Not only is the movement broken off from the previous episodes, movement within the episode is equally disjointed. There is little explanation of how the characters move from one point in the city to another, further compounding the sense of disorient.
Introducing new characters also seems labored in "Around Every Corner." This late in the season, it's a feat of narrative wit for the story to handle more new characters. However, entering a new city that is completely void of life is more challenging to spruce up; besides someone has to be there to help explain what's going on in Savannah. Unlike the previous episodes, the new characters aren't prone to join your group, and by the end of the episode it appears that everyone you have met in this installment has abandoned you (and depending how you handled yourself previously in the game, some of your other companions may have left you, too).
It is possible that the new faces in the episode will show up again in the season finale, but at this point it seems more likely that they are just, in the words of Tyler Durden, "single-serving friends." The season is simply out of time. Even with almost three hours of gameplay (the longest episode so far) "Around Every Corner" seems over-burdened with wrapping up loose ends, and the dialogue choices seem almost arbitrary in comparison to what players of The Walking Dead game have grown accustomed.
Only in the last few scenes are you faced with the kind of gut-wrenching, life-or-death decisions that have made this series a success. Although the episode ends with an unexpected twist, powerfully pulling you back to the edge of your seat, it's hardly enough to make up for the rest of this lackluster episode. Here's to a better finale.
The Walking Dead is rated M (Mature) by the ESRB for Strong Language, Blood and Gore, Intense Violence. This game can also be found on: Xbox 360, PS3 and iOS.
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