User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 3463 Ratings

User score distribution:
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
  1. Jun 3, 2013
    9
    Despite the reputation and praises I avoided this game like the plague due to the interactive story label. While I still don't think the game is worth it's full asking price I do feel it's absolutely worth grabbing on a sale. Took me slightly north of 10 hours to beat all 5 episodes. The story is amazing and does a very good job creating tension and, for the most part, does an excellentDespite the reputation and praises I avoided this game like the plague due to the interactive story label. While I still don't think the game is worth it's full asking price I do feel it's absolutely worth grabbing on a sale. Took me slightly north of 10 hours to beat all 5 episodes. The story is amazing and does a very good job creating tension and, for the most part, does an excellent job of creating the "just one more turn" desire. Looking forward to the sequel and may also take a chance on Wolf Among Us, on sale of course. Expand
  2. Jun 3, 2013
    9
    I was thouroughly suprised that i enjoyed this game as much as I did. I really enjoyed the story just as much as the show or the comic. The characters were well written and there was a ton of suspense. I will definately pick up another installment if they make one.
  3. Jun 2, 2013
    8
    Possibly the most emotion-altering game I've ever played. At first glance, I thought this was gonna be another half-baked zombie game that's beaten a dead and resurrected horse. I'm glad I was wrong there. The events of the game stay original, and you're probably not gonna easily predict things. The amount of unexpected twists in the game are remarkable, and you'll find yourselfPossibly the most emotion-altering game I've ever played. At first glance, I thought this was gonna be another half-baked zombie game that's beaten a dead and resurrected horse. I'm glad I was wrong there. The events of the game stay original, and you're probably not gonna easily predict things. The amount of unexpected twists in the game are remarkable, and you'll find yourself desperately waiting for what'll happen next. The writing is beyond excellent. I can't wait for the second season. Expand
  4. Jun 2, 2013
    2
    So Walking Dead isn't a game as such, it's more like an interactive movie. There's no gameplay.. it's a matter of choosing dialogue and clicking on objects to interact with them. Need to open a door? Click the door. That's as complex as it gets. My problem with the game isn't that it's light on gameplay, because that's intended and has been executed fairly well. My problem is that it's aSo Walking Dead isn't a game as such, it's more like an interactive movie. There's no gameplay.. it's a matter of choosing dialogue and clicking on objects to interact with them. Need to open a door? Click the door. That's as complex as it gets. My problem with the game isn't that it's light on gameplay, because that's intended and has been executed fairly well. My problem is that it's a story and dialogue-driven experience, and the story is boring. If you've ever read a half decent book, you'll be bored to tears with this material. For the hell of it, imagine you aren't playing a game and instead you're watching an animated movie; you'll soon realise it would be the blandest, most predictable, cliched piece of crap ever created. So if it's light on gameplay, and the story is terrible, what's the point? What's the point indeed. Anyway, you may as well get it since it's $5 on humble bundle and decide for yourself. Expand
  5. May 31, 2013
    6
    Kinda overrated. The Walking Dead has a great story and voice acting to go with it, there is no doubt about that. Just about everything else in the game is bad. The animations and lip syncing are both horrendous. Downright laughable. The graphics are supposed to represent a comic, but i've seen comics that look better than this game. Some of the textures, especially trees and bushes andKinda overrated. The Walking Dead has a great story and voice acting to go with it, there is no doubt about that. Just about everything else in the game is bad. The animations and lip syncing are both horrendous. Downright laughable. The graphics are supposed to represent a comic, but i've seen comics that look better than this game. Some of the textures, especially trees and bushes and the ground, are terrible. And the gameplay, which is the most important part of any game, is boring and sometimes unintuitive. You rarely get something to do, most of the game is watching a cutscene and listening to dialogue. But, when you do get something to do, it's just simply clicking here one to kick a zombie, or some other unimportant thing. It's not fun at all, honestly, i'd rather have just watched the game play before me then having to keep my hand on my mouse and wait an see if there is some QTE that pops up. The game also states that the decisions you make affect the game. This is true to a degree, but don't expect to be able to save one person all the way through to the end, or have your decisions greatly affect the ending. There is one ending to the game no matter what you do. The points in the game where you're supposed to pick one thing or another don't have any bearing on what happens in the end, either. So there's really no "choice" at all. I was super disappointed in this game, honestly. If you want a movie with a good, emotional story and don't care for gameplay, then buy it. But if you really want an experience you can interact with, you'd best look elsewhere. Expand
  6. May 30, 2013
    9
    "This is not a game." You know what? I might not consider a game either. I'd consider it- an interactive story. But jeezy creezy what a story. If you wanna be hit in the feels you gotta experience this game. Right. In. The. Feels. Numerous times! My emotions were jerked around so much I thought this game was my x-girlfriend. If you love story and characters and wanna experience what"This is not a game." You know what? I might not consider a game either. I'd consider it- an interactive story. But jeezy creezy what a story. If you wanna be hit in the feels you gotta experience this game. Right. In. The. Feels. Numerous times! My emotions were jerked around so much I thought this game was my x-girlfriend. If you love story and characters and wanna experience what feelings are you gotta play this. Expand
  7. May 29, 2013
    0
    Disclaimer: I write this hoping that I will someday revise this with a higher score. However, at the current time this game is for me unplayable. My review is based solely on my experience with this game. Yours (hopefully!) will be different and far less buggy. Even if I revise it, it is highly unlikely that the walking dead for Mac will receive a score above 7.

    I bought this game
    Disclaimer: I write this hoping that I will someday revise this with a higher score. However, at the current time this game is for me unplayable. My review is based solely on my experience with this game. Yours (hopefully!) will be different and far less buggy. Even if I revise it, it is highly unlikely that the walking dead for Mac will receive a score above 7.

    I bought this game as a pre-packaged whole rather episode by episode, so I hoped and expected that the major bugs had been worked out. Nooooooope! Through 1 episode this game was everything I'd hoped it would be. And then none of my decisions transferred over into episode 2. None! Since the game is basically a glorified choose your own adventure novel, this completely an utterly destroys any reason you have to play the game. This is a bug so crippling that, for the first time, I give a game a score of 0.

    Now, apparently, not everyone has this bug. But from what I've read it's not limited to the transfer from episode 1 to 2. Second, there are fixes out there for PC. But God help you if you play the game on Mac because no one else will.

    As I've said, I hope that I can find the a fix for this problem and give this game a better score, but until I can I'm not awarding a single point to a choice based game that loses track of my choices. But even I can fix this, I'm going to be far more afraid of this happening again than I am of any walkers.

    There's another serious bug that I have yet to mention, though it's minimal by comparison. When playing in fullscreen, the game's nigh unplayable because the mouse often gets incredibly sluggish. I could rapidly and repeatedly swipe my finger over the length of the mousepad and get minimal movement. This was usually merely annoying but in action sequences it was fatal. So I was forced to play in immersion breaking windowed mode. I was able to fake fullscreen by using Apple's universal access features to zoom in on the window, but it's far from a perfect fix.

    There's no other way to put it: The walking dead is great game weighed down and ultimately utterly crushed by two serious bugs. It is completely inexcusable and an absolute embarrassment that telltale hasn't fixed these bugs yet. I cannot recommend this game to anyone.
    Expand
  8. May 28, 2013
    3
    Boo. I guess if you've never played an adventure game before and are a diehard zombie fan, there might be something here for you. If you've played any decent adventure game before, though, stay away. What's wrong with this game? First of all, it's painfully boring, and there is a lot of pointless dialogue. The voice acting is (mostly) very good, which helps a bit, but the dialogue reallyBoo. I guess if you've never played an adventure game before and are a diehard zombie fan, there might be something here for you. If you've played any decent adventure game before, though, stay away. What's wrong with this game? First of all, it's painfully boring, and there is a lot of pointless dialogue. The voice acting is (mostly) very good, which helps a bit, but the dialogue really isn't written to a very high standard. What's worse is the "game" aspect of it: there's very little that you do, the "puzzles" are rudimentary at best, and your "decisions" don't change anything important. As an example, early in the game you are given the opportunity to help one character or another escape from a zombie. Regardless of your choice, the same character is saved. Bottom line: If you're a fan of adventure games, pass on this. If you're an adamant fan of The Walking Dead, and find this on sale for $5 or less, go ahead and pick it up but prepare to be disappointed. Telltale's recent other adventure games aren't groundbreaking or fantastic, but they're much more cohesive, interactive, and fun than this. Expand
  9. May 26, 2013
    10
    The best game I have ever played in the last year and 2013 so far in terms of story. I really can't wait for Season2 which is aimed at fall this year.

    The ending is so sad, if you played all Episodes without stopping in between and you get to the ends you will probably cry or feel upset for the next few hours after you finished the game, this is how the story will capture your emotion.
    The best game I have ever played in the last year and 2013 so far in terms of story. I really can't wait for Season2 which is aimed at fall this year.

    The ending is so sad, if you played all Episodes without stopping in between and you get to the ends you will probably cry or feel upset for the next few hours after you finished the game, this is how the story will capture your emotion. well done designers.
    Expand
  10. May 23, 2013
    10
    This game is just amazing. Unforgettable..... have never felt this emotionally attached to a game and it's characters/story-line. defiantly a must play.
  11. May 23, 2013
    10
    This a game has a cruel, but a very deep feeling. While play this game, you will feel awkward and confused, but after play this game, you don't have any word for it. The game has a great, epic and horrible story and I will never forget that feeling.

    Enjoy it
  12. May 21, 2013
    0
    Bugs, bugs and bugs, If a company can't release something that works and saves properly, and doesn't even attempt to fix it, then screw it. Absolutely inexcusable.
  13. May 18, 2013
    9
    Clearly one of the most surprising games i have very played. This game emotionally attaches you to it's characters and you will really start to care about them. It's story will take you on a journey that will make you sweat. You will feel sad, you will feel relief, and you will feel sacrifice. Story in this game is it's strongest aspect. Graphics are not the best, but they are rarely aClearly one of the most surprising games i have very played. This game emotionally attaches you to it's characters and you will really start to care about them. It's story will take you on a journey that will make you sweat. You will feel sad, you will feel relief, and you will feel sacrifice. Story in this game is it's strongest aspect. Graphics are not the best, but they are rarely a problem at all. You will probably play this game more than once because of it's game changing decision making. Every choice counts. You make your character the way you want. This is a must own. Expand
  14. May 16, 2013
    10
    One of the best games I've ever played and the only one that's nearly reduced me to tears. Totally worth the money. The story keeps you wanting more, and you begin to like the characters. I felt all the emotions possible from a video game with this.
  15. May 16, 2013
    8
    One of the best stories I've ever played, but aside that and it's hardly a game, mostly bunch of qte's! The most amazing thing of this project the way you communicating with other characters, it's like the movie and you a big par of it! Great game for sure, I want more like this!
  16. May 13, 2013
    10
    Telltale truly made a masterpiece. I've owned this game since it's release on steam however, I never bothered posting until now since I don't use Metacritc often. I've always been a fan of the Walking Dead world with the comics, books, shows, and with this games as well.

    As a warning to those who are looking to buy this game: This game is not your average zombie shooter/hack & slash or
    Telltale truly made a masterpiece. I've owned this game since it's release on steam however, I never bothered posting until now since I don't use Metacritc often. I've always been a fan of the Walking Dead world with the comics, books, shows, and with this games as well.

    As a warning to those who are looking to buy this game: This game is not your average zombie shooter/hack & slash or what have you. This is essentially an interactive novel/TV show broken down into 5 episodes with the beginning of each episode having a "previously on the Walking Dead" showing your actions and choices from the previous episode. You must enjoy a good story in order to enjoy this game. If you buy it thinking it's a zombie shooter and you're going to run around hacking zombies you're going to be disappointed; Which is what I assume most people who gave it a negative review assumed after reading their reviews.

    However, if you do enjoy a good story you're going to enjoy if not love this game and shed a tear like I did at the end and eagerly await season 2 this fall like I am.
    Expand
  17. May 10, 2013
    10
    Great art style and very emotional! I cried at the end of this game and I am normally a tough person and rarely cry. I was smiling all the way through the game the same as I do with the TV show! Worth the purchase. Best GAMING EXPERIENCE EVER
  18. May 9, 2013
    9
    this game has one of the greatest stories you will encounter in games and the ending will surely make you cry although it lacks some freedom but the choices you make affect the story telling which gives you a high replayability simply one of the best games of 2012
  19. May 8, 2013
    9
    Genius, It has the most compelling, emotional, shocking and intense story i ever played in a video game, I find it way better then the TV show, the characters reactions make sense, the various decisions are neat, cuz unlike the TV series there is no BAD/GOOD choice or GOOD GUY/BAD GUY cliches, most choices that you and other characters make are presented as a matter of perspective, and theGenius, It has the most compelling, emotional, shocking and intense story i ever played in a video game, I find it way better then the TV show, the characters reactions make sense, the various decisions are neat, cuz unlike the TV series there is no BAD/GOOD choice or GOOD GUY/BAD GUY cliches, most choices that you and other characters make are presented as a matter of perspective, and the story line builds consistent consequences for the crazy things some characters might do (Lilly's father, the guy who kidnapped Clementine, lilly -in a way-) and the characters themselves are very compelling, Lee, you mostly build lee's persona which is already interesting, Clementine is so cute, and is probably the best child character ever in a video game, with a great voice acting, There are lots of other interesting people too, Carley, Molly, Christa, Mike, the homeless guy..etc

    But i guess the most important aspect of the story is that what your group is doing makes sense, for example they live in the 21 century, they try using radios, TV.. etc (such aspects don't exist in the TV show!), Secondly, they do understand it's pointless to find a permanent place to stay in a city full of walkers, so they always move, and when they do stay for long periods in one spot, a valid reason is provided, like waiting for the army to roll in, which they fast realize it's not going to happen so they move on..

    And although the game-play is Click-to-Play, which is obviously bogus and stupid, especially for a walking dead game which you'd expect to have a very action-packed gameplay, but the story telling compensate that pretty good, and the game itself make the click-to-play thing rather fun.. it feels more like watching a neat movie then playing game, i haven't counted but i'm pretty sure that if you take all the cut-scenes out you'd probably get less then 3 hours game-play, but still it's amazingly fun.
    Expand
  20. May 8, 2013
    8
    The ending of this game made me cry tears. Is that enough for you?

    That aside, there are a few flaws. The adventure game puzzles are very, very basic, so if you're looking for something to challenge you, you've come to the wrong place. In addition, repeated playthroughs tend to all lead to the same outcome, which gives weight to the idea that your choices ultimately don't matter. But
    The ending of this game made me cry tears. Is that enough for you?

    That aside, there are a few flaws. The adventure game puzzles are very, very basic, so if you're looking for something to challenge you, you've come to the wrong place. In addition, repeated playthroughs tend to all lead to the same outcome, which gives weight to the idea that your choices ultimately don't matter.

    But by golly, it's one good narrative.
    Expand
  21. May 7, 2013
    9
    The Walking Dead series is a point and click 5 parter with a small amount of keyboard movement involved. The story line is well thought out and choice made in earlier parts may come back to help or haunt you in the later stages. Although the original price tag of £29.99 was rather high as you had to wait for the other parts to be released, now you can pick it up £9.99 in most places withThe Walking Dead series is a point and click 5 parter with a small amount of keyboard movement involved. The story line is well thought out and choice made in earlier parts may come back to help or haunt you in the later stages. Although the original price tag of £29.99 was rather high as you had to wait for the other parts to be released, now you can pick it up £9.99 in most places with all parts ready to go. If your into the TV series or just want something different then this is worth a tenner. Expand
  22. May 4, 2013
    10
    The best game of 2012. No doubt. The best characters I've seen in a videogame,it's a game of emotions, you'll love the characters. The puzzles are a very simplistic, though.
  23. May 2, 2013
    0
    Just WOW... Didn't see that coming today I tell ya.We are in 2013 what kind of is this,They made these sort of games 16 years ago when I was kid.I feel scammed.

    The graphics are such crap that I would prefer reading the comic than finish this game and the game play is so simple that a 2 year old could do this... I still cant believe how this rating is so high.Are they paying you for
    Just WOW... Didn't see that coming today I tell ya.We are in 2013 what kind of is this,They made these sort of games 16 years ago when I was kid.I feel scammed.

    The graphics are such crap that I would prefer reading the comic than finish this game and the game play is so simple that a 2 year old could do this...

    I still cant believe how this rating is so high.Are they paying you for these good rating?Seriously wtf!
    Expand
  24. May 1, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Cons: I can't say I get the hype of this game. It's said to have choices that affect the gameplay, but no matter what you do or what choices you make, someone always dies(an example being the Carly and Doug scenario). Adding on to that, Lee getting bit wasn't surprising to me since one of the trailers for the game revealed it to me before I could even see it myself in game! As for gameplay, they REALLY could've mixed it up, I don't like JUST quick-time events and generic and linear point/click adventure
    Pros: I semi-enjoy the art style, I get it's trying to be comic-book like, but I've seen games do comic-book style and look 100 times better.. The story was good when it wasn't spoiled. Voice acting was also spot on.
    Conclusion: Quite possibly the most overrated games I've ever played. :P
    Expand
  25. Apr 29, 2013
    1
    For a game that advertises itself as being all about choices it really doesn't have any. It's an OK adventure game with some interesting characters and if you are into TWD then you will probably enjoy it. But I bought it because I was intrigued by the "dynamic storytelling" and how my choices would shape the narrative. Well the story is completely railroaded and my choices are dismissedFor a game that advertises itself as being all about choices it really doesn't have any. It's an OK adventure game with some interesting characters and if you are into TWD then you will probably enjoy it. But I bought it because I was intrigued by the "dynamic storytelling" and how my choices would shape the narrative. Well the story is completely railroaded and my choices are dismissed almost immediately. Shame really.... Expand
  26. Apr 27, 2013
    10
    Best point and click game I have ever played. Characters are all interesting, except some of them that are just a pain in the ass which I'm glad are killed in spectacular fashion, voice acting is excellent, and it has plenty of moments that will make you cry. For $15, this game is a must must must buy. Can't wait for the next season.
  27. Apr 26, 2013
    10
    One of the reasons i created this account was to share my impressions regarding this PC adventure i have experienced. This game simply left me broken on the inside, in a way very few pieces of art/entertainment have managed to. Probably the book Sputnik Sweetheart by Murakami and the movie Requiem for a Dream by Darren Aronofsky are the only ones who had the same effect.
    First of all,
    One of the reasons i created this account was to share my impressions regarding this PC adventure i have experienced. This game simply left me broken on the inside, in a way very few pieces of art/entertainment have managed to. Probably the book Sputnik Sweetheart by Murakami and the movie Requiem for a Dream by Darren Aronofsky are the only ones who had the same effect.
    First of all, this game is NOT for children. Secondly, it is not for hypersensitives. The reason? The huge quantity of feelings it triggers. The characters are so amazingly written and so believable that u'll end up loving most of them and hating the rest. The problem is that this is a game about death. In all forms and flavours. Most of these characters die, usually in more than gruesome manners, and you are generally left to feel helpless and contemplate the frailty that is life. This is a game which depicts the entire range of human dark emotions, with flawless accuracy and a really punishing tone.
    The entire game is so emotionally overwhelming that you might have problems getting to the end of it. I have more than once regretted starting it and almost quit the adventure 3 times. The next moment however, i was craving for more, ending up asking myself whether i might actually be a masochist. And that's this game in a nutshell a rollercoaster inside a world where u will be challenged to survive, only to realise that you are outmatched no matter what you do, no matter your skills or your thought processes. Sure, u might end up saving a person here and there, but it is only temporary. In fact, the game sadistically exploits these relationships, allowing you to develop feelings towards the characters u saved only to see them crushed further down the road, when a previously avoidable human sacrifice becomes necessary in order to progress Throughout the entire game i felt like death is all around me, and it takes quite some skill to be able to offer this perspective in a stimulating and often philosophical manner.
    It is hard to give a score in a "traditional-looking" manner for a game like this. The gameplay is ok, especially for those who enjoy timed events and point-and-click adventures like Indigo Prophecy or Heavy Rain. What makes scoregiving hardest is the fact this game will rarely. if ever, make you feel "good" about yourself. You are an anti-hero, you don't save worlds, there is nothing awesome about you. Many moments will definitely make you cry. But that is what the game set out to do from the beginning, this is its plan, to beat the comfortable numbness of the traditional gamer. And in that department, it succeeds masterfully, probably better than all the games i've played in the last decade.
    Definitely not for the faint of heart, but a must play for those who want to experience a great story that will brutally remind you the importance, and limits, of being and staying alive....
    Expand
  28. Apr 26, 2013
    9
    Well... This was a pleasant surprise even though I came with big expectations. The story is engaging, the characters are alive and developing the tension is high, and the choices seem difficult and meaningful. Not to mention that the technical execution is excellent as well.
    Definitely one of the better games of 2012
  29. Apr 25, 2013
    9
    That's how I was left after finishing each episode of this game. And for a bonus I was left with a tear in my eye by the third and fifth chapter. This game must be played by anyone who loves storytelling and amazing dialogues in video game and even movies. What many are complaining about is that there is no gameplay or oh this isn't a game it's an interactive show but they are missing the That's how I was left after finishing each episode of this game. And for a bonus I was left with a tear in my eye by the third and fifth chapter. This game must be played by anyone who loves storytelling and amazing dialogues in video game and even movies. What many are complaining about is that there is no gameplay or oh this isn't a game it's an interactive show but they are missing the entire point of the game! It isn't to collect killstreaks or to amaze with set pieces, it's to move your emotional strings and make you care about it's characters! If this isn't your type of game don't play it but this review is for the ones who knew what they were in for. You play as Lee Everett, a man with a shady past who in the midst of a zombie apocalypse finds a lonely little girl, Clementine. The moment you meet her you feel the burden of having to protect her and it doesn't ever go away. There were moments I felt so much sympathy for her or even doubt of myself if I was good enough for her that I felt things only real life could achieve! This is a very dark game, for those who didn't know! You will see a lot of up things and meet some up characters (episode 2, holy crap). But you will meet others who will join your group and become friends with you. And by god there will be choices! Choices that matter even from the first episode! And you will disagree even with your best companions in some cases! I repeat this is some intense and there's gonna e tension in the air. But I can say in the third chapter there was one so strong character development that I shed a TEAR! And of course the final episode I cried, literally cried. And not just in one scene! This game will move you! Even if you are the most stone cold emotionless man in the country. About the gameplay I can say it's point and click and there are tense scenes that require you to press a button really fast or stuff but nothing very gripping. But th strong is in the dialogue options! You have to think and react fast and believe me there will be a time or two that you will do something you would have never done in any other choice game. Like I said this game requires your emotions and ideas to play, not the ones from the character! So in general if you love good stories and great character development and dialogue you are in for the experience of the year! I'm gonna give it a nine because it doesn't really appeal to everybody! But great game for the right audience! Expand
  30. Apr 24, 2013
    9
    Stop reading reviews on metacritic, get Telltale's The Walking Dead and get ready for a truly unique, enthralling and incredibly immersive experience (of the extent the gaming industry hasn't seen in many a year)!
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. 80
    It’s not perfect but The Walking Dead is one of the most important advances in interactive fiction for a generation, with some of the most memorable characters of any video game.
  2. Mar 15, 2013
    80
    The Walking Dead is a serious, solid, but clay-footed work; in truth, it wouldn't stand out from the crowd if video game storytelling wasn't so impoverished to begin with.
  3. Hyper Magazine
    Feb 10, 2013
    90
    A test of your moral fortitude in a world that's gone to the dogs. [March 2013, p.76]