The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - Episodes 1 & 2 - Ties That Bind Reviews
A New Frontier is a good enough beginning to the third season of The Walking Dead. It was not as moving as Season Two and is not as fresh as Season One was. It's just good enough and I wish it was different. Introduction of a new main character is not enough, but return of Clem might be the thing that keeps players playing.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Strong opening but not a good ending. Season 3 premier makes us feel good about the future of series.
Review in Persian | Read full review
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.
Telltale doesn't try to do anything out of its element with the return of The Walking Dead - it still plays the same and has that trademark look - but its switch away from Clementine as a main character is a confident and respectable move. It shows trust in the season from the very beginning, and while the game engine could still use some work, the narrative throughout is a fine distraction. Ties That Bind Part I opens the door for what could be one of the best pieces of material in the entire Walking Dead universe, so here's hoping that the remaining episodes can expand on what it already does so well.
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.
Perhaps the greatest shortcoming is the game’s stubbornness to shove Javi’s family as the player’s raison d’etre, when it’s clear that Clementine is a much more relatable and less frustrating character. The classic Telltale trap of unavoidable events is still there, but by now you should know what you’re getting into. If judged by what it attempts to do, rather than by what some sceptic players want it to be, A New Frontier’s harrowing first episodes smoothen most rough edges found in other games in the series in terms of storytelling. It just about manages to shake off the notion of being a rehashed concept, and become a beast that can stand on its own two feet, built upon the foundations laid by Lee and Clementine. Hopefully the rest of the season manages to sustain this level of quality.
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series - A New Frontier Episode 2: Ties That Bind Part Two is weaker than the first episode, but still successfully keeps the attention of the players, telling interesting story. The ending creates suspense, but if you never played the original project and not a fan of the genre, comics and the television series, you can reduce the final grade at one point.
Review in Russian | Read full review
The first episode of a New Frontier promises a really interesting game where the main danger are not insanely wandering zombies, but people itself. Sharp dialogues, Clem's memories, a strange weed episode, taking care of children, with an unexpected ending and the impending love triangle give the story deep feeling, which is missed in season two.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Part Two of Ties that Bind literally picks up where Part One left off, not only in story, but also with its tension and suspense, and going forward, this could be the most dark and moral questioning season yet from Telltale.
That’s as fast as I’ll go for the story of this pair of episodes that get Season 3 started in the right direction. Rest assured that Clementime has some great moments in this new season, and that the updated Telltale Games engine makes this the best looking The Walking Dead release from the beloved studio. If you’ve already completed the first two seasons in the game (and Michonne), then you’ve been anxiously waiting for this new release and are probably almost done with both episodes. But if you’re new to the series, The Walking Dead: A New Frontier is still a good point from which to experience The Walking Dead universe. I highly recommend that you play this one on PS4 right away so that you’re ready for the third episode which will be releasing soon.
Thus far, the first two episodes of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier set up the intrigue. Javi is a decent character for the player to control, and Clementine is much more complicated than before due to her experiences. The story beats seem to replay some of the events of the TV series and comic, although with different characters and locations, but the ending of the second episode is enough to capture the attention of those who may already be tired of the franchise general. With only three more episodes to go, it'll be interesting to see if Telltale can keep the momentum going.
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.
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.
Episode One sets the benchmark. The Ties That Bind builds upon the standards Telltale set in previous seasons. Thrust straight into a new compelling story whilst continuing with that of Clementine is a perfect blend. A nostalgic trip to The Walking Dead universe ensures you’ll want to return, but it also offers enough to be able to pick up the story from here without having to play the first two seasons. At a time where the TV series is stumbling, Telltale has given Walking Dead fans reason to rejoice.
Telltales powerful method of storytelling shows no signs of fading and this opening episode proves evident with the introduction of its cast of new characters and furthermore, the evolution of Clementine.
Fans of the series were slightly disappointed with how Season Two went down, and I don’t blame them to an extent. It failed to live up to the standards that Season One had set, but Season Three is definitely getting the franchise back on the right track. Telltale Games continues to improve with each new release and series they work on, and after what I experienced with these two episodes, I think they are going to have another hit on their hands. Ties That Bind has set the tone and the bar for the remaining three episodes in A New Frontier, and I cannot wait to see where the story goes next.
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier is a great new entry in the Telltale franchise. Fans of the series should go into this not expecting much to change in the overall structure of story delivery and setting.
While A New Frontier's opening two episodes are the best looking Telltale's ever produced, they resemble what we've seen before in story. Things need to change for the rest of the season to thrive, if it can.