The Walking Dead - Who likes this game?

[Torr]

After so many recommendations and whatnot I finally decided to get The Walking Dead (Season 1) from Steam.

 

My god is it awful.

 

I've heard nothing but good about this game, but I can't find one thing to like about it.

First, I'll admit I've only played partway through the first episode, but I use the word "play" very lightly.

 

I started in "Minimal" mode because I don't like it when a game holds your hand the whole way, pointing out where everything is and telling you what to do next. Man... I'd hate to see if I HAD chosen to have the UI hints, because it is STILL telling me what to do every step of the way. And really, it basically has to or the game won't advance... I've played FMV games that were more opened ended than this is so far... it feels like playing Mighty Morphin Power Rangers on Sega CD, in that basically there's a scripted TV show playing and I have to hit the right buttons at the right time to keep it going.

 

I started in the police car, and until I "looked" in the rear view mirror (as it told me to) we just kept driving infinitely past the same "Service Road - 10 Miles" sign, blue car, and top-hat by the side of the road. One dialog option I picked, my character chose not to say, he opened his mouth and then just sighed... so what, he didn't like the response I chose for him to give??? Then after getting out of the car, I had to walk along the side of the car, just as it was telling me to, then when I finally had "free reign" to walk wherever I wanted, I was limited to about 4 feet of walking area that led me straight to where I had to go even though there's openings/paths between trees everywhere, my character just brings up in invisible walls. Then when I had a little bit of "playing" to do, it was so unintuitive, pick up the key, click on your cuffs to unlock them should be a 2-step affair; involving (1) Click on Keys to PICK UP, (2) USE keys on Handcuffs to unlock. Not here. Once I had to click on the CHAIN to unlock the cuffs, then after dropping (and picking back up) the keys I had to click on my HAND to unlock them. And did he unlock both cuffs? NO, of course not, then when I click on the other cuff to unlock it, I again have to click on the dangling chain, no where near where the keyhole is... Much like the dead cop, I had to click on his most extended foot to get a description of him... so far, between the cop and the keys, was it REALLY that hard to make the hot-spots you click on in the appropriate places??? Then when I made it to a house... same as the woods. There's clearly an open path around the side of the house, except for the invisible wall, then when I found a gate my character tells me I have to go in the house first... so again, if the only thing I can do after reaching the backyard is go into the house, why give me all this area to walk around and bring up in invisible walls in??? That first bit was basically one long cut scene that I had to click my way through to keep going. And it keeps going like this... I just had to rage quit, and not in the typical fashion of frustration over difficulty, but frustration of not being able to "DO" anything, just follow prompts and hit keys when it said to!!!

 

Experiences like this REALLY make me wish Steam had a refund policy like GOG.

 

So who else on here likes this game and why??? Does it get better? Is this first episode basically a "Tutorial"? Because if the whole game is this restrictive and hand holding I might as well just uninstall it now...

 

If a game like this IS such a hit, I think it's time FMV games made their come-back!

Edited February 14, 2015 by Torr

[+Random Terrain]

Hippie: "You don't get it, man. It's all about the emotions and the characters, man. I'd be happy if the game had no interaction, man. The story is just that good, man."

 

When I watched a video about it being a barely interactive cutscene fest, I knew it wasn't for me.

[RevEng]

I've watched the kids play it. I wasn't really tempted to play myself, though I am a fan to the TV show.

 

More or less, its a game that plays like the "choose your own adventure" books, though to be fair it remembers certain actions you took in the past, and uses them to determine if certain options are open to you later on. e.g. if you choose to help one character over another, the ignored character may be mad at you and not be helpful later on in the story. The 3D walk-around-the-area bits are pretty limited, with you needing to do a series of actions before triggering the next cutscene, at which point you go back to the interactive cutscene stuff.

 

I see the appeal, but its not my cup of tea.

[cimerians]

So sorry the game pissed in your cereal bowl. I'd like to watch you play Zork or Secret of Monkey Island.

 

The games these guys make are story based visual novels with some puzzle elements (aka Lucasarts point n click). They go by the name Telltale games. Makes sense right?

 

If you mean to tell me you went by suggestions here and blindly bought something without knowing what your getting thats your fault.

 

Just stop playing, put the game away and play something more "interactive". You'll have less angst and be a happier human being.

[+Random Terrain]

So sorry the game pissed in your cereal bowl. I'd like to watch you play Zork or Secret of Monkey Island.

From the clips I saw of The Walking Dead, Zork was a million times more interactive. Zork only made you read a paragraph to let you know what you were seeing, then you could move or pick things up or interact in some other way. You didn't have to sit there staring at the screen, doing nothing like the average boob toober.

[cimerians]

From the clips I saw of The Walking Dead, Zork was a million times more interactive. Zork only made you read a paragraph to let you know what you were seeing, then you could move or pick things up or interact in some other way. You didn't have to sit there staring at the screen, doing nothing like the average boob toober.

 

From the clips? You can't move or pick up\interact with things? Have you played Walking Dead at all? Of course only from the clips.

 

If you don't like those sorts of games where you do NOTHING.....thats fine but when the topic starter says he bought a game because of recommendations and didn't know what he was getting and then rants thats it shit? Who's fault is that?

 

Don't like it, don't play it I definitely won't sit here and try and convince anyone that it gets better.

 

Edit: Yes, someone did piss in my cereal bowl this morning.

[Torr]

That's the thing, from what I'd been told and read in the description it DID seem like a good old Point & Click game, but it just doesn't come across that way to me.

 

I think of, say, Full Throttle. When you began playing it didn't pop up and say "PUNCH the Dumpster Lid to get out" and then when you did get out, granted you could only advance the game by doing the next necessary step, you felt more like you were exploring and looking for what to do next as opposed to being stuck on a small linear path that led you right to the next step. It's like a Point & Click for the modern ADD crowd of gaming. Wherein if they get stuck for more than 5 minutes they'll quit and flame the game on a message board. I like getting stuck, figuring out what to do next IS the fun. Also, in older Point & Clicks, when you did do the next step you weren't given a long cutscene, followed by another "puzzle" which you solve in 30 seconds just to watch another long cutscene.

 

I am gonna give it some more time, because I'm hoping it gets harder or more in depth as time goes on, but unfortunately a lot of the Negative reviews I'm reading on Steam (which I'm now reading AFTER buying the game!) sound exactly like how I feel about the game... but I'm gonna give it my best shot, I wanna get SOME money's worth out of it!

 

*Dude, you gotta relax, not everyone has the same opinions about things. Tell me some things you don't like, I'm sure one of those will be something I do, should I then attack you because your opinion differs from mine? And when I asked who likes the game, I also asked why... that's something you failed to identify in your retaliation, WHAT you liked about it.

Regarding not knowing what I was getting into, even IF I read the reviews beforehand, there are 20,000 Positive reviews to 500 Negative... that's a 40:1 ratio, so even without my friends recommendations of the game, I probably would have bought it anyway based on that kind of reception.

Edited February 14, 2015 by Torr

[RevEng]

Edit: Yes, someone did piss in my cereal bowl this morning.

You need nicer roommates.

[cimerians]

 

*Dude, you gotta relax, not everyone has the same opinions about things.

 

I'll be ok, I played Destiny for the upteenth time this morning. I'm totally fine. Nothings wrong at all.

[moycon]

"My god is it awful."

 

Millions of others including myself would disagree.

We don't have to explain ourselves, and we have no time to convince you of anything because we're too busy playing intelligent games like The Wolf Among Us and Tales from the Borderlands.

You'll just have to accept the fact you aren't as smart or as hip as us. Sorry.

 

I would recommend pre-ordering the upcoming Terrence & Phillip game. *ferp* HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHA!!

[Torr]

Wow, still, no one can say WHY they like it. All they can do insult me for NOT liking it.

 

I think that speaks for itself.

 

I suggest locking or deleting this thread, no one (who likes it) can seem to have a sensible response.

Edited February 15, 2015 by Torr

[moycon]

Wow, still, no one can say WHY they like it.

 

It's like someone who hates asparagus asking why someone likes asparagus. In the end that person isn't going to like asparagus (for whatever crazy reason) no matter how much time and effort the person that like asparagus spends on doing so.

 

You just have to accept the fact not every person likes everything the world has to offer. The 1st Episode as you might imagine, is a perfect and sensible indication of how the whole game plays. It's an interactive story (one that a lot of people found satisfying), and you make your way though the tale. They don't add any game playing elements.There is no first person shooter parts to the game or anything like that. No ones insulting you, what I wrote was a joke. I thought I was being silly. Obviously this means a lot to you so I apologize. The only thing I can think to add is...it's alright to not like something. There are like a billion other games you can play that you might enjoy. A day has passed, I'd move on and maybe not focus on getting people to convince you to play something you obviously don't like at all. I do like the game, have played through it and have all the achievements to prove it! I still seriously doubt, and have little interest in convincing you to like something you already stated you think is awful. Is that a sensible response?

[Torr]

Still skirting the question "why".

Not that I'm looking to be "convinced" to like it, it's just that so many people like it and I can't find one thing to like about, so I asked for some input, from people who do like it, as to why they like it.

 

But anyway, like I said, I'm done with this thread. Apparently talking bad about The Walking Dead is up there with discussing politics or religion...

[moycon]

Apparently talking bad about The Walking Dead is up there with discussing politics or religion...

Not hardly. Seems like many people are dead set on convincing others their opinion regarding politics or religion is the only opinion, and will heatedly debate and/or force their opinion on someone that disagrees with their way of thinking (no clue why). In this case, I'm almost positive no one cares that you think the game is awful, and has little or no interest in convincing you otherwise, and yes that includes someone who genuinely enjoys the game. I know you are mainly concerned with responses that are sensible, so I want to be totally honest and make 100% sense to you.

 

The reason people like the game is very, very simple, and has already been mentioned, but to reiterate, It's mainly a story driven game. The story either draws you in, or it doesn't. I can tell you there is no surprise game playing element that you only get if you buy other chapters. None at all. Zero surprises except those that unfold during the story line. Not sure what you're looking for here. I seriously don't blame you for being done with the thread. It was kind of a silly thread to begin with IMO. You just have to accept the fact it's ok to not like something you think is awful. If you can do that, you can do anything.

 

For the record, The Walking Dead isn't any more or any less interactive than the old school text games. There is a path forward and you have to discover it. Again it's a simple concept.

 

"You are on a hill, a wild boar charges at you"

 

>hit boar

 

#I don't know what hit is#

 

>kill boar

 

#you can't do that!#

 

>strike boar

 

#I don't know what strike is#

 

>pick up club

 

#there is no club here#

 

>look

 

"You are on a hill. a wild boar charges at you"

 

>look boar

 

"The boar looks really mad and he's charging right for you!"

 

*15 minutes later*

 

> North

 

You move North.

 

"You are on a boat. A gull cries loudly in the distance. A club is nearby."

 

 

Ok maybe Walking Dead's interaction is a little more exciting and more realistic. That might have something to do with its popularity as well.

This based on actually playing through the game and not based on watching YouTube videos, or filtering the old school text games through rose colored glasses.

[+Random Terrain]

. . . or filtering the old school text games through rose colored glasses.

I think you are confusing the Zork series and other more advanced text adventures by Infocom with the fairly primitive and limited Scott Adams text adventures. The text adventures on my Commodore 64 were so much more advanced and easier to interact with than what I was playing on my VIC-20.

 

Examples:

 

archive.org/stream/electronic-games-magazine-1983-01/Electronic_Games_Issue_11_Vol_01_11_1983_Jan#page/n31/mode/1up/

Deadline introduces several excellent innovations to the computer adventure field, including letting the player communicate with the computer in natural, full-sentence commands rather than in the traditional two-word phrases. Another advance is that the computer-controlled characters have an unusual amount of personality and act independently of what the player/detective is doing at any moment within the game.

 

 

archive.org/stream/Electronic_Games_Volume_02_Number_12_1984-05_Reese_Communications_US#page/n38/mode/1up/

As in all of Infocom's text adventures, the computer understands a wide vocabulary of complex commands instead of the usual two-word entry. For example, instead of typing in "Go door," players can try "Examine the door, then give the book to Floyd" and be understood.

 

 

 

Before somebody attacks me for saying that Scott Adams text adventures were fairly primitive and limited, I loved the Scott Adams text adventures, but you can't deny that text adventures by Infocom were more advanced.

 

[cimerians]

Still skirting the question "why".

 

The story, its like the comic. Actually season two has more 'action' in it and choices that make more of a difference (5 or 6 different endings) so the gameplay actually gets better I guess, but that's just my opinion.

 

Apparently talking bad about The Walking Dead is up there with discussing politics or religion...

 

No, I was quick to judge your post to the modern game bash which I grow extremely weary of....you know how someone shows up on a modern games forum and say things like "I hate modern games, they suck.....I'm gonna play Battletoads." Things like that. No worries kemosabe.

 

Still, don't waste your time on something which is not for you, too many other games to play out there. Thats pretty much how I look at it these days when having a huge backlog.

 

Ok I'm done too...same with Destiny. Well maybe until the next DLC.

[xenomorpher]

I like it because it forces you to make very tough decisions that can affect future episodes. In that way I feel it nails the atmosphere of the comics and even TV Show. It isn't about going around killing zombies or exploring a giant world. It's about seeing how your choices pan out, the relationships your character creates and destroys, and just how dark and depraved people can be in a crisis. Like it's been said before it's like an interactive story like pretty much every other Telltale game, which is another reason why I like it. There actually are some shooting segments in some episodes, but nothing like a full fledged FPS. There are tons of other more action and survival focused zombie games you'd most likely enjoy. Unturned is a free game on PC created by one young guy that I really enjoy and a game I don't see mentioned very much. Apart from the simple graphics, I would say it's the closest to what I've always wanted in a zombie game along side with DayZ.

[moycon]

I think you are confusing the Zork series and other more advanced text adventures by Infocom with the fairly primitive and limited Scott Adams text adventures.

 

Yep I had Leather Goddess of Phobo's, The Lurking Horror, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Even actually played them. Sure the descriptions were a lot longer than the examples I gave, and yes the text parser's became more advanced, allowing multiple commands in the same line, they were still pretty limited in my opinion, not understanding you if you didn't follow strict rules. There were more things you could look at (sometimes with humorous results) or funny things you could try (Example : smell boat) but from what I recall, there was one path forward and you had to discover it or you weren't going to move forward in the story. Walking dead is the same way. Instead of typing (Look in medicine cabinet) you actually move you character over to the medicine cabinet, open it, and discover things inside. The colorful all text descriptions, have been replaced with actual graphics of the environment, and since a picture is worth a thousand words, you might even say these new games are even more descriptive! The world is interactive, if not random. You often have to fend off surprise attacks from ravenous zombies, kicking them in the head etc... These instances really get your heart racing and is another reason I personally like the games. Still these games are basically modern day interactive stories. People either are into that, or they aren't, just like the old days.

[Torr]

For the record, The Walking Dead isn't any more or any less interactive than the old school text games. There is a path forward and you have to discover it. Again it's a simple concept.

 

"You are on a hill, a wild boar charges at you"

 

>hit boar

 

#I don't know what hit is#

 

>kill boar

 

#you can't do that!#

 

>strike boar

 

#I don't know what strike is#

 

>pick up club

 

#there is no club here#

 

>look

 

"You are on a hill. a wild boar charges at you"

 

>look boar

 

"The boar looks really mad and he's charging right for you!"

 

*15 minutes later*

 

> North

 

You move North.

 

"You are on a boat. A gull cries loudly in the distance. A club is nearby."

 

Ok maybe Walking Dead's interaction is a little more exciting and more realistic. That might have something to do with its popularity as well.

This based on actually playing through the game and not based on watching YouTube videos, or filtering the old school text games through rose colored glasses.

 

What you just described IS playing a game. Had that scene played out on The Walking Dead, it would have went like this:

 

1. Watch a 60 second clip of my guy looking around, breathing, and then a zombie pops out from behind something.

 

2. Computer screen says "PRESS X To Defend Yourself".

 

3. I press X.

 

4. Watch another 60 second clip of me fending of the zombie.

 

You really think THAT is more interactive? and that being told what to do rather than figure it out yourself is fun?

If you do that's cool, but as said above, it's basically an FMV game like MMPR on Sega CD, or Time Gal, or whatever.... right down to the time limits on performing actions.

 

 

I'm not sure why I feel the need to defend myself, but I'll re-iterate, I DO like Point & Click adventures. That IS why in the end I was sold on the idea of getting this game.

 

But to compare this game to Lucasarts', or Sierra's, or ANYONE else's Point & Clicks of that era... is just off. It's like saying Pitfall! is on par with Super Mario World in game depth, because hey, you move left and right and jump over things? totally the same thing right?

 

This game is just a huge step backward, there has been no "freedom" at all so far, If I try to stray at all, it puts blinders on me and forces me to do the "right" thing. Getting stuck for a day, a week, even longer, or maybe never finishing the game at all was common in games like Sam & Max, Indiana Jone Fate of Atlantis, Full Throttle, Space Quest, Leisure Suit Larry, etc.

 

But this game? If you get stuck and have to call someone over and say "let's put our heads together and see if we can figure this out", you'd have to have some kind of learning disability or head trauma or something.

 

Also, I'm not THAT big a fan of The Walking Dead. I like Zombies. I like Adventure games. I thought I'd like this, but apparently, even from the reviews I've read on Steam and the responses on here, it's all about the story, not the game. In which case, I could just read the books or watch the show.

Edited February 15, 2015 by Torr

[moycon]

I could just read the books or watch the show.

 

I would do anything but keep playing a game you don't enjoy.

 

Maybe comparing this game directly to a point-and-click adventure (or text adventure for that matter) is the hurdle you are having trouble with. It does have elements of those types of game, (pick up this item, to use later so you can advance the story etc....) but I never thought of it as replacing them, or even trying to. The games have just as much in common with Dragons Lair as they do with Maniac Mansion in my opinion. They aren't ment to take weeks to "solve", you can play through a chapter in about 15-20 minutes. Hope the info helps.

[Torr]

I think the whole "Point & Click" thing IS the hurdle that tripped me up. It's as far removed from that genre as Call of Duty is from Doom; yet they are both First Person Shooters. I loved Doom, but hate Call of Duty. Same kinda thing I guess.

 

Heh, I remember when there was that Marine Doom WAD that was designed by the military for training purposes and after that I wanted a full fledged Doom style game that focused on military strategy and real world weapons and enemies and whatnot... boy talk about getting what you want and still not being happy!

[Necron99]

I really liked the Walking Dead games. I didn't at first (Chapter 1 of Season 1 I found kinda meh), but it grew on me as I played and chapter 1 became pretty important. By the time I finished the game, I just wanted more. I think they did a good job of capturing the way the Walking Dead show works. The choices you make affect everything. there's tension in the action scenes and there's tension in the dramatic scenes, there's characters you hate an some you love. I found it actually had emotion and drama, which is something that seems lacking in a lot of games.

 

It's not a new concept for a game by any means, but I've really gotten bored of the torrent of games in the last 10 years or so that all look and play identical to each other and have similar nameless/soulless characters with guns and tanks and just blow stuff up over and over again.

[+Random Terrain]

. . . look and play identical to each other and have similar nameless/soulless characters with guns and tanks and just blow stuff up over and over again.

Doesn't that describe most classic games?

[Torr]

The game's just not for me. I was expecting something more Sam & Max (*as in the ones TellTale recently made)

 

I can't get into all this "story and drama" jazz that everyone keeps talking about. It's hard to relax and enjoy it when there's so many surprise "time limits". So much that happens, even choosing a dialogue option is a QTE.

 

A game/games that seem to get little recognition that had a "good story" but (in my tastes) a better game to go with it was The Blackwell Series. THIS is what Point & Clicks are about. If only they didn't choose to have that old 320x200 graphic style, which while being reminiscent of the glory days of Sieraa and LucasArts Adventure Gaming, is just not necessary anymore... but supposedly they did it to save on costs, which I guess is okay.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Torr

[Lord Helmet]

I used to love the old Sierra games like Space Quest, Kings Quest...etc...and the Telltale games (not just Walking Dead but all of them) are the spiritual successors to those old games.

 

Things I like:

 

The story

The characters

The moral dilemmas the game puts you in

The art style

The way my decisions affect the game play.

 

I also enjoyed Telltale's take on Back to the Future and Jurassic Park.