The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series - A New Frontier

 PC
Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 18
  3. Negative: 1 out of 18
  1. DarkStation
    Dec 22, 2016
    90
    Given where Episode 2 leaves us, I am truly looking forward to see where A New Frontier goes. Javier is a charming character with a deep backstory, and they way his family is introduced throughout the past and present leads to an immediate investment in his future. Add in some shady actions on Clementine’s part, as well as the overwhelming desire to keep her around, and I feel that TWD is back on the right track. Telltale continues to impress.
  2. RPG Fan
    Dec 21, 2016
    89
    Season three is off to a thrilling beginning with a host of questions, answers, dramatic entrances, and believable new characters.
  3. IGN Italia
    May 31, 2017
    85
    A New Frontier does Telltale’s The Walking Dead series justice, giving the ending that fans have been asking for.
  5. Everyeye.it
    Jan 25, 2017
    85
    Maybe we can expect wonders from the third season of Walking Dead. The first two episodes have great characters and a very impressive plot. 
  6. Games Master UK
    Aug 10, 2017
    80
    It's frustrating to see Telltale simultaneously at its best, and also just repeating itself. [Sept 2017, p.81]
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  7. CD-Action
    Feb 13, 2017
    80
    A New Frontier is well written and directed, surprising and touching. Along with Tales from the Borderlands The Walking Dead is still the best series by Telltale. [02/2017, p.44]
    All this publication's reviews
  8. PC Games
    May 31, 2017
    78
    Strong characters, thrilling story, but I expected more from the final episode. […] It’s obvious that your previous decisions have no real effect and especially the most emotional storyline lacks a satisfying conclusion.
  9. GameCritics
    Jun 12, 2017
    75
    With A New Frontier, Telltale is stumbling over the age and limitations of its dated engine and game mechanics while also running into the problem of franchise fatigue. There are only so many zombie hordes, self-interested road warriors, and family disputes they can explore before it all starts to feel rote. Javi’s story isn’t a total loss thanks to the development of the core characters, but the studio will have to think of ways to keep this world fresh and interesting if it hopes to continue producing the further adventures of Clementine and other assorted survivors.
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  1. Kotaku
    May 31, 2017
    I do not regret my time with A New Frontier, but the emotional core at the center of the series seems rotten. There are seeds of greatness here, but A New Frontier never gave them the necessary time to grow. The Walking Dead started as a story about people. It was about a convict looking to redeem himself and a child growing up in an unfair world. A New Frontier chases after these figures but no matter how hard it runs, it always remains firmly in their shadows.

Awards & Rankings

60
#60 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016

User Reviews

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User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 293 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 121 out of 293
  2. Mixed: 127 out of 293
  3. Negative: 45 out of 293
  1. pinkytwist
    Mar 5, 2017
    2
    I was already disappointed when Telltale announced that Season 3 was going to have a new main character. They kept that a secret for as longI was already disappointed when Telltale announced that Season 3 was going to have a new main character. They kept that a secret for as long as possible and while they said Clementine was going to be back, when asked if she was going to be playable too they were always very vague up until the game was released. Smart from their part, because Clem is only playable for less than 10 minutes in 2 episodes and obviously, fans weren't happy. And she's only playable in flashbacks too, and speaking of which,are the most obnoxious thing Telltale has ever done to date. Dealing with Season 2's endings in a 5 minute flashback by killing off the remaining characters in the most terrible way possible, making the endings completely useless and basically sh*t on everyone's choices. They didn't even put any effort in trying to make Kenny, Edith and Jane LOOK like their former selves in season 2. Their models look absolutely terrible and it's honestly insulting to the fans that they thought those flashbacks were good enough to put on the game.

    But anyway, Telltale decided that it was best to throw away 2 seasons of investment and character development by pushing Clementine aside in favor of a random dude with a family that we are suddenly supposed to care about. TWD honestly became all about Clementine to me. In season 1 we have to protect her and teach her how to survive, in season 2 we get to play as her and shape her to be the character we want. In the meantime we watch her grow, both physically and mentally and in season 3 we get to see her become a young woman. So many opportunities right there. I honestly thought that we were going to get to play as her until she grows to be an adult. Not a lot of games do that, where you get to follow a character and watch them grow and adapt to a new world. Why Telltale decided to get rid of that is beyond me. Bringing a new established character that has been surviving in the apocalypse for 4 years with his family just doesn't work for me. Javier's intentions are all about protecting his family, but why should I care for them? I didn't get to develop these bonds between the characters and it certainly doesn't help when they are as bland and generic as Gabe and Kate are. The typical "bad stepmother" that has a bad attitude and doesn't know how to raise kids and that was abused by the husband. The stereotypical moody teenage boy who whines about trivial things 4 years into the apocalypse. That's another thing that bugs me about this family. They are completely oblivious and innocent, which is just not believable. They run into a trailer full of supplies and a bed and they aren't smart enough to put two and two together and come to the conclusion that someone lives there? Am I supposed to believe this family never run into bad people in 4 years?? That and the stupid sh*t they do, like running in an open field in the middle of a gunfire. That's bad writing, it makes your characters look stupid and not relatable.

    So far the side characters are just there, doesn't seem like they have a story and mind of their own. You meet Eleanor and talk to her for 1 minute and suddenly she wants to help you escape when you were involved in a murder. I mean, are you serious?? Then Javier is the reason why Prescott falls and for some reason Tripp is your best bud now and follows you unconditionally. Again, what?? I guess that's the problem with introducing new characters at the beginning of every season and then proceed to kill them all off only to do the same thing again in the next season. You basically have no time to develop a believable relationship with these characters. And it doesn't help when the hubs (which were a great way to stop and breath for a while and get to talk to the characters and get to know them a bit) are utter bullsh*t in this game. Season 2 suffered from this too. Only good old season 1 did this right. It's beyond me why Telltale dropped that. It probably also doesn't help when the episodes are so freaking short that you barely have time to do anything... and on top of that you lie to the fans saying "oh my god you guys episode 1 was so big we had to split it in two!" and then each part turns out to be 1 hour long. Oh, ok, so having a 2 hour episode was such a bad thing? Specially when we waited 3 years for a freaking new season, you honestly couldn't give something back to your fans? And you'd think we would have 4 more episodes after this since this was supposed to be episode 1 split in two but nope, we'll be getting one less episode, so only 3 more. Lol Just terrible.

    Overall, the first two episodes felt rushed, too much action and too little character interaction and development. Half of the season is almost gone and the events from the two episodes happened in less than a day! This is season 2 all over again where the entire season happened in the span of like one week. As I see it, a New Frontier should be a standalone game and Season 3 should follow Clem again.    … Full Review »
  2. anterolol
    Dec 25, 2016
    0
    Clementine isn't playable and only gets 10% of the entire screen time. Javier is bland and has a boring story. Episodes are 60 minutes long,Clementine isn't playable and only gets 10% of the entire screen time. Javier is bland and has a boring story. Episodes are 60 minutes long, down from 90 minutes in season 2 and 120-150 minutes in season 1. The writing is atrocious.

    If you have any respect for Clementine or Lee, don't buy this game. It destroys everything from the past 2 seasons.

    This is an insult and a betrayal to all fans.    … Full Review »
  3. AngryAlvin
    Feb 21, 2017
    0
    Don't know why they called it a "season 3"...season 3 of what? This pathetic trash has nothing to do with the previous masterpieces.

    People    Don't know why they called it a "season 3"...season 3 of what? This pathetic trash has nothing to do with the previous masterpieces.

    People who leave positive reviews are either dull or paid.    … Full Review »
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