Gamer Notes: The Walking Dead - A Telltale Game Series

Gamer Notes returns with a common Game of the Year entry for 2012!

This game will depress you. It's an episodic title, with five in total-and each one will crush your soul just a little bit more. That's the game's greatest strength-the potency of its narrative, and it's what will keep you going.

The Walking Dead is a point-and-click adventure game. However, it's not an overly challenging or complex one, as it leaves those adjectives to be applied to the narrative. At some parts of the game, such as most moments of dialogue, you'll be in a quick-time event. When talking, this means you have a limited time to make a decision or to respond to someone. Otherwise, you have to mash a button to repel a zombie, or make an incredibly tough decision, often between who lives and who dies. Every wrong choice will haunt you, and sometimes there's no right choice.

It's a great example of how video games can be an art form. The story and gameplay work together to create a powerful experience. Even if there's arguably not that much to the game, the ability to make choices makes the experience more personal.

This is made all the better because of the characters. I came to know all of these characters, even if I didn't love some of them. But the ones I did come to love were ones I honestly wanted to make it through. But none of them have a good experience in this game. They're all even more tormented as you are, because to them the events are real. When you like the characters, it's distressing to see them suffer so much.

This is a game that deserves all the praise it's gotten. Sure, maybe it's a little low on actual gameplay, but that's made up for by the abundance of choices to be made, not to mention the brilliant storytelling. It's a great game, and I can't wait for the sequel.