Why did this game deserve Game of the Year? Because it DID.
When I first got into Season 1, I had no idea what to expect. AMC's The Walking Dead was on it's third season and despite it being big step up from it's second season, it was still pretty boring. So looking through the PS store I came across a game based on what I thought was the show. It turned out to be based on the comics (didn't read them at the time). So I thought to myself, "What the hell, it's only $5."
So I downloaded it and I played through it. It was the first episode and for what it was, it was awesome. When I found out Telltale released 4 more episodes I was like, "Hot damn! Let's do this!" So I played episodes 2 to the first half of episode 4.
At school, a lot of my friends were talking about the show and only one of them played the whole game. We were talking about how fantastic it was and the bastard tells me that Lee dies at the end! Holy shit was I pissed.
But the spoiler didn't matter. After Lee's bite at the end of episode 4, it pretty much set the plot for episode 5. And after playing episode 5...well, let's just say the ending sealed this game as not only my favourite zombie game OR my favourite PS3 game, but my favourite game of all time. I prefer it to the Last of Us, and I LOVE that game.
Everything in this game is works.
The graphics: People who haven't played this game give it shit for having cel-shaded graphics. But the game is supposed to match the art style of the comics, and it really does work. I'm not gonna say "graphics don't matter" because it's an insult to the art designers. In fact, I'll be honest: I don't think this game would have been the same if the graphics were the same as, let's say the Last of Us. Yes the graphics in that game were phenomenal and they are the best I've seen on the PS3 (next to God of War III). But most of the time, I felt like I was focusing more on the graphics than the story. For what the graphics were, they were good. They aren't outstanding, but I'd take cel-shaded over half-assed attempt at making life like characters any day (I'm looking at you Activision). The graphics in Season 2 actually look more defined.
The gameplay: I'd never played point-and-click games at the time. With this being my first experience, I loved it. The dialogue choices they give when talking to a character, giving you the option of being Good Guy Lee or Scumbag Lee. I love it when games give you your own flavour to any given situation. I like how what you do affects the story and your relationships with the characters. Sure it's not complex, but it didn't need to be. Sometimes simple is the best way to go. Yeah the glitches sucked, but they weren't enough to distract me from the story.
The characters: Clementine's so fuckin' awesome. I can go on about how much I love her as a character, but that's another discussion for another day. Everyone else was so good. There wasn't a single character I didn't enjoy. I liked, Larry, Ben, and the Stranger because of how well written the characters were. Actually now that I think about, Vernon can go die in a pit of pain.
The writing: Quite possibly the best part of the whole game. My biggest frustration with the show is how long they would pad out an entire episode making it feel so long and boring, so when I have a marathon I feel reluctant to watch the boring ones. At least with Telltale's writing, each episode matters. Everything that happens in each episode is relevant to the rest.
The characters felt like real people. The dialogue was believable in a sense that it helps you relate to most of the characters. The story alone is so good and so original. It makes you predict what you think is going to happen, but they come up with a better direction. Everyone is going to get on the boat and sail to safety. But then something happens. One of the characters does something that makes everything go to shit. They do it in way that makes it believable. Clementine's goal in the whole story was to find her parents so she ran away because she lost her faith in Lee, after he said they have no time to find them. Lee's goal was to protect Clementine at all costs and in doing so, he get's bit. When Clementine finds out, she feels incredibly sad and guilty knowing the person she loved and trusted the most, the person she basically said, "go fuck yourself" to and left is now dying because of her. This was executed so well and it made the story timeless.
So yes. This game DEFINITELY deserved Game of the Year. It's not a AAA title and it didn't need to be. It's amazing just the way it is.
What is that YOU liked about the game?
Comments
This post made my day.
1.Innovative game
To be honest I far prefer it when something like Walking Dead wins such an award. I loved GTA 5 but personally in my opinion something like Papers, Please was far more of an achievement in terms of games design. Really GTA 5 is good? It should be when you put that much money into it. Something like Fez which was basically a one man project is far more of an accomplishment.
I don't have anything to say, you pretty much took the words out of my mouth. I completly agree, this game is Fantastic and i hope Season 2 lives up to it's predecessor.