The Walking Dead (Game) Finale Review

Here we are at the conclusion of the 5 episode long season of The Walking Dead from Telltale and what a journey this has been. But now as I'm sitting here contemplating my time with each episode and the permanent emotional scar the finale has left on me I'm struggling to let go. Telltale has accomplished in 5 episodes what most television shows take years to do. I feel like a piece of me has left and I don't know how to feel about that, it was the same for me after the show Chuck ended, this empty whole where beloved characters lived is now vacant. The Walking Dead made me so invested in these characters and moved me in a way few things in entertainment or real life rarely do. I am now lost without these characters, and though prospects if a second season are high (it is the most successful series Telltale has yet developed) there is still this overwhelming sense of defeat. Sure I accomplished the one goal I set for myself while playing the season but it wasn't easy, nor was I remotely happy once the credits rolled.

I have no doubt in my mind that Telltale has left an indelible mark on the video game industry with the conclusion of The Walking Dead, a mark that will be looked back on in the future as the turning point for when video games could start being taken seriously on a storytelling, world building and characterization level. Worse still is that I can't delve into the specifics, this is a game that needs to be experienced first hand, everyone should play The Walking Dead whether you like adventure games or not, if you care at all about video games and what they used to be and where they're headed you need to see the milestone that is The Walking Dead series from Telltale. This game will stick with me forever, as I sat there literally bawling as the credits rolled, I knew I had just experienced the most significant achievement in video games this entire generation. The Walking Dead is far more than the best game of the year, its probably the single greatest leap in storytelling quality in video games. 

(5 out of 5)