Walking Dead" is widely praised as one of the game's standout features, with many reviewers highlighting its depth and emotional impact. Players feel a strong connection to characters like Lee and Clementine, as their choices significantly influence relationships and story outcomes, creating a memorable and immersive experience. Overall, the game is celebrated for its exceptional storytelling and character arcs, making it a must-play for fans of narrative-driven gaming.
- “Telltale's The Walking Dead series is a masterclass in narrative-driven gaming, combining emotional depth, character development, and intense decision-making.”
- “The game's rich character development and profound emotional depth make it a truly unforgettable gaming experience.”
- “The character development is so deep and the game really makes you feel something for each and every one of them, even when you set out to really hate one of them (bad guys included) you always end up seeing another side to the story that adds tons of depth to each character.”
- “The character development is hit or miss, and the overall plotline is engaging enough but not spectacular.”
- “Each character goes through their own ordeals, but at least 2 of the characters don't get the character development for you to care about them or the people they're around.”
- “Overall this game's story and character development were something that really surprised me and I am glad that I had a good time interacting in the story, even if the choices weren't outcome-altering decisions.”
stability
290 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
1%
96%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches, including issues with the save system, graphical anomalies, and occasional freezes. While some players found these technical problems to be minor and manageable, others described the game as a "buggy mess" that detracted significantly from the overall experience. Overall, the stability issues seem to vary widely among users, with some experiencing few problems while others faced significant gameplay interruptions.
- “The game runs great on modern hardware, definitely worth it.”
- “I often like to mention that the game runs great on Linux.”
- “The game worked well, with no glitches, and was interesting.”
- “This game is a buggy mess; the save system is broken, models don't load all the time, and choices you make don't matter because sometimes the game doesn't register them.”
- “The story seems good, but the game-breaking glitches killed it for me.”
- “This game should never have been released in the buggy state it was in; it's a ripoff in that it's unplayable and you can't return it once you discover this.”
humor
242 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mix of dark comedy and unexpected moments that often arise from character interactions and graphical quirks, leading to both laughter and emotional engagement. While some players appreciate the balance of humor with serious themes, others find the humor inconsistent or overshadowed by the game's darker elements. Overall, the game successfully elicits a range of emotions, including laughter, through its well-written characters and situational comedy, despite some technical flaws.
- “The attention to detail is amazing and the easter eggs are hilarious.”
- “It's funny at times, a lot of the story developments or twists had me genuinely surprised; I felt truly attached to the characters, I cried several times, lmao, in every way this is just a great game.”
- “The story is emotional, tense, and even funny sometimes; it ticks all the right boxes.”
grinding
140 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
36%
63%
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and monotonous, with many players feeling that it requires an excessive time investment to progress. While some find the gameplay simplistic and occasionally frustrating, the strong narrative and character development often compensate for these shortcomings, making the experience worthwhile despite the grind. Overall, players suggest that while the game can be a long slog, the emotional engagement and storytelling keep them invested.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy... sometimes.”
- “One long, tedious grind.”
- “The gameplay sequences are tedious (and barely playable with an azerty keyboard), the graphics are meh, your choices have no real consequences, and half of the game time is unnecessary filler pixel hunt (or boring conversation trees).”
- “Sometimes there is no clear way to advance so you end up stuck for hours doing tedious tasks until you give up or look online for the solution.”
optimization
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
38%
22%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing performance issues such as stuttering, crashes, and graphical glitches, particularly during cut-scenes and on higher settings. While some users report smooth gameplay on lower-end systems, others have faced significant technical challenges, indicating that the game's engine is not well-optimized. Overall, while the narrative and voice acting are praised, the technical aspects detract from the overall experience for a considerable number of players.
- “Though there is no native Linux release for this game, Proton/DXVK do a stellar job of performing near, or better than, native performance.”
- “It runs smoothly and has only a few wonky things occur (most of which aren't completely unexpected for a game from this time).”
- “The performance is good with practically no lag, even on my low-end laptop.”
- “However, the game’s technical aspects can sometimes falter, with occasional bugs and stuttering.”
- “In terms of performance, I experienced multiple crashes, and characters T-posing and freezing at times.”
- “Broken and horrible optimization; the game screwed the save file three times in a row, and I had to edit the game's programming in order to make it functional. There is no excuse for a game that doesn't work.”
monetization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for being misleading, as advertisements suggest significant player choice that ultimately has little impact on the story. Many users feel the game is a cash grab, offering a short experience that fails to deliver on its promises, leading to disappointment among fans. Overall, players recommend exploring the source material instead, as it provides a more fulfilling experience.
- “From what I understand reading other reviews, this choice would have made no difference...so the advertisement and one of the key premises on which this game is supposedly based is a lie.”
- “Didn't mind this game until I realized how short it was, an okay idea but seemed to have become a cash grab.”
- “Your choices do matter though not as much as the advertisements would have you believe.”