The third installment of Telltales incredibly immersive series The Walking Dead: The Game will provide you with the ebb and flow you’ve come to expect from the series thus far. As Lee you will encounter a number of considerably emotional and just plain crazy moments that require split second decision making. In addition you will continue to make conversation with your fellow survivors and solve problems in an effort to assist yourself, Clem and the rest of your motley crew.
If you’re reading this review it’s safe to assume you’ve already made your way back from the dairy farm and developed an emotional attachment to these characters, empathizing with them for the horrors they’ve endured. With that in mind, when defining choices appear in Long Road Ahead, there’s an emotional reaction from us as players. Being deeply invested I find myself walking around speaking to everyone and exploring every available option in order to get an idea of what they’re feeling. It’s something I’ve never quite encountered with any game and is definitely evidence of just what Telltale has created with this story. The decisions in Long Road Ahead will put strain on you as a player, Lee and the relationships you’ve built throughout the course of your experience. It’s a fabulously exciting but can be equally depressing at times.
The game itself looks beautiful and the comic book style and voice acting are phenomenal as always. Both these aspects easily allow you to become immersed in this world and feel as though you are Lee and not just playing a character in a game. However, reality can occasionally rear its head as you may encounter framerate issues at heavy action points, awkward pauses during conversation and in one instance I was forced to reload a checkpoint due to my camera being caught under the map. All of which are easily overlooked as the story draws you in and carries you through.
This episode is full of decisions that will surprise you, depress you and test your resolve. As with prior episodes there is no right answer and everything you do will have adverse effects on you, Clem and your group. Without giving away specific aspects of the story, I can say that you will encounter new areas, travel, and new characters. Long Road Ahead is arguably the most intense and impactful episode in the series so far and will push the limits of your personal and virtual character. The story has been nothing short of amazing so far and easily earns the nod from me.
