The Walking Dead: A New Frontier “From the Gallows” review for PC, PS4, Xbox One

The Walking Dead Season 3 concludes this week with the release of the fifth episode, ?From the Gallows?. Considering the events at the end of episode four, you?d expect this final episode to kick off with a bang, but instead we get one last look at Javier and his brother David in the pre-zombie apocalypse. It?s one last chance to see their unique brand of sibling rivalry, and is certainly meant to influence a couple of decisions over the next hour or so.

That said, brief past interlude aside, Javier?s world is in pretty bad shape after the end of the last episode. Forced to make an awful life or death decision, which also goes awry, Javier, Kate, and everyone else is stuck trying to survive and pick up the pieces of Richmond. There are a few solid character moments in-between the action, one Kenny-esque death in my opinion (meaning you don?t see a body), and some definitive resolution to Javier?s story at the end of it all.

[youtube_sc url=”https://youtu.be/8g65ZlBcXEQ”]

But how about Clementine? This episode honestly feels a little too low key as far as her involvement goes. I was honestly a bit surprised by how little she seems to contribute here, outside of the tail end of ?From the Gallows?. Obviously I?m not going to lay down any major spoilers here, but this season has absolutely been about Javier, and maybe a little bit about Clementine, and that doesn?t change much here. I?m OK with that, because I did like the introduction of fresh blood and a new perspective for a change, but if you?re looking for Clementine?s moment to shine, you might be a bit disappointed.

Also, this episode feels a little more on rails than the last, with little opportunity to do anything other than tap Q and E, and choose your dialogue options. I?ve mentioned this in other reviews for this season, but I do like when Telltale allows the player some exploration, and I appreciate the little interactions and moments you typically get to have with the rest of the cast during those sequences. You won?t get any of that here, unfortunately. There?s a couple bits where you?ll be pushing Javier forward, but you?re not really given any hint of freedom.

Still, I think this is a solid conclusion to the season, and I definitely enjoyed the ride. Javier, David, Kate and Gabe made for a solid dysfunctional family, which in turn breathes a bit of new life into Telltale?s Walking Dead series. You?ll have to see how it concludes in order to figure out what the next season might bring, but I think most people will be pretty satisfied with the overall direction. Hopefully Telltale can come up with some fresh ideas for season 4, not only in regards to the story, but with the gameplay as well. Still, if you?re at all invested in the series, then I would of course play through this final chapter.