Sign up to FREE email alerts from Daily Star - Gaming Subscribe Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Last September, Telltale Games announced that they would be shutting down for good. Totally unexpected, this shocking news rocked the gaming industry and left over two-hundred and fifty people jobless.

It also left the future of the company’s most beloved franchise, Telltale’s The Walking Dead, in serious jeopardy. This despite the fact that The Final Season’s second episode was only days away from release. With all that considered, it’s remarkable that this Definitive Edition exists at all.

Clementine’s story began in 2012, and over four seasons fans grew to love her character, guiding her through hordes of undead (as well as the even more dangerous living), and watching her develop into a strong, capable young woman.

It’s only natural then that fans of Telltale’s The Walking Dead became hugely invested in Clementine, which meant that news of Telltale’s closure hit hard.

Thankfully, Skybound Entertainment and the Still Not Bitten team (composed of a small group of former Telltale employees) stepped in to see the game through to completion, and The Final Season was finished and released.

Now, we have this Definitive Edition, composed of all four seasons, spin-off’s 400 Days and Michonne, as well as a bucket load of bonus features. But what extras can fans expect to see?

Well, a complete overhaul of the graphical style of each season makes The Walking Dead Definitive Edition a worthy purchase in its own right. The altered ‘graphic black’ art-style pays homage to the comic books that kick-started The Walking Dead franchise, although fans can revert to the original style if they prefer.

Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will start in 8 Cancel Play now

However, with an updated aesthetic, each season now feels more detailed, with changes particularly notable in Season One and Season Two. Backgrounds feel more rooted in the TWD universe, and the darker colour palate mixed with new, sharper outlines helps convey the atmosphere in each individual episode. But how do the individual seasons hold up story-wise?

Brimming with nostalgia, fan-favourite Season One is as powerful as it was seven years ago. It still has the vibe of a feature-length movie broken up by interactive moral choices, but playing it knowing how everything ends certainly adds a new perspective to events. Plus, you get to spend more time with Lee which is always welcome.

Season Two is also still great, with Clem coming into her own and putting the lessons Lee taught her into action. While Season Three feels more like a spin-off with Clementine as a supporting character, it’s still a great game that adds to her character development.

Season Four is much the same as it was earlier in the year, and still ends the series sublimely. As well as the four core seasons you’ll also be able to play the 400 Days DLC from the end of the First Season, bridging the gap between Season One and Two.

An episodic side story following samurai sword-wielding Michonne is part of the Definitive Edition as well, making this version of The Walking Dead the very best place to experience the whole story.

Outside of season selection, a plethora of new features have been added to give players insight into the creation and development of the game.

There are five developer commentary videos which amount to over ten hours of behind the scenes content, narrated by members of the Still Not Bitten team, former Telltale employees, and voice actors from each season. These videos are fascinating insights into setting, character arcs, and even provide behind the scenes trivia.

You can also spend time listening to 40+ haunting songs and scores via the Music Player. If you want to discover how your favourite characters came to be, then the Art Gallery menu holds an impressive collection of concept art and character models.

It’s all incredibly comprehensive and lovingly put together, resulting in one of the finest collections of this generation. Thank you, sweetpea!

The Walking Dead Definitive Edition Verdict - 5/5

- Reviewed on PS4

Clementine’s character is renowned as being one of the most impactful and most beloved videogame characters ever. Seeing her entire story retold with beautiful graphics and supported by a plethora of extras feels deserved and right.

Pros

‘Graphic black’ art-style and lighting updates make a real difference to the visuals

Concept art, music player and behind the scenes trivia add heaps of insight

It’s wonderful having the entire collection on one disk

Cons