TELLTALE’S THE WALKING DEAD
Telltale had been around for quite some time before they broke through into the mainstream, but it was only with their The Walking Dead adaptation in 2012 that they showed the world what they’re capable of. It wasn’t the best-looking game, and mechanically, it was quite simplistic, essentially offering a more fleshed-out version of classic point and click adventures (or a less fleshed-out version of what games like Heavy Rain had already done before), but it was because of its captivating story, its surprisingly effective illusion of choice and player agency, and its instantly endearing characters and their relationships that Telltale’s The Walking Dead stood out. Telltale would go on to iterate on that formula with many, many more similar games going forward, many of which were direct sequels to The Walking Dead, but it’s fair to say that they never touched those same heights after that.
