The Walking Dead: Episode 4 – Around Every Corner

[gameinfo title=”Game Info” game_name=”” developers=”Telltale Games” publishers=”Telltale Games” platforms=”” genres=”” release_date=””]

Around Every Corner is both the title of the new The Walking Dead episode 4,  and a concept that one should take to heart in a zombie apocalypse. Threats are around every corner ranging from zombies to rogue humans, injuries, and even the characters themselves. Telltale Games has upped the ante in every episode, and Around Every Corner is no different. Old characters die and new ones are introduced.

Lee and the gang have arrived in Savannah by rail, and almost instantly that “someone is watching us” feeling is felt. Church bells ring as a warning to get off the street comes via the walkie-talkie Clementine had been carrying. The walkie voice is the same one revealed to have been secretly talking to Clementine in episode 3, adding to the creep factor of the situation. The survivors escape to an abandoned house that serves as the staging area for the rest of the episode and their quest to get a boat and find open water.

As the story progresses in episode 4, it becomes clear that it servers a couple different purposes; laying the foundation for the last episode and showcasing the impact of your previous choices on the psyche of the survivors. Clementine impacts the story more than usual by growing into a character of her own rather than a plot device for Lee. Choices involving her lead into issues of child endangerment and just exactly when to start treating children as responsible people in the apocalypse. If Clementine survives this season, it will be easy to have her as the main character of the next season complete with all the emotional baggage this season has placed on her.

The new characters introduced in this episode are definite pluses including a parkour blonde that easily turns the tables on Lee and Kenny. Quick wit and the kind of quirkiness that is developed when you are alone in the brave new world of zombies create this new fresh character with excellent voice acting to back her up. The inhumanity of humanity also shows up once again in this episode with the mysterious sectioned off town within a city Crawford. The residents of Crawford are said to believe in the survival of the fittest and do not like anyone that would be a drain on their resources.

In a couple scenes there seems to be an addition to the control scheme that departs from the mechanic established in previous episodes. There is actual shooter mechanics to take out a swarm of zombies with cross hairs and right trigger. After going the route of quicktime reticle elsewhere in the season, these scenes can easily catch the player off guard. Outside of this small addition, gameplay is par for the course of the other episodes, so expect more of the same in this episode.

Score: 9/10

Lighter on action compared to drama than the previous episodes, episode 4 comes in heavy with the drama to set up the season finale. New characters are introduced and the walking dead are once again the main focus of the episode though the inhumanity of humanity theme is lurking around the corners. Around Every Corner might be the best episode yet though the closure that will be found in the finale could top it.