The Walking Dead: Michonne

While it may not tie into the other games from Telltale, The Walking Dead: Michonne is still part of that same series. This is its own standalone game and it actually is set during a specific period in the comic books, a period where Michonne went her own way from Rick and the rest of the gang.

A Three-Part Story

One of the first things to note about The Walking Dead: Michonne is that this is only three parts long. The story starts off with Michonne on a boat, where she has flashbacks and even considers ending it all. The captain of the boat though Pete, makes her see sense and the pick up a distress signal which leads them to a strange place called Monroe.

To say that Monroe was not what they were expecting is an understatement. As you would expect with any Walking Dead story. The poop hits the fan and the second episode is about Michonne, Pete and the other characters having to escape from Monroe and also make a pretty drastic decision as they do.

The story actually wraps up quite well, I think. By the end of the third chapter, all of the events are sorted out (well as much as they could be) and Michonne is on her way back to Rick. While I thought that the story was pretty good, it lacked the wow factor or the emotional impact of the other games in the series.

What Did You Do?

Like the other games in this series from Telltale, The Walking Dead: Michonne is all about you choosing which way the narrative goes. There are a few major decisions that you can make which will have a ripple effect through the whole story arc. There are also smaller choices and things you can say which while not major can still come up later as you play.

The overall gameplay is just like the other Walking Dead games and in all honesty, I am more than fine with that. I have heard some people say that this game is way too short, but I feel that is a little harsh. Sure, the overall story is only three chapters long as opposed to five. However, I felt that the individual chapters were just about as long as the other Walking Dead games.

Smooth Sailing

I am a huge fan of this series and most of the other adventure-style games that the good folks at Telltale did. However, I will fully admit that some of the earlier titles had some pretty bad technical issues. I remember the first Walking Dead game and if you had the physical version on the PS3 it was near unplayable thanks to the stuttering and glitching.

The Walking Dead: Michonne for me was the first game from Telltale that I played from start to finish without any kind of crashing, glitching or me not being able to make the choice I want because the game crapped out on me. So, from a technical standpoint at the time, this was the smoothest of all their games up to this point.

Pros:

• Michonne is badass
• Michonne’s voice actor is pretty great
• The story is a stand-alone story that is all tied up by the time it ends
• It runs nice and smooth
• Some pretty crazy things happen!

Cons:

• There are only three episodes
• It is not the best of the series

One of the things that makes The Walking Dead: Michonne stand out from the rest of the series is that this is a game that does, in fact, stand on its own. This is not tied to any of the other Telltale Walking Dead games. What is really neat is that it is actually set in the same world as the Walking Dead comic books.

The Story

As you would expect from a Walking Dead game, The Walking Dead: Michonne has a very strong story. It actually is set during a time period in the comic books when Michonne left Rick and the other survivors and went on her own for a bit. For fans of the series, seeing what she got up to during this time in the game was really cool.

As the game starts, Michonne is feeling really low and she and the people she is with are looking for a place that is called Monroe. Like 99/100 of the new places that you come across in The Walking Dead, Monroe is not what it appears to be.

The Walking Dead: Michonne is only three parts long instead of five like the other games. So, while overall the game may feel a little short in comparison, the actual length of each of the three episodes is right around what you would expect.

The Presentation

One thing that has never changed with any of The Walking Dead games is the presentation. Telltale found a formula that worked right from the first game so they would have been crazy to change it. This does mean that The Walking Dead: Michonne from an art style point of view does look very similar to the games that came before and after it. I am not saying this is a bad thing and thankfully there is a fair bit of variety as far as the level designs go. I think the fact that The Walking Dead: Michonne is actually based on a specific time in the comic book universe makes the comic book art style even more fitting for this game.

The Gameplay

If you have played any of the other Walking Dead games then you know exactly what to expect here. This is a story driven point and click style adventure game and it is great. You will need to talk to characters, being careful with what you say as it can have issues later on if you say the wrong thing to the wrong character.

You can explore the different parts you are at and taking in the scenery was actually something I enjoyed doing in this game. You also have these rather basic “action” sections. These work quite well and do wonders in showing off the badass side of Michonne. It should go without saying that if you like the other Walking Dead games you will like this one.

One thing that is noticeably improved over the other games is the technical side of it. Telltale Games are known to have stuttering and even crashing. I would never say this ruined the other Walking Dead games, but it was certainly there. The Walking Dead: Michonne was the first game in the series to run much smoother.

Final Thoughts On The Walking Dead: Michonne

Sure, this has nothing to do with what came before it or after. However, as a side story, I feel that The Walking Dead: Michonne is a fantastic addition to the series. It may be a little shorter than the rest, but it is still a great game. It actually makes me wish that Telltale Games had managed to make more spin-off games featuring characters from the TV show and comic books.

8.5/10

Pros:

• Michonne is a legit badass!
• The story is once again fantastic
• You have to make some tough decisions
• It is even better if you are a fan of Michonne
• Ties into the comic books

Cons:

• It is shorter than the other games
• So may not like how it does not tie into other games