E3 2013: The Walking Dead – 400 Days Trailer: Telltale Returns To More Gory Adventure Glory

Posted on June 16, 2013 by geelw

Last year’s release of Telltale Games’ superb adventure game, The Walking Dead showed that there’s more life to the adventure genre than some critics and jaded gamers thought. The episodic horror hit garnered a number of Game of the Year nods and awards from all over the map and for its compelling narrative and its multiple path-driven gameplay and despite some gore and violence (that served the story, mind you) it seems many people who weren’t into gaming per se wanted to play this for the plot. Anyway, the game did well enough that of course, a new set of downloadable stories on the way and based on this trailer (and the pile of “Best of Show” awards the game has gotten, The Walking Dead – 400 Days looks to be more of the same great and frightening descent into a world gone completely insane. The key in both the last series and this one is it’s less about the zombies and more about those still living affected by them and those who may or may not die based upon the player’s actions.

In an interesting move, developer Skybound Entertainment is giving players five stories in one DLC episode this time out and the game is also set to hit multiple platforms (PC, Mac, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita and Xbox Live Arcade), meaning more will be playing it at the same time if the release date for all of those systems lines up. All those positive press vibes will be great for the developer and publisher as well as fans of the comic and TV series who want more (and GOOD) licensed content that stays true to the source material. I’m already practicing my reflexes, as those conversation-based timed events and action scenes can indeed be as scary as the story making your spine rattle. Back with more on this one soon…

The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct Launch Trailer: Hopefully, Reality Isn’t Terminal for This One…

Posted on March 18, 2013 by geelw

Hmmm. Usually, I get wind of a review copy at some point before a game ships out, but Activision’s PR has been quiet thus far. I probably should be worried, but I’m not (well… not too much). I actually read some silly post on YouTube that siad because the game was retailing for $49.99 ($10 less than a triple-A title), it was a bad sign. Duh… what? That’s just DUMB, period. Lesson of the day: Price is in NO way an indication of a game’s quality and if you think spending MORE money means you get better entertainment value for that extra cash, you need your head examined (by an actual zombie). That and hell, Telltale Games, 2K Sports, and a few busloads of indie developers out there who get out budget-priced (or free games, in the case of some great indies) just might want to tap you on the shoulder at the same time and make you fall over like Fred Flintstone’s car with a tray of bronto ribs placed on the side. Yeesh.

Anyway, I guess I’ll wait around and see what’s up with the reviews, but I have the feeling this one is headed for the collection here at some point once there’s a decent price drop. Hey, no matter what the critics say, pretty much any game with zombies in it is fun, warts and all…

The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct: A Bit of Behind the Scenes With Merle & Daryl…

Posted on March 15, 2013 by geelw

No, today isn’t National Zombie Day or anything like that, folks. I just go scooting through my inbox as stuff rolls in and post the fun stuff. Today just so happens to have a LOT of undead in games news. Must be a Friday thing or something… Anyway, here’s a new look at Terminal Reality’s upcoming shooter set in The Walking Dead world. I like the gritty look of the game and some of that visceral action you’d expect from an undead-rekilling game. In a weird way, this one reminds me of BrainBox’ interesting but flawed Land of the Dead: Road to Fiddler’s Green, a FPS that had a few problems, but was actually pretty damn scary and compelling once you got past its weak points. We’ll see what’s what with Merle and Daryl’s gory adventure soon enough when The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct ships out for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U and PC March 19, 2013.

The Walking Dead Survival Instinct Gameplay Trailer: TR & Activision Get Stalked By Biters (Again)…

Posted on February 11, 2013 by geelw

Man, this game is swimming in such irate bile by the usual suspects. Here’s the trailer to check out – I think it looks fine so far and close to the bleak, grimy tone of the show. That said, a few facts for the intentionally ignorant:

Activision isn’t “making” the game at all – they’re a PUBLISHER, not a DEVELOPER. Lewisville, Texas-based veteran developer Terminal Reality is cooking this one up and yes, while they haven’t had a “perfect” track record, they’ve more than earned the respect of folks like me who play too many games, but don’t lump them all up into one big FPS-centric ball. I also like how it ties into the show, as new we all know that Merle and Daryl are back together in this half of the season (a nice touch that seems planned to fit the game into the show’s continuity). I hate speculation, but I’d bet a nickel that neither character buys the farm at the end, as they’ll be more useful alive for future episodes, we’ve already “lost” Merle once before and hell, there would be riots in the streets if Daryl bought it at the end (especially among non-gamers out there who’d be wondering what was up and how a major character vanished without them knowing a thing).

Telltale’s TWD game was fantastic thanks to its writing, stylized visuals and intense pacing thanks to the choice system gameplay, but wasn’t the big action-based experience some of the shooter fanatics wanted to play. This new game will appeal to them and as long as the story is tight, I can see fans of the adventure game hopping aboard for the ride. Let’s hope it’s a wild one full of surprises. And hey, look at this way, chums – if the game is better than you’re thinking, once you do get to try it out, you can still storm Activision’s offices (with apologies and yummy crow pies for all)…

Toy Fair 2013: Peavey Electronics Reminds Me The Walking Dead Is On Tonight…

Posted on February 10, 2013 by geelw

With all the TF2013 madness plus that stupid Nemo hitting the city hard, I actually ALMOST forgot the rest of the season kicks off later today (oops!) and I don’t have a DVR at home. Thanks to Peavey Electronics rolling out a cool line of new licensed guitars and such at the show including this really spiffy The Walking Dead Predator electric with Charlie Adlard’s artwork on it, I can safely scoot off the show floor in time for a nice subway ride home, grab some food and catch the show without having to stay up late to catch the second showing (which would be a bad idea, as I have a bunch of TF appointments on Monday). Hmmm… I haven’t picked up a guitar in YEARS (and I’m no Twang Bar King at all), but I’ll have to check this one out in a few hours. Yeah, yeah, I’m SUPPOSED to be sleeping, but I can never rest before these big trade shows, so I’m up double checking my email and yup, adding a post or two…

Video Game Appreciation 101: Zombies vs. Pirates! Zombies Win.

Posted on December 24, 2012 by geelw

Amusingly enough, I recently requested a review copy of the retail version The Walking Dead from Telltale, but was told they were out of them for the moment and instead I got PSN codes for all five episodes. Which is fine, except for the fact that I can’t use PSN on my PS3 here. So, I simply decided to support the company a few days back by buying a copy of the game from Best Buy. Telltale gets my thirty bucks and I get to play the game everyone is raving about. Done and done. A few hours later I get an email from Best Buy telling me the game has shipped out and I can expect it between the 27th and January 2nd. Whee. But guess what? The mailman pops up today with a bunch of packages and supriiiiiiise! I get a package from Telltale with the retail copy of game you see in the photo. Which means with the PSN codes and the Best Buy Limited Edition I have on the way, I’ll end up with THREE copies of the Walking Dead. Damn zombies are multiplyin’ like rabbits around here, I tells ya…

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The Walking Dead Now Available At Retail (Yes, on a Disc!): Thank You, Telltale Games!

Posted on December 11, 2012 by geelw

Excellent. I’m glad I (as well as the others who couldn’t download this as a per-episode experience) I can FINALLY get to play The Walking Dead, given all the stellar things I’ve heard about the writing and amazing amount of choice available that drive the story in a number of interesting directions. I’m actually surprised that in addition to a standard version (and a great budget price point of $29.99), there’s a super deluxe Gamestop-only version (that’s sold out from what I’ve seen) for about $40 more that packs in The Walking Dead Compendium: One (a thick volume containing 48 issues of the award-winning comic). I still haven’t touched the comic other than the first issue and skimming through a few others, so that Gamestop bundle would indeed be peachy to own. However, it’s already commanding some crazy prices online (one of the stupid perils of exclusives), so I’ll stick with the standard edition and pick up one of those collections in the future. Hell, I have a ton of stuff to read already, so those Walkers can wait a bit longer…

Now, it WOULD have also be very cool to see a Vita version, but hey – I guess we’ll need to see what Telltale plans for the future, as there’s going to be a second “season” of the game coming at some point…

AMC’s The Walking Dead Also Gets The Halloween Horror Nights Treatment…

Posted on July 18, 2012 by geelw

“We want people to experience the same terror of the walker-filled reality our characters faced in seasons one and two – and will continue to face in our third season,” said Greg Nicotero, Co-Executive Producer and Special Effects Make-up Artist for the series. “Our collaboration with Universal Studios’ creative teams is exciting as we work to truly capture the essence of the show.”

Well, now… this is getting really interesting. Hmmm… I’m betting this is a secret weight-loss plan for some of the flabbier citizens of this country where deep-fried butter and bacon-wrapped everything are a normal way of life for too many out there. Hey, you! Want to lose 20 pounds FAST? Just go to Universal Studios Hollywood or Universal Studios Orlando during Halloween Horror Nights and hit both The Walking Dead and Silent Hill attractions. Make sure you don’t eat beforehand, as the zombies at the former love the smell of digesting beef patties, artificially colored cheese and soda pop PLUS those nurses at the latter can aid in taking care of those bite marks on your flesh… by sticking a few knives and needles into them (ouch!). Stock up on adult diapers and a portable defibrillator at the souvenir shop (conveniently located smack dab in between the two attractions) and you’re good to go.

“With ‘The Walking Dead,’ we want to make fans of the series feel like they are literally walking in the footsteps of the show’s characters, experiencing all of the horrific events from the series just as they experienced them,” said John Murdy, Creative Director at Universal Studios Hollywood. “The goal is to make guests of Halloween Horror Nights feel like they are trapped in the world of ‘The Walking Dead,’ using all of the attention to detail and movie-quality production values that Halloween Horror Nights has become famous for. You’re no longer sitting on a couch, watching a show…you’re living it!”

In other words, be prepared to do a lot of running. And screaming, too. Wear comfortable shoes and maybe some football gear if you tend to knock people over on your way to the exit sign…

Telltale Games Wants YOU To Be In The Walking Dead Game. So Go Do It Already.

Posted on April 9, 2012 by geelw

Yeah, yeah, I know, I know. You HATE pre-ordering, right? You want to wait on your hands until the big review sites pass judgment on the games you want, then wait some more until they hit the clearance bin and snap them up for a song (or a whistle when they drop in price even quicker).

However… Telltale isn’t having that noise, kids – they’re giving ONE of you out there your big, fat chance to be IMMORTALIZED digitally in the upcoming game based on Robert Kirkman’s award-winning comic and all you need to do is… guess what? Easy as pie to enter and it doesn’t involve becoming irreversibly infected with a zombie virus at all. So go make yourself a potential neighborhood superstar and take a chance on winning this one. As much as a feel like one of the undead most mornings, I’d go and enter, but I’m sure us media elite (little in-joke there) aren’t allowed… rawr!

The Walking Dead Debut Trailer: Proof That Good Zombie Games Aren’t Dead (Yet)…

Posted on March 23, 2012 by geelw

The whole “add zombies to anything” style of game making is finally playing itself shuffle by shuffle after much success, but Telltale Games is definitely doing it up right in their upcoming episodic series based on the award winning comic. Actually, Based AROUND that award-winning comic would be a better description, as the game looks to introduce a whole new set of characters and situations rather than do the “expected” thing and let players dink around with what’s already in the comic (and on the TV show). Of course, some internet ranters aren’t hip to this and are giving the company both barrels on Facebook, Twitter and anywhere else they can set up a soapbox and bleat away mindlessly. Obviously, “Braaaaaaaaiiinnnns!” aren’t doing too well working, so even if Telltale and Kirkman sent a barn full of walkers out to get the haters, they’d all come back more pissed off because half those heads they chewed on were empty already (or filled to the brim with bile, yuk).

Personally, I rather like that the game isn’t trying to expand the older stories because there are absolutely a ton of other tales that can be told about other survivors, so you won’t be hearing any complaints from this direction. As for those excellent “making of” videos that have also been posted by Telltale, I’ll be dropping those into the other blog later this afternoon or so, as I’m about to go to bed. I’ve a long day later on – got a 7am wake-up call inbound, so I’ll be the one at the train station looking like a zombie, eek!