The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - Episodes 1 & 2 - Ties That Bind Reviews
The Ties that Bind Part 1 is a great start to a new entry in Telltale’s excellent series, one that does just enough to feel fresh.
The Ties that Bind Part 2 is an excellent ending to what was already a great premiere to season three. While a little on the short side, the overall experience is memorable and has me anticipating the next episode.
I'll admit that my interest in Telltale's well-worn adventure formula was starting to wane, but The Walking Dead: A New Frontier's opening episodes are proof positive that there's still plenty of life in it, as Ties That Bind Part 1 and 2 are both barnstorming episodes. Essential for any self-respecting The Walking Dead fan, regardless of whether you played seasons one and two in Telltale's series.
Telltale has definitely gotten so comfortable that their latest zombie game lacks any teeth.
Telltale has definitely gotten so comfortable that their latest zombie game lacks any teeth.
Two episodes in, and A New Frontier has already established itself as an important new story that expands and enriches Telltale’s interpretation of The Walking Dead universe.
Ultimately, these first couple episodes show a promising beginning, and I’m excited to check out the rest of the season when it appears.
A strong opener and weaker follow-up chapter, but the third season is certainly heading in the right direction, narratively at least.
The Ties That Bind Parts One and Two are the best episodes in the series to date. Whether you’re a returning fan or brand new to The Walking Dead: The Telltale series, I highly recommend that you play this game today!
What you are getting with A New Frontier is more of the same, which I imagine just about everyone with a remote interest in the game is expecting. Season 3 isn’t re-writing the book on narratively-driven adventures; it’s just delivering some of the best you can find in the genre.
These two short episodes (about three hours for both) did keep me invested and reminded me that Telltale can spin a good story.
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier is starting to climb my list of favourites from Telltale games, and for fans of this genre I would definitely recommend it. There are a few fantastic “oh crap did that just happen?” moments which I wasn’t expecting and I am eager to find out what happens next. Although it is a little frustrating not knowing the release date of the next episode.
If you were a fan of the previous two seasons and enjoyed playing as Clementine then you may be slightly disappointed as she is not the main playable character, at least not in this episode. But if you are open to a new story, characters and a fresh take to the series then you should give this a go. New players to the series will also enjoy it as long as you are aware that it is more story driven and your choices will not have a huge effect on the outcome of the episode (so far).
An interesting fresh start for The Walking Dead, but it all feels a bit too familiar.
A New Frontier is shaping up to be a brilliant season, and I can’t wait to see how Episode 3 pans out.
Ties That Bind is a fantastic introduction to The Walking Dead: A New Frontier. The story is incredibly well created, still managing to feel fresh despite the amount of baggage its carrying from two previous seasons of diverging narrative.
However despite all that, I would like to say that the above stated cons can easily be overlooked by those after a rollicking zombie tale. This game actually forced me to pick up Season 1 and get to know The Walking Dead series again. Rest assured, A New Frontier is a brilliant game and continues the never-ending Walker drama, certainly providing enough intrigue to keep me avidly looking out for episode three.
The decision to provide a two-part ‘Ties That Bind’ premiere for A New Frontier allows time for the characters to settle in, to initiate the connections and reintroduce players to the deadly world they now live in. As is the norm with Telltale series’ generally, the voice cast deliver performances to a very high standard and help to produce a group of believable characters.
Strong opening but not a good ending. Season 3 premier makes us feel good about the future of series.
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With the end of episode two, it marks the finale of not only the second episode, but Ties That Bind as a whole. Really, it didn't feel entirely necessary to split it into separate parts - both felt drastically different and stood perfectly fine on their own. It could mean that the rest of the season is going to take an even bigger turn or shift in tone, however, and given how things leave off, it wouldn't be a surprise. Ultimately, the excellent pacing and satisfying climax here makes it a great follow-up piece that continues this harrowing story.