Telltales The Walking Dead Finale: One Year Later | TheThings – TheThings

One year later, Telltale's cornerstone met its climactic end. Unfortunately, it was without the services of its creator.

Last March saw the end of Telltales hit video game series, The Walking Dead. Entitled: The Final Season, the game followed the story of Clementine and AJ.

Throughout the series, Telltale had charted her path from a young child well into her teenage years.

From group homes to shacks, to being out in the wilderness, alone.

This season saw her become the caregiver to AJ, the new child protagonist who had lost his parents in two seasons prior. Broken out of captivity as a toddler, AJ was rescued by Clementine from a rouge camp. Seemingly removed from the scene, the two ended up in a car crash. With walkers abound, it had brought them to near death, yet they fell at the hands of survivors at Ericson's Boarding School for Troubled Youth. There, they encounter a band of misfits with refuge inside the school.

They are reluctant to accept the two at first, but following the invasion of a rival group, and a plot twist for the ages, they must work together; bypassing walkers and trespassers to survive.

The season debut was met with much fanfare from the diehard fans. However, in September of 2018, one month removed from the first episodes launch, Telltale disbanded. With rumors of the franchise discontinuing, the second episode launched that same week, still under the control of Telltale, but eventually was taken over by Skybound Entertainment, retaining as much of the original developers as possible.

The last two episodes of the season took place in 2019, with episode 3 in January and the final episode in March. And despite it all, it sure delivered.

The story arc between the established characters Clem and AJ and the new characters were very dynamic, as Telltales quick-time events allowed for many different routes to the end. As with one ill-advised choice, and a fan favorite may be harmed, or worse.

Questionnaires were the staple for all of the Telltale series. Games such as Back to the Future, Game of Thrones, The Wolf Among Us, and Batman each had its dynamic arc on endings that had viewers like: what happened in your game? It was those types of instances that gave the studio the reputation as one of the best of the 2000s.

Founded in 2004 by ex-LucasArts developers Kevin Bruner, Dan Connors, and Troy Molander, the studio focused on an episodic release schedule over digital distribution with their games. During their 14-year run, they went through many peaks and valleys. Still, no peak was more formidable than the first season of The Walking Dead.

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The game that started it all; starring Lee Everett, voiced by Dave Fennoy, who was a history professor-turned-convict en route to prison. Upon the news of the outbreak, a car crash leads Everett to a young Clementine, voiced by Melissa Hutchinson, atop a treehouse she helplessly stayed in. This embarks a year-plus long journey entitled 400 Days where Lee becomes a surrogate father to the innocent youngster, teaching her all the tools of survival as he learns along the way.

Near the end of the season, luck for the lead protagonist ran out as Everett got bit. And with death on the horizon, he leaves his daughter the ultimate choice, one that tugged heartstrings.

The powerful sendoff led to great acclaim, giving Telltale multiple Game of the Year awards, as well as many award nominations for Fennoy and Hutchinson, the lead voice actors in the game. All of this while being renowned as one of the greatest story games in history.

While it wasnt the first, The Walking Dead opened a door for more games and more added content. By popular demand, Telltale entered mass production, something many gaming engines and studios have fallen victim to over the years. Some have thrived, producing even more games with equal playability. Others have had a burnout. And ultimately? Bankruptcy.

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Sadly, the latter had happened for the brand. And it had affected the very fate of the heart-wrenching storyline being produced, one that fans wanted to see through the end.

Fans of the game grew up with Clementine, as she grew with us; bridging the child-like glee with the supernatural world that was of the former graphic novel.

However the end may have looked like, we needed to see the story of Clementine through. To see her become the adult Lee taught her to be. With many callbacks, it was clear Telltale wanted to see it through as well. A year later, Telltales last chapter was a success, as was the story of Clementine.

Next:The Walking Dead: Are The Rick Grimes Movies Dead In The Water?

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Jean Louis is a creative writer and sports podcaster out of Jamaica, Queens, NY. Alumni of St. Johns (Bachelors) & Sacred Heart (Masters) respectively, hes worked for sports syndicates out in Connecticut at NEC Front Row and CT Sports Now, as well as hosting The Buzz Podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

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Telltales The Walking Dead Finale: One Year Later | TheThings - TheThings