The Walking Dead

“Hey, hey – what are you playing at here? These are the Corzies for Christ’s sake! They command dignity and respect! They’re awards for film – the universal art form. You can’t just go and tarnish them by –”

I’ll stop you right there. Firstly, The Walking Dead is as emotionally captivating as any modern film you care to name. Trust me. And secondly, they’re called the CORZIES, not the [Insert your name here]-zies! So I’ll do as I please, thank you very much!
Zombies have been done to (un)death in videogames of late. Everything from Call of Duty to Red Dead Redemption has shoe-horned in zombie modes. Not to mention the hordes of games but “Dead” or “Zombie” slap-bang in the title. But disappointingly, not one has realised the true meaning of zombies. Not one – that is until The Walking Dead.

Zombies are mindless, rotting husks of humans. They can’t feel. They can’t be reasoned with. The only thing they understand is a bullet to the head. But they’re more than mere cannon fodder: they’re a threat to our very way of life. They portend the end: not of only of civilization, but of humanity and hope itself.

The Walking Dead grasps this concept instantly and never lets go. You play as Lee, an escaped convict given a second chance at life. The first friendly face you encounter is Clementine, an eight-year-old girl who saves your life. She’s wide-eyed, innocent and utterly alone. Her babysitter is long dead. Her parents have (presumably) met the same gruesome demise. All she has left in the world is you. And you want to protect her, you really do. From this harsh, unforgiving world. You want to keep her safe from monsters, alive and dead alike. You want to protect her innocence. Reassure her that it will get better, things can go back to normal, that she will see her parents again. You don’t just want to keep Clementine alive: you want to keep hope alive.

And I believe that’s the real strength of video games as a medium. It’s interactive. You’re not looking on while others act. You yourself can forge deep, meaningful relationships with others. You can care for them or neglect them. You must make tough decisions, which could spell life or death for those around you. For good or ill, you make a tangible impact on this bleak, desolate world.

The Walking Dead is available to download on iPad, Mac, PC, Xbox Live, Playstation Store and microwave oven. Whether you’re a total “noob” or prestige, jaded CoD player, I heartily recommend trying it out. The first of its five episodes is absolutely FREE. So do yourself a favour and sink your teeth into it. Before the zombies sink their teeth into you.