Game - The Walking Dead: Michonne

Release Date - February 24th 2016

Platform - Xbox One (reviewed), 360, PS3, PS4, PC, mobile platforms

Developer/Publisher - Telltale

 

In case you may not know, Telltale Games' series usually consist of five episodes. In fact, all of them have with the exception of Game of Thrones, which was six. Since The Walking Dead: Michonne is a mini-series, it has only three episodes. As a result, it goes bat-shit crazy with action right from jump street.

The game opens up with Michonne, visibly distressed and physically exhausted, walking through a field. It's a cinematic with a couple instances to machete slash some brush from blocking your path. Voice overs of Michonne's own thoughts reveal that although she has forgotten multiple people who have died since the outbreak, there are two which she can not forget. After clearing one set of brush, Michonne is staring dead into the face of two small, eye-less children. Her children. The two she can not forget. Here's where the bat-shit crazy comes in. The two children run away and zombies of course begin to overrun Michonne. She locates a door, a single door, that happens to be standing in the middle of a field. Upon entering, she finds herself back in her home pre-outbreak. The action sees Michonne take out a zombie with a sword to the skull over a leather sofa and coffee table, only to have it fall down in grass. Another zombie falls prey to the machete queen and falls headfirst onto a fire. This fire, which is really in the field, becomes transported back to her home. You see, the combat takes place in both Michonne's head and in the field, illustrating both the physical and emotional struggle she is going through.

It's a scene ripe with player control action and plenty of zombie blood, which is always a good thing. Upon completing the scene, you are presented with the first serious choice in the game. I won't spoil it for you. What I will tell you is that the choice you make manifests itself in not only Michonne's physical and psychological health for the remainder of the episode, but those with whom she interacts with as well.

In too deep follows Michonne and her new found friend, Pete. On board Pete's ship, they are joined by the crew on attempting to locate both supplies and Pete's missing friends. In typical The Walking Dead fashion, one event snowballs into another leading up to a climactic ending nothing short of action packed. With only three episodes on its plate, Telltale made sure to engross players from the outset. The Walking Dead is not known for its emotional impact. In fact, it's the total opposite. We all know this. With the Michonne mini-series, however, Telltale included an interesting experience of emotion which perfectly co-exists with the intermittent action.

If there's no action, there is emotion. If there is no emotion, there's craziness. Bat-shit craziness. With titles like Game of Thrones, Telltale had time in its six episodes to flush out a story. As a result, the first two episodes were rather run of the mill with action being a moot point. With Michonne, Telltale ratcheted it up a notch by starting the series with the emotional impact and action sequences of Game of Thrones episode 6. Since emotion is such a major point of contention in the game, your choices play a more pivotal role than in other Telltale games. Characters react stronger to your words and they remember them. Emotions are a fickle mistress and too many people use them to make decisions. The Walking Dead: Michonne takes advantage of this aspect of our humanity. Characters will make decisions later on in the episode which are completely assanine and without logic solely because of a single comment Michonne made earlier.

It's the story of life. People react out of emotion rather than logic much too often. You'll need to decide how you want to play as your decisions impact the game more than your usual Telltale title. The Walking Dead: Michonne Episode 1 In too deep sets the tone for another Telltale experience that will surely end on a high note. Hopefully, it will be similar to Game of Thrones, but we'll have to wait at least another month to find out. 

Game of Thrones is both my favorite and most well rounded series that Telltale has done. Fortunately, due to The Walking Dead: Michonne's three episode setup, it does not fall victim to the typical drawn out story line that the rest of Telltale games have. The shortened series makes for a fast paced series both emotionally and action wise, and is Telltale's best game yet. After all, it is bat-shit crazy.