The Walking Dead: 400 Days Beginner’s Tips (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

When Telltale Games released The Walking Dead across five episodes last year, it helped raise the bar for interacting storytelling without leaning on the television show.  The developer managed to tell a harrowing tale of survivors doing anything to stay alive in the wake of a zombie apocalypse.  In addition, you grew attached to certain characters, like the young Clementine and the troubled Lee, an escaped convict trying to do something right in a world gone wrong.

While we patiently await the arrival of Season 2, Telltale delivered another piece of the story dealing with five completely different characters.  In 400 Days, you play as these survivors, making difficult and emotional decisions that will help shape them as they fight to live another day.  There are a couple of side characters you might spot from the original, but this is a whole new story.

If this is your first time playing or you just need a refresher to figure out how to make it through in one piece, check out the following beginner’s tips.

Play the Original

400 Days is not a game you can play separately.  In fact, Telltale Games stated that in order to access it, you must have a game save from at least the first episode of The Walking Dead Season 1.  It doesn’t matter what kind of progress you made, just as long as there’s a valid save.

There’s more to it than that, however.  The cool thing about the original Walking Dead is that your character bonded with certain survivors and alienated others depending on the choices you made. With 400 Days, these decisions carry over and have an effect on certain people you come across, no matter which story arc you choose.  For instance, if you’ve been nice, survivors aren’t as likely to be skeptical of you – even if your character wasn’t directly involved in Season One’s events.

The more you play the original, the better off you’ll be.  

Play in Whatever Order You Like

Even though the original Walking Dead series required you to play chapters in order, 400 Days works differently.  With this release, you can start any of the five chapters you want, as they eventually tie together.  The game focuses on five main characters – Russell, Bonnie, Vince, Shel and Wyatt, with each one intersecting in one way or another, sometimes with people, other times locations.  However, they never have much direct contact, since their stories take place across 400 days – hence the title.

You don’t have to be Good

With The Walking Dead, you’ll come to the realization that choices you make not only affect those inside your world, but also your character in general.  Things begin simply enough, but once you make the first couple of decisions, you’ll see how your actions affect someone, whether they turn this person into a friend or someone you wouldn’t waste time on otherwise.

It goes deeper than that.  Even if you choose a particular type of personality, not everyone is going to be your friend – a lesson well learned from the original Walking Dead.  Some people will think your choices are questionable – like shooting someone, but that’s the beauty of the game.  It’s up to you.

That said, with 400 Days you can actually go back and replay situations differently. Maybe being nicer to someone will give you the option to save a survivor.

Don’t be afraid to make hasty decisions.  The Walking Dead was made with them in mind.  Trust your gut and remember you can’t please everyone.

The Walking Dead: 400 Days is available for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and PC/Steam.