If you are a fan of the novel series or the movie series; The Walking Dead, you will love this game. The Walking Dead Michonne was published by Telltale Games and developed by Skybound LLC. The 3D graphic adventure game is available on Microsoft Windows, OS X, PlayStation 3 and 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One platforms. The Walking Dead Michonne is divided into three distinct episodes. The first episode was released on 25th February 2016. The second episode was released on 29th March 2016, and the third episode was released on 26th April 2016.

Michonne and Her Demons

The Walking Dead Michonne’s storyline follows Michonne’s journey after leaving Rick’s group for a short while. The game helps fill us in on what happened to Michonne during her journey. You don’t only learn about her adventures, but you will also live in the moment, taking drastic decisions and fighting off the mortal enemies. The period Michonne was away from Rick’s group was a bit short. Hence, it wasn’t surprising when The Walking Dead Michonne was released in three episodes. 

Following Michonne’s Personal Journey 

Being haunted by her past and unable to focus on the mission at hand, the blade-wielding Michonne had to take a break from the group to deal with her issues. At the beginning of the game, Michonne is seen on a boat in the company of four men. She looks depressed as she flashes back to how she had left her two daughters. She attempts to commit suicide but is stopped by one of the men in the boat. Michonne and one of the four men leave the boat searching for more supplies when they, alongside two siblings, are captured by Randall.

Michonne and the other captured persons were taken to Monroe, a bayou-like community. Michonne and Samantha (one of the captives) were kept in a room, where Samantha tries to convince Michonne to help her capture Randall. At this point, the player is left with the choice of joining forces with her fellow captive to ambush and capture Randall. Michonne is then taken in for questioning, where the player must decide how best to tackle the situation.  Michonne’s misadventures continue, and players are forced to make many decisions as the game progresses. Some of the decisions involve choosing between two tough situations. It reminds me of a ‘you’re damned whether you do or not’ situation.

Flashbacks are Great but Sometimes Annoying 

The Walking Dead Michonne aims at telling Michonne’s story. The only way to talk about her past is by creating flashbacks to help players understand her story better. While I appreciated the flashbacks, it was sometimes annoying. Some of the episodes were too short, and the flash-backs were too frequent, making it difficult to concentrate on playing the game. There are also instances where I got a bit lost. I couldn’t decide if the screen showed a flashback or part of the gameplay. 

Half of the time, I couldn’t differentiate between Michonne’s hallucinations and her flashbacks. Overall, however, the game’s flashbacks, story, and hallucinations gave a clear perspective of Michonne’s troubled past, her unstable and depressing life, and how she overcame it all. Since I’ve always wanted to know more about the terrific character Michonne, The flash-backs in The Walking Dead Michonne were just what I needed to satisfy my curiosity. Telltale sure did a great job painting a tough and emotional story, making players feel like they were walking in Michonne’s shoes. 

Improvements in the Control and Gameplay 

Michonne’s movement in the game seemed to flow a little more easily than the slow movements in seasons one and two of the main game. When you intend to interact in the game, you can use the WASD keys and mouse for more straightforward gameplay. Interaction also works well when you use the controller by manipulating the joystick. You can move the joystick around and use the front buttons for interaction. The game’s user interface has also been given a more elegant and unique design.

The conversations in the previous seasons of the walking dead game had more response time than The Walking Dead Michonne. This is, however, not so bad since it gives the conversations a more natural flow. It helps keep players on their toes by putting them on the spot. The shorter response time also makes players make critical decisions within a short time frame, even when under pressure. However, there is an option to simply remain silent if you feel that the time is too short of giving a reasonable response. 

Analyzing the Game’s Control System 

The most violent scenes in the game involve periods where players are combating the gross walkers. The game uses fast-paced sequences to ward off zombies, which brings in all the fun and actions. Just don’t let those walkers get a hold of you. 

Use the Q and E keys to finish off the zombies. If players die mid-combat, they will be taken to the last saved checkpoint in the game. The checkpoints are saved regularly, which is excellent because it makes the game faster. I found that there are some bugs in the game that need fixing. 

Some of the control keys change quickly. For example, when you try to move forward by pressing D, the control would fail to work, and the game character will remain standing. If that occurs, you must quickly find a different (most likely the opposite) key to get your character moving. The bug is, however, a minor glitch, as it doesn’t happen too often. 

Conclusion 

The Walking Dead Michonne has three episodes; In too deep, Give no shelter, and What we deserve. The first episode was more like an introduction to the game with vague stories. The second episode throws more light on Michonne’s story and brings more action to the gameplay. The last episode wraps up the game. Michonne is saddled with the responsibility to take care of many kids, and we get to see if the mother in her was long dead or if there was still enough love in her. Overall, The Walking Dead Michonne is a great game.