Activision and the Call of Duty team dropped a sneak peek of an upcoming collaboration for COD:MW3 and Warzone Season 2. In a recreation of the signature The Walking Dead opening title scene, the teaser shows scenes from around COD's Verdansk map while playing The Walking Dead theme music. The collab will drop alongs??ide Season 2 on February 7 and feature Rick and Michonne, assumingly as new Operators.

Quite the lineup

The Call of Duty Operator lineup is getting pretty insane, right? Rick and Michonne are joining the ranks of Homelander, Kevin Durant, TimTheTatman, Snoop Dogg, Lara Cro??ft, Spawn, 21 Savage, Skeletor, and even Lilith from Diablo 4. Oh, there's more, that just seemed like some of the crazier ones. W?hen I first heard about these additions I thought it was insane. I mean let's be real it's still weird getting teamkilled by Nicki Minaj and then watching her go on to shoot pink tracer rounds on Terminal.

However, Rick and Michonne will probably fit in a bit more, at least in Call of Duty: MW3's new Warzone-like Zombie mode. Rick better ha?ve a "CAAAAAARRRLLLL!" voice line or I am going to be disappointed.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 and Call of Duty: Warzone both enter Seas?on 2 on February 7 on all platforms.

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Forget The Walking Dead; now it's The Playing Dead, as The Walk?ing Dead: Betrayal is being pulled from Steam and? offering a refund.

The game's being pulled after Skybound Games and Other Ocean Interactive were "not able to find a path to build the spirited community of backstabbers we originally envisioned," the developers said in a blog shared to the game's Steam page.

The game, which has been available in Early Access since September, never received a full release. It's the second stumble for the otherwise popular Walking Dead franchise this year. The Walking Dead: Destinies, which was released earlier in December, was the subject of minor controversy surroun?ding its graphics.

What was The Walking Dead: Betrayal?

Announce??d at San Diego Comic-Con 2023, The Walking Dead Betrayal was a social deduction game that blended elements of ?The Walking Dead and Among Us.

Players would work together in teams of Survivors to escape hordes of walkers. However, the social element came into play via "Traitors," Survivors wh??ose goal is to sabotage the team for their own success.

As of the announcement of its closure, the game sits at a "mixed" rating on Steam, across a meager 111 reviews. Many reviews regard the game as fine, though several lament the waning player base. Others draw attention to the similarities to Other Ocean's previous game, Project Winter, which had a similar gameplay loop.

How to get a refund for The Walking Dead: Betrayal

For players who purchased the game through S?team, getting a refund for The Walking Dead: Betrayal is as simple as requesting one through Steam.

Users who purchased the game through a retailer will need to contact that retailer. More information is available on the game's store page.

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The Walking Dead franchise has ventured into a lot of different vid?eo game genres. But it has yet to infect the?? match 3 genre, until today.

Unlike The Walking Dead: Destinies, The Walking Dead Match 3 Tales is a puzzle RPG set within the universe of Robert Kirkman's original comic. Through match 3 puzzles, players will combat Walkers and various other enemies while playing as various characters f??rom the series, with each having their own set of unique skills?? and weapons to aid you.

Both heroes and villains are selectable in the mobile title. Characters of note include Rick, Michonne, Carl, Glenn, The Governor??, Maggie, Abraham, and more. There's weapon crafting outside of match 3 rounds that can give you an edg??e. As well as a mode to build your own settlement which leads to unlocking additional survivors and upgrades.

As per most The Walking Dead projects, the game's narrative is a focus of the Skybound Entertainment team. Dan Murray, managing partner at the studio, says in a press release that "fans can now take an active part in the decision-making that lends such drama and emotion to The Walking Dead’s story, whether defending their home or expanding it.â€?/p>

The Walking Dead Match 3 features brand new comic book-style art. You'll revisit iconic moments from the original comics as well as never-before-seen ones. A??nd the mobile title even features full voice acting as well.

What about The Walking Dead Match 3 multiplayer?

Match 3 Tales has both competitive and cooperative multiplayer included. Players can team up to take down difficult raid bosses that emerge as threats. You can?? go up against fellow survivors in PvP Raids, or participate in the game's All-Out War mode, which revolves around large-scale player alliance battles. And like many live service mobile games, daily and weekly challenges will occur.

The Walking Dead: All-Stars, released last year for mobile, had a similar comic book style as Match 3 Tales. However, the survival RPG didn't embrace the iconicly intense story of the franchise. Really, since the conclusion of Telltale's The Walking Dead series, the gam??ing aspect of the series has had little focus on its comic-verse.

The aforementioned The Walking Dead: Destinies is based within AMC's ever-popular live-action world. And when Negan joined the roster of Tekken 7 in 2018, it was an adaptation of Jeffrey Dean Morgan's take on the television character. So it's refreshing to feel as though we are finally adventuring back into the original world of Kirkman's The Walking Dead.

The Walking Dead Match 3 is available for both iOS and Android devices right now.

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GameMill Entertainment has lifted the lid off of Flu Games The Walking Dead: Destinies. And, uh, they probably should have waited until it cooked for a bit longer before showing it off.

Basing itself off the popular AMC adaptation of The Walking Dead comic book series, The Walking Dead: Destinies promises to be a narrative-focused game that lets you rewrite the events of seasons 1-4 with your actions. I guess?? a lot of stuff happened in those seasons. I don’t know, I didn’t watch the show. It sounds like if your favorite character died and you want th??em to stay alive, you might have the option to do so here.

//youtu.be/ARpGTkOlufQ

I’m not saying the game looks terrible, but this trailer is absolutely awful. One of the first scenes has a pair of gun-toting dudes approach some sort of compound. They look out over the field, and there’s a bunch of wa??tch towers that don?’t have any textures. What’s funny is that the same watch tower model is shown later on in the trailer, but on that occasion, it has textures. There’s also compression all over the video that is so heavy that I had to double-check to make sure I didn’t have it set to 480p.

The game itself looks pretty rough. The graphics seem a couple of generations behind, which I don’t usually mind, but it’s not like the art style was adapted to make up for it. I??t just looks kind of gross. It could be good, it’s just this trailer certainly doesn’t make it look that way. They probably should have, uh�framed it better.

The Walking Dead: Destinies is coming to PS4, ??PS5, Xbox Series X|S, X??box One, Switch, and PC. There’s no release date, but they’re already saying it will be $49.99.

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We've only just had a Steam even??t and now another one is on the way. Get ready for the Steam Visual Novel Fest, a celebration of games that put a lot of?? emphasis on story and narrative.

In a recent video uploaded to the Steam YouTube channel (with a few details over on the Steam website itself), there's a brief run down on what the fest will feature. For a whole week starting August 7, you'll be treated to a ??host of visual novel-style games, which includes discounts and demos.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHlRY8V-Kig

Immerse yourself in stories

Some of the games that will be part of the event include the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney trilogy, for those of you who like a courtroom drama type of story. There's also Telltale's Walking Dead series, specifically the Definitive?? edition, which contains all four seasons.

Other titles included in the Steam Visual Novel Fest include The Pillars of Earth, the adaptation of Ken Follett's epic story set in 12th century England, as well as SFB Games' Tangle Tower, Toge Productions' Coffee Talk, and more.

Steam is well known for putting on plenty of festivals and events to keep us out of pocket throughout the year. Recently, we had the Stealth Fest which, as you can imagine, was a celebration ?of all things stealthy and clandestine.

Combined with all the sales that happen, it's a wonder any of us have any money left. While ther??e are alt??ernatives when it comes to PC digital storefronts, Steam is the OG, having dominated the market for 20 years. Honestly, with events like this, it's not really surprising that it continues to reign supreme.

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Respect the drip

One of the principles of good character design is recognizability, and part of that is what a character is wearing. Can you tell which character it's supposed to be just based o??n their outfit? Better yet, can you tell ?who they are based on one article of clothing? It's not a coincidence that the most iconic pieces of clothing in video games also come from some of the best titles ever made.

Fashion has been a pretty casual hobby for me, but i??t really is something I love �the clothes we choose to wear can tell the world so much about us, and in this case, the clothes that the developers choose for the characters in games tell us a lot about them.

Some examples that immediately come to mind for me are Chell's jumpsuit from Portal, Clementine's hat from The Walking Dead, or Mayor Lewis' purple shorts from Stardew Valley �you know the ones.

[caption id="attachment_331312" align="aligncenter" width="633"] _{Clementine's hat from The Walking Dead.}[/caption]

The great thing about iconic video game clothing is that a good deal of it is wearable in real life, so we get a bunch of awesome replicas of memorable pieces. I'm also a huge fan of stealthy merch that has a cool design, but would only be recognized as something from a video game if you know about that game. Insert Coin Clothing makes some awesome stuff in that vein, and for that reason it's been a favorite of mine for years �it's where I got my replica of Joel's green flannel from The Last of Us, among other things.

Our favorite fits come to life

Of course, for those who have a little bit more disposable income, there are more upscale options for real-life video game clothes. Disco Elysium's developer ZA/UM has put out a line of clothes from the game, which is fitting considering the clothes become a pretty significant piece of the gameplay. The replica of Kim Kitsuragi's orange bomber jacket has been living rent-free in my mind since it dropped a while back, but I haven't had the opportuni??ty to snag it due to its price point and the fact that it sells out so damn fast.

[caption id="attachment_331313" align="alignnone" width="1024"] _{Leon's jacket from Resident Evil 4 (2023).}[/caption]

If you're really looking to flex on your gamer friends, American retailer Schott has a real-life version of Leon Kennedy's classic wool and suede bomber jacket from the Resident Evil 4 remake, which fans spotted after the company had a disclaimer at the end of the game's reveal trailer. Leon's jacket is officially called the Classic B-3 Sheepskin Leather Bomber Jacket, and it's available via Schott's website for a tight $1,500. I'm not really sure if Schott designed the jacket after the game, or if Capcom used the desi?gn for the remake, but either way, it looks like it would make for a pretty sweet fit.

These a??re just the video game clothes that I love, but the list goes on and on from here. We want to know, what are your favorite articles of clothing from a video game? Do you own any? Is there anything you w??ish you could wear, even if it seems impossible?

Let's discuss in the comments below!

The post What’s your favorite piece of iconic video game clothing? appeared first on Destructoid.

You gotta start somewhere

Holiday shopping can be pretty difficult, especially when you have really different interests and hobbies than your non-gamer friends or family. Gift-giving can, however, be a great opportunity to introduce your loved ones to the magic of gaming, bec??ause there's nothing? better than helping someone understand your passions and then enjoying them together.

The only thing is, if you're going to get someone a game who has never tried them before, you've got to make sure it's the right one, lest you risk putting them off of games forever. To give you some h??andy suggestions, or at least get you thinking on the right track, here's our list as some of the best newb-friendly games to gift to your favorite non-gamers this holiday season.

1. Minecraft

When taking into account different types of potential players, Minecraft is an all-aro??under when it comes to game recommendations. It can appeal to people who just want to chill out in creative mode and build something cool, as well as those who want to challenge themselves with survival mode.

There are also a plethora of mods out there that can?? cater to all kinds of niche interests, so you can customize the game to be appealing to anyone in your life. To top it all off, it's also a great way to help someone learn gaming controls in a low-stake??s, low-pressure environment.

2. Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is a great choice for a new player because of its more casual feel. The game never rushes or forces you to do anything in particular �you can play it however you want. The mechanics are also simple and relaxing (with the exception of combat, but?? new players can work their way up to that), and do a good job of easing the player in as they learn.

There's also the benefit of it being a 2D game, so you don't have to worry about deal??ing with the whole moving-and-looking-at-the-same-time thing if that's a stumbling block.?? Just make sure you set them up with the practice fishing rod at the start, and your buddy should have an awesome time.

3. Pokémon

I kind of missed the Pokémon train the first time around, but after playing Sword & Shield, I have to agree with my friends that say this series is a great way to introduce someone to turn-based combat or JRPGs. Having cute little critters to collect makes for a fun, easily understandable objective, and you don't have to be amazing at the game to progress, especially with the newer entries in the series. I've heard Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu/Eevee! can be a great place to start, but you'r?e probably fine if you try any mainline series entries that have come out in the last decade.

4. Telltale's The Walking Dead

Telltale's The Walking Dead is a great choice because while it does introduce new characters, it's part of a franchise that non-??gamers are already familiar with. It's even structured like a TV show with its episodes, which also divide what is overall a longer game into manageable?? chunks.

The gameplay itself is mostly limited to dialogue choices, but also includes some classic point-and-click adventure stuff �b??oth of these factors can make it a great jumping-off point to try some other games that share these mechanics.

5. Portal

Portal is also a great game I recommend to newbies, seeing as it's the game I played to learn shooting mechanics on a controller??. Because it's a puzzle game that only has stationary turrets as enemies, you can really take your time as you try to figure out how the camera works. Some of the later levels require perfectly-timed ??shots, but by the time you get t??here, you pretty much have the controls down.

There's also the fact that Portal has one of the best ??game stories out there, so in addition to helping a new player learn the ropes, they can also see some of the superb st?orytelling that games are capable of. I'd just steer clear of this one for someone who is particularly puzzle-averse, because it can be pretty challenging to figure out some of the solutions.

6. Journey

One of the problems I've run into while trying to recommend games to someone who has never played them is how long most of them take to complete, but Journey negates this issue by having a run time of about two hours. What better way to conv?ince a skeptic than to have them play a great game that's no longer than a movie?

Journey is also new player-friendly because of its fluid, relaxing gameplay. There are no enemies to be seen, so your friends shouldn't have any issues making it to the end. The game is known for its gorgeous visual style and music as well, so if you show someone Journey, they know they're ?getting s??ome of the best that gaming has to offer.

7. Overcooked

Want to be able to play alongside that friend or family member while they learn the ropes? No problem! Overcooked is a great option �w?hile things can get a bit hectic as you progress through the levels, the game is designed to be easy to pick up and understand. Considering it's one of those games where you can see yourself mastering it as you go along, it can make for a good confidence booster before throwing your new player into the deep end.

8. Firewatch

Firewatch is such a fun ride, but in different ways than you might expect. The gameplay is super simpl??e, and mostly involves walking around and interacting with items. The real star of the show here is its story, particularly its voice acting, which can make it the perfect option for someone who prefers a more n?arrative-based experience, if that's something your new gamer is into.

I know for me, story games were a great way to initially get into the hobby, and then I started trying out some more gameplay-heavy games once I learned the ropes. Firewatch also has the benefit of helping players learn the controls at their own pace, similar to Portal.

9. What Remains of Edith Finch

Many of the principles that apply to Firewatch are also in play here. What Remains of Edith Finch is in th??e upper echelon of game stories, in my opinion, so it's another excellent choice for those who like storytelling.

It also just has some really clever gameplay sections that I think showcase some of the best narrat??ive design in the industry. It's wistful and moving, and is yet another relatively short play that can help you learn controls, so this one ?is a must for new players.

10. Uncharted 2

If you have a buddy who loves action movies and just wants to feel like a hero, Uncharted 2 is the way to go. I could be recommending the first Uncharted, but parts of that game haven't aged super well gameplay-wise (I'm looking at you, jet ski level), and the sequel is where Naughty Dog really hit their stride with the franchise, both in terms of narr?ative and gameplay.

You've got loveable characters, swashbuckling action, and puzzles that will make you stop and think, which makes it perfect for a movie buff. Plus, if they end up liking it, there are still four other Uncharted games they can go and play.

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Free PC games from July 8�5

Bridge Constructor: The Walking Dead and Ironcast are this week's free-to-keep PC games from the? Epic Games Store, and you k?now what? I'm not going to skip 'em.

Lately, I've found it all too easy to not even bother redeeming some o??f these freebies?, which is an odd sensation �there's "Sure, I might play this game one day, might as well," and then there's "Nope, it'll never happen." I like my ever-growing digital game hoard as much as the next person, but I have my limits on claiming stuff for the sake of it.

//youtu.be/g7r1F08UlFI

On the surface, it's easy to point and chuckle at the premise of a bridge-building Walking Dead game given the IP's track record in the gaming space, but as someone who played and ending up liking Bridge Constructor Portal, I'm not only okay with this mishmash?ed puzzle game, I'm fully open to it. Daryl is less? of a draw than the building simulation.

That said, the consensus seems to be that Bridge Constructor: The Walking Dead is a lesser experience than the more building-focused and charismatic Portal spin-off, so? I'll keep my expectations in check. With resources to manage, I can sense some looming frustration.

//youtu.be/ItLh0acsB5k

As for Ironcast, my thoughts are pretty limited other than to say that Victorian steampunk walkers and gem-matching gameplay are a neat combo. Dreadbit is going for the Puzzle Quest crowd,? albeit with more randomization and rogue?lite hooks to contend with.

Worth dabbling i??n? I know some of you have played it and proba??bly have advice.

Looking ahead to next week, the Epic Games Store will hand out Obduction (from the makers of Myst) and Offworld Trading Company (for RTS-loving economists). Solid.

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Yo, that one dude has a tiger?!

Phenomenally popular franchise The Walking Dead is making another foray into the world of video games. Coming to iOS and Android devices on April 12, The Walking Dead: Survivors sees an all-star cast of monster mashers reunite for more bloody, siege-management? action.

A collaboration of Elex and Skybound Entertainment, TWD: Survivors is a free-to-play game that will see players build a custom team taken from 80+ famous faces from the Image Comics series and its TV adaptation. Set your squad to fortifying your territory against waves of Walkers, as well as vicious a??ttacks from clans of other players. Keep your team alive and your walls standing while managing your resources and increasing growth across the region. Team with other players to sol?idify your presence, lead attacks against other clans, and maybe you and yours will live to see tomorrow.

Your team of chosen survivors will be key to effective base management. While some characters are betting at fighting off humans and Walkers, others will build and repair fortifications faster, or use resources at a decelerated rate. A? balanced ??team will ensure your homestead remains secure, lest you and your buddies end up joining the Walkers themselves.

The Walking Dead was always prime for video game exploitation. But for every Telltale's The Walking Dead, there's been an Overkill's The Walking Dead. Conceptually, The Walking Dead: Survivors sounds like an engaging, zombie-smashing take on typical mobile strategy titles. And with a huge 1.5 million pre-registrations lined up ahead of launch, the market is clearly there for more TWD-related gaming. But it's definitely going to take solid mechanics, unique features, and a generous delivery system if Survivors is to stand out in an overcrowded horde.

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Who could forget the classic video game Merlin Derl

In case you haven't noticed, Brawlhalla is still trucking along since its original 2017 release, with tons of Ubisoft-bankrolled corporate synergy to boot. It's hosted characters from the Hellboy universe, as well as WWE, Adventure Time, Tomb Raider and Shovel Knight. Now it's welcoming another gargantuan property into the mix: The Walking Dead.

Like the Magic: The Gathering cross-promotion before it, this tie-in is clearly modeled after the characters from the AMC show. Daryl ("Derl"), Rick and Michonne are all coming to the party, as crossover skins for Ember, Barraza and Koji respectively. All of them also have Magic cards, no doubt a sign of how popular they are in the television series (particularly Norman Reedus' Daryl, who will probably be the last human standing in this universe). Sadly, this brother Merle is left out in the cold: as he has been for some time now. I can't believe we're seven years removed from the Merlin Derle game.

The trio will come to Brawlhalla on October 14, which is coupled with an in-game event that essentially works as a horde mode, but you're fighting walkers. The prison map from seasons 3 and 4 of the show (man they dragged that locale out) is also in. At this point there are more than 50 characters to choose from in Brawlhalla.

Brawlhalla [Twitter]

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Cross the void between life and death

In perhaps one of the most surprising and most unexpected announcements of the evening, gamescom Opening Night Live that Headup Games' Bridge Constructor is crossing over with popular comic-book/TV franchise The Walking Dead.

"Join a group of survivors as they fight against hordes of undead walkers and a hostile human community," reads a statement from Headup Games. "Build bridges and other constructions through bleak landscapes and ruined structures. Team up with ?fan-favorite characters like Daryl, Michonne and Eugene, and create safe passage for icon??ic vehicles from the series."

"Use movable level obje??cts, explosives and baits to your advantage as you lure walkers into lethal traps and guide your survivors to safety. Enjoy the physics-based frenzy and ragdoll anima??tions as walkers succumb to the forces of gravity."

Bridge Constructor: The Walking Dead launches later in 2020 on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and mobile pl??atforms.

The post Bridge Cons?tructor: The Walking Dead coming later in 2020 appeared first on Destructoid.

Oh my darling

Have you ever played a zombie game where you choose between treating others with humanity or becoming as monstrous as the undead cannibals that are threatening to eat you all? Me too. It's a pretty neat trope, and from the looks of things, people are yet to tire of it. 

That said, the last time the cliche really hit home for me was with the story of Negan in The Walking Dead comics. Not to spoil it, but writer Robert Kirkman avoided going down the usual  "death-or-redemption" fork in the road that villains usually face at the end of their stories. At least, that's what I thought happened. As I discovered this week, Negan's adventures aren't over yet. Last week, Kirkman and his team surprised his sizable fan base with the release of a new comic called "Negan Lives". Even more shockingly, they did it for free, in an effort to help struggling comic book stores stay afloat amid the COV??ID-19 crisis.

The biggest surprise of all came in the form the tease at the very last page; a two-word promise from Kirkman at the end of the letters column stating "P.S. Clementine Lives". At first glance, that might not seem like a big deal, but when regular The Walking Dead comics ended in 2019, the letters pages ended with the words "P.S. Nega?n Lives". It doesn't take ??a crack reporter to deduce what it all means. 

Skybound brought Clementine's story back from the brink of becoming vaporware after Telltale collapsed in 2018, so it's quite in-character for Kirkman and his studio to usher the to lead of their beloved game series into the spotlight yet again. The least expensive way for them to do that would be through another one-shot comic, though I also wouldn't be surprised to see her join the cast of one or more of The Walking Dead TV shows when they finally return to the airwaves. Either way, it will be great to see the only universally ?liked character from this multi-media franchise return to the fold. 

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'We currently have no plans for a Season 5'

It looks like it's the end for several Walking Dead properties in this octopus of an IP.

In case you missed it, Robert Kirkman, creator of the original comic, secretly ended the core run in the middle of 2019, after soliciting several fake "future issues" to throw ever?yone off the scent. Now, it seems like Skybound Games is ready to sunset the game franchise...for now.

Speaking on Twitter and responding to recent rumors about a new season, the official Skybound account noted the following this week: " Thank you to the fans who have reached out in recent days! While we wholeheartedly appreciate your enthusiasm for Telltale's TWD, we currently have no plans for a Season 5."

Following any number of these fra?nchises has been an extreme roller coaster, to say the least. It seems like creatives always start out really well, then as time goes on and the money starts rolling in, that creative control shifts and the series becomes a sort of soulless cash cow. It happened with the game series for a while (and Telltale as a whole, really) and it happened with the TV series (though Angela Kang is trying their best to right the ship).

Perhaps it's ?for the best that it sunsets for a long period of ti??me.

Skybound Games [Twitter]

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The stab-happy survival horror game launched today on PS4

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners, arguably the most interesting TWD video game adaptation in years, is out today for $39.99 on PlayStation VR. If it's been a while since you've used your PlaySt??ation Move controllers, you'd better double-check that they still have a decent charge. Mine never seem to!

Given that you can't use a DualShock 4 controller for Saints & Sinners, you probably have some idea of how this melee-action-centric survival game will play. It's not the most inspired subject matter, and The Walking Dead has an ?inconsistent-at-best track record, but it's worth stressing that this isn't some rushed-out VR experience that you'll blow through in an afternoon and delete from your hard drive.

It's a 15-hour romp through New Orleans (well, what's left of it). The overemphasis on crafting bogs things down, but Chris still ended up calling it "one o??f the leading 'full' VR experiences to date."

He tested the Valve Index version for his original review, and while PlayStation VR obviously can't reach those same technical heights, Skydance Interactive says the port is "optimized," and many of the highlights – like "picking up screwdrivers and thrusting them through zombie heads"?? – still apply. 

I? can't personally speak to the PS4 port, but impressions out of the PSVR subreddit are encouraging.

• "All smooth turning and full loco settings from PCVR are there." -SPCarl91
• "This feels like the first AAA quality adventure game that Sony had no part in making. From the interactions, to the full [inverse kinematics] arms, collisions between your hands and objects, the psychics of your player colliding with swinging objects, the incredibly well-designed stamina and weight system, this game has it all." -MCalchemist
• "People used to VR know the 'wow' factor goes away with experience and this game is making me say wow again." -SniffingDogButt

It warms my heart knowing PlayStation VR is still hanging in there in 2020. As m?uch as I've enjoyed the games on and off since 2016, I'm ready for Sony to come out with the next headset sooner than later. I'm especially ready for a controller overhaul. There's a lot of catching up to do, tech-wise.

If you're waiting on the Oculus Quest version of Saints & Sinners, it's coming in Q4 2020.

The post It’s worth digging out your PlayStation VR for The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners appeared first on Destructoid.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiick

You could say that The Walking Dead franchise is a volatile beast in terms?? of quality.

I'll spare you the rhetoric of the ups and downs of the television show, but even the flagship Telltale games took a dip eventually and fell into over-saturation territory. This franchise is a mess as studio after studio scrambled to get a piece of it, stepping over the corpses of failed projects; and that's putting it lightly. Saints & Sinners, the new VR game (s?tay with me!), helps put it back on t??rack.

The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners (PC [reviewed with a Valve Index]]
Developer: Skydance Interactive
Publisher: Skydance Interactive
Released: January 23, 2020
MSRP: $39.99

So before you close the window (I should have told you it was a VR game after you had read through most of the review), Saints & Sinners is a legit survival experience: crafting, limited ammo, the whole ?nine yards. It's just i??n VR.

The way it's presented is through a series of mini-hubs: spokes on the wheel of a main hub where you can take respite crafting, storing items in your Resident Evil-style bank and recovering. In that sense, it's not a fully open-world game, but it is a real 15-hour-ish adventure: not a tech demo. Now I love a lot of those tech demos, but it's important to stress that here. It's been nearly four years since the dawn of commercial VR and we're finally getting to the point where this is the new normal.

Saints & Sinners is available for an array of devices, but my playthrough was experienced with the Valv??e Index and those lovely kn?uckle controllers. Picking up screwdrivers and thrusting them through zombie heads is as seamless as doing it in real life — right down to the required reverse thrust to pull the tool out of their flesh. Using a pistol and a two-handed axe is similarly seamless: you just grab, point, and go. My only hangup is that the trigger area for grabbing an item out of your hip holsters (of which there are two, as well as two grab points on your chest for the flashlight and map, as well as two more on your shoulder for the inventory screen backpack and a heavy item) can be overly finicky. You ??get used to it though, and that's part of the learning curve for the knuckle remotes as a whole.

Using the always reliable "creepy zombie-infested New Orleans" as a backdrop, various factions (a lawless Mad Max-like cult, a police state group) are mixed in along with the zombies, further perpetuating the whole "humans are the real menace" theme that Walking Dead likes to strut. Add in a mysterious safe location among all of the chaos ("The Reserve") and you have a great basic plotline to propel you through a series of haunted locations that ar??e made even more terrifying in an isolated VR? setting. NPC interactions are a little more intimate because you're right there with them, which helps hand-wave some of the more off cinematic moments.

I've found myself gravitating toward horror games in VR over the past few years and Saints & Sinners nails it. Even an event as rote as walking through an abandoned ??house is fear-inducing, as you slowly grip each door handle with the assumption that a (well-animated) zombie could be staring you in the face, screaming as you attempt to push it off with your actual hands and scramble for a rudimentary weap?on to viscerally (look, a proper use of that phrase!) stab it with.

This all sounds great on paper, but where the game falters a bit is with the survival gimmick. As is the c?ommon theme with the genre, crafting can feel more like a chore than a rewarding hurdle to overcome, and juggling/sorting a ton of useless items in VR is just as tedious as it is with a controller. But once that busywork is done and you're off to the next location, you're really in the moment for as long as that undead sortie lasts.

It also uses the Breath of the Wild system of "everything breaks." I get why the team wanted to incorporate actual survival elements and, in theory, it builds some tension. But when inventory management is slower due to the hand-controller nature of menu navigation, it can just feel plain annoying, and I have no desire to collect all of the gubbins required to craft the more advanced recipes. Pushing a zombie away while you try to clumsily reach for a knife in your grid-based backpa??ck UI is exhilarating exactly once.

Despite some technical misgivings, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners honors the Walking Dead? name: a rarity in the current climate. It's also cemented itself as one of the leading "full" VR experiences to date. It might not sel?l headsets, but it'll be a hell of a pickup for current VR-heads.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Back from the dead

Telltale's award-winning series The Walking Dead can now be played on Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. Skybound Games has announced that all four seasons will be returning to Steam today, while the Nintendo eShop will receive seasons two and four of the tense adventure, (although there is no word of spin-off season, Michonne.)

Previously only the first and final seasons of the gripping episodic adventure were available on the Switch platform while, in contrast, Telltale's catalogue was removed from the Steam storefront following the developer's demise in 2018. The Walking Dead: The Final Season was only available on PC via the Epic Games Store or as part of physical compendium The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series. (It's worth noting that in terms of "bang for your buck," the Epic Games Store edition of Definitive Series is still the best value for your money.)

Switch and Steam fans can now relive the epic journey of Lee, Clementine, and AJ, as they pick their way through the miserable Walker apocalypse. While sometimes a little bland in player choice and interactivity, Telltale's The Walking Dead recounts a great story of cour?age, hope, friendship and family, juxtaposed with grim and upsetting scenes of psychological torment and visceral horror.

Telltale's The Walking Dead is available now on PS4, PC, Xbox One an??d Nint??endo Switch.

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Boom, bust, and zombies

Over the decades,? games and ideas come and go. At the end of last decade, plastic instrument music games were riding high, but these days they're all but gone. Today, hero shooters and battles royale are the hot ticket, but who knows how long those will be around?

Telltale Games experienced that arc of boom and bust. And while the studio released its first game in 2005, this story begins in 2012 with The Walking Dead.

Adventure games were not a new thing at the beginning of the decade; indeed, the genre is one of the oldest in all of video games. But Telltale was at work evolving the genre, moving from more puzzle-focused titles like Sam & Max and Nelson Tethers to narrative-focused games with an emphas??is on branching storylin??es and impactful player choices.

There were a lot of factors that contributed to the success of The Walking Dead. Remember, this released arou?nd season two of the AMC series, when fans were ??frothing at the mouth for the property (like the walkers therein) and not yet beaten down and burned out on it (like the humans).

But Telltale's take on the comic book series did more than just please existing fans; it cultivated new ones. One factor that helped it achieve that was its episodic format. It was easy enough to ignore high praise for a single game, but when that praise is sustained over months, peaking every time a new ??episode is released, it became nearly impossible not to try it out, to see what all the buzz was about.

Plenty of video games can make the player feel something, but more often than not, the feeling is one of power, success, or achievement. Dread is perhaps less common, but it's easy enough to find games that elicit that response. For many players, The Walking Dead was one? of the first games to bring out not only sadness and regret, but also mirth in th??e face of its dark story.

The story of Lee and Clementine is one most players will never forget, and unique to the medium, each player's story is just a little bit different than anybody else's. ?Another part of the continuing buzz came after an episode's release, when friends could compare and contrast how their individual stories ar??e going.

The Walking Dead was so successful that it sent Telltale into overdrive. The studio created some of its best work in the wake of this game, like The Wolf Among Us and Tales from the Borderlands, and it secured huge IPs to work on like Game of Thrones and Batman. It inspired games from other studios to follow its formula like Life is Strange and Oxenfree.

Sadly, the success of The Walking Dead also led to Telltale's eventual shuttering. It was such a huge hit, and its formula so well defined, that the business plan outpaced the creative energy at the studio. Secure rights to a popular IP, stick it in this aging engine, and the writers and coders can keep up with a grue?ling monthly or?? bimonthly release schedule, right?

It turns out, no. Not right.

Telltale's story mirrors that of the game industry at large in the twenty-teens: it finds an idea that works, and it burns through that idea while it's hot. It flames bright while it can, but the fire is unsustainable, and the people who end up getting burned worst are the ones working on feeding the fire. Telltale is now a smoldering pile of rubble where a game studio once was, and its downfall began with the highest highs of The Walking Dead.

_{[You can read all of our Games of the Decade choices here as they arrive.]}

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In your face zombies

Skybound Entertainment and Skydance Interactive have announced that The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners will? be releasing on January 23, 2020. A new VR shooter for unspecified platforms, the game was given its first cinematic trailer today that shows next to no gameplay. The title will take place in New Orleans and task playe??rs with making "gut-wrenching choices" and discovering who they really are among the chaos.

The press release describes Saints & Sinners has allowing "freedom of choice" and having "visceral combat." This is said to be a survival horror game with strong ties to the VR platform. Players wil?l be up close and personal with the walkers and will need to really get physical to perform various actions (such as climbing or knifing a zombie). Choices are also being touted as central to the experience, with different outcomes likely based on who you save.

If you happen to be attending New York Comic-Con this weekend, the game will be present at Skydance's booth. We'll likely learn more about platforms and any ??potential DLC as we get closer to release.

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Prepare to see 1000 edgelord Negans running around

As reported by Variety, PUBG Mobile is teaming up with popular AMC series The Walking Dead for a limited time event?,? which goes live in the pocket battle royale title today.

The event is offering several skins based on popular characters from the zo?mbie-smashing franchise, including Rick Grimes and Daryl Dixon, alongside stoic badass Michonn?e and the notorious antagonist Negan. The skins will be available as rewards for in-game challenges, or available to purchase outright.

Of course, these characters wouldn't be complete without some of their trademark weapons, so Michonne's katana and the lovely Lucille will also be presen?t and correct. Even Dixon's motorbike can be found among the wasteland, allowing for both speedy getaways or grand entrances, dependent on your death wish.

This timely promotion comes a few days ahead of The Walking Dead's tenth season, which will premiere on Sunday, October 6 on AMC. PUBG Mobile x Walking Dead event goes live in-game today and is expected to run until the year's end??.

PUBG Mobile is available now on iOS and Android devices.

The Walking Dead has arrived in PUBG MOBILE!

Play as your favorite characters, or utilize their iconic gear, to overcome a threat more dangerous than any walker! #TWD pic.twitter.com/f5yirggkBF

— PUBG MOBILE (@PUBGMOBILE) September 30, 2019

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Rave from the grave

For those of you who may have missed out on Telltale Games' adventure series, The Walking Dead, Skybound Games has?? announced that a compendium of the entire saga will be shuffling its way onto PS4 and X??box One next month.

The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series features all four seasons of the dramatic adventure, along with spin-off story Michonne. The games have been given a small visual overhaul, adding the "Graphic Black" filter from The Final Season to all previous chapters. Along with the games themselves, The Definitive Series contains a wealth of extras, including commentaries, concept art, a making-of documentary and a music player containing the ??saga's soundtrack.

For Nintendo Switch owners, The Walking Dead seasons two and three will be re-released to the eShop, allowing for the purchase of all four seasons on the Nintendo console, complete with the aforementioned visual tweaks. Several expensive physical editions ??had been previously made?? available, but pre-orders are now closed on these?? fancy sets.

The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series launches September 10 on PS4, PC and Xbox One.

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Physical and digital bundles available

Skybound Games has announced an all-in-one compilation package for Telltale's The Walking Dead series. Titled The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series, the package will be released on September 10, 2019, for PS4, Xbox One, and PC (via the Epic Games Store) for $49.99. On consoles, a physical edition will be available that contains every episode -- including the 400 Days DLC and Michonne spin-off -- with over 10 hours of developer commentary, behi??nd-the-scenes featurettes, a music player, and a short documentary titled "Return of The Walking Dead."

If that wasn't enough, this re-release will contain graphical improvements in a style that mimics the graphic novels. Called the "Graphic Black" style, this filter was previously available only in The Final Season. Kent Mudle, creative director for The Walking Dead, said, "Graphic black is a loving tribu??te to the source material and a powerful art style that makes the game look like a living comic book." It can now be applied to every episode to create a consistent look across the entire series.

The Definitive Series collection can be pre-ordered through Skybound's online shop right now. Digital pre-ord??er bonuses will be available, but Skybound has not reve?aled the details yet.

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Dismember walkers to your heart's content

Not to jinx it, but the next Walking Dead video game – The Walking Dead Onslaught – sounds promis??ing. Really, really ??promising. With the way other adaptations have gone down, it's about time.

Onslaught is a built-just-for-VR experience in which you can shove, restrain, carve, and dismember the undead hordes using "iconic" weapons from the long-lasting series while playing as survivors from AMC's The Walking Dead. The game has its own original story and a separate supply-run mode with randomized items, the latter of which is exactly what I'd want out of a zombie-slicing VR title. And best of all, it's being made by Raw Data developer Survios. Like I ?said: there's a lot of potential here.

This teaser trailer lacks substance, but Onslaught's Steam page is far more forthcoming. Aside from the aforementioned gameplay tidbits, there's also a scattering? of envi?ronmental screenshots.

The developers are calling The Walking Dead Onslaught their "most visceral combat experience" to date, and from the sound of it, the dismemberment could fill the Dead Space-sized hole in our hearts.

• Delimbing: walker limbs are vulnerable for removal at many joints, including arms, legs and neck.
• Carving: proprietary "gore mesh" creates realistic wounds anywhere on a walker’s body.
• Impaling: enemies get impaled and react where they are stabbed.
• Context-based physics: varying reactions take place based on context; precise slicing through enemies results in getting stuck, resistance when pulling out weapons and grappling.
• Walkers can also be grabbed and restrained for precision melee attacks and strategic defense.
• Walkers can also be pushed and thrown at other walkers.

Combine all of these elements together and – if it all works as intended – I think they've got a pretty compelling zombie-slaying VR game on their hands. The fact that it's The Walking Dead is just a bonus. If you own an Oculus Rift or a Vive, keep an eye out for Onslaught's release on Steam this fall.

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The full undead saga available now to pre-order

Now that it has reached its final, dramatic conclusion, Skybound Games is releasing a complete, four-season collection of Telltale's The Walking Dead. This physical release, coming to PS4, PC and Xbox One, includes all four seasons of the interactive adventure series as well as spin-off title Michonne and a bevy of extras.

Alongside some 23 moral-busting episodes, featuring graphical and gameplay improvements, comes 10 hours of developer commentary, behind-the-scenes bonus features, a making-of documentary, and a music pla?yer featuring 40 cuts from the series soundtrack. If that's not all, the release is getting three separate collector's editions.

The Protector Pack ($99.99) includes the complete series, an "Ericson School for Troubled Youth" T-shirt, enamel pins, Kenny's Hat, Clementine Nesting Dolls, and a Disco Broccoli plush doll. The Guardian Pack ($249.99) includes all of the above in a special display box, as well as a 10-in?ch Clementine and Lee diorama, and an exclusive art print from artist Eric Zawadz??ki.

Finally, the bank-busting Signature Pack ($349.99) includes all of the above as well as an art print signed by the Still Not Bitten team, a variety of voice actors and The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman. This edition is limited to just 100 copies, so if you're after it, better get? your pre-orders in quick.

All editions are open for pre-order now - until May 31 or until sold out - directly from the Skybound Games Website. The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series is available on PS4, PC and Xbox One.

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Ask yourself who's the real monster

Two kinda-thematically-similar games are getting added to Xbox Game Pass very soon, and they're both experiences that improve the value of the service. Monster Hunter: World and Prey are on their way -?- the former about preying on magnificent beasts, the latter with the preying connec?tion splayed right there in the title.

A tenuous link, maybe, but both are tremendous games that might now reach a wider audience. Prey will be available to Xbox Game Pass subscribers tomorrow, April 11. Monster Hunter: World will be added on April 18. Monster Hunter&nb?sp;especially is sort of a game for first-timers to take a chance on, a??nd that's largely what Xbox Game Pass is all about.

There's more in store this month. Xbox has also announced a quartet of other Game Pass titles that will arrive before the May flowers. They are: The Golf Club 2 (April 11), The Walking Dead: A New Frontier (April 18), Life is Strange 2: Episode 2 (April 24), and Resident Evil 5 (April 25).

Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass: Monster Hunter: World, Prey, Life is Strange 2: Episode 2, and More [Xbox Wire]

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This is the end, beautiful friend, the end...

And so, this is it. After four intense seasons, the series formerly known as Telltale's The Walking Dead has reached its sombre climax. We have watched lead protagonist Clementine grow from a frightened child - having endured horrors no-one should ever have to experience - into a ??strong, confident young woman. Now the guardian of A.J., an angry and confused kid, Clementine's life and lessons have led to this final stand in a dangerous and frightening world.

When Telltale's The Walking Dead first launched back in 2012, its modern blending of "Choose Your Own Adventure" books, point-and-click games, and dramatic, TV-style storytelling earned critical praise, big bucks sales, and numerous Game of the Year awards. As we know, this then led to a huge catalogue of titles from the Californian developer, hit-and-miss affairs which would ultimately lead to the studio's unfortunate demise in 2018, right in the middle of The Walking Dead's fourth and final season.

Still, hope springs eternal, and the series, along with much of its team, were picked up by Skybound Games, who now present this final chapter of a tale seven years in the making??. A tale that ?has seen Clementine meet, befriend, love, and even kill friend and foe alike. Clem has traveled a weary road, making difficult moral choices for herself and those around her, all whilst fighting for survival within a literal hell on Earth. You've come a long way, baby...

The Walking Dead: The Final Season - Episode 4: Take Us Back (PC [reviewed], PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Skybound Games
Publisher: Skybound Games
Released: March 26, 2019
MSRP: $19.99/£18.99

[Minor Spoilers Below]

Picking up immediately from where we last lef??t off, Clem, A.J., and pals are aboard a literal sinking ship, having botched a rescue mission on sociopath Lily and her gang of raiders. After this initial action sequence, the episode gives way to several tense verbal con??flicts and some tough, but frustratingly obscure, choices.

Not long into the episode there begins a conversation with A.J. which, in theory, is the culmination of all you have taught the boy to date. Unfortunately, it's structurally a mess, filled with random tidbits based on your past exploits and - much like the "How have you defined Joker?" hook of Batman: The Enemy Within - I was left feeling that all I had done previously to shape A.J. got thrown out for one question. A question so morally obscure that ??it's difficult to take a line on it without situational context.

I don't feel I failed A.J. as a guiding light in difficult circumstances, but I am left feeling that my meticulous guidance boiled down to one, maybe two choices, leaving me to deal with their heavily-weighted outcomes. Once again, the smoke and mirrors of the Telltale Games mechanic have left me feeling like I haven't really had much control over events.

As Take Us Back progresses, things get inevitably emotional. A few tough decisions over the past two episodes will direct the fates of several major players, although some outcomes appear pretty much set in stone. As a climax to The Walking Dead: The Final Season, Take Us Back is fine, with some genuinely affecting scenes, but as a climax to an entire saga, it's surprisingly low-key, and even draws out its epilogue a little too long, with multiple false finishes. Fans will be pleased to hear that they slip in a particularly dark flashback, allowing us to discover how Clementine and A.J were reunited after the events of A New Frontier.

How you personally feel about the narrative conclusion of The Final Season will be somewhat subjective. It shouldn't be forgotten that, at one point, we weren't getting any ending whatsoever. Skybound and Telltale should be applauded for not sending the fans away with that crushing frustration. While this concluding episo??de doesn't quite knock it out of the park, nor does it leave me feeling like I truly had control over events (which is a staple criticism of most of Telltale's wares), it does give Clementine - the real star of the show - her finale. It would have been an absolute crime not to.

Whatever anyone thinks of the Telltale's interactive storytelling, the launch of The Walking Dead was a genre-defining moment in gaming, deserving of all the success, awards, and praise that it received. At its emotional core is the character of Clementine, who has rightfully earned a place in gaming's hall of fame as a magnetic, likable, barrier-breaking lead. For all of the series' hit-and-miss factors, they got Clementine right. Kudos to actor Melissa Hutchinson and writer Gary Whitta for their realisation of a great protagonist.

Strictly speaking, you don't need a review to tell you whether to play the final episode in the fourth season of a franchise. This far down the line, you're already on board, or you aren't. I think Take Us Back's writing will find some division in the community, regardless of your own personal outcome. Some may cry, others may smile, some may even frown and exclaim "...whaaat?" But we can at least rest easy knowing that Clem, A.J., and all of us were not left wandering the wilderness, guessing at what might have bee?n.

From the first moment that patrol car spilled convict Lee Everett into a ditch, to the final curtain fall on this climactic episode, players have enjoyed telling their tale of survival, friendship, bravery, and tragedy in a post-Walker world. It's been a very bumpy ride, both technically and narratively, but Telltale's The Walking Dead worked hard to push past these shortcomings, creating a new form of interactive fi?ction. One which procured genuine emotional investment from its fanba??se and a deserved place in video game history.

We Will Remember That.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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You've come a long way, baby

It's something of the end of an era in video game history next week, as Skybound Games releases "Take Us Back", the last-ever episode of long-running adventure series The Walking Dead.

Since 2012, the now defunct Telltale Studios has told a story of a young girl, Clementine, and her coming-of-age in a desolate and de??s??perate land, populated by terrifying walkers, dangerous bandits and friends who can become foes on a dime. Now, four seasons later, under a different developer, the band rally together for the conclusion to Clem's sad tale.

Putting together the last chapter of such a lengthy and emotional story is no easy feat I'm sure. You ultimately run the risk of upsetting fans with whatever na??rrative route you choose to take. Player choice is expected to feature somewhat in the conclusion, but I can't help but feel the that certain fates may be left out our hands. We shall see.

The Walking Dead: The Final Season: Take Us Back launches on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC (via the Epic Games Store) on M?arch 26.

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'Just look at the flowers'

[Update: Overkill's The Walking Dead has been pulled from Steam and is no longer available to new buyers. In a February 27 statement, Starbreeze said it's currently "in discussions" with the game's license holder, Skybound Entertainment. "Starbreeze is trying to resolve the issue to find an amicable solution with the ambition to finish and deliver season 2 of the game, as previously communicated."]

Overkill's The Walking Dead will soon be little more than a distant memory. The IP has had its share of disappointing video game adaptations over the years, and a by-the-numbers co-op zombie shooter developed with a rushed production schedule wasn't what Walking Dead fans wanted. The game wasn't good enough to stand out in today's crowded market, and Starbreeze is feeling the repercussions.

Here's another punch to the gut: Robert Kirkman's Skybound Entertainment announced that it has "terminated" its contract with Starbreeze Studios and "will discontinue all efforts on Overkill's The Walking Dead." Just last month, the console ports were "postponed" so Starbreeze could reevaluate.

"Our creators and their stories are the core of Skybound, and since 2014 we have worked hard to expand the world of The Walking Dead into an exceptional Co-op Action FPS," the company said today in a statement. "We did our best to work with Starbreeze and resolve many issues that we saw with the game, but ultimately Overkill's The Walking Dead did not meet our ?standards nor is it the quality that we were promised. ?We are exceedingly sorry to our fans and share their disappointment in the game."

Skybound promised it would "remain dedicated to providing our fans with the most pr?emium quality content we can offer, and will continue to look for alternative video game options for the IP."

From TWD fa?ns to Skybound to the developers, this is a feel-bad situation through and through.

An Update on Overkill's The Walking Dead [Skybound Entertainment]

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Rise from your grave?

Despite reports to the contrary, 505 Games has announced that troubled co-op shooter Overkill's The Walking Dead has not been cancelled on PS4 and Xbox One, and is merely i??n a state of extended postponement.

The stories of said title's cancellation came after some pre-order customers ?started receiving refunds ??from point of retail, with some of these retailers stating that they had been told by Overkill's The Walking Dead's publisher that the ports had been canned. 505 then issued a statement saying that the console editions of the drab PC shooter we??re still going ahead as planned.

You have to appreciate their tenacity. Despite some amazing marketing promos, Overkill's The Walking Dead launched to general apathy from critics and fans, with even some of its developers blowing the ?whistle on a supposedly terrible period of development. The console ports were expected to have launched this month, and there is? currently no release date listed.

Overkill's The Walking Dead is available now on PC.

We just wanted to clear the position on the OVERKILL’s The Walking Dead on console and confirm that the game has not been cancelled, purely postponed whilst development is on-going. We will share further news as soon as possible.

— 505 Games (@505_Games) February 20, 2019

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Dead Game Walking

Speaking in an interview with Eurogamer, anonymous developers from beleaguered outfit Starbreeze Studios have revealed that Overkill's The Walking Dead stood no chance of being a decent release, with the tea?m expecting the game to tank.

In the very candid feature about the recent troubles of the Swedish studio, developers revealed that the co-op shooter was having problems from its early years, where an entire engine's work was abandoned as Overkill's TWD was shifted to Unreal, costing?? the studio resources and, reportedly, a ton of cash.

"It was as if switching to Unreal was going to solve everything," says one developer in the interview. "In their minds it was magical, but we had other problems that couldn't be fixed just by changing the engine. The goal was to produce a triple-A multiplayer game in a year on Unreal. Anybody with common sense knew from the start it wouldn??'t be possible."

Another member of the team lambasts the product and its latter-day developmental stages in a very candid, very sad statement. "Ever??yone knew it was going to tank. All of us, we put our blood, sweat and tears - and our fucking livers and pancreases - everything into that game, and no matter how much we would push to do it as best we could, it got shat on. No matter how much you polish a turd, it's still a turd."

The Eurogamer feature also looks at the "crunch" mentality within the studio, something that has been rightly under-the-microscope as of late, the merger with Overkill, as well as the firing of CEO Bo Andersson and why the success of the Payday games just wasn't enough.

Overkill's The Walking Dead, much like Dead Island, was introduced to the audience with a series of excellently-made and affecting trailers, as well as promising skill-based survival gameplay, where teamwork would be of the utmost importance. The final release unfortunately revealed little more ?than a formulaic co-op zombie-shooter, confused about its own identity. Having bombed on release on PC last fall, the planned 2019 console ports have since been "post?poned."

The Fall of Starbreeze [Eurogamer]

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Back from the dead

Like Lazarus, The Walking Dead: The Final Season has ri??sen from the grave to continue shuffling toward its seemingly dour conclusion. After the unfortunate closure of Telltale Games last year, it seemed that all was lost for the story of Clem?entine, with the series abandoned just two episodes from its finale.

That wasn't to be, however, as Skybound Games picked up The Walking Dead license - along with a bevy of Telltale's former employees - and are pushing on to complete the four-season story of survival, loss, and friendship, set against the background of a populace tearing itself apart, figuratively and literally.

When we last left Clementine and A.J. the pair had violently fended off a brutal siege at their schoolhouse compound, leaving some friends abducted and others six feet under. With a diminished party and their friends' very lives at stake, can Clementine hold it together to mount a rescue mission? What hope do these kids have against a heavily-armed ban?d of scavengers, anyway?

The Walking Dead: The Final Season - Episode 3: Broken Toys (PC [reviewed], PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Skybound Games
Publisher: Skybound Games
Released: January 15, 2019
MSRP: $19.99/£18.99

[Minor Spoilers Below]

The aftermath of the school siege begins an incredibly somber and dialogue-heavy episode, as Clementine, A.J., and the scant survivors attempt to come to terms with their losses and put together a rescue plan. After the interrogation of Abel, the one raider who was left behind by his posse, our resourceful heroes perform recon duties on the enemy base, before forming an attack plan that's all kinds of suicidal.

Clem will also require help from her new friend James, a "walker-sympathiser" as it were, whom she met last episode. James is not feeling too groovy about leading his undead pals into battle, but att??empts to educate our girl with a partic??ularly scary trust exercise. Once the team of youngsters have their plan of attack in place, it's time to lead the charge on a small army of adults armed with fully-automatic weapons. Blood is shed, of course.

Unfortunately, episode three stumbles. The first chapter in this season that feels "too long," despite being the same length as its brethren, Broken Toys is a slow-moving piece that includes both awkward scenes and conversation that feel out-of-place given the urgency of the situation. Knowing that the raiders could return at any moment, and are currently brainwashing their kidnapped buddies, a subplot to "Hold a Party" seems wildly misjudged, despite an excellent monologue during that sequence fe?aturing Violet (should she still be in your c?rew). Kudos to voice actor Gideon Adlon.

When the assault on the enemy comes, it's weirdly stop-start and messily executed. The frantic attack feels oddly muted - complete with awkward pauses for exposition time - and is not quite as heart-pounding as Suffer the Children's riveting school siege. Fortunately, Broken Toys does pull it back with a wonderfully moving, genuinely affecti?ng dream sequence and a first-person se??ction that is creepily immersive, even if the theory behind it is kind of ludicrous.

The shift to Skybound Games has not helped the ever-struggling Telltale engine. Broken Toys crashed on two separate occasions, requiring a hard reboot of the PC. Also, during an ambitious action sequence featuring dynamic light and shadow, the framerate jerked recklessly, requiring me to l??ower setti??ngs until I completed it, then raise them again afterward (something I've never had to do in the series so far).

I remain invested in The Walking Dead as it nears its con?clusion, now just two months away. Though the move to Skybound hasn't improved the technical reliability of the Telltale Games experience, the artists, writers, and voice actors continue to present a story that remains suspenseful, delivering some great individual mome?nts, even if it sometimes pads the run-time to reach them. Beyond that, it's just nice to see you again, Clem.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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