The Walking Dead: Michonne Episode 3 Review

The concluding chapter of Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead: Michonne is the best of the lot, rounding off a great series.

Developer: Telltale Games

Publisher: Telltale Games

Platforms: PC (Version Reviewed), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iOS, Android

Release Date: April 26, 2016

Telltale Games has a history of delivering big with final episodes, particularly in the case of The Walking Dead. However, The Walking Dead: Michonne final chapter, entitled “What We Deserve,” was always going to have a tough task on its hands. The game takes place during issues #126 and #139 of the comic series’ timeline, so fans of Robert Kirkman’s material already had a good idea of how things might turn out. As a result, the task of creating a satisfying ending was a potentially perplexing issue for the folks at Telltale.

At the end of Episode 2, we were left with somewhat of a cliff-hanger. The final decision of the episode would dramatically change the way Episode 3 would play out. Or, at least, that’s what we presumed. For those who like to feel that their decisions “matter,” you’ll be glad to know that this is indeed the case, particularly in the first half an hour-or-so.

There’s an early twist to the tale, and it’s an exciting one, leading to a nervy conclusion.

The Walking Dead: Michonne Episode 3 doesn’t continue from where we left off, however, instead opting for a flashback sequence to start things off slowly. In the first five to ten minutes, we’re given a chance to get re-acquainted with Pete’s crew that we saw briefly at the start of Episode 1. The circumstances were very different back then, and now that the story had been given a chance to develop, I appreciated the ability to learn more about these characters. The real point of this segment, however, is to add more emotional weight to a scene that occurs later in the episode, and it does its job fairly well.

Once this is over, the game doesn’t wait around to establish the plot of the final chapter. There’s an early twist to the tale, and it’s an exciting one, leading to a nervy conclusion. From here, the episode divides itself into two sections, offering a good variety of exploration, QTE’s and decision-based gameplay along the way. Firstly, there’s an extensive build-up to the explosive finale, allowing you to get better acquainted with the different characters in the group. Every interaction feels like it has a purpose without seeming overly-forced. Of course, Michonne herself benefits from these segments; her personality strengthened with each passing line of dialogue.

By this point, not only did I feel like I understood the game’s main character; I was invested in keeping her safe and relieving her of her troubled mental state. That connection is necessary for the episode’s concluding segments to pack their intended emotional punches. The supporting cast also plays a big role in this. I can’t say I feel a great deal of fondness for the whole group, but I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I care for most of them considering the short running length of the series.

The last portion of The Walking Dead: Michonne Episode 3 is all-out action. There are some on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments as the main storyline reaches its finale. Michonne’s ongoing battle with the haunted visions of her children also hits its peak, taking center stage this time around. She is finally pushed to the edge as her mental demons merge with the core storyline to result in a captivating ending. Feelings of sadness, desperation, fear and even satisfaction are all present by the time the final credits roll. It’s a very different ending to anything we’ve seen before, but I enjoyed the way the two storylines were brought together.

There are some on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments as the main storyline reaches its finale.

In every review of this series, I’ve highlighted its superb soundtrack, and in Episode 3 of The Walking Dead: Michonne, it continues to act as a magnificent story-telling tool. Tension is built throughout the episode in a subtle fashion, with the soundtrack seamlessly blending into the background to enhance the mood. It’s also worth mentioning that the game engine appeared particularly impressive. I didn’t suffer from any glitches, and some of the intensive scenes involving fire, flashbacks, and action-heavy sequences all hit the mark.

It still can’t be ignored there are a few downsides to the overall experience. The writing is superb for 95% of the time, but a few lines fall flat in Episode 3 in particular. Also, it feels even shorter than the previous two episodes that came before it. This time, I finished the episode in around 50-55 minutes. I understand that this is a mini-series, but it’s such a shame that it wasn’t given the full amount of time to develop even further.

A copy of this game was provided to App Trigger for the purpose of this review. All scores are ranked out of 10, with .5 increments. Click here to learn more about our Review Policy.