The title The Walking Dead is quickly growing in the video game industry. This name has been no stranger to comic book fans and of course fans of the AMC television series but in the recent days the name has taken on a whole new meaning for gamers. As we all know that Telltale Games has released an amazing downloadable game titled The Walking Dead; based after a popular comic book series, we have also come to realize that Activision has taken on a new project of creating a game based off of the hit AMC television show, The Walking Dead. With that being said some controversy lies within the pages of this new information. A fight among gaming fans of the Telltale Walking Dead game and fans of the television series are beginning to dispute which game will be better and where each title has and are making mistakes.
Telltale has created a hit downloadable title called The Walking Dead at the beginning of 2012. This series is being released in episode series and most gamers who have given this game a try have fallen in love. The Walking Dead is not your typical game; it forces the player to embark on an emotional rollercoaster by focusing on characterization and feeling over run and gun action. This game is the perfect cross between action, adventure and role-playing game; taking these elements and creating something magnificent in terms of story. Taken from a third-person point of view, the player is forced to make choices while completing the game, where as these choice make impacts on the way the story plays out. Each episode is rather short but came pack full of replay value depending on the way the gamer chooses to play.
Activision has recently announced that they too will be jumping in on the zombie action, and that is in a way that steps away from Call of Duty Zombie mode. They are publishing a game based after The Walking Dead television series that will be released in 2013. Player couldn’t be more excited when it comes to some elements of this zombie first-person shooter. Activision has been known to make a heck of a shooter and we can expect nothing less from this already popular series. It is set to follow Daryl and Merle while making their way to the presumably safe city of Atlanta. The game will take place before the events of the television series. When it come to Activision and their The Walking Dead game players begin to wonder if they will be able to translate that raw gritty action of the TV show into a first-person shooter video game.
These are two different titles and should not be confused with one another yet their resemblance in name and stature forces player to compare the titles. While Telltale Games has created a very successful series off of emotion and story, some worry that their love for The Walking Dead TV show will not be conveyed properly through Activations release. What players fear is that Activision will do a lack luster job on story when that is what the entire series is about. We know Activision and how well they focuses on great game play so it’s a wonder if they will be able to take the need to have that story and connection to characters while maintaining great game play elements. With Telltale Games’ Walking Dead game the sole focuses is on compelling story, it’s about players and their choices and in that since game play is rather neglected but almost for almost a good reason. It’s a matter of finding balance and with Activation’s The Walking Dead game a perfect balance is all its needs to become the next hit game.
Telltale Games have done a magnificent job of integrating characters from The Walking Dead comic books into the game. The way the player is able to communicate with the characters as well as the cartoonlike graphics make the player feel as if they have begun playing through the popular comic book series. What players need from Activision is the feeling of jumping into the show and being a part of that experience. If a player is a fan of the TV show they are going to want to see elements of the TV show integrated into the game just as they have seen them on TV. It’s about execution and the way the player feels while playing a game like this which is why we have to focuses our attention on how the game is played through perspective.
One of the largest differences in a way a specific game is played is through perspective. Some players prefer first-person and others would rather go with third-person. Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead is in third-person, the player takes the role of the character, they see him move and command his choices. It is a less personal feel to a game but a way for the player to learn about their character. It doesn’t feel like you are in the game yet a third-person approach feels as if you are watching and commanding the events that unfold in front of you. Activision decided to go a different route and a classic cliché for the company; first-person. This perspective grants players the ability to focuses on what is happening around them from their ‘eyes’, it is dramatic and usually puts players in the role of the character instead of the character themselves in a way. Having a game like The Walking Dead from a first-person standpoint is daring and can boil down to a conflict between player and character.
The two games are definitely going to be different despite the similarities in title and objective. The Walking Dead is something that has taken over and is making a dramatic appearance in gamer’s lives. The two titles can be disputed in so many different ways but yet they can be considered two different games for two different audiences. How do you feel about the comparison between the two games? Are they two titles that should be compared or are they two different games that shouldn’t be placed in comparison with one another? Leave your thoughts about the conflict below in a comment and join our discussion!
