The Walking Dead phenomenon continues as Activision Blizzard and Terminal Reality announce a new first-person shooter (FPS) based on the wildly popular AMC television series.
Not to be confused with Telltale’s Walking Dead, players will assume the role of the enigmatic, crossbow-wielding survivor Daryl Dixon, alongside his brother Merle, on a haunting, unforgiving quest to make their way to the supposed safety of Atlanta.
“We think fans will see that the situations and walkers featured in our game are every bit as gruesome and shocking as they are in the TV series – they look, move and react as expected with full authenticity – and they will surprise you,” said Terminal Reality rep Drew Haworth. ”The player’s fight-or-flight survival instinct is constantly engaged. ‘Flight’ is usually a good bet.”
According to Haworth, the iconic walkers will relentlessly hunt down players just like their television counterparts, using an eerie combination of sight, sound and smell.
“As Daryl, players will need to tread carefully throughout each new area they explore. Once discovered, it doesn’t take much to attract an unstoppable horde of undead walkers, so every threat needs to be assessed, and every situation analyzed,” Haworth explained. ”Players will have to choose between whether to stay and fight while risking a gruesome death or using stealth to avoid the undead. No place is truly safe for Daryl as he makes his way through the Georgia countryside in this new, post-apocalyptic world.”
As in the series, resources are scarce and scattered, which forces gamers to ration supplies and carefully consider their food, medical needs and ammunition. As Hasworth notes, survival in the game is based upon wit and intellect – rather than simple, sheer skill.
“In order to endure this constant state of danger, players will have to do all they can to silence the noises they make and avoid detection… Throughout his journey, Daryl will encounter a slew of other characters that can help or hurt him in a variety of ways, and whether or not they accompany him is completely up to player choice and represents just some of the major decisions that will constantly be made while fighting to survive,” he added.
The Walking Dead video game is slated to go live in 2013 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows PCs.
