The Escapists: The Walking Dead
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Critic Reviews for The Escapists: The Walking Dead
A great tie-in and a solid game in its own right, The Escapists: The Walking Dead is an enjoyable and surprisingly deep head-scratcher.
The Escapists: The Walking Dead is a very addictive time and resource management game which can easily make the hours fly by as you play just one more day to hunt for that elusive item you need. However, the addiction can slowly turn into frustration at not being able to find what you need or by not knowing what you need to do next due the lack of any hints. It is a test in patience and the will to keep going and try every possible combination of item to find your way through the game, but as long as you have these qualities then you will have a blast.
The Escapists: The Walking Dead valiantly tries to subvert the established formula of the original version of The Escapists, but ends up a slightly confused love letter to Robert Kirkman's post-apocalyptic comic book series instead. There's still plenty to enjoy for Walking Dead fans, if not necessarily much for those that liked The Escapists.
The Escapists: The Walking Dead is a visually charming game with a standout soundtrack, but its gameplay is shallow and repetitive. It follows the narrative of the original comic books, but uses them only superficially without any real depth or engagement with the license. It has its moments of fun, but more often than not is a frustrating time-sink made up of trial-and-error mechanics with little sense of reward.
Even though I'm a massive Walking Dead fan (both the TV and comics) I only somewhat enjoyed my time with this game due to its randomness and forced duties that hinder exploration and experimentation in long bursts.
A more forgiving spin on the prison-break theme of The Escapists, The Escapists: The Walking Dead removes some of the high stress from the original and gives the player more room to breathe and enjoy what was great about it.
The Escapists: The Walking Dead brings a normalcy to the franchise, with methodical routines and chances to explore, better yourself, or help others at will.
A fun, short-lived game that's one of the better Walking Dead experiences roaming the market.
