GAME REVIEW | "The Walking Dead: A New Frontier" - Episode Three
After a lengthy break between episodes, Telltale Games' The Walking Dead has returned to us. Considering the twist of the last couple minutes of Episode Two, this wait has been kinda painful to say the least. Nevertheless what "Above the Law" delivered to us was quite savory!
**WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS**
Picking thing right off the bat, Javier, Kate, and Gabe find that David has been running security over at the New Frontier. However the quick reunion is tainted when Javier is deemed unsuitable for the New Frontier, forcing him, Jesus and Tripp out into the zombie-filled vicinity. Soon after being saved again by Clementine and finding out what happened to AJ, the four arrive at the building David recommended, only to discover a grave truth about the New Frontier.
"Above the Law" was one of those episodes where you had to balance between speaking up and keeping silent. As it is in Walking Dead fashion, there's no such thing as a good decision; only choices that lead towards badder situations later on. Even when keeping quiet about the death of David's daughter Mariana, it was still tough to sit on by and watch Javier be accused for merely surviving. Nevertheless, it seemed destined that it'd go downhill for him in Richmond.
Which is why it such a huge sigh of relief when the crew arrived at the warehouse. Seeing the story switch gears when the big secret about the others in the New Frontier made me hope that there was still a good person within David's mind and well-being. Although it's still tough to watch Clementine go through the motions to get to what she desires, it was nice to see her get her head in the game in order to achieve what was most important to her. Overall, the story presented in Episode Three was well-done (especially when it came time for Javier to relive his baseball days, if you get what I'm saying).
While the bugs from the first two episodes were long gone (no need to worry about having to pause this time around), I did notice a few framerate hiccups here and there. During the warehouse scene I couldn't help but see a few zombies moving in half the same speed as the rest of the Walkers. Thankfully, this was the only area where the game had its flaws.
PROS:
- Great storytelling
- Challenging choices to make
- Solid tension throughout the chapter
CONS:
- Minor framerate issues
FINAL THOUGHTS:
The zombies took a backseat for the main tension in "Above the Law," as Telltale's The Walking Dead proved yet again that the greatest threat to life is humanity itself. Although we were pushed into yet another cliffhanger of an ending, the latest episode in the A New Frontier chapter showcased the willingness and reward of survival in the harshest of all situations. One can only wonder what's next on the horizon for Javier, David, and the rest of the crew, and be thankful that we won't have to wait too long to find out.
FINAL GRADE (Episode Three):
Promotional consideration provided by Telltale Games. Reviewed on the Xbox One.
