The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - Episodes 1 & 2 - Ties That Bind Reviews
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 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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
A strong opener and weaker follow-up chapter, but the third season is certainly heading in the right direction, narratively at least.
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'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.
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.
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The Walking Dead: A New Frontier – Episode 2: Ties That Bind (Part Two) maintains the opening episode's great pace with a more action-heavy instalment. The new characters continue to compel, even if you'll see the closing twist coming a mile away. Telltale's definitely getting better at directing these narrative-centric experiences, and while the creaky engine still sticks out at times, the production values in this particular instalment are above and beyond anything that the developer's done before.
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier – Episode 1: Ties That Bind (Part One)'s title may appear to promise something wholly original, but this is the same old episodic adventure that you're already familiar with. That's no bad thing, though, as Telltale appears to be on top form with this third series, setting up a compelling new cast of characters while re-introducing the most important of them all: Clementine. The same old quirks remain, but you should know by now whether the engine issues or lack of player agency will affect your enjoyment. If you're comfortable with the usual shortcomings, then this is a strong start to what promises to be another compelling season.
A partially successful soft reboot, with some of Telltale’s best storytelling – even if many of your decisions still make precious little difference.
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.
The first episode had decent pacing and while Javier was likable it didn't seem to really get things off to an amazing start, but just re-introduced the universe.
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
Walking Dead fans looking to jump back into Clementine's story with this new game should temper their expectations. The player only takes control of her in flashback chapters that do not affect the overall arc of the story or any relationship with a character in it. Her retrospectives are nonetheless harrowing.