Telltale Games figured out the excellent formula into creating episodic gaming with its interactive storytelling.

THE WALKING DEAD: THE TELLTALE SERIES – A NEW FRONTIER opens as its third season for video games based on the comic book series.

Unlike the two previous seasons, the story is not heavily invested into players’ favorites—Lee and Clementine. The story revolves around a new main character named Javier, who is trying to lead his family through the zombie apocalypse.

Fans of previous seasons should not worry, Clementine will play a major supporting character in Javier’s world. In fact, there will be playable flashback scenes that uncovers the fate of baby AJ, Kenny and Jane for those who played the previous seasons.

This series seem to be re-designed to introduce newer players and keep older fans involved with the episodic storytelling. As a new player myself, I am fully immersed in the ease of play and more engaged with the addictive storytelling of the series. And like watching any episode of THE WALKING DEAD television series, any engaged gamer will have a hungering desire for the next episode.

Visually, the game is stunning with its comic book style coloring and art. It makes the gamer feel like interacting on the pages of the graphic novels. It’s very appealing with its sharp and crisp graphics.

The gameplay is still very similar with the previous seasons with a few button smashing opportunities against adversaries and zombies. Most of the gameplay will be involved timed conversation decisions with others throughout the story.

However, a gamer should be focusing on the gorgeous storytelling from the staff. In the first episode, Javier and his family is ambushed by an evil survivalist group calling themselves as The New Frontier. Its up to Javier to discover new friends who can save his family from these outlaws. And in episode two, The New Frontier pushes back against Javier and others—as they must travel a great distance for safety in a city of Richmond.

Without revealing the ending of both episodes, there are shocking emotional moments that makes you wonder on why Telltale Games teases us on why lovable characters must die. It does give the player the replay urge to start over to see if it can garner a different outcome with given choices.

With the first two episodes released, this series has opened strongly and makes this critic only complaint is waiting a few more weeks for more episodes. As a new gamer, you got me hooked.

THE WALKING DEAD: THE TELLTALE SERIES – A NEW FRONTIER episodes one and two are out for the PC, PS4 and Xbox One.

Grade: A-