Once you've finished the fourth chunk of this excellent story, you're only one episode away from the end. We've got high expectations for part 5's finale, but in many respects Episode 4 feels like the series' weakest link. New characters fail to shine as brightly as those we've seen in the past, and some of the aesthetics feel a little bit slapdash.
In the past we've forgiven the game's technical shortcomings simply because the rest of it burns so brightly - but this time some moments fall a little short. The animation quality in particular feels very inconsistent, creating a fantastic melee set-piece with an axe yet failing to convey realistic body language in a scene that had every right to be properly heart-wrenching.
The sections in which you can move Lee around usually feel like little more than a way to pan the camera to new locations, and the attempts to make things feel more engaging don't always work out well. One attempt at a mild stealth-section only highlights the shortcomings of the game's controls, adding complications that make you notice the strings.
It's weird to find ourselves writing this in a videogame review, but The Walking Dead always feels strongest at the points at which the game retains most of the control: the camera framing is excellent, the story is engaging, and despite the minimal inputs you still feel very much involved. It still has moments of genuine brilliance, but lacks the raw impact of Episode 3. Things don't heat up until right at the end, and even then a lot of major plot stuff is left untouched or unresolved. In this case it feels like the developer has taken too much inspiration from TV, setting up an explosive finale with a weaker filler episode to help set the scene.
Being the weakest episode in a series that's been so consistently amazing is hardly massive criticism, though. We'd felt quietly confident about it for a while, but the cliffhanger at the end of Episode 4 leaves us in no doubt: the final episode of is going to be an absolute corker. If you've not started playing, it's time to catch up.
11 comments so far...
Bongzilla1878 on 11 Oct '12 said:
Downloaded and played through this last night. Awesome as ever. Only thing is, the achivements have not been added to my dashboard, which is both dissapointing and annoying. Anyone else had this problem?
Vegetunks9000 on 11 Oct '12 said:
This was a really good build up to the Grande Finale. Starting to feel this is better than the actual series
ManCrisp on 11 Oct '12 said:
Have to disagree with the review. I believe this was the best episode since the first. The slow build and the shock revelations were well thought through. I'm not understanding all these mediocre reviews as i believe this was possibly the most well paced game in the series so far. Can't wait for the final next month.
thelivepenguin on 11 Oct '12 said:
Same has happened to me and a friend, this happened in episode 2 as well!
Bongzilla1878 on 11 Oct '12 said:
Thanks for the reply mate. Did you manage to get it fixed from episode 2?
schwepterbrowser on 11 Oct '12 said:
The achievements haven't been added to Xbox.com yet, so they won't unlock properly for anyone. I'm waiting for the list to be updated before I play it.
You'll need to recover your profile and play through the episode again when the achievements are up to unlock them properly. I'll post when they've gone live to let you know.
Bongzilla1878 on 11 Oct '12 said:
Thanks very much mate!!
fatboyslim1977 on 11 Oct '12 said:
Just completed this episode which was really good and at times jumpy.
Can't wait for the final episode.
schwepterbrowser on 12 Oct '12 said:
No problem, the achievements are good to go now.
Confused Johnny on 13 Oct '12 said:
Nice review!!
I have to admit being blown away by Walking Dead! I bought Ep 1 coz i had some MSP burning a hole in my virtual pocket, and since playing it i wait anxiously for each episode!
My partner even plays it, and nags for when the next episode is out - we currently have agreement where we each play it when the other is out of the house, so as not to spoil the story and to compare decisions afterwards!
Cannot wait for Ep5, i can probably say that along with From Dust, this is the best Arcade game of 2012 i have purchased!!
schwepterbrowser on 13 Oct '12 said:
I agree with your praise for The Walking Dead, but From Dust? I thought the trial was terrible! Granted, I haven't played the full game and it might get better (though I doubt it from some scathing reviews I've read). You should grab the trial for Awesomenauts and some other recent Arcade offerings, there's some better stuff (IMO ofc
).