
That feedback is factored into future chapters. Like the comic and the TV show, the Telltale game unfolds in chapters, which means the creators get real-time feedback on how players are experiencing the story. (In fact, the occasional appearance of a familiar character from the comic is invariably the weakest part of the game, since the player is carrying extra-textual baggage that might dictate their actions.) So how do the game’s creators find the appropriate balance of compelling characters, horrific violence, and unforgiving moral choices? By paying attention to those who are actually playing the game.


The video game, which is generally self-contained, doesn’t have nearly as much cross-pollination. It represents a simpler world-free of technology and built on survival tactics, tight-knit relationships, and rustic simplicity.

The Walking Dead franchise offers a kind of wish fulfillment.
