VIDEO GAME REVIEW // The Walking Dead: Survival Instincts

Title: The Walking Dead: Survival Instincts
Publisher: Activision
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 & Wii U
Release Date: March 19, 2013
Genre: First Person Shooter
Modes: Single Player
Personal Rating: 2 out of 5

I'm the kind of guy that definitely thinks to myself after watching a movie or TV show, "that would make an awesome video game." At many times I've thought this very thought while watching The Walking Dead. Little did I know, that this game was out there in the world. I was surprised finding it in the used games section at GameStop, so I bought it, along with a few other games. I didn't know exactly what to expect, which was ultimately good in the end, because while this game is easy and fun to play at times, it's not all that special. Probably why I never heard of it before finding it at GameStop. In this game you play first person as Daryl Dixon, before the events of the show take place. You see a different perspective on what brought Daryl to the original group. While you meet many different characters along the way, the only familiar face you'll see is Daryl's brother, Merle. Who gets you into some crazy shit, so be ready for that.

I expected a lot more from this game, I'm not gonna lie. If you're a huge fan of The Walking Dead and have hoped for a video game based off of the show, you've got one. It just might not be as good as you wanted it to be. The graphics seem half assed, the story was lazily whipped together and it lacked many different features. Not too much to do on this game except follow the story. No upgrading weapons or anything like that. In a way it kind of reminded me of the old James Bond games, with a little bit better graphics. Just a little bit though. While this game lacked appeal, I still enjoyed it. Even when they're not that very well put together, I still enjoy playing first person shooters, they're just fun to play. As you move on in the story you're introduced to many different characters along the way. You save people, fight people, and hide from people all along your travels. My favorite mission to play was one where I had to sneak into a hotel room in the middle of the night, flooded with zombies in the parking lot. It was fun to slip right by the fuckers without being seen. You always have to option to advance as quickly as you can, or kill every zombie along the way. Which ever you choose.

The zombies are probably the most accurate thing from The Walking Dead that this game captured. They're nice and slow, and tend to travel in large packs. That's about as accurate as it gets when it comes to the undead. Honestly. And of course, the only when to truly slow down a walker, is to take out the brain. So, remember, HEAD SHOTS ONLY. Try not to waste your bullets because at times, they will be hard to come by. And be sure to check everything, if you can. You could find some melee weapons, which always come in handy. If you've played games like Dead Island or The Last Of Us, then this could probably be the easiest zombie game you've ever played. Undoubtedly. It's almost like a practice game. So, if you decide to start playing some zombie games, be sure to play this one first. Then maybe you won't be as disappointed with it as I was. But still, give it a
try!