The Walking Dead: Michonne, “In Too Deep” Episode 1, 7 out of 10: Rated M for Mature is available now on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Kindle Fire HDX, iOS and Android.
This just in…The Walking Dead franchise won’t be going away anytime soon: the TV show by AMC is just as popular than ever, and so are the comic books upon which the show is based. Telltale Games has also contributed to the franchises success with point and click adventure games based on it. The Walking Dead was the game-changer for Telltale Games, pushing them into the spotlight and winning over 90 Game Of The Year awards in the process.
This game was the first Telltale project to introduce the idea of Player Choices, forcing you to make split-second decisions with no second chances, such as which character to save from death. This no-turning-back concept turned the game into an even more engaging experience, forcing every decision to be a crucial, game-changing moment. Importantly, The Walking Dead made you feel emotionally connected to the two main characters, and the amount of people that shed a tear-or-two at the game’s heartbreaking finale was an indication of how captivating the experience really was.
‘The Walking Dead: Michonne’ is a three-part miniseries by Telltale Games that fleshes out some of the fan favorite character’s past that is not explored in the TV series or comics.
Having lost what’s truly important, and constantly paining herself over the loss, Michonne has no intention of getting closer to the crew of The Companion, a group cruising the coast for supplies and survivors that saved her from herself and her ghosts, and this is reflected in how players can interact with them. The game doesn’t really do a good job in making the player care about the crew of The Companion, but this is probably intentional, reflecting Michonne’s attitude towards others at this point of her life. Pete is the only member of the crew who appears in more than just a few sequences and his bright, positive attitude creates a nice contrast which Michonne’s. Soon enough, players will also have to interact with some despicable individuals that do manage to be a bit more memorable than the survivors’ crew, although they’re not exactly remarkable. If you are a fan of The Walking Dead, you definitely won’t be surprised by the behavior of some of these people.
The script and voice acting (‘Orange Is The New Black’ actress Samira Wiley voices Michonne) are top notch as usual. One standout example is when Michonne is dealing with a hostage situation. How she handles the situation is largely up to the player, and trying to smooth-talk through the situation feels strategic and important. Of course, staying silent and seeing what happens is a valid option as well. In any case, the scenario is definitely one of the more engaging conversations in a Telltale game. For the first time, it feels like the silence option is the most suited for the main character, as Michonne isn’t generally very talkative. Choosing it not only feels appropriate, but it also leads to some interesting results. Also, one specific sequence will morally challenge players in a very unique way, making them choose between telling the truth or lying, only that the truth is hard to believe. A dilemma with no clear right answer that will definitely get players to think.
‘The Walking Dead: Michonne’ is definitely engaging, making it a very strong start for this new series. Some of what may be perceived as shortcomings are most likely a precise design choice that goes hand in hand with how the main character sees the world around her. I am excited to see what happens next. “In Too Deep” ends on a solid cliffhanger that will leave players in suspense until the next episode drops later this month.
-Dagobot
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