The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - Episodes 1 & 2 - Ties That Bind Reviews
A New Frontier was able to deliver the first two episodes beautifully and gracefully, and although it may have some issues regarding its gameplay, it still has its fair share of plot twists that’ll surely leave you surprised, and your jaws hanging...
A New Frontier, despite its name, really is sticking with what’s worked before, and it’s not made to convert.
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - Episode 1: Ties That Bind Part 1 is more bizarre than anything. The soft reboot is disappointing, to say the least, but it isn't nearly as bad as it could have been, and Javi's fresh eyes give the episode some much needed excitement. The biggest thing Telltale needs to remedy going forward, though, is the balance between Javier and Clementine. They have a good dynamic overall, but they only seem to get in the way of each other's development instead of playing off one another and growing together. It's entirely possible Telltale is saving that for later episodes, but right now A New Frontier start off with a shaky opener that breaks down the illusory wall of choice more than ever and relies too much on the franchise's past good will to generate interest.
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier's second episode has stronger moments than the debut, but also treads too much familiar ground by reusing story beats that Telltale has already explored.
Ties That Bind Part II is a step up from the first episode in terms of writing quality, but the decision to actually split what is effectively the opening of the season into two feels thoughtless and, ultimately, pointless. There's nothing to be gained from dividing Ties That Bind in half, except for saving Telltale the effort of creating five complete chapters. It's a genuine shame, too, because when Part II is good, it's reminiscent of Telltale at its best. The episode isn't without other faults, as Telltale once again relies on pre-established characters that kill any sense of tension, but there's enough promise and potential to warrant A New Frontier not being written off quite yet.
The first episode in this new series lays some really solid foundation for our upcoming story, though there are some curious design choices along the way that I can see rubbing fans of the long-running series wrong at the same time.
The latest season of Telltale Games' acclaimed series adapted from Robert Kirkman's books has plenty of familiar faces and themes
With so many disappointments in recent Telltale titles, it's fantastic to see the team recreate the magic of Clementine's earlier stories in A New Frontier. It manages to introduce a great cast of likeable characters that have their own tale to tell, while also expanding Clementine's saga. This feels like a return to the form of the glory days of the first season of The Walking Dead, or even The Wolf Among Us, so here's hoping the team can keep the quality up for the rest of the series.
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 Walking Dead: A New Frontier - Episode 2: The Ties That Bind II keeps the course, delivering another quality storytelling experience with aplomb. Javi's story is a compelling one and fans can't help but clamour for closure and answers for what happened to Clem… and what happened to AJ. Plenty of pieces are in motion and this is building to be a very special story. If only Telltale could get this quality over to its other recent titles...
After the disappointing adventures of Michonne in the videogame universe of The Walking Dead, Telltale managed to show us why it’s main saga was so successful back in 2012. An awesome new cast and a story full of turns and surprises waiting at the end of every corner. A New Frontier is off to a great start.
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Despite numerous success stories from Telltale over the past few years, the studio seems rather content with sticking with The Walking Dead’s roots in its newest season, with no new gameplay mechanics or story themes being introduced.
The first two episodes of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier stick a little too close to its roots, but those looking to immerse themselves in The Walking Dead universe have found their nirvana. Think of it as zombie-flavored comfort food – if you know what you’re getting into, you’ll no doubt enjoy yourself.
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.
Episodes 1 and 2 of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier improve upon the series' existing formula, offering an emotionally trying story and a new coat of gameplay polish.
Ultimately, these first couple episodes show a promising beginning, and I’m excited to check out the rest of the season when it appears.
It’s wonderful to be back with Clem, and the new characters are interesting. Even though the story is still in its infancy, it feels like we’ve got plenty to look forward to as the season moves forward.
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.
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.
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier opens up with two strong episodes that have me the most invested I've been in The Walking Dead since the first release. Hopefully fleshing out the characters a little more can push this season to be even more memorable.