The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series - A New Frontier Episode 4: Thicker than Water

With the end in sight, I feel akin to the characters in the game with regards to where the series is heading, namely, I don’t have a damn clue. Thicker Than Water was a good episode in a season that ranks only slightly below the original, and the only thing left for the team now is to wrap up what they started. Will Javier and co. survive? Will Richmond? We’ll just have to wait to find out.

This fourth episode of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier is, probably, the best so far. Very fast paced and with an outstanding ending that prepares the player for an epic ending of the season.

Thicker than Water is the best episode this season. It offers a great blend between relationship building and intense reveals. I hesitated before making my big decisions and was blindsided by what followed. I'm more excited than ever to see how it all shakes out. I'm guessing the death and devastation are far from over.

Thicker Than Water is the best episode yet, and as it finished I was left with the all too familiar feeling of nervousness and fear us Walker fans are used to. Telltale Games makes great use of Walkers, too, and you remember just how random and deadly their attacks can be. Going into Episode Five it’s going to be interesting to see how the group dynamic works after the crazy events of the end, and just how the gang are going to recover. There’re still plenty of issues with the animation on the character’s eyes, and some of the facial animations aren’t telling of what they’re actually trying to say, but forget this due to the gripping nature of the story. It’s clear to see why The Walking Dead is Telltale Games’ jewel in the crown, and if the previous two seasons have taught us anything, it’s to bring your hankies to the finale.

We should be enjoying multiple hour episodes capable of sustaining our attention, marrying a few possible paths. After earning our trust and business, I was hopeful Telltale would move on to legendary kinds of storytelling catered to player choices and capable of handling several outcomes. Unfortunately, Episode 4 feels like we're being coasted along.

After the plodding pace of Episode 3, Above the Law, Episode 4 brings back what the series so desperately needed.

If Telltale continues down this path, the season finale of The New Frontier may be one of their best yet. Sure, it might be too early to call, but the biased fan in me reckons Telltale might just pull it off. Telltale has seriously upped the ante with more action and tougher decisions to make, and Thicker Than Water has definitely been my favourite of the series so far.

The presentation remains solid throughout and will appeal to newcomers to the franchise but long time fans will find themselves in all-too familiar ground. Telltale needs to turn auto pilot off and focus on advancing the genre it helped re-invent if they wish to remain a relevant studio going forward.

Despite some of the unevenness with its attention to some of the series’ stronger characters (and effectively developing its weaker ones), Episode 4 of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier makes up for a languid pace in its first two thirds by setting up an explosive final act.

An amazing emotional experience that trips and stumbles, but shows what Telltale is capable off.