Telltale's The Walking Dead: Season Three - A New Frontier
Overview -
The release of Telltale's 'The Walking Dead' in 2012 was hugely popular and led to DLC, a second season, and even a Michonne spin-off. The main character through the series has been Clementine, who was only 8 when the zombie apocalypse began but has survived to the ripe old age of 13 at the beginning of season three. This season premiere offers two episodes: 'The Ties That Bind' parts 1 and 2, and this review will be covering both of them.
Video Review
There are noticeable improvements in the Telltale engine for season three. Textures are more detailed, like those in hair and clothing. Animations are crisper and there's a whiff of fancy effects like motion blur. There are also still some serious stuttering problems, especially in the second episode. These are present in nearly every Telltale experience and long past the point of acceptability.
Audio Review
Lip syncing is an issue, and subtitles are not reliable. The voice actors do a great job, however. Melissa Hutchinson, the 41-year-old actress who voices 13-year-old Clem, sounds more convincing that she's done away with the overly childlike lilt she had put on for younger Clem.
Final Thoughts
I don't know if Telltale has lost their magic or if their adherence to this formula has just worn thin on me, but it's becoming increasingly difficult for me to get excited at the prospect of playing another episode. The halcyon days of season one are long gone.