"The Walking Dead: A New Frontier" is a highlight in Telltale Games' acclaimed game series, offering an engaging and emotional experience that combines new gameplay elements, significant graphical improvements, and an innovative narrative seamlessly intertwined with previous franchise events.

One of the most notable improvements in "A New Frontier" is the introduction of new gameplay elements that enrich the player's experience. This game adopts a more dynamic combat system, featuring smoother and more interactive action sequences, making encounters more thrilling and challenging. Additionally, players' moral choices are now more complex and impactful, significantly affecting plot development and character relationships. This aspect makes each decision weightier and emotionally charged, enhancing player involvement in the story.

The graphical leap in "A New Frontier" is undeniable. Utilizing an enhanced version of Telltale's game engine, the game showcases more detailed and realistic visuals, with facial animations that convincingly capture characters' expressions and emotions. The apocalyptic landscapes and environments are richly detailed, creating an immersive and believable atmosphere. Moreover, the game has been significantly optimized, offering faster loading times and stable performance, contributing to a smoother and more engaging gameplay experience.

The narrative of "A New Frontier" introduces new central characters, such as Javier Garcia, a former baseball player striving to protect his family amidst zombie chaos. The story is skillfully written, exploring themes of survival, loyalty, and sacrifice. The inclusion of Clementine, the main character from previous seasons, adds depth to the story. Her ongoing development and interactions with Javier enrich the narrative, providing an emotional bond for players who have followed her since the series' inception.

The game masterfully integrates the new storyline with past franchise characters. Choices and events from previous seasons influence the unfolding of "A New Frontier," creating a sense of continuity and cohesion in the series.

"The Walking Dead: A New Frontier" is a phenomenal addition to the series, raising the bar for interactive narrative quality. With its graphical enhancements, engaging gameplay, and a story that honors the legacy of previous games while introducing new and captivating characters, the game is a must-play for series fans and anyone who appreciates a compelling narrative in a post-apocalyptic setting. It showcases Telltale Games' talent for creating exciting and memorable experiences that leave a lasting impact on players.

Alti e bassi, gli immancabili momenti riusciti diluiti nell'acqua piovana del costante senso di déjà vu, già fatto e già visto.. però meglio. Clementine relegata a comparsa è una scelta coraggiosa che però non ripaga con un'adeguata storyline del nuovo protagonista (loffio) e tantomeno con l'aggiunta della solita carne da cannone incapacitata ad arrivare ai titoli di coda (tutti generalmente insulsi). I rapporti umani - che si vorrebbero centrale motore della vicenda - diventano così una serie di pretesti volti al sensazionalistico colpo ad effetto: una morta improvvisa, un tradimento inatteso, un incontro insperato. Col risultato di sortire l'effetto opposto e sfociare nella trita prevedibilità.

A New Frontier fails to capture what made the previous walking dead seasons so fantastic. It introduces a new cast which is largely forgettable and throughout I wished I was playing as Clem, who is reduced to a secondary character in this game. The narrative’s focus on the protagonists family dynamic did not engage me and the writing is very hit and miss. What’s more the gameplay is as unengaging as ever, becoming more egregious at this point after two seasons with minimal gameplay innovations. It’s not all bad though, I really enjoyed Clem’s involvement in this game, particularly with the flashback sequences, and there are some memorable, standout story moments. However, ultimately I found A New Frontier to be a mediocre experience that was likely an unfortunate symptom of Telltale’s poor management culture at the time leading to some poor development decisions.

2016 Ranked