The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - Episode 3: Above the Law | Xbox One

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The second helping of season three content, following a two-part opener, plays to Telltale’s strengths and consciously avoids their weaknesses, offering up a pivotal and well-paced season midpoint in which characters and the broader narrative really begin to take shape.

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by Sam
​Sant

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​@SlamShotSam

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Developer: Telltale 
Games
Publisher: Telltale
Games
Platforms: Xbox One,
PS4, PC, iOS, Android
Players: 1 (up to 12 via
​Crowd Play)

Above the Law continues the trend set by the two former episodes in opening with a look into protagonist Javi, and sister-in-law-come-love-interest, Kate’s, past. The scene fills us in on how zombies earned the monicker of “muertos”, but more importantly, it offers up a moral conundrum. After seeing an undead child, Kate is understandably shaken, but with events in the present day having made it clear that the pair should probably break things off, consoling her isn’t as natural a reaction as you might think.

From there we pick the story back up exactly where things were left off; no skipping over any good stuff, like in episode two. You again find yourself caught between a rock and a hard place, pulled in all directions by different characters and the inner conflict over whether to do right by yourself or any specific one of them. Now under the enemy’s roof in Richmond, there’s little choice but to get into bed with them, though even swallowing your pride will see you and select members of the group out on your arses.

This allows characters on the periphery some time in the spotlight, and for you to get to know them better – though not quite on the level of Javi’s immediate family and Clementine. The importance of this shouldn’t be understated – when you lose a member of your tight-knit group, it should hurt, but that will never be the case with an underdeveloped character, as we've seen in previous seasons (remember Doug?).

Further sticking to A New Frontier’s established episode structure, a juicy Clementine flashback punctuates the action. This tearjerker continues the slow drip-feed of long-awaited information, by chronicling the tragedy Clem so consistently attracts, though we are offered hope of a positive conclusion, in a welcome break from the otherwise near-relentless misery.

Twists and turns to rival a baker’s best plaited loaf call for some unexpected allegiances – the enemy of my enemy and all that – which leads to a united conclusion as the people that were pulling you every which way now have tangible stakes in the same cause. It’s a nice progression, and, as the clear underdogs, the ensuing coup is rousing (if textbook) stuff.

A pivotal and well-paced season midpoint, in which characters and broader narrative really begin to take shape.

As things become personal, the season’s otherwise mediocre fight sequences become brilliantly grotesque, involving and cathartic as you play judge, jury and executioner. You can choose not to partake if you’re strictly the humanitarian type, but where’s the fun in that? Not only does the QTE combat come into its own, but there’s a complete lack of archaic point-and-click sections, which puts the episode at the top of the pile in terms of interactive gameplay segments, while also helping keep an engaging and consistent pace.

Just as things escalate to a fevered pitch, those scamps at Telltale cut to black to leave us in suspense until next time (which isn’t far off now, as revealed earlier this week). Still notably absent was a sneak peek at what’s to come, so it’s safe to assume they’re out, unfortunately.

Its mostly stable technical performance, focused through line, equal opportunity character development, and gameplay that complements the experience, rather than holding it back, make Above the Law a great episode. It got us properly invested in the season, to the point we’re excited to see where the penultimate episode takes us next.

Pros

• Story and a range of characters begin to flourish
• Well-written and voiced
• Answers questions we’ve had for nearly three years
• Gritty combat sequences
• No dull point-and-click segments

Cons

• Small technical issues
• Repeating structure (Javi flashback > present day > Clem flashback > present day) is predictable and risks becoming tedious

8/10

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For a closer look at the episode, check out Gabriella’s let’s play below. Expect spoilers, mind.