Jump to content

The Walking Dead (video game)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Walking Dead
Video game poster artwork depicting Lee Everett and Clementine
Developer(s)Telltale Games
Publisher(s)Telltale Games
Director(s)Sean Vanaman
Jake Rodkin
Dennis Lenart
Eric Parsons
Nick Herman
Sean Ainsworth
Designer(s)Sean Vanaman
Jake Rodkin
Mark Darin
Harrison G. Pink
Andrew Langley
Sean Ainsworth
Programmer(s)Carl Muckenhoupt
Randy Tudor
Keenan Patterson
Artist(s)Derek Sakai
Writer(s)Sean Vanaman[2]
Mark Darin[3]
Gary Whitta[4]
Composer(s)Jared Emerson-Johnson
SeriesThe Walking Dead
EngineTelltale Tool
Platform(s)Android
iOS
Kindle Fire HDX
OS X
Windows
Nintendo Switch
Ouya
PlayStation 3
PlayStation 4
PlayStation Vita
Xbox 360
Xbox One
Release
Episode 1
  • Windows, Mac OS X
    • WW: April 24, 2012
    PlayStation 3
    • NA: April 24, 2012
    • EU: April 25, 2012
    Xbox 360
    • WW: April 27, 2012
    iOS
    • WW: July 26, 2012
    Kindle Fire HDX
    • WW: December 19, 2013
Episode 2
  • Xbox 360
    • WW: June 27, 2012
    Windows, Mac OS X
    • WW: June 29, 2012[1]
    PlayStation 3
    • NA: June 29, 2012
    • EU: July 6, 2012
    iOS
    • WW: August 29, 2012
    Kindle Fire HDX
    • WW: December 19, 2013
Episode 3
  • PlayStation 3
    • WW: August 28, 2012
    Windows, Mac OS X, Xbox 360
    • WW: August 29, 2012
    iOS
    • WW: October 28, 2012
    Kindle Fire HDX
    • WW: December 19, 2013
Episode 4
  • PlayStation 3
    • WW: October 9, 2012
    Windows, Mac OS X, Xbox 360
    • WW: October 10, 2012
    iOS
    • WW: November 8, 2012
    Kindle Fire HDX
    • WW: December 19, 2013
Episode 5
  • PlayStation 3
    • WW: November 20, 2012
    Windows, Mac OS X, Xbox 360
    • WW: November 21, 2012
    iOS
    • WW: November 20, 2012
    Kindle Fire HDX
    • WW: December 19, 2013
Retail version
  • Mac OS X, Windows, PlayStation 3 & Xbox 360
    • NA: December 11, 2012
    • AU: May 9, 2013
    • EU: May 10, 2013
    PlayStation Vita
    • WW: August 22, 2013
    PlayStation 4, Xbox One
    • NA: October 14, 2014
    • EU: October 31, 2014
    Switch
    • WW: August 28, 2018
Genre(s)
Mode(s)Single-player

The Walking Dead[a] is a 2012 episodic graphic adventure video game developed and published by Telltale Games. Set in the same universe as the comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman, it is the first installment in Telltale's The Walking Dead video game series. The game follows Lee Everett, a convicted criminal who becomes the guardian of a young girl named Clementine amidst the onset of a zombie apocalypse in Georgia. Player decisions, such as dialogue choices and actions, influence the story’s direction, with the consequences of these choices carrying over across the game’s episodes.

Telltale Games acquired rights to develop The Walking Dead in 2011 after success with other licensed titles. They worked closely with Robert Kirkman, focusing on making a narrative where players made morally challenging decisions that influenced the storyline while avoiding conventional game-over scenarios. While players' choices impact relationships and the immediate story, they do not significantly alter the overarching plot, creating a balance between player agency and a cohesive narrative.

Released in five episodes between April and November 2012 on various platforms, The Walking Dead received widespread praise for its emotional depth, the dynamic between Lee and Clementine, and its impact on the adventure game genre. It won year-end accolades, including Game of the Year awards from several gaming publications, and has been regarded as one of the greatest video games ever made. By the end of 2012, it had sold over 8.5 million episodes, with total sales reaching 28 million copies by July 2024, making it the best-selling adventure game of all time.

In 2013, Telltale expanded the game into a franchise by releasing an additional downloadable episode, 400 Days, to extend the first season and bridge the gap towards Season 2, which was released in 2013 and 2014. Season 3 and the final season were released in 2016–2017 and 2018–2019, respectively, along with a spin-off game based on the character Michonne.

Gameplay

[edit]

The Walking Dead is a point-and-click[8] graphic adventure[9] video game played from a third-person perspective.[10] In the game, the player character, Lee Everett, tries to survive and protect a young girl named Clementine during the midst of a zombie apocalypse, working with a small group of survivors.[11] Using an on-screen reticle, the player can examine and interact with characters and items,[12] and must make use of collected items and the environment. Throughout the game, the player is presented with the ability to interact with their surroundings and options to determine the nature of that interaction.[13] The player must solve environmental puzzles or talk to different characters to progress the story.[14] According to Robert Kirkman, The Walking Dead is focused more on developing characters and story, and less on the action tropes that tend to feature in other zombie-based games, such as Left 4 Dead.[15]

A screenshot showing dialog choices. At certain points in the game's conversation trees, the player will have a limited amount of time to respond, shown at the bottom of this screen. If they do not respond in time, the game will default to the "no statement" (ellipses) option.

Some parts of the game require timed responses from the player, often leading to significant decisions that will impact the game's story, in the manner of role-playing games (RPGs).[16] Some conversation trees require the player to make a selection within a limited time, otherwise Lee will remain quiet, which can affect how other characters respond to him.[9][17] Unlike in other RPGs such as the Mass Effect or Fallout series, where choices fall on either side of a "good or evil" scale, the choices within The Walking Dead have ambiguous results, having an effect on the attitude of the non-player characters towards Lee.[16][18]

The player can choose "Minimal" mode, disabling hints and the "choice notification" feature that signals changes in the game or characters' attitudes toward Lee.[19][20] In more action-based sequences, the player must follow on-screen prompts for quick time events (QTEs) so as to keep themselves or other characters alive;[9] if they die, the game restarts from just prior to the QTE.[6] Each episode of the game includes several points where the player must choose between two options.[9][10] Players can create multiple saves and use a "rewind" feature to revisit and change previous decisions, allowing them to explore different outcomes.[21]

Plot

[edit]

This is a broad overview of the plot. Certain decisions made by the player will alter details of specific events.

Several members of the main cast of survivors of The Walking Dead by Episode 4. From left, Christa, Omid, Kenny, Lee, Ben, and Chuck.

The Walking Dead occurs simultaneously with the events from the original comic series, where a zombie apocalypse overwhelms much of society.[22] On day one of the outbreak, convicted criminal Lee Everett (Dave Fennoy) is being transported to prison when the police car crashes after hitting a walker. After killing the reanimated cop, Lee flees from a group of walkers and takes shelter in a suburban home, where he meets Clementine (Melissa Hutchison), a young girl whose parents had traveled to Savannah. They are rescued by Shawn Greene (Peter Edward Mussad), who takes them to his father Hershel’s (Chuck Kourouklis) farm, where they meet Kenny (Gavin Hammon), his wife Katjaa (Cissy Jones), and their son Duck (Max Kaufman). After Shawn is killed by walkers, Hershel forces the group to leave. They travel to Macon, Lee’s hometown, and join another group led by Lilly (Nicki Rapp), barricaded in Lee’s family pharmacy. The group includes Glenn (Nick Herman), who eventually leaves to find friends in Atlanta.

Three months later, the group has holed up in a nearby motel and is low on supplies. They encounter a group of survivors, including Ben Paul (Trevor Hoffman), whose teacher's death teaches the group that everyone is already infected, turning into walkers upon death, regardless of being bitten. They make a deal with the St. Johns, a family running a nearby dairy farm, to exchange gasoline for food. However, they discover the St. Johns partake in cannibalism. The group loses two of their own, including Lilly’s father Larry (Terry McGovern), but eventually escapes the farm, leaving it overrun by walkers. On their way back to the motel, they find an abandoned car full of supplies and take what they need. Later, bandits attack the motel, drawing a horde of walkers. The group escapes, but Duck is bitten. Lilly, paranoid and unstable after losing her father, kills one of the group members and is either banished by Lee or she leaves the group later. The remaining survivors head to Savannah by train, planning to find a boat to escape the mainland. Along the way, they meet Chuck (Roger Jackson), a homeless survivor who advises Lee to teach Clementine how to defend herself. En route to Savannah, Duck succumbs to his bite, and in turn, Katjaa commits suicide. Near Savannah, the group meets Omid (Owen Thomas) and Christa (Mara Junot), a couple who joins them. A walkie-talkie that Clementine carries suddenly activates, with a man claiming he has her parents in Savannah.

In Savannah, the group sets up shelter in an abandoned mansion but loses Chuck to walkers. Lee and Kenny discover that all the boats in the area are either gone or destroyed, and that the walled community of Crawford has scavenged most of the supplies. Separated from the group, Lee encounters another group led by Vernon (Butch Engle), who helps him return to the mansion, where they discover a motorboat in a shed. The group raids Crawford for supplies, only to find the community overrun by walkers. They manage to escape, but not without losses. Vernon leaves, doubting Lee's ability to protect Clementine. Clementine, desperate to find her parents, goes missing. In his haste to find her, Lee is bitten by a walker. Realizing he doesn’t have much time left, Lee tries to find Vernon’s group but discovers they have stolen the boat. Clementine contacts Lee via walkie-talkie, telling him that she is being held at a downtown hotel, the same one where her parents had stayed. Lee’s group heads to the hotel, navigating rooftops to avoid walkers in the streets. Kenny is seemingly lost after sacrificing himself to save another member. Separated from Omid and Christa, Lee reaches the hotel alone and confronts Clementine's captor, The Stranger (Anthony Lam), who reveals he is the owner of the car they had previously ransacked. After killing the stranger, Lee and Clementine cover themselves in walker guts to avoid detection and head through the streets.

They encounter Clementine’s zombified parents, and a weakening Lee helps her reach an abandoned store. Inside, Lee urges Clementine to escape the city and find Omid and Christa. He instructs her to either shoot him or leave him to become a walker. In a post-credits scene, Clementine, having escaped the city, spots two figures in the distance who notice her.

400 Days

[edit]

The downloadable content 400 Days relates stories of other survivors in the zombie apocalypse, starting at its onset and occurring concurrently with the first season.

There are five main stories:

  • Vince (Anthony Lam) has been sentenced to prison for murder, which he had done to help his brother sometime prior to the outbreak. On Day 2 of the outbreak, Vince is on a prison-bound bus with Danny (Erik Braa) and Justin (Trevor Hoffmann) when following a stand-off, it is engulfed by walkers. Vince chooses one of the two to escape with, leaving the other to die.
  • Wyatt (Jace Smykel) and his friend Eddie (Brandon Bales) have accidentally killed a friend of Nate (Jefferson Arca) and are fleeing from him in a car on Day 41 of the outbreak when they run over one of the prison guards from Vince's bus in a dense fog. One of them gets out to save the guard but is abandoned when the other one is attacked by Nate and flees in the car.
  • Russell (Vegas Trip) is a teenager traveling by foot to visit his grandmother. On Day 184 of the outbreak, he is picked up by Nate, who takes Russell to a nearby gas station and truck stop, where they are attacked by an elderly man named Walt. Nate suggests killing and robbing Walt and his wife Jean, with Russell deliberating on staying with Nate or leaving him.
  • Bonnie (Erin Yvette) is a former drug-addict traveling with Leland (Adam Harrington) and his wife Dee (Cissy Jones). Dee distrusts Bonnie due to suspecting that Leland is attracted to her. On Day 220 of the outbreak, they are pursued by survivors that Dee stole supplies from, forcing them to split up into a corn field. After accidentally killing Dee with a rebar, Bonnie must decide whether to tell Leland the truth or lie.
  • Shel (Cissy Jones) and her younger sister Becca (Brett Pels) are members of the group seen in Bonnie's story and are residing in the truck stop seen in Russell's story. Several members are also Vernon's former companions who Lee encountered in Savannah. Roman (Kid Beyond) holds firm control of the group. When a Portuguese scavenger named Roberto attempts to steal from the group on Day 236 of the outbreak, Shel is given the deciding vote on him being killed or allowed to leave. Later on Day 259, fellow group member Stephanie (Dana Bauer) is caught stealing supplies, causing Roman to ask Shel to kill her. Shel then either goes through with it or escapes the camp with Becca on their caravan.

The five stories culminate in a final scene on Day 400 where Tavia (Rashida Clendening) discovers photos of the survivors on a billboard near the now-overrun truck stop, along with a map to a nearby location. She finds the group and offers them sanctuary nearby. Bonnie accepts, with the others either accepting or refusing depending on either their past choices or whether Tavia successfully convinces them.

Episodes

[edit]

The game was separated into five episodes, released between April and November 2012.[8] Each episode lasts about two and a half hours.[22]

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
Main series
11"A New Day"Sean Vanaman
Jake Rodkin
Sean Vanaman[23]April 24, 2012 (2012-04-24)
At the onset of the zombie apocalypse, Lee Everett rescues young Clementine, and they join other survivors in Macon, Georgia to survive the undead onslaught.
22"Starved for Help"Dennis LenartMark Darin[24]
Story by: Chuck Jordan
June 27, 2012 (2012-06-27)
After having secured a motel, Lee and the other survivors are running low on food, and decide to take an offer made by the St. Johns, a family that owns a nearby dairy farm. They come to learn the St. Johns may not be what they seem.
33"Long Road Ahead"Eric ParsonsSean Vanaman[2]
Story by:
Sean Vanaman
Jake Rodkin
Harrison G. Pink
August 28, 2012 (2012-08-28)
When bandits and walkers attack the motel, the group is forced to flee without their supplies, leading to tensions on the road. They find a working train, headed for Savannah, where Clementine hopes to find her parents.
44"Around Every Corner"Nick HermanGary Whitta[25]October 9, 2012 (2012-10-09)
The survivors arrive in Savannah to search for a boat, only to get caught in a conflict involving a corrupt community and an elusive enemy who is following them.
55"No Time Left"Sean Vanaman
Jake Rodkin
Sean Ainsworth
Sean Vanaman[26]November 20, 2012 (2012-11-20)
A bitten Lee and the remaining survivors travel across the now zombie-infested Savannah in an effort to find and rescue Clementine.
Downloadable content
66"400 Days"Sean AinsworthSean Ainsworth
Nick Breckon
Mark Darin
Sean Vanaman
Gary Whitta
July 2, 2013 (2013-07-02)
The story focuses on five new characters during the first 400 days of the zombie outbreak: Vince, a convicted criminal; Wyatt, who is fleeing from an unknown pursuer; Russell, who is trying to find his grandmother; Bonnie, a recovering drug addict; and Shel, who is trying to survive with her sister Becca. The epilogue follows Tavia, a recruiter of other survivors for her community.[27]

Supplemental episodes

[edit]

An additional episode, titled 400 Days, was released in July 2013 as downloadable content, bridging the gap between the first and second season. It focuses on five new characters, and is presented in a nonlinear narrative style; players can approach the five stories in any order they choose.[28]

Development

[edit]

Background

[edit]

Before The Walking Dead, Telltale Games had success with episodic adventures based on established properties, such as three seasons of Sam & Max and the five-episode Tales of Monkey Island.[9] In 2010, they obtained rights to Universal Studios' movies, creating Back to the Future: The Game and Jurassic Park: The Game; the latter featuring action elements inspired by Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain.[29] Sean Vanaman noted that before securing The Walking Dead, Telltale's Carl Muckenhoupt was working on a text-based prototype with an "active world," where objects and characters acted independently of player input. Although Telltale considered using this concept for a Left 4 Dead spinoff, discussions with Valve did not materialize.[30][31] Telltale announced deals with Robert Kirkman and Warner Bros. in February 2011 for episodic series based on The Walking Dead and Fables,[32][33] with The Walking Dead series set to start in the fourth quarter of 2011.[33]

Writing

[edit]
A man with a beard, smiling and wearing a blue checkered shirt, speaks into a microphone at a panel.
Robert Kirkman helped Telltale develop The Walking Dead.

During the game's development, Robert Kirkman and comic publisher Skybound Entertainment collaborated with Telltale.[34][35] Kirkman, who had enjoyed Telltale's Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, appreciated their storytelling focus and player engagement. Telltale's proposal, centered on decision-making and survival rather than action, appealed to him. Kirkman provided oversight on story elements for The Walking Dead universe while remaining hands-off in development.[36] The CEO of Telltale, Dan Connors, noted that Kirkman's involvement helped shape the story and introduce new characters while incorporating established ones from the comics.[35][37] However, Kirkman requested not to include Rick Grimes due to his long-term plans for the character.[37] Although initially unimpressed with an early build, Kirkman praised the near-final version of the game, saying, "Holy shit guys, you did it".[38]

Telltale drew inspiration from various media when developing The Walking Dead. Gameplay-wise, they referenced titles like Heavy Rain and the Uncharted series for in-game cinematics, while the player-choice mechanic was influenced by the Mass Effect series. They also sought inspiration from television shows like Game of Thrones and Mad Men for developing well-rounded characters within a short timeframe.[35] Connors also believed that traditional conversation systems often lacked a "believable rhythm", leading to the introduction of a timed input system for more realistic dialogue.[39]

The game's story was designed with the final scene of the fifth episode—where Clementine either shoots Lee or leaves him to become a walker—as the established ending that the game would build toward.[40][41] Clementine's role was considered critical to the game's writing, with the team focusing on making her a "moral compass" while ensuring that as a child character, she wasn't perceived as whiny or annoying.[40] Similarly, Lee, the game’s Black protagonist, was designed to incorporate his race without making it integral to the story; instead, societal reactions shaped the character without dictating the narrative's direction.[42] The Stranger scene in the hotel was also planned early on to evaluate the player's moral choices.[41] According to Sean Vanaman, each episode was developed by pairing a writer with a game designer to ensure cohesive plot and gameplay. Some gameplay ideas were discarded, such as a scene with the survivor group firing at zombies, as they did not fit the desired sense of panic.[38]

A man with short dark hair, wearing a olive-colored jacket over a blue shirt, speaks into a microphone while raising his arm.
Sean Vanaman directed and wrote most of The Walking Dead.

Choice

[edit]

A major aspect in the writing of The Walking Dead was the concept of death, whether for the player or non-player characters. Telltale, founded by former LucasArts employees who had worked on games where the player could not die, incorporated player death if decisions weren’t made quickly enough. Additionally, the player’s choices could lead to the permanent deaths of non-player characters.[43] This time-sensitive decision-making came from the prototype zombie game Muckenhoupt made and was designed to maintain the game's pace.[30] This led to the idea of tracking player decisions globally, and Telltale expanded their tracking tools to accommodate for such an idea.[43]

Telltale aimed to immerse players in the story through non-game-ending choices, reducing the desire to use the rewind feature. Although choices were designed to seem significant, they often had little effect on the larger narrative. According to writer Gary Whitta, all choices were meant to be equally difficult,[38] and the writers worked to keep the dialogue neutral to create an even split among player decisions.[43] For example, in Episode 1, most players chose to save Carley over Doug when each is attacked by walkers,[44] and in Episode 2, most opted to cut off the teacher’s leg rather than leave him behind to the walkers.[24] In response, Telltale adjusted dialogue in later episodes to eliminate any perceived “right” choice, leaving the notion up to the player themself.[43]

The writers of the game had to balance the established characters and timeline from the comic series while allowing for player choice. For instance, in the first episode, players are introduced to Shawn Greene, who is depicted as a walker in the comics. To remain consistent, the story ensures that Shawn is always bitten,[44] though players are given the option to attempt to save him.[45] This choice doesn't affect Shawn’s fate but influences Kenny’s perception of Lee.[44] Telltale also designed characters and choices with player biases in mind. Larry, a harsh character introduced early on, was expected to be disliked by most players. In response, Telltale created a scene in the second episode where Larry’s daughter, Lilly, attempts to redeem him in the player’s eyes, hoping to sway the player's perception of Larry. This worked as intended, with 75% of players choosing to attempt to save Larry when he suffers a heart attack.[24]

Player decisions also shaped the narrative in future episodes. In the fourth episode, for instance, Gary Whitta referenced player choices about Duck’s death—specifically who was to kill him—from episode 3 to design a similar moral dilemma where Kenny confronts the death of another boy and players must choose whether he or Kenny should kill him, or whether they should walk away, negatively impacting other characters' view of Lee.[25] The fifth episode's first act contained 32 possible variations, based on past player decisions, which helped make the experience feel personalized and organic to each player rather than following a predetermined path through the game.[41]

Art and soundtrack

[edit]

Telltale's art director, Derek Sakai, led the creation of the characters and their expressions. Sakai was told to not use symmetric expressions to help create more human-like expressions and help improve the realism of the game.[38] Sakai drew inspiration from his own daughter to develop the character of Clementine.[40] Jared Emerson-Johnson composed the game's score, which was B.A.F.T.A. Award nominated[46] and released for digital download and on streaming services in 2019,[47] with a special edition set of vinyl lps due to release shortly thereafter.[48]

Technical

[edit]

The Walking Dead's game engine was optimized for multi-platform release, including PCs, gaming consoles and mobile devices, to simplify porting. Despite this, the development team tailored control schemes for each platform, particularly using their experience from the Back to the Future game to refine touchscreen controls on mobile devices.[49] One major challenge across all five episodes was the save game format, which required frequent updates and fixes across platforms, sometimes invalidating existing saves. Unique fixes on one platform would often resurface as issues on others. Connors noted that for future series, they would address save game issues more carefully, using insights gained from the first season.[37] Telltale previously struggled to synchronize multi-platform releases, particularly due to scheduling issues on Xbox Live Arcade for the Xbox 360. As a small publisher, they had to work with larger publishers to secure release slots months in advance, complicating coordination with other platforms. After the success of Back to the Future: The Game and Jurassic Park: The Game, Telltale achieved publisher status on Xbox Live, giving them more control over release timing. Additionally, they designed The Walking Dead so that episodes 2–5 would be treated as downloadable content, bypassing slot scheduling and enabling same-day release on PCs and consoles.[43]

Marketing and release

[edit]

The Walking Dead was initially announced as a five-episode series, with releases planned approximately on a monthly basis as digital downloads for Windows, OS X, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Originally slated for late 2011, the release was delayed until April 2012,[33][50] coinciding with the conclusion of the second season of The Walking Dead television show, allowing the game to benefit from the show's growing popularity.[49]

Following the digital releases, Telltale Games announced a physical disc release for the complete series on December 11, 2012, for the same platforms.[51][52] A special Collector's Edition was made available exclusively at GameStop in North America, featuring artwork by Charlie Adlard and The Walking Dead: Compendium One, a collection of the first 48 issues of the comic series by Robert Kirkman.[53] After this retail release, some Xbox 360 users reported performance issues due to storage limitations, leading Telltale to offer free digital download codes as compensation.[54] The game was also adapted for handheld consoles. An iOS version was launched in August 2012,[55] followed by a PlayStation Vita port in March 2013.[56][57] After releasing all five episodes on the App Store, Telltale offered the first episode for free, something they had done in the past, as doing so, according to Dan Connors, "opens the funnel and gets it out to more people who can then convert into the [full] game".[49]

In November 2013, Telltale announced a Game of the Year Edition, available for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, which included the five episodes, the 400 Days DLC, the original score, and a behind-the-scenes feature. A year later, in October 2014, versions for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were released,[58] with a Nintendo Switch version following in August 2018, which also included the 400 Days content.[59] Additionally, a virtual pinball table based on The Walking Dead, developed in collaboration with Zen Studios, was released on August 27, 2014,[60] as downloadable content for Zen Pinball 2 and Pinball FX 2.[61] This pinball adaptation featured designs representing set pieces from all five episodes and included animated models of characters Lee and Clementine.[62]

Reception

[edit]
Aggregate review scores
Game Metacritic
Episode 1 – A New Day (PS3) 84[63]
(PC) 82[64]
(X360) 79[65]
Episode 2 – Starved for Help (PC) 84[66]
(X360) 84[67]
(PS3) 84[68]
Episode 3 – Long Road Ahead (X360) 88[69]
(PS3) 87[70]
(PC) 85[71]
Episode 4 – Around Every Corner (X360) 82[72]
(PS3) 81[73]
(PC) 80[74]
Episode 5 – No Time Left (PC) 89[75]
(X360) 89[76]
(PS3) 91[77]
Special Episode – 400 Days (X360) 80[78]
(PS3) 78[79]
(PC) 78[80]

The Walking Dead's critical reception was "generally favorable", according to review aggregator website Metacritic, receiving a score of 89/100 based on 14 critic reviews.[81] as it was praised for the harsh emotional tone, the characters, particularly the connection established between Lee and Clementine, story and the resemblance to the original comic book, though there was some criticism towards technical glitches. Oli Welsh of Eurogamer called the game "a serious, solid, but clay-footed work",[14] while IGN's Greg Miller called the game "something special" and named its story "a tale no one should miss".[8]

"Episode 1 – A New Day" received positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation 3 version 85.14% and 84/100,[63][82] the Xbox 360 version 83.87% and 79/100[65][83] and the PC version 83.38% and 82/100.[64][84] The game received various accolades including the IGN "Editors' Choice", PC Gamer "Editors' Choice", Xbox Editors' Choice Award, and the PlayStation Gold Award.

"Episode 2 – Starved for Help" received positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PC version 86.53% and 84/100,[66][85] the Xbox 360 version 86.26% and 84/100[67][86] and the PlayStation 3 version 85.90% and 84/100.[68][87] The game won the GameSpy E3 2012 award for "Best Adventure Game".[88]

"Episode 3 – Long Road Ahead" received positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the Xbox 360 version 88.47% and 88/100,[69][89] the PlayStation 3 version 86.11% and 87/100[70][90] and the PC version 85.41% and 85/100.[71][91] IGN's Greg Miller gave it a 9 out of 10, saying "It's a disturbing, depressing and entertaining entry in a journey that's been nothing short of excellent so far."[92] GameSpot gave the game an 8.5, saying "The Walking Dead has passed the midway point of its series of five episodes with every indication that the game will keep getting better right through to its inevitably depressing and unsettling conclusion."[93] MTV also gave it a positive review, saying "Telltale has created a series of wrenching, emotional decisions in the middle of a collection of not-too-hard puzzles in a visually-impressive adaptation of the Robert Kirkman comic series (with some nods to the TV show)."[94]

"Episode 4 – Around Every Corner" received positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PC version 84.00% and 80/100,[74][95] the Xbox 360 version 82.50% and 82/100[72][96] and the PlayStation 3 version 78.94% and 81/100.[73][97]

"Episode 5 – No Time Left" received critical acclaim. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PC version 94.75% and 89/100,[75][98] the Xbox 360 version 88.15% and 89/100[76][99] and the PlayStation 3 version 87.75% and 88/100.[77][100]

400 Days received positive reviews. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation 3 version 78.20% and 78/100,[79][101] the PC version 78.00% and 78/100[80][102] and the Xbox 360 version 76.88% and 80/100.[78][103]

Sales

[edit]

The Walking Dead was a financial success, aided by the ease of digital distribution.[52] The first episode topped the charts on Xbox Live Arcade for the week of April 30,[104] and remained at the top for two weeks. It also topped the sales charts for both PlayStation Network and Steam for a week.[105] The first episode sold one million copies in 20 days (not including iOS sales), making it Telltale's fastest selling title to date.[105] With the third episode's release, over 3.8 million episodes were delivered to 1.2 million players.[52] As of January 2013, over 8.5 million episodes have been sold across all platforms, representing about $40 million in revenue.[49] Telltale's CEO Dan Connors has stated that the iOS version represented about 25% of their overall sales, the "largest upswing" for any platform, with sale particularly high in November and December 2012, due in part to various sales on the App Store.[49] Upon announcement of the 400 Days content, Telltale reported that over 17 million episodes have been purchased across all platforms worldwide,[106] while by October 2013, at the time of the formal announcement of Season Two, over 21 million episodes have been sold.[107] As of July 28, 2014, 28 million episodes have been sold.[108]

Accolades

[edit]
Four men stand behind a podium, one speaking into a microphone with his arms outstretched, holding an award.
The Walking Dead developers accepting "Best Narrative" at the Game Developers Choice Awards

The Walking Dead has received numerous accolades from a variety of publications and organizations since 2012. It was recognized as "Game of the Year" by USA Today,[109] Wired,[110] GamesRadar+,[111] Official Xbox Magazine,[112] Destructoid,[113] Digital Trends,[114] and Yahoo! Games.[115] It has also earned awards for its writing, character design, and downloadable game status from outlets such as Digital Trends and Inside Gaming Awards.[116]

Award Date Category Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Result Ref(s).
Spike Video Game Awards December 7, 2012 Game of the Year The Walking Dead Won [117]
Studio of the Year Telltale Games Won
Best Adapted Video Game The Walking Dead Won
Best Performance by a Human Male Dave Fennoy as Lee Everett Nominated
Best Performance by a Human Female Melissa Hutchison as Clementine Won
Best Downloadable Game The Walking Dead Won
Inside Gaming Awards December 8, 2012 Best Downloadable Game The Walking Dead Won [118]
Best Character Design Lee Everett Won
New York Game Awards February 5, 2013 Big Apple Award for Best Videogame The Walking Dead Won [119][120]
Herman Melville Award for Best Videogame Writing The Walking Dead Won
The Off Broadway Award for Best Independent Game The Walking Dead Won
The Best Acting Melissa Hutchison as Clementine Won
D.I.C.E. Awards February 7, 2013 Game of the Year The Walking Dead Nominated [121]
Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction The Walking Dead Nominated
Outstanding Innovation in Gaming The Walking Dead Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Gameplay Engineering The Walking Dead Nominated
Downloadable Game of the Year The Walking Dead Won [122]
Adventure Game of the Year The Walking Dead Won
Outstanding Achievement in Character - Male or Female Lee Everett Won
Outstanding Achievement in Story The Walking Dead Won
British Academy Video Games Awards March 5, 2013 Story The Walking Dead Won [123][124]
Mobile & Handheld The Walking Dead Won
Best Game The Walking Dead Nominated [125]
Game Design The Walking Dead Nominated
Original Music The Walking Dead development team Nominated
Performer Melissa Hutchison as Clementine Nominated
Performer Dave Fennoy as Lee Everett Nominated
Game Developers Choice Awards March 27, 2013 Best Narrative The Walking Dead Won [126]
Game of the Year The Walking Dead Nominated [127]
Best Downloadable Game The Walking Dead Nominated

Sequels and legacy

[edit]

Following the success of the first series, Telltale began developing a second season,[128][129] with the first episode released in late 2013.[107][130] Connors stated they aimed to build on players' favorite elements from the first season, while considering story continuation and potential character ties to the TV show.[131] In February 2013, Whitta hinted at additional content before Season Two,[132] later revealed as the 400 Days DLC.[133] Revealed at the 2013 Electronic Entertainment Expo, this content introduced five new characters and carried decisions from The Walking Dead into Season Two.[134] Released in July 2013,[27] 400 Days was also bundled with a PlayStation Vita edition in August.[56] Telltale released a three-episode mini-series, The Walking Dead: Michonne, in 2016.[135] The first episode of Season Three, The Walking Dead: A New Frontier, launched in December 2016, followed by a physical season pass in February 2017.[136] The fourth and final season, The Walking Dead: The Final Season, concluded in 2019.[137]

The Walking Dead has been credited with revitalizing the adventure game genre,[39] which had experienced a decline in popularity since the 1990s.[138] The game's emphasis on narrative-driven, choice-based gameplay is regarded as having "paved the way" for subsequent titles that adopted a similar approach, such as Life Is Strange and The Quarry, both of which focus on player choices and their impact on the unfolding story.[139] Telltale's Job Stauffer claimed that a lot of the popularity of The Walking Dead comes with "being more accessible to a wider audience that consumes TV and film".[140]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Also known as The Walking Dead: The Game[5] or Telltale's The Walking Dead,[6] or alternatively subtitled with The Telltale Games Series and later known as The Walking Dead: Season 1.[7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Norris, Erick. "The Walking Dead: Episode 2 Available Today". CraveOnline. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Hamilton, Kirk (August 31, 2012). "Everything Breaks Bad In The Darkest, Strongest Episode Of The Walking Dead Yet". Kotaku. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  3. ^ Hamilton, Kirk (June 9, 2012). "Why The Walking Dead Game Is in Black and White". Kotaku. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  4. ^ Conditt, Jessica. "The Walking Dead Episode 4: Around Every Corner sneaks over in October". Joystiq. Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  5. ^ Miller, Greg (November 19, 2012). "The Walking Dead: The Game – Episode 5: No Time Left Review". IGN. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2012.
  6. ^ a b Mieczkowski, Colin (October 12, 2021). "Telltale's The Walking Dead: A few tips for playing the game on mobile". Archived from the original on April 7, 2022.
  7. ^ Holzworth, Chris (August 27, 2013). "Telltale Games Bringing The Walking Dead Season One, 400 Days to Ouya". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
  8. ^ a b c Miller, Greg (December 12, 2012). "The Walking Dead: The Game Review". IGN. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e Todd, Brett (April 30, 2012). "The Walking Dead: Episode 1 Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 10, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Smoszna, Krystian (November 22, 2012). "Recenzja gry The Walking Dead - apokalipsa zombie inna niż wszystkie" [The Walking Dead Game Review - A Zombie Apocalypse Unlike Any Other]. Gry-Online. Archived from the original on September 24, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  11. ^ Taylor, Nicholas; Kampe, Chris; Bell, Kristina (July 2015). "Me and Lee: Identification and the Play of Attraction in The Walking Dead". Game Studies. 15 (1). ISSN 1604-7982. Archived from the original on September 24, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  12. ^ Miller, Greg (April 23, 2012). "The Walking Dead: The Game - Episode 1 Review". IGN. Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  13. ^ Lynn, Samara (May 7, 2012). "The Walking Dead: A New Day Review". PC Magazine. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Welsh, Oli (February 9, 2015). "The Walking Dead: Season One review". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  15. ^ Blauvelt, Christian (March 2, 2011). "Robert Kirkman on 'Walking Dead' season two: 'You haven't seen anything yet'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  16. ^ a b Kaiser, Rowen (October 19, 2012). "How RPGs colonized some of 2012's best games". Joystiq. Archived from the original on December 20, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  17. ^ Cooper, Hollander (November 26, 2012). "The Walking Dead game review". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on August 7, 2024.
  18. ^ Battey, Tom (April 12, 2013). "The Walking Dead is a difficult game, but not in the way you probably think I mean". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024.
  19. ^ Klepek, Patrick (October 4, 2012). "The Walking Dead's Faces of Death, Part 3". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  20. ^ Lahti, Evan (May 1, 2012). "The Walking Dead review". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on April 19, 2024.
  21. ^ Ricco, Aaron (November 24, 2012). "The Walking Dead". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  22. ^ a b Pallavicini, Federica; Pepe, Alessandro; Carmela Caragnano, Chiara; Mantovani, Fabrizia (July 10, 2020). "Video Games to Foster Empathy: A Critical Analysis of the Potential of Detroit: Become Human and the Walking Dead". Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Applications and Practice. 12189. Springer: 212–228. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-49108-6_16. ISBN 9783030491079. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  23. ^ "The Walking Dead's Faces of Death: Part 1". Giant Bomb. August 28, 2012. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  24. ^ a b c Klepek, Patrick (August 29, 2012). "The Walking Dead's Faces of Death: Part 2". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  25. ^ a b Klepek, Patrick (November 13, 2012). "Faces of Death, Part 4: Around Every Corner". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  26. ^ Conditt, Jessica (November 26, 2012). "The Walking Dead Episode 5 review: All the time in the world". Joystiq. Archived from the original on November 29, 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
  27. ^ a b Wallace, Kimberely (June 11, 2013). "First Details On The Walking Dead: 400 Days". Game Informer. Archived from the original on June 25, 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  28. ^ Conditt, Jessica (June 11, 2013). "The Walking Dead 400 Days: Dissecting one of its stories at E3". Joystiq. Archived from the original on August 13, 2013. Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  29. ^ Khalifa, Young (January 14, 2011). "Exclusive First Look at Telltale's Jurassic Park". Game Informer. Archived from the original on January 17, 2011. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
  30. ^ a b Bailey, Dustin (September 24, 2018). "Telltale's The Walking Dead was almost a Left 4 Dead game". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on September 25, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  31. ^ Wales, Matt (April 25, 2022). "Telltale's The Walking Dead started life as a Left 4 Dead spin-off". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024.
  32. ^ Molina, Brett (February 18, 2011). "Telltale Games developing 'Walking Dead' video game". USA Today. Archived from the original on April 30, 2012. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  33. ^ a b c Miller, Greg (February 17, 2011). "Walking Dead Video Game Lives". IGN. Archived from the original on February 20, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  34. ^ Crecente, Brian (October 17, 2018). "'The Walking Dead' Video Games: An Oral History". Variety. Archived from the original on November 3, 2018.
  35. ^ a b c "The Walking Dead: Bringing the World's Smartest Zombie Series to Life". Red Bull. January 4, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  36. ^ Reeves, Ben (November 26, 2012). "Lord Of The Dead: An Interview With Robert Kirkman". Game Informer. Archived from the original on November 29, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  37. ^ a b c Greyson, Nathan (February 28, 2013). "Telltale On Walking Dead Season 2 And Beyond". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved February 28, 2013.
  38. ^ a b c d "The Making of… The Walking Dead". Edge. May 16, 2013. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  39. ^ a b Manuel, Rob (February 5, 2013). "How adventure games came back from the dead". PC World. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  40. ^ a b c Wallace, Kimberley (January 2013). "Creating Clementine". Game Informer. pp. 26–31. Archived from the original on December 30, 2012.
  41. ^ a b c Klepek, Patrick (January 9, 2013). "Faces of Death, Part 5: No Time Left". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on April 4, 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2013.
  42. ^ Sampson, Jessi (August 13, 2021). "The genius of The Walking Dead's Lee Everett". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on August 13, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  43. ^ a b c d e Klepek, Patrick (June 13, 2012). "Why Telltale's Knocking on Death's Door". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  44. ^ a b c Klepik, Patrick (August 28, 2012). "The Walking Dead's Faces of Death: Part 1". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on February 15, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  45. ^ C., Matt (May 2016). "There's more to meaningful choices than outcomes". Digitally Downloaded. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023.
  46. ^ "2013 Games Original Music | BAFTA Awards". Archived from the original on November 14, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  47. ^ "Official Walking Dead Soundtrack Albums Available for Sale on Digital Platforms!". Archived from the original on November 12, 2019. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  48. ^ "Telltale's TWD Series Soundtrack Coming Soon on Vinyl and Digital!". September 4, 2019. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
  49. ^ a b c d e Lynley, Matthey (January 4, 2013). "Behind the Hit iPhone Game "The Walking Dead"". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on January 6, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  50. ^ "The Walking Dead on Steam". Valve. Archived from the original on August 15, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
  51. ^ "Playing Dead" (video). IGN. August 23, 2012. Archived from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  52. ^ a b c Campbell, Colin (September 21, 2012). "How The Walking Dead Confounds Gaming's Gloom". IGN. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved November 28, 2012.
  53. ^ "The Walking Dead: Collector's Edition Is A GameStop Exclusive". G4. Archived from the original on January 14, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2012.
  54. ^ Hillier, Brenna (January 9, 2013). "The Walking Dead digital free to those troubled by stuttering issues". VG247. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  55. ^ Davis, Justin (August 23, 2012). "The Walking Dead Episode Two iOS Dated". IGN. Archived from the original on August 26, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  56. ^ a b Kennedy, Kirsten (June 10, 2013). "New The Walking Dead DLC, Series Coming to PS Vita with Bundle". PlayStation Blog. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  57. ^ Moriarty, Colin (March 22, 2013). "Telltale's The Walking Dead Coming to PlayStation Vita". IGN. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
  58. ^ Corriea, Alexa Rae (May 30, 2014). "Telltale's The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us coming to PS4 and Xbox One". Polygon. Archived from the original on August 15, 2024. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
  59. ^ Wales, Matt (August 21, 2018). "The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season launches next week on Switch". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on August 15, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  60. ^ "The Walking Dead". Xbox Live Marketplace. Archived from the original on October 21, 2014. Retrieved October 19, 2014.
  61. ^ Sarkar, Samit (June 4, 2014). "The Walking Dead table shambling to Zen Pinball". Polygon. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  62. ^ Zeidler, Brett (August 26, 2014). "The Walking Dead Pinball is just as good as I had hoped". Destructoid. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  63. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 1 – A New Day Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  64. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 1 – A New Day Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  65. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 1 – A New Day Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  66. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 2 – Starved for Help Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on August 15, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  67. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 2 – Starved for Help Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  68. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 2 – Starved for Help Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  69. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 3 – Long Road Ahead Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  70. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 3 – Long Road Ahead Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 21, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  71. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 3 – Long Road Ahead Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 25, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  72. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 4 – Around Every Corner Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  73. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 4 – Around Every Corner Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  74. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 4 – Around Every Corner Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  75. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 5 – No Time Left Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  76. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 5 – No Time Left Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  77. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: Episode 5 – No Time Left Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  78. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: 400 Days Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  79. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: 400 Days Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  80. ^ a b "The Walking Dead: 400 Days Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  81. ^ "The Walking Dead: A Telltale Games Series". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 20, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  82. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 1 – A New Day Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on April 27, 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  83. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 1 – A New Day Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  84. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 1 – A New Day Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on February 11, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  85. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 2 – Starved for Help Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  86. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 2 – Starved for Help Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on April 8, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  87. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 2 – Starved for Help Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  88. ^ "GameSpy's Best of E3 2012 Awards". GameSpy. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  89. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 3 – Long Road Ahead Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  90. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 3 – Long Road Ahead Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  91. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 3 – Long Road Ahead Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  92. ^ Miller, Greg (August 28, 2012). "The Walking Dead: The Game – Episode 3: Long Road Ahead Review". IGN. Archived from the original on August 31, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  93. ^ Todd, Brett (August 30, 2012). "The Walking Dead: Episode 3 – Long Road Ahead Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  94. ^ "Review: Telltale Breaks Your Heart With 'The Walking Dead: Ep. 3 – Long Road Ahead'". Multiplayerblog.mtv.com. August 30, 2012. Archived from the original on September 11, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
  95. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 4 – Around Every Corner Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  96. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 4 – Around Every Corner Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  97. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 4 – Around Every Corner Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on March 24, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  98. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 5 – No Time Left Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on February 18, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  99. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 5 – No Time Left Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on February 11, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  100. ^ "The Walking Dead: Episode 5 – No Time Left Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on February 11, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  101. ^ "The Walking Dead: 400 Days Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on July 4, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  102. ^ "The Walking Dead: 400 Days Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on July 17, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  103. ^ "The Walking Dead: 400 Days Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on July 6, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  104. ^ Dutton, Fred (May 11, 2012). "The Walking Dead Tops Xbox Live Arcade Chart". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on May 15, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  105. ^ a b Moriarty, Colin (May 17, 2012). "Telltale Games' The Walking Dead Sells a Million". IGN. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
  106. ^ "Telltale Games and Skybound Announce The Walking Dead: 400 Days as new DLC for Award-Winning Game Series" (Press release). Telltale Games. June 11, 2013. Archived from the original on June 16, 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  107. ^ a b Goldfarb, Andrew (October 29, 2013). "Clementine Confirmed as Playable in The Walking Dead: Season 2". IGN. Archived from the original on October 31, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
  108. ^ Ohannessian, Kevin (July 28, 2014). "'Walking Dead' game episodes sell 28 million, will have season 3". Tech Times. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  109. ^ Molina, Brett (January 1, 2013). "'Walking Dead' heads USA TODAY's best 2012 video games". USA Today. Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  110. ^ Kohler, Chris (December 14, 2012). "Indie Passion Fuels the 10 Best Games of 2012". Wired. Archived from the original on December 16, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2012.
  111. ^ "Game of the Year 2012". GamesRadar. December 17, 2012. Archived from the original on April 25, 2015. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  112. ^ "OXM 2012 GAME OF THE YEAR: The Walking Dead". Official Xbox Magazine. December 21, 2012. Archived from the original on September 16, 2013. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
  113. ^ North, Dale (December 14, 2012). "The winner of Destructoid's Game of the Year 2012". Destructoid. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  114. ^ Digital Trends Staff (December 14, 2012). "Digital Trends' Best Games of 2012 Winners". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on May 30, 2013. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  115. ^ "Yahoo! Games Best of 2012 Awards". Yahoo! Games. December 14, 2012. Archived from the original on December 18, 2012. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  116. ^ Digital Trends Staff (December 14, 2012). "Digital Trends' Best Games of 2012 Winners". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on May 30, 2013. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  117. ^ Labrecque, Jeff (December 7, 2012). "'The Walking Dead' dominates Spike's Video Game Awards". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  118. ^ Phillips, Jevon (December 9, 2012). "Inside Gaming Awards: 'Halo 4′ and 'Fez' take top honors". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 11, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  119. ^ "Winners: New York Videogame Critics Circle Awards". Gamasutra. UBM plc. February 11, 2013. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  120. ^ Pring, Nicola (February 12, 2013). "Game Night: Videogame Critics Huddle for Second Annual Awards". Observer. Observer Media. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
  121. ^ "Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences – 16th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Finalists" (PDF). Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. January 14, 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  122. ^ Molina, Brett (February 8, 2013). "'Journey' big winner at D.I.C.E. Awards". USA Today. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  123. ^ Purchase, Robert (March 6, 2013). "Season Two of Telltale's The Walking Dead "aiming for" autumn 2014". Eurogamer. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
  124. ^ "Games in 2013". British Academy Video Games Awards. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  125. ^ Stewart, Keith (February 12, 2013). "Bafta Video Game Awards 2013 – nominees announced". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 2, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2013.
  126. ^ Makuch, Eddie (March 28, 2013). "Journey takes top prize at GDC Awards". GameSpot. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  127. ^ Narcisse, Evan (January 24, 2013). "Here Are the 2012 Games That Developers Want to Give Awards to". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  128. ^ Goldfarb, Andrew (July 6, 2012). "Telltale Plans More Episodes of Walking Dead Game". IGN. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  129. ^ Rose, Mike. "More The Walking Dead Games in the Way From Telltale, Activision". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  130. ^ Purchase, Robert (March 6, 2013). "Season Two of Telltale's The Walking Dead "aiming for" autumn 2014". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2013.
  131. ^ Crecente, Brian (February 7, 2013). "Telltale CEO talks possibilities for The Walking Dead season two: 'Anything is possible'". Polygon. Archived from the original on February 11, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  132. ^ Dyer, Mitch (February 25, 2013). "More Telltale's Walking Dead Coming Before Season 2". IGN. Archived from the original on February 26, 2013. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
  133. ^ Pitcher, Jenna (June 7, 2013). "The Walking Dead '400 Days DLC' listed in Steam database". Polygon. Archived from the original on June 10, 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  134. ^ Narcisse, Evan (June 11, 2013). "Here's Your First Look at The Walking Dead: 400 Days". Kotaku. Archived from the original on June 13, 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  135. ^ Dyer, Mitch (June 15, 2015). "E3 2015: The Walking Dead: Michonne Miniseries Announced". IGN. Archived from the original on September 27, 2024. Retrieved June 15, 2015.
  136. ^ Rose, Mike (July 27, 2014). "The Walking Dead sells 28M episodes, third season on the way". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  137. ^ Goldfarb, Andrew (July 19, 2017). "Comic-Con 2017: Telltale's The Walking Dead Season 4 Is Final Season, Coming in 2018". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  138. ^ Moss, Richard (January 26, 2011). "A truly graphic adventure: the 25-year rise and fall of a beloved genre". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on November 2, 2015. Retrieved December 13, 2012.
  139. ^ Greenbaum, Aaron (July 7, 2022). "Best Games Like The Quarry". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on April 18, 2024.
  140. ^ Aubrey, Dave (September 1, 2016). "Telltale Games Interview with Job Stauffer: "Our Stories Are the Gameplay"". WCCF Tech. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023.
[edit]