The Walking Dead: 400 Days
Overview -
No one really expected how amazing the first season of Telltale's The Walking Dead was going to be last year. Garnering a massive amount of critical praise and several Game of the Year nods, Season 1 is a emotional ride wrapping you up in the lives of little Clementine and her surrogate protector Lee. Telltale's ability to give heavy weight to choices made throughout the game was absolutely fantastic and I expected more of the same with this DLC content expansion.
Video Review
Visually, The Walking Dead: 400 Days is identical to Season 1. The graphic novel style of the environments and characters is reminiscent of Kirkman's comic, more so than the television series. Characters are drawn in such a way that you understand which way they lean when it comes to morality and tough choices. There are no visual inconsistencies and the game runs without any issues. The Walking Dead is also one of the few games these days that can be played with older PCs and laptops, ideal for anyone that hasn't been able to invest in the latest hardware.
Audio Review
Similar to the first season of The Walking Dead, the developers are extremely reliant on voice actors and the spoken word to push the story along. Identical to the original game, all the voice acting is absolutely fantastic. There isn't a weak link in the bunch and the narrative shines because of it. The music is just as haunting as the original game and the sound effects give life to the environment.
The most interesting aspects of this DLC is what it potentially sets up for the next season of The Walking Dead game due out around the same time as the start of season 4 of the TV series on AMC during mid-October. Will the survivors of 400 Days be central characters in the story arc of season 2? Will the story focus on a town similar to Woodbury as a safe haven for Clementine? Clearly, the developers have something interesting in mind since the saved game file carries over from Season 1 to 400 Days, then likely to Season 2.
Unfortunately, a few of the stories don't have the emotional payoff of the first season and the way that Telltale ties everything together in the end seems cheap. Based on the game length, pricing on this Walking Dead piece of DLC is a bit steep. It's best to look for a solid Amazon or Steam sale when the DLC hits 50 to 66 percent off the original price. That being said, be sure to play through the Season 1 first in order to understand several of the references in 400 days.
