Best Downloadable Game 2012

December 18, 2012

The Walking Dead – Best Downloadable Game 2012

Platform(s): PS3, Xbox 360, PC, iOS

Developer: Telltale Games

Few games manage to capture a player's heart like Telltale's The Walking Dead. This downloadable episodic series is more than just a video game—it's an emotional and interactive drama that tosses gamers into the thick of the zombie apocalypse.

Now I know what you're thinking… How could a graphic novel-inspired adventure game possibly outpace artistic masterpieces like Journey and The Unfinished Swan? While I can't argue against the competition's incredible quality and astounding creativity, they didn't affect me (and many others) emotionally to the same degree that all five chapters of The Walking Dead did.

Being forced to make tough decisions that ultimately influence the flow of the entire experience was both chilling and enthralling. After playing through the game myself, I went through it a second time with my brother. His wife has absolutely no interest in video games whatsoever, but it was only a matter of time before she was hooked as well, chiming in on which dialogue options we should choose. Guys, if you're looking for a game to get your girlfriend interested in your favorite hobby, this could very well be the one.

But emotional storytelling and broad appeal aside, I have to commend Telltale for really embracing an episodic method of delivery. There's something really special about chatting with your friends on a semi-monthly basis about the latest episode and speculating what you think may come in the next chapter. It even has the classic "Previously On…" and "Next Time On…" segments bookending each episode. Needless to say, the production values are through the roof, which really gives you the sense that you're taking part in an interactive drama.

There's just so much that The Walking Dead does right. Despite the fact that at its very core it's basically just a traditional adventure game, it blends together excellent characters, superb writing, and a tear-jerking story so well that failing to recognize it as GameRevolution's Best Downloadable Game of 2012 would be a disservice to those who crafted this forever memorable masterpiece.