The Walking Dead: The Final Season Xbox One review: Episode One

Afterward post-obit her journey since the beginning, Telltale is closing the affiliate on Clementine's story with their concluding season of The Walking Dead. While we're only a few pages in with Episode One – Washed Running, information technology looks to set an emotional farewell in her coming of age story. Clementine isn't all grown up past normal standards, but in The Walking Expressionless's world she needs to be.

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Familiar waters

Since his birth in Season Two, AJ has been an integral part of The Walking Dead's identity, fifty-fifty without being a playable character. The history that Clem and AJ share isn't glossed over in its concluding season. When The Walking Expressionless isn't all almost survival of the fittest, information technology's about the intimate character moments and their evolution.

At one point during Done Running, Clem has a chance to relax and play a game of cards with the new grouping of kids she ran into. It's during this game that Clem is asked if she's e'er had to kill someone she's loved, and while Lee may be the outset person that pops into about people's minds, she as well had to make a difficult decision regarding Kenny at the end of Season 2 that stemmed from AJ. Information technology'due south clear that the choices she's been forced to make in the past are withal affecting her to this day, and have shaped her into who she is. Remembering its past has always been what The Walking Dead has washed well, and I'g glad to say that the tradition continues.

Remembering its past has e'er been what The Walking Expressionless has done well.

Its final season also sees a role reversal of sorts, adding a new angle to the retreaded 'parent/child' storyline fraught in post-apocalyptic media. Lee served as Clem's parental figure in the first season, helping her suit and navigate to a world she was entirely unprepared for. Now it'south Clem'due south time to be that parental effigy for AJ. It'southward clear that Clem is much more than equipped to deal with the situation than Lee e'er was equally information technology's been years since the dead started walking. She'due south been hardened by her environment.

This plays a role in how she interacts with AJ. He'south but known the earth afterwards its devastation, which becomes even more apparent during a scene where he is confused equally to what firemen and policemen were. Though he's ignorant of pre-apocalyptic life, Clem doesn't concord this ignorance against him, and in fact even trusts him with a gun. It'southward this duality of his innocence and the responsibleness thrust upon him in this universe that makes for compelling interactions betwixt him and other characters.

Clem simultaneously needs to treat AJ equally a child that needs protecting while besides realizing that he needs to grow up fast. She allows him to feel useful and help whenever possible, but she won't put him in straight danger. Even after just i episode, I'thousand interested to meet how their relationship developers.

Uncharted territory

The new grouping of kids that Clem and AJ come beyond are survivors who have made a habitation out of Ericson's Boarding School for Troubled Youth. (X-Men reference, anyone?) The children all appear to exist a grouping of misfits just struggling to get by, making a new life for themselves without adults, who abased them when everything went to hell. Interacting with other teenagers is a breath of fresh air from usual. They're all relatively the aforementioned age, meaning they have a lot more in common. Though a male child named Marlon appears to exist the de-facto leader, everyone has their own importance within it. They're not shoved bated only because they're kids.

I look forwards to witnessing the character dynamics and relationships develop as the season goes on. A few characters that grated on my nerves initially ended up becoming my saving grace by the end of the episode. If Telltale keeps information technology up, they may take even created some of my favorite characters in the series to engagement.

New threats

Since the outset, The Walking Dead has pushed the thought that walkers aren't always your biggest threat. It's the people around y'all that you demand to be only as careful of. We don't go a feel for the real threat until the very end up the episode, and since nosotros don't get a good look at them, they're difficult to judge. This does make most of the episode'due south management seem bit aimless for a time as you can't run across the larger picture, only the possibilities of what's at play will give y'all chills.

The Telltale Tool

Telltale'southward engine, the Telltale Tool, is on its concluding legs. Over the years the functioning of the studio's games has gotten rougher and rougher. This season of The Walking Dead is expected to be the terminal of its game's to run on the Telltale Tool before they switch over to a Unity engine. Despite the old engine's age, however, Done Running may take been the best Telltale episode I've played in a long time in terms of performance. I didn't encounter the usual lag during quick time events, nor did the game freeze or cutting dialogue. All in all, it fabricated a skillful first impression for the rest of the flavor.

Conclusion

The Walking Dead: The Last Season is off to a satisfying start. The pacing for a majority feels uneven and it doesn't find it's footing until the cease, just what an catastrophe it is. While the final scene is shocking, it'southward the twist set up up minutes beforehand that tees upwardly the conflict going forward, and I can't wait to see how it ends.

This is also my open alphabetic character to Telltale request them not to hurt Rosie the dog.

Pros:

Season One role reversal
Unexpected twist
Solid performance
Guardian Clem

Cons:

Pacing
Doesn't discover footing until the end

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