Game: The Walking Dead: 400 Days DLC
Developer/Publisher: Telltale Games
Platform: XBOX 360 (also available on Steam, PS3, and others)
Genre: Action/RPG/Horror
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: M
Current Price: $5
My Rating: 8/10
I should probably say first that I’m not a fan of either zombies or vampires in storylines. They’re very overused as a plot device, and most of the time they’re used as a cheap way to create a (usually bad) plot. Well, that and I’m not one for horror. That being said, I was convinced to try The Walking Dead and I loved it. There’s an exception to every rule, and TWD is a big one for me with zombies. The first five episodes of the game are engaging, heartwrenching, and even though you occasionally have to kill zombies or even other living humans, the focus is mostly on characters and relationships, all of which is masterfully handled. It’s an absolutely fantastic game and I honestly can’t think of anything I would change were I writing it.
With a start like that, my expectations for 400 Days were very high… and unfortunately, it doesn’t quite live up to the original five episodes. The format is the same. It’s an action/RPG mix as far as gameplay, and you’re still making tough split second decisions, which in some cases can have less than spectacular consequences for you and/or the people around you. The writing is still fantastic. The art still has that dark, comic booky look to it that’s simultaneously charming and creepy. The difference here is that they decided to split your attention between five new characters, each of them getting their own section of storyline. Since the episode isn’t terribly long to begin with, it means that there isn’t very much time with the characters. You don’t really get to know them very well, and there’s not enough time to develop anything or grow attached to any of them- which, of course, is a direct contrast to the rest of the game up to this point. Previously, you stuck with a few main characters throughout and you really connected with them, even when you didn’t like them very much (I’m looking at you, Kenny). I think they would’ve been a whole lot better off if they’d limited 400 Days to three characters tops instead of five. Russell, Wyatt, and Shel would be my choices for that, but that’s just me.
Sometimes there’s no good choice.
You spend more time with Russell than anyone else, and it shows. His story is a little bit more fleshed out than anyone else’s, and I finished his section liking him and definitely wanting to see more of him later on. I like Wyatt too, even though we don’t see him a whole lot, but I love the interaction between him and Eddie. Those two are a lot of fun and Wyatt has a great snarky side. Beyond that, though? Meh. It seems like the rest fall a bit flat, but again, that could be in part because we just don’t get to know them really. We find out Vincent killed a guy to help his brother, but that’s all we know about him. Bonnie is a former drug addict with an older married guy in love with her, but again, that’s all we know. I’m willing to overlook a lack of character development if there’s something else there to engage me- like in Wyatt’s case- but for Vincent, Bonnie, and even Shel to a degree, that’s not there.
400 Days is still damn good, don’t get me wrong. It’s just not as good as previous installments. I’ll definitely be looking for future episodes to flesh out these characters a lot more as episodes continue.
The Procrastinator Gamer 