News

The Walking Dead Social Game is actually a pretty good tactical RPG

Now in open beta

The Walking Dead Social Game is actually a pretty good tactical RPG

Normally, I approach Facebook games with a certain degree of trepidation. I don't have any ideological issues with these titles, let's be clear here, it's just that 'Facebook' and 'game' together tend to equal 'spamming my timeline and waiting for some rubbish to harvest' ('hello', SimCity Social).

Thankfully, it appears the new The Walking Dead Social Game on Facebook, which entered open beta today, is a little different from the norm.

Yes, it has an energy system that prevents you from playing at certain points unless you wait. And, yup, there's the premium currency that lets you buy relatively powerful weapons / items, too.

However, rather than just take the source material and knock out an identikit farming game, the maker of The Walking Dead Social Game has actually designed a basic tactical RPG based on the hit TV series. And it's surprisingly rather good.

Got brains

The game follows the plot of the TV programme, rather than the comic, with your starting off in the woodland camp then setting out to pastures new. You play a character who mingles with the show's principal cast, receiving missions like finding supplies, fuel, and bashing in walkers.

This is all performed in a semi-turn-based grid fashion - a little like how the old Fallout games played out - with you moving naturally until you get into visual range of an enemy.

As the game progresses, you get to unlock harder hitting / shooting weaponry, as well as level-up your stats so you can run and see farther, hit and shoot more accurately (via a reaction-based skill game), and command other members of the team at the same time.

The only galling element I've encountered so far is the fact that ammo for the guns is scarce, although you could argue that this fits in with the zombie-filled world.

The Walking Dead Social Game is out now, and can be played by following this link.

VG247
Will Wilson
Will Wilson
Will's obsession with gaming started off with sketching Laser Squad levels on pads of paper, but recently grew into violently shouting "Tango Down!" at random strangers on the street. He now directs that positive energy into his writing (due in no small part to a binding court order).