There's no denying the popularity of The Walking Dead. Whether you're talking about the comics or the TV show, you're bound to run into at least one fan. It was a no-brainer that the series would be brought to the video game spectrum. Zombies have been huge in the medium for some time now, from Resident Evil and Left 4 Dead all the way to games like Red Dead Redemption, Call of Duty and even the WWE SmackDown vs Raw series. The question is, how well would The Walking Dead transfer from print/screen to the video game world.
By now, we all know of Telltale Games' award-winning and tear-jerking adaptation.
(Nope, not gonna cry. Not again.)
However, that is its own self-contained story, separate from what we're dealing with in this game.
Survival Instinct is a story that pre-dates the events of the TV show. It follows the popular Dixon brothers, Daryl and Merle.
(Well, technically they still are.)
This game just kind of drops you right into the world after hitting NEW GAME. The quick tutorial section acts as the prologue to the story. It teaches you what you need to know and then, well...
My feeling when playing this, and it's been sticking with me throughout my time with it, is that this game is just missing something. What it is, I have no clue, but something just doesn't feel completely fleshed out. It doesn't feel "whole".
The movement feels more like I'm simply moving a camera, as opposed to a character. The voice acting keeps falling flat. The Walkers seem to follow pre-set paths like Metal Gear Solid's Genome Soldiers. They're easily disposed of (3 whacks to the head) and don't offer much of a fight, even in small groups.
(Bring it on, ya pansies!)
This, to me, feels like a quick tie-in game to capitalize on a popular franchise. It may have the official name, theme song and actors, but it doesn't have the same heart.
By now, we all know of Telltale Games' award-winning and tear-jerking adaptation.
(Nope, not gonna cry. Not again.)
However, that is its own self-contained story, separate from what we're dealing with in this game.
Survival Instinct is a story that pre-dates the events of the TV show. It follows the popular Dixon brothers, Daryl and Merle.
(Well, technically they still are.)
This game just kind of drops you right into the world after hitting NEW GAME. The quick tutorial section acts as the prologue to the story. It teaches you what you need to know and then, well...
you die. Don't worry, it was scripted that way!
My feeling when playing this, and it's been sticking with me throughout my time with it, is that this game is just missing something. What it is, I have no clue, but something just doesn't feel completely fleshed out. It doesn't feel "whole".
The movement feels more like I'm simply moving a camera, as opposed to a character. The voice acting keeps falling flat. The Walkers seem to follow pre-set paths like Metal Gear Solid's Genome Soldiers. They're easily disposed of (3 whacks to the head) and don't offer much of a fight, even in small groups.
(Bring it on, ya pansies!)
This, to me, feels like a quick tie-in game to capitalize on a popular franchise. It may have the official name, theme song and actors, but it doesn't have the same heart.