If you were to look at the direction it was going. you would think The Walking Dead: The Final Season would be more of a cinematic experience when it first debuted in 2018. Some parts are, but you would be wrong. It tries to stand out a bit and be similar to the first game, bringing back some point and click elements. It does what I would say a satisfying finale for this series of games, though I question how much the original vision was used. This is Telltale's final game and Skybound took over when they shut down.
Final Season takes you back to Clementine, now an older teenager. She is in charge of a boy, AJ. They have survived the last few years and find themselves at a school consisting of kids. Trouble brews for them and they must show their worth and help them protect their area from an armed group of people. It pulls a few surprises and has a small Life is Strange vibe to it. Undercooked at first, but the story grows on you once you reach the second half of it.
The game does have its cinematic flavor with the time limits in choices and quick time events. However, it tries to bring back elements from the first game with the point and click aspect. Clem can interact, run, and speak to others in terms of controls. Decisions, as always, will never be unanimous. With a kid in tow, you also shape how AJ will be in the near future and help his growth in surviving or degrade it. Combat comes in a couple different forms such as shooting arrows to go with your melee and firearm tactics.
Graphically, the game is fantastic. Very gritty comic book like, continuing with the series approach. Better emphasis on color usage and lighting. You didn't see this with the other titles. With the audio, the voice overs are well done. Sound effects are fantastic. The music still continues to have that emphasis of peaceful/tense when things are calm and frantic with the action. It's a first for The Walking Dead to have some songs in it. Kind of similar to Life is Strange, but not as sappy nor the driving point of it. Strong altogether, though how you feel about songs is up to you.
There is a collectible part throughout the four episodes. Stuff that you're not forced to get, but adds a tiny bit of replayability. No major loading issues. Same options as before. The decisions feel like they hold a lot more weight than before. My final complaints are the usual nitpicks such as the quick time events and time limits on choices. For this one, the story and songs, but will depend on how you feel about those two aspects. Still, it's worth getting The Walking Dead: The Final Season. It bows out with a strong finale.
Score: 8 out of 10
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