The Walking Dead: A New Frontier
PlayStation 4
To see my original review of this game, click
>>HERE!!<<
Most of the time when I am re-reviewing a game and look back at my initial review, I agree with my original assessment. If I play something and I enjoy it the first time around, chances are I'll still enjoy it the second time. That didn't happen with this game.
I can't even say what really changed. I think a part of it could be Walking Dead burnout. I recently re-played the first two games in the series (as well as the Michonne spinoff) in rapid succession. It's possible by the time I got to this one, I was simply going through the motions.
But I don't know about that. I am currently playing The Final Season and really enjoying it. No burnout whatsoever. Maybe it's because I've already played this game before? Well, I've already played (and re-reviewed) the three games that came before this, and I didn't experience any kind of burnout with those titles. So what gives?*
*in case you're wondering why I didn't re-re-review those other Walking Dead games, even I have limits. I'll review a game and even re-review it if I play it twice, but that is as far as I'm going to go. If I play a game a third time, it does not get another review. Glad we've cleared that up.
But anyway, I have some theories. The first being that maybe, just maybe, the people who gave this game bad reviews were right. I ignored those bad reviews back in 2019 when I first played this game, and really ended up liking it. Gave it an A-.
But maybe they were right. Maybe this game isn't as good as I initially thought. My first time through I welcomed Javi and the new cast, and I applauded the whole civil war story with the New Frontier. This time around, I was thoroughly unimpressed.
All the events of the game seemed old hat. I've been there/done that with some variation of this infighting storyline in countless other movies, TV shows, and video games. The characters aren't very likeable. I know that aside from Clementine getting separated from AJ, almost all of the characters are 100% irrelevant to Clementine's tale and where she ends up in the future. You don't see or hear from Javi, Kate, or anyone else again. That makes this whole game seem rather pointless, especially considering this game is fully centered around them.
The gameplay is uninspired. The graphics and the colors in this game seem lifeless and a bit drab. Characters carry on conversations that are painfully long and boring. I would zone out during some of these talks and pick up my phone and start looking at it. Then I'd lose track of what was happening in the game and miss important button prompts or conversation choices.
Don't get me wrong - this isn't a bad game. It just pales in comparison to the greatness of the two titles in the series that came before it. In no way, shape, or form is this an A- title. It's not even a B title.
It's still something you want to play, though, especially if you're a fan of the series or even just a Walking Dead fan in general. Just don't expect me to jump out of my seat and start singing the praises of a game that I consider to be just "all right."
Because it's just all right. Nothing more, nothing less.
Just all right.
Final Score:
C-
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