Recently, the media-driven threat of a looming zombie apocalypse has been a popular point of conversation for many horror fans across the world. Thanks to the several cases of human cannibalism, some people are actually taking this currently over-used ploy to heart and have actually be considering how they would survive if the undead were to rise. Activision Publishing and Terminal Reality are teaming up to bring to gamers and hopeful zombie survivalists alike a game that may determine how you would fair in a world overrun by walkers.
Whether or not the success of Telltale Game’s episodic The Walking Dead downloadable title had anything to do with the team-up of these two companies is a question that can be tossed around for a long while; but no matter the reason, the pair-up will be releasing a full length video game based on the hit television series in 2013. According to the game’s reveal, The Walking Dead (2013) will take place prior to the start of AMC’s televised iteration of the popular graphic novel. Surprisingly, players will not take control of series protagonist Rick Grimes or even the hot headed Shane Walsh. Rather, the control will be of Daryl Dixon, a initially shallow character created just for the television series itself.
The game will pit players in the boots of the crossbow-wielding character in a story that explains how both he and his unstable brother, Merle, came to meet up with the group that makes up the bulk of The Walking Dead’s cast. Known for his mastery in hunting and tracking, playing as Daryl will ensure that this won’t be just another action-oriented first-person-shooter. Instead of delivering an experience that would be compared to games like the Left 4 Dead series, the Ghostbusters: The Video Game developer is looking to emphasize the survival aspect in this crumbling world.
As players make their way through the Georgian countryside, they must take on a survivalist attitude. In a world where you’re the hunted, there are no situations where a “run and gun” tactic won’t end badly. Once the attention of one walker is piqued, you can expect a nearby horde to follow. “[T]he walkers featured in our game are every bit as gruesome and shocking as they are in the TV series – they look, move and react as expected with full authenticity – and they will surprise you. The player’s fight-or-flight survival instinct is constantly engaged,” Drew Haworth, the creative director at Terminal Reality, explains.
To ensure survival in the undead world, Daryl will also need to ration supplies. Much like in the graphic novel and the show, food, medical supplies, ammunition, and anything else that would make for an easy run are in short supply – sometimes even in the hands of other survivors that Daryl comes across. As with certain situations in the DLC Walking Dead game by Telltale Games, Terminal Reality is letting the players decide whether or not Daryl will allow other survivors to tag along.
Though the show initially portrayed Daryl as being nothing more than a hot-headed hick, Activision Publishing and Terminal Reality may be able to create a story that supports the depth that the character has shown throughout the recently closed season 2. With a 2013 release date, gamers may find themselves finishing up season 3 just as this game hits the shelves.
