JBoc924After a successful TV adaptation of an already successful run of Image-published comic books, The Walking Dead has made a name for itself in the entertainment world. As fans eagerly wait for the second season of the hit show, which is now being stated as starting as early as July, Telltale is bringing the zombie-ridden property to the world of video games. In a medium already populated with the undead, how will Telltale develop a game that differentiates itself from the competition? What will we see at E3 next week?
Telltale has long been known for delivering story-driven episodic adventures. They’re already developing Jurassic Park and now they’re getting their hands on The Walking Dead. Will this see a true episodic release like Telltale’s Back to the Future? Or will it be bundled together to make up a ‘season’ once it hits? Perhaps E3 could answer this. But what’s more interesting is how the game will actually look and play.
A less-realistic and more stylized visual presentation may actually benefit this game, making it look close to the art featured in the monthly comics. Hell, it would also be pretty cool if there was an option included to be able to play the game in black-and-white, like the comics are displayed. I have no doubts that Telltale will provide a very faithful presentation of this property in terms of visuals and the story as well.
Whereas AMC’s TV adaptation is changing some things around in terms of the comic book lore, Telltale’s Walking Dead could benefit from its episodic nature in telling Rick Grimes’ long-spanning story one arc at a time staying extremely close to what Robert Kirkman has done in his run on the comic book series. Regardless, the story will in fact play a large role in the game, especially taking Telltale’s past efforts into consideration. But how will it all weave together with the gameplay?
Telltale has already stated that they’re drawing inspiration from Heavy Rain for their take on Jurassic Park, will that also apply itself to The Walking Dead? A similar approach would work since the story here has a lot to do with the actual characters. So, character development and interaction would be greatly enhanced by a gameplay style akin to Heavy Rain. But, knowing Telltale, there’s sure to be some surprises in store. How will the actual action play out? There’s loads of zombies to take care of, so how exactly will the gameplay allow for that? Wouldn’t it be awesome if Telltale opted for a classic survival horror experience, camera angles and all? Hey, it could happen. We’ll find out at E3 next week.
