The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct

 Xbox 360
User Score
4.0

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 417 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 98 out of 417
  2. Mixed: 65 out of 417
  3. Negative: 254 out of 417
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  1. Kharshai
    Mar 20, 2013
    5
    A mediocre game at best. Mundane and boring combat, awful textures and terrible jump-scares. This is a classic example of a rushed game trying to make as much money off a successful franchise as possible.
    The voice acting is rather bad and unrealistic and it's also rather bad.
    However, that's not to say there isn't SOME good parts to this game, for example the whole survivor system    A mediocre game at best. Mundane and boring combat, awful textures and terrible jump-scares. This is a classic example of a rushed game trying to make as much money off a successful franchise as possible.
    The voice acting is rather bad and unrealistic and it's also rather bad.

    However, that's not to say there isn't SOME good parts to this game, for example the whole survivor system where you can send them out to look for supplies is a rather good idea.

    But in the end, this game only warrants a 5/10 from me, I honestly think there was some good ideas in this, and perhaps the developers didn't get enough time or resources to fully fulfil them.    … Expand
  2. Zombie_Crunch
    Mar 19, 2013
    6
    At a release price of $49.99, you know right away you're not holding a blockbuster in your hands, but The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, for what it's worth, offers some really great ideas and new directions for gameplay, even if those great ideas are balanced with an equal helping of slipshod development, hackneyed gameplay, and lazy storytelling.

    On the plus side, much like the    At a release price of $49.99, you know right away you're not holding a blockbuster in your hands, but The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, for what it's worth, offers some really great ideas and new directions for gameplay, even if those great ideas are balanced with an equal helping of slipshod development, hackneyed gameplay, and lazy storytelling.

    On the plus side, much like the popular show, you're thrown directly into the action, no waiting through any sort of cutscenes or setup, and since this is the exact opposite of every other game in existence, the result is jarring, in a good way. You feel like you would if this were the real zombie apocalypse. In this prequel to the television series, you play as Daryl Dixon, searching once again for Merle, on your way toward the supposedly safe city of Atlanta. Your job is to gather supplies and make careful decisions as to how to continue through the infested and overrun state of Georgia.

    Most of the time you'll find yourself sneaking around in environments peeking from behind things and doing your best not to be seen or heard by any walkers. This is where the gameplay really shines too, because the feeling you get is actually intense and scary, a feeling most popular zombie games fail to capture these days. This is true survival horror at its best: slow-paced action with extremely limited weapons, and long stretches where you may not see enemies followed by large unexpected hordes. Parts of this game will remind you of what was great about the early installments of Resident Evil The game has its own pervasive mood, that is undeniably creepy.

    Survival Instinct brings a bit of fresh thinking to the genre, which varies up the gameplay a bit. You'll find yourself given different ways to distract zombies and pull hordes to one side of the map while you attempt to sneak past. You'll also find things in the environment that can be strategically traded for other things. The survivors you encounter play as much a part in the game as the walkers.

    The Walking Dead environment is well sold, thanks to voiceover work from Norman Reedus and Michael Rooker, which will add a bit of enjoyment for Walking Dead fans. That said, the writing isn't as strong as it is in the TV show, and it seems to exaggerate Daryl's quiet character. He's a bit of a jerk to everybody he meets, often answering questions with one or two words when people really need his help.

    Ever since Gears of War and Call of Duty, game controls have sort of found themselves to be standardized, and this game (thankfully) doesn't deviate from tried-and-true formulas. It's relatively easy to wield weapons and move about, and doesn't seem to suffer from any collision-detection issues. The HUD is simple and intuitive. NPCs behave as you would expect, and supplies are hidden without too much difficulty, depending on the paths you choose.

    Unfortunately, This game won't be wowing you with graphics. Coming from Terminal Reality, the same team that gave us Ghostbusters, you would expect a better job in this department. Sadly, the drab, simple environments and terrible texture rendering make this graphically more akin to Duke Nukem, which is just plain inexcusable considering how great Ghostbusters looked when it was released 4 years ago. There are about 5 character skins. You'll kill the same zombie a lot.

    In addition, the environments overall feel limited, and it was disappointing how linear the game ends up being. You would always hope that a game that pits you against hordes of the undead would give you some room in the sandbox. This game, however, is a far cry from its predecessors, like Dead Island or Deadrising. Plan on moving forward a lot, because that's the only direction you'll be going.

    In the world of storytelling, there isn't much to offer either. Don't expect a lot of cutscenes or much original dialogue. It happens, but when it does, much of it is a retread of things we've done in zombie games a hundred times before. Go get batteries for this, restore the power to that, get the key to this, etc. The NPCs feel cold, flat, and uninteresting. They're exactly the same people we've met in every zombie apocalypse ever. I would almost trade them for the much more interesting, if completely retarded ones from the first Deadrising. Lastly, and this is where the game design is an utter failure, this is one of those better-keep-the-console-running-because-there's-nowhere-to-f@$#ing-save kind of games. Extremely frustrating, you can play for an hour or more without finishing an objective, and should you be faced with shutting down, you're not getting that hour back, and for some of this game's worse faults, you might want it. Of course, the price point is a saving grace. It isn't worth $60, and Activision knew it. Good on them for dropping the price. Bad on them for rushing it to market. Overall the game is worth checking out, but maybe only once the price comes down enough to justify the flaws.    … Expand
  3. titaniumjew
    Mar 20, 2013
    5
    Firstly i started this because insulting jerks like Dagamerwitin who do not know a thing about game mechanic ,but about imagery of feces. .this game is clearly rushed to be a cash cow to take the money of fans. the other game is what should have been supported. i do believe the creators of "Star Wars Kinect" had put some real thought into this game ,but either did not have enough time toFirstly i started this because insulting jerks like Dagamerwitin who do not know a thing about game mechanic ,but about imagery of feces. .this game is clearly rushed to be a cash cow to take the money of fans. the other game is what should have been supported. i do believe the creators of "Star Wars Kinect" had put some real thought into this game ,but either did not have enough time to execute the game or did not have the skill.… Expand
  4. LuciferSam94
    Mar 20, 2013
    5
    Watch out for bots with generic names giving high ranking generic reviews below. Also with only one review in their history (for this game only). I've never seen companies do that before. My guess is marketing people at activision? lol! Staff at Metacritic should get on their IP's because it's a pretty shady way to boost a score, and very telling of the level of confidence they have inWatch out for bots with generic names giving high ranking generic reviews below. Also with only one review in their history (for this game only). I've never seen companies do that before. My guess is marketing people at activision? lol! Staff at Metacritic should get on their IP's because it's a pretty shady way to boost a score, and very telling of the level of confidence they have in their product.… Expand
  5. Chanfan02
    Mar 27, 2013
    5
    This game is a prequel to The Walking Dead on AMC which is no doubt an attempt to cash in on the shows popularity. First off let me say this game had some great ideas such as you can send out scavengers to find supplies, and the car breaking down would be a good idea if it wasn't so tedious and boring. The random stops along the roads to get gas, car parts, and move cars was just annoyingThis game is a prequel to The Walking Dead on AMC which is no doubt an attempt to cash in on the shows popularity. First off let me say this game had some great ideas such as you can send out scavengers to find supplies, and the car breaking down would be a good idea if it wasn't so tedious and boring. The random stops along the roads to get gas, car parts, and move cars was just annoying and very location was basically the same layout. The game is extremely short. The first time I beat it, it took me 4 hours. The second and third time only an hour and 45 min. The story, (if there really even is one), was lackluster and did not immerse me into the game. The ending is terrible in my opinion but I will not be specific so I don't spoil it. The gameplay, while being very basic and stale, actually kept me somewhat interested as bad as it was. The executions and melee kills could have been better executed than they where and the gun play was pretty basic. The graphics are bland and lack a creative art direction, and seem as though they were rushed like most Activision games. Overall this game is just a cash grab but if you must try it rent it like I did. I got some easy achievements an didn't have to spend 50 dollars on a bland game. Story 3/10, graphics 4/10, game play 5/10. I give it a 5 overall because it is not unplayable and may be enjoyable for some people.… Expand
  6. cstrickland
    Mar 20, 2013
    6
    Cabela's walking dead:

    I mean, this game reminds me more of a cabala big game hunting game than a zombie game, I was excited when I heard you play as Daryl Dixon in the game but then I got my hands on it and was even more excited till I put it in my Xbox and all of a sudden you're put straight off the bat into a familiar scene, you walking with a big rifle with a scope on it but then    Cabela's walking dead:

    I mean, this game reminds me more of a cabala big game hunting game than a zombie game, I was excited when I heard you play as Daryl Dixon in the game but then I got my hands on it and was even more excited till I put it in my Xbox and all of a sudden you're put straight off the bat into a familiar scene, you walking with a big rifle with a scope on it but then you find out you're not Daryl to begin with but his father, eventually when you get to play Daryl you're thrown into a cabin of sorts and then thrust into the game where you have to escape through the back door and execute a zombie with your knife.

    After that I found a hammer and said "AWWW YEAH!" and tried to execute another zombie thinking he'd use his hammer but he pulled out a knife instead. then you're greeted by a horn honking from a truck in front of you, alerting zombies and you're picking them off with a rifle but instead of picking them off I just chose to run to the truck and get in.

    the game isn't the worst thing I've played but it's still pretty bad at points BUT for the price tag and a few laughs it's kind of worth it.    … Expand
  7. RickGrimes
    Mar 19, 2013
    7
    My first issue is why isn't this game about me, I mean come on already. Let's check some key character flaws in our main character Daryl Dixon. 1) Daryl Dixon is a "master tracker"..... I really can't be the only one who knows this guys spent like two weeks looking for a little girl and only found some flowers. I mean this is Georgia, Ray Charles can find a flower here. (Since I wokeMy first issue is why isn't this game about me, I mean come on already. Let's check some key character flaws in our main character Daryl Dixon. 1) Daryl Dixon is a "master tracker"..... I really can't be the only one who knows this guys spent like two weeks looking for a little girl and only found some flowers. I mean this is Georgia, Ray Charles can find a flower here. (Since I woke up from a coma I have found a bicycle, Morgan and Duane, guns, a horse, a tank, Lori and Carl, a deer, a prison and that my best friend slept with my wife. I mean the list goes on and on.) 2) Daryl Dixon uses "stealth" to take down walkers....Oh yeah, "Mr. excuse my while I put my corss bow on my back and drive the loudest vehicle I can find". Because, you only need stealth after everyone in northern Georgia knows your on the road. (I stealth killed my best friend with a knife, two guys in a bar with a revolver and some tool in a prison with a machete. I also didn't get caught while we raided a town.) 3) Daryl Dixon wears a vest with angel wings on it..... I mean really, who still wears Affliction shirts? (You got me there, I wouldn't be caught dead in that vest.) I could go on and on but you all get the point, why him and not me?… Expand
  8. punkandglamour
    Mar 19, 2013
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It’s hard to hear The Walking Dead and not have high hopes. The comics brought us in, the show pulled us deeper, and Telltale broke our hearts. However after playing about 40 minutes today I can say 100% that if you think this game is as good as it’s name, you’ll be let down. It’s not that it’s a bad game. We just expect more. Activision usually releases such great games but perhaps it’s because this game was not put in very capable developer hands. Terminal Realities just hasn’t been cranking out the hits like it did in the early 2000’s.

    The positives? I always enjoy when a game puts resource conservation in my hands. I also enjoy that as I meet survivors I am in charge of what they do while I go scavenging. Do I want my buddy to stay by the car? Hunt for food? Look for guns and ammo? Those are all options. I can save my resources for me or share them with my party. I can heal them or risk them having less than perfect health the next time we meet monsters. You can't pick up everything you see so sometimes there's regrets for leaving a big gun or ammo behind. There’s a certain sense of fear that comes with hand to hand combat and while I detest stealth games, stealth killing is kind of fun here. Personally I found myself never using my rifle and instead fighting with a knife and hammer. Though into Mission 2, I found a nice little hand cannon that became a good friend. I was pretty underwhelmed with combat until I turned on a generator for a guy and was swarmed by 30 zombies. As I frantically climbed onto a gas tanker and watched as it quickly became surrounded I was legitimately afraid. When I jumped and ran for my group there’s was a small moment where I could have died and that was a good moment. I hope that there will be more moments like this as the game progresses. It definitely gets more interesting when the world goes a little darker and you've got nothing but your flashlight to light your way. Lets discuss the negatives. The graphics are subpar for a 2013 game. It was like they weren’t even trying. You’ll see the same zombies over and over again as you walk through farms, forests and trailer parks. So far the story just seems to be get gas, go further south and look for your family. Typical zombie tropes are relevant. Gunshots bring more zombies. One bite ends your life. Be careful not to get cornered, don’t alert more than 2 or 3 at a time or your going to have to be crafty to get away. Overall against the many other zombie FPS out there, it’s not a horrendous game. I find it as equally interesting as Dead Island and a bit more forgiving than ZombieU. I could look at it separately from canon if the game didn’t rely SO heavily on the TV show to sell it. Using the score from the show and Michael Rooker and Norman Reedus as voice actors keep the show in the back of my mind while playing. Which reminds me that I have yet to experience any story or plot, which is what I’ve enjoyed about Robert Kirkmans creation to begin with. Survival Instincts major flaw is that it never rises above being average, and will more than likely end up just another zombie FPS on the shelf. But it was decent which is why I gave it a 7. I will more than likely finish this game.    … Expand
  9. Digitalkid
    Mar 23, 2013
    7
    Gave it a 10 only to show how far modern day journalists are from being objective. Looks like they either didn't played a game, of it's a simple prejudice. The game is an extremely addictive FPS, with survival, scavenging, shooting, exploring, and a nice story and characters. Greatest disappointment is graphics, it looks like some indi-project, but absolutely worth a try.
  10. SuperJoystick
    Mar 21, 2013
    7
    I'm actually enjoying it as a fan of the series! It's not AAA grade, but it does a good job and I'll give it a 7. It is NOT a FPS. It's really a simulator of the TV show, and stealth is the way to go. I also like that you do not survive if you are rushed by walkers.

    Seriously, it's not a 4/10. I'd give it 7/10, and I'm actually loving the game. Nice surprise.
  11. FatherDoom
    Mar 20, 2013
    7
    Good game. As a Walking dead fan I enjoy playing as Derle, learning the ins an outs of the crossbow. As a gamer I was disappointed there wasn't more storyline. The price was 15 bucks too much. Co-op would of been nice, multiplayer would be a mistake. I can't tell you how satisfying it is crushing zombie skulls with a sledge. Because I am a fan of the show I like the game, if you're notGood game. As a Walking dead fan I enjoy playing as Derle, learning the ins an outs of the crossbow. As a gamer I was disappointed there wasn't more storyline. The price was 15 bucks too much. Co-op would of been nice, multiplayer would be a mistake. I can't tell you how satisfying it is crushing zombie skulls with a sledge. Because I am a fan of the show I like the game, if you're not don't bother, just don't.… Expand
  12. justachair
    Mar 21, 2013
    5
    The Walking Dead is, definitely, at the peak of his life. From a succesful comic series to a full monopoly, The Walking Dead is without a doubt one of the most successful franchises of all time. Some months ago we have the GOTY winning and one of my favourite games of all time, Telltale's The Walking Dead, that took a break from the story and made it his own. Now, a new game has come toThe Walking Dead is, definitely, at the peak of his life. From a succesful comic series to a full monopoly, The Walking Dead is without a doubt one of the most successful franchises of all time. Some months ago we have the GOTY winning and one of my favourite games of all time, Telltale's The Walking Dead, that took a break from the story and made it his own. Now, a new game has come to the same consoles (Regarding the Wii U) where Telltale stood and won. And unfortunately, it isn't as good.
    You shouldn't be surprised. Activision has done this to us already. The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct was made to satisfy those who wanted quantity over quality, who were pissed off because Telltale's production was more story than gameplay. So, Activision thought they would take the two actors from the TV Series and put them in voice acting to attract masses of fans, the problem is it isn't enough: If something that Telltale got right is that TWD is all about the characters, not the zombies. This game messes up.
    From a gameplay point of view, TWD: Survival Instinct is fun in a beginning. We have a correct variety of guns, each one special on its own, and sometimes we have to face tough decisions as trusting our guns to other survivors, or when the annoying inventory comes full with only 10 items and you have to give something up to give something in. The problem is that as many Activision games, the gameplay starts getting tiring after a while. The only thing you do is killing zombies, sometimes masses, but there is no Open World or something like that as we used to love on Dead Island. Now mentioned, TWD: Survival Instinct feels most of the time a regularly done Dead Island ripoff instead of a new game on itself. One of the main reasons is that games works the same way, and as there is almost no story, you feel like you're playing a Dead Island expansion. We have also some decisions to make when we go from one place to another, but they affect more the length of the gameplay that the game itself.
    I know that this game wasn't supposed to be a story-driven one. But come on! At least they could use the talent from the voice actors (Daryl and Merle, if y'all don't know) to make it interesting. As a prequel, it fails. The ending is flat, and you literally feel you just paid 50 bucks and did a massive zombie killing just to hear Daryl and Merle talk. It doesn't feel as a TWD game, more than a game that has lots of glitches (Visually, it fails in almost any sense with bad resolution textures but specially with zombie design. They are all the same!). Somehow, a box flies out of nowhere, or worse, zombies are invisible and you die for no reason at all. There is no Multiplayer, and although it is not compulsory, a game like this needs it desperately to justify the price. It isn't a good game. Even though, If you still want to buy it, I would recommend waiting a lil' for the madness to low and the prices to worth as the game should: 20 bucks, no more than that!    … Expand
  13. gamez4aLIVIN
    Mar 21, 2013
    7
    Alright. This game was receiving a lot of pre-buzz hate for 2 things. 1. Bad Graphics. 2.Activision rushed it. I do think that Activision should have given Terminal Reality a couple months to work on this, but I get how they thought. Shows popular now, lets get the game out now before the ratings dip and people won't buy it. However, if they didn't do that and gave Terminal Reality moreAlright. This game was receiving a lot of pre-buzz hate for 2 things. 1. Bad Graphics. 2.Activision rushed it. I do think that Activision should have given Terminal Reality a couple months to work on this, but I get how they thought. Shows popular now, lets get the game out now before the ratings dip and people won't buy it. However, if they didn't do that and gave Terminal Reality more time, this would have been a stellar game and would not need the show to sell.

    Graphics don't look like 2013, but graphics do not make the game. These graphics are serviceable, and I only ever complained about a few textures. They really should have made different walker models, because I found myself stabbing the same heads about 20 times. Not a major issue, but I hope a patch is released for that.

    Gameplay is simple yet effective. I wish that the execution kill move wasn't the knife every time, but it was fun. Still, patch would be nice. Your interaction with other survivors is limited. You can equip members of your group with weapons, heal them, send them on supply runs, and kick them out. But that's about it. Terminal Reality made me think that I could regret picking certain survivors, but I never really did. I thought I might end up getting a nut who would try to slit people's throats while we slept, and he would succeed before I managed to kill him. Nothing of the sort. Maybe someone comes back from a supply run, but hides a bite and ends up turning into a walker and killing someone in your group. Nothing of the sort. Your interaction with survivors is strictly limited to "Do something for them. Recruit them. Send them on runs. Kick them out to make room for others". They don't directly affect the story. You never set up a type of base camp either (like the Atlanta camp in season 1 of the show), you are always driving around. All your time is spent creeping around the dead looking for supplies, and literally no time to relax and wind down. If you played the Telltale Game, remember in episode 2 when they were just chilling at the motor in, and it was mostly peaceful? A camp would be an excellent place to send people off on runs, it would have seemed a bit more realistic. Had Activision not rushed Terminal Reality, we probably would've gotten a really cool experience with survivors.

    The story is cool, but it's really just you looking for your brother, the other survivors only affect it till you recruit them, and its really just you doing something for them.

    All in all, this is a good game. Not great, but a decent zombie game. My issues in this game can hopefully be fixed with patches, and I think they should add a co-op mode, which would go well if you and your friend set up a camp. Hopefully Terminal Reality releases patches, but this game makes me excited to see if they could do better on a game, given the time.    … Expand
  14. Dylqz
    Mar 20, 2013
    5
    I have been playing the game for the past 4 hours, and been having a blast. But that does not make this game good. This game is awful. It is extremely fun, and implements a lot of cool features, but most of them are poorly executed. There are so many flaws to the game and they definitely outweigh the pros.
    Pros: Interesting features (inventory system, stamina, weapons, scrounging for ammo    I have been playing the game for the past 4 hours, and been having a blast. But that does not make this game good. This game is awful. It is extremely fun, and implements a lot of cool features, but most of them are poorly executed. There are so many flaws to the game and they definitely outweigh the pros.
    Pros: Interesting features (inventory system, stamina, weapons, scrounging for ammo and food, finding new vehicles to support more group members at the cost of fuel, group members to get supplies for you while you're doing missions). It's a zombie game A Survival game (Sadly there aren't enough of these out there).
    Cons: Very stupid and boring story that just messes with the real storyline.
    Very repetitive gameplay/animations/characters (You're going to be seeing the same zombies and execution animations over and over again). Awful save system(I have had to restart a mission countless times because it didn't save). It's a Zombie Game Pointless group members(The risk of them dying is too high and when they do come back with items it is way too small).
    I personally have been enjoying the game. It is probably short and if my playthrough ends soon, I'll definitely go through it again for the relics. It is a fun game, but it is a bad game.    … Expand
  15. kaen
    Mar 26, 2013
    5
    There is actually little difference between this and Bioshock 3. Both are mediocre shooters. Both are a waste of time and money... What I don't get is the difference in scores between two games clearly on the same level. If you like the WD series, you will like the game. If you want to play Bioshock 2 again, you will like the B3 game.
  16. DiegoCM
    Apr 2, 2013
    5
    I wait something better with this video game, activision disappoint me, Boring game, The walking dead video game is better than this, i expect something better but really disappoint me.
  17. truegamer949
    Mar 25, 2013
    6
    You know what it's ok. I have been following this for a while and I'm a fan of the show. It never claimed to be the best game of the year and so I guess I never expected that. It just seems like a fun play through of a world based on the show so I got exactly what I wanted. If I only wanted to play COD I would but I like playing games and I enjoyed this. If you like the show andYou know what it's ok. I have been following this for a while and I'm a fan of the show. It never claimed to be the best game of the year and so I guess I never expected that. It just seems like a fun play through of a world based on the show so I got exactly what I wanted. If I only wanted to play COD I would but I like playing games and I enjoyed this. If you like the show and can understand that not all games are created equal then give it a go it's more fun than the trolls seem to all suggest. Afterwards you can buy something else.… Expand
  18. AlexFili
    Mar 27, 2013
    6
    The Walking Dead is a successful comic that has since been adapted to AMC's hit TV show of the same name. The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct focuses on a character who is exclusive to the TV show called Daryl Dixon and is currently a fan favourite. Daryl Dixon started out as a racist redneck who only cared for his own survival, since the second and third series of the TV show, theThe Walking Dead is a successful comic that has since been adapted to AMC's hit TV show of the same name. The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct focuses on a character who is exclusive to the TV show called Daryl Dixon and is currently a fan favourite. Daryl Dixon started out as a racist redneck who only cared for his own survival, since the second and third series of the TV show, the character has changed a lot and has attracted a large number of fans.

    The game is a prequel to the show and you start out by learning what happened during Daryl's early days during the undead scourge. While there aren't any amazing revelations, you do get a bit more information about the characters and there are some characters that get referenced in passing.

    The good things about this game include a solid combat engine and a range of weapons to choose from. While the combat is not quite as good as Dead Island, you can reliably take down Walkers with stealth attacks and later get stronger weapons.

    Each melee weapon is different from the speedy but weak hammer to the heavy and slow sledgehammer that can take down walkers in a single hit. In terms of guns you have pistols, shotguns, rifle and of course Daryl's trusty crossbow. You'll want to use the crossbow as much as you can to kill walkers silently and retrieve your crossbow bolts.

    Silence is important because walkers pick up on sound a lot. One way you can draw walkers away is by throwing a bottle or a flare in the opposite direction, when they charge towards the noise you slip past them the other way.

    As you progress through the game you'll want to pick up food rations, weapons, ammunition and fuel. Fuel is important for making your way across the map on the road sections. Some of these sections will give you a choice, do you move the car stuck on the road or take an alternative route?

    One great feature of the game is the survivor management. As you progress in the game, you get access to different survivors. You can only pick up a certain number of survivors, based on the size of your vehicle. While you may sometimes want to save everyone, ultimately you sometimes have to choose a location and hope for the best. Some survivors are also only found on the random encounters and so can be overlooked. It's worth helping them survive since you get a bonus at the end of the game.

    Sadly it's not all non-stop fun and there are a few bad points about this game. This game is relentlessly hard, with no difficulty select screen. This means that if you're not careful, you will die many times until you learn how to move around properly and what areas are dangerous to be in. You can sometimes get away from walkers in buildings, but often you can get trapped and face an early demise.

    Another gripe with many people is the game length. At most, the campaign mode can be completed in around 5-8 hours. In other games this isn't such a major problem, but since there is no multiplayer or co-operative modes of any kind, it's a big big problem. The ending is also a bit of a let down as it doesn't really fill in any gaps or explain anything of importance.

    If you have the option of getting Dead Island then I would suggest that you try that game out first, as it's fairly cheap. Otherwise you could potentially get this game but I would say you should get it cheap, simply because of it's length and problems. It's still pretty fun at times though.    … Expand
  19. Thegodfatherson
    Mar 24, 2013
    6
    Thank god, it has some meaning for Zombie Shooters like The Walking Dead. The story wants more attention, its not like The other walking dead games. For a price of $50 it doesn't get your money's worth but it does deliver some fun and its story is kind of nice.
  20. TheBlacky
    Mar 25, 2013
    6
    this game is stupid bugs you cant even jump on some cars you cant even sent merl to find so food or ammo wtf is this and no coop this game graphics suck big time shame on you i have no words
  21. redmeansgo82
    Mar 24, 2013
    7
    People are expecting too much. It's not a half-baked game, and it's not Terminal Reality's fault the game turned out the way it did. They're a decent development studio, they just got a cheap project with a quick deadline. Not everybody can churn out Luigi's Mansion in a year; Terminal Reality did the best they could, and if they had two or three years, all these great ideas would havePeople are expecting too much. It's not a half-baked game, and it's not Terminal Reality's fault the game turned out the way it did. They're a decent development studio, they just got a cheap project with a quick deadline. Not everybody can churn out Luigi's Mansion in a year; Terminal Reality did the best they could, and if they had two or three years, all these great ideas would have turned into something much better than what we see. Now, if you go into the game remembering the golden age of ps2 and orginal Xbox, you'll get an entertaining blast from the past. The game's not horrendously bad, it's just dated and rushed.

    Also, the game plays great on Wii U; item management on the Gamepad makes the game much easier to play.    … Expand
  22. L4Creeper
    Mar 25, 2013
    5
    It is a very simple game that didn't get enough play testing. There are many problems with it like the walkers becoming joggers which made me mad being the fan I am. When you get in the middle of a herd and have an endless group hug is none the less annoying. The game still has a lot of bugs which hopefully can be fixed. The driving fuel part of the game isn't even that bad because youIt is a very simple game that didn't get enough play testing. There are many problems with it like the walkers becoming joggers which made me mad being the fan I am. When you get in the middle of a herd and have an endless group hug is none the less annoying. The game still has a lot of bugs which hopefully can be fixed. The driving fuel part of the game isn't even that bad because you always break down by a place with all the supples in the world making it useless to pick highway. And the story is only about 4-6 hours at most.… Expand
  23. xboxguy08
    Mar 25, 2013
    7
    I know the graphics really sucks but I think the story it's great I think the could invest much more on the game. I give 7 out of 10 because the story it's great, and I don't have seen any bugs on the game except on the final mission the truck it's just bugged
  24. Binkleberry
    Apr 3, 2013
    7
    I don't understand why everyone is giving this game such a terrible review. It is definitely not the best game I've ever played, but I read the reviews and decided to try it out myself. I think the game does have some great elements, the decision making and choosing where to go next is very innovative in a zombie style game. It has times when I jumped because a zombie caught meI don't understand why everyone is giving this game such a terrible review. It is definitely not the best game I've ever played, but I read the reviews and decided to try it out myself. I think the game does have some great elements, the decision making and choosing where to go next is very innovative in a zombie style game. It has times when I jumped because a zombie caught me unexpectedly. This game reminds me of a toned down Dead Island. Is it worth your $50? No, I can say when it gets to $20 bucks or less I would recommend the game to anyone, it is worth that. This game right now is definitely a rental. You will have some good times with it.… Expand
  25. GamerStream
    Jun 25, 2013
    5
    The crossbow was pretty awesome, slegehammer and fire axe was great for hurry situtation, but other melee weapon was so weak. the quest was pretty good and challenging. The most moment's that i hate it was, the breakdown and some scavenged chance that ruined some of the gameplay. The game was great only for recomendation, not to be positive.
  26. Jackt
    Jun 27, 2013
    5
    I like this game, it's not different from any other zombie game apart from the player being Daryl (it's deryl not daryl) but I enjoyed myself. There's not many missions to do at all, and all it consists of is you being abandoned by meryl (once you've found him), running round and collecting supplies and killing around 20 zombies a time. It gets repetitive easily but it kills time. TheI like this game, it's not different from any other zombie game apart from the player being Daryl (it's deryl not daryl) but I enjoyed myself. There's not many missions to do at all, and all it consists of is you being abandoned by meryl (once you've found him), running round and collecting supplies and killing around 20 zombies a time. It gets repetitive easily but it kills time. The gameplay is nothing different, and the story is kinda s*it.… Expand
  27. jcarl663
    Feb 10, 2017
    6
    It's not terrible. I wouldn't say "good" per se, but it's perfectly.... adequate. It's enormously repetitive, but the core functions work. Everything is just a bit jank, the animations are clunky and the plot and characters are paper thin, but a once through should keep you engaged and not particularly frustrated if you're just looking for something to do. More of an arcade experience forIt's not terrible. I wouldn't say "good" per se, but it's perfectly.... adequate. It's enormously repetitive, but the core functions work. Everything is just a bit jank, the animations are clunky and the plot and characters are paper thin, but a once through should keep you engaged and not particularly frustrated if you're just looking for something to do. More of an arcade experience for a once through for people who like the show more than anything.… Expand
  28. AndreiKiller98
    Mar 12, 2014
    7
    why so underrated? TWD SI is not bad at all...the graphics is decent, the story is good, the voice acting is really good....but is too short, I kinda enjoyed this game...there is not multiplayer or coop and that is not good but its still a really fun game...
  29. Shedegg
    Dec 5, 2014
    5
    This game entises the player in with the dramatic poster and the iconic characters, but don't be fooled, it's not as good as you think. Yes it has some of the characters from the hit tv series but that doesn't make it good. The story is alright and the graphics aren't to bad. The game is to hard, i am an experienced gamer and I do get its a zombie game, but normally you find yourself in aThis game entises the player in with the dramatic poster and the iconic characters, but don't be fooled, it's not as good as you think. Yes it has some of the characters from the hit tv series but that doesn't make it good. The story is alright and the graphics aren't to bad. The game is to hard, i am an experienced gamer and I do get its a zombie game, but normally you find yourself in a massive hoard only having a small amount of ammo on your guns! Honestly I believe that they've tried but failed, if you would like a true walking dead game I would buy the tell tale series. It will probably cost mor money, and it's not a first person shooter but the storyline is much better, and you can't really fail, or if you do fail then you can have another chance as its a choice game.… Expand
  30. Dsims37
    Mar 3, 2022
    6
    True game is far from perfect but if it succeeds at one thing is making it feel like TWD. That alone is worth a play though. If only to see what they might have accomplished.
  31. vergildmc5
    Nov 20, 2022
    5
    Pros
    funny glitches
    lots of guns
    lots of blood
    decent idea

    Negatives
    Bland design
    Awful visuals
    boring "jump scares"
    overpriced

Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2013
21
#21 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
32

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 30
  3. Negative: 28 out of 30
  1. Console Monster
    May 28, 2013
    40
    With the success of Telltale Games’s arcade game, there were high hopes for this full-fledged retail title. As it happens you would be best off saving your pennies for the already announced sequel to the arcade title as Survival Instinct will leave you with bitter feelings towards The Walking Dead series. Unless you are an absolute nutter for anything to do with The Walking Dead, your money will be best spent elsewhere.
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  2. games(TM)
    May 20, 2013
    30
    It's as if the developer simply ceased to care, or ran out of time, or both. Who knows? What we do know is that Terminal Velocity has crafted something truly loathsome and undeserving of its heritage. [Issue#135, p.108]
  3. Games Master UK
    May 9, 2013
    30
    Archaic design spoils good ideas in this shoddy squandering of one of the hottest licenses going. [June 2013, p.74]
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