The Walking Dead Retail Release

The Spike Video Game Awards' Game of the Year The Walking Dead is finally available on retail. While each episode (5 in total) from Telltale Games' first season of The Walking Dead have released over the past several months, this is the first time gamers can pick the title up, in boxed form, in one fell swoop.

While the episodic format helped provide gamers with enough time to emotionally recoup between playthroughs, there are still some out there that would rather marathon through all 5 episodes -- maybe even in one sitting -- and this retail version accommodates that nicely. Hopefully, as well as compiling the episodes into one succinct package, this version of The Walking Dead does away with the various hiccups many were experiencing on the consoles.

The XBLA version of the game, for example, was prone to frame rate and loading problems, to the point that the first few seconds of cut scenes would be off or out of sync. It wasn't a terrible problem, but being able to deliver a smoother experience — one that closely resembles the PC version — is an added benefit to waiting for this retail package.

And for those that maybe hadn't heard of The Walking Dead before the VGAs, or don't have an internet-connected console, this is the perfect opportunity to familiarize yourself with Lee, Clementine, and his fellow survivors. This game is, however, not based on the TV show, but is an original story developed in conjunction with The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman. It does feature a few cameo from characters featured in the graphic novel, and by extension the show, but it is its own story.

The Walking Dead Box Art

Nonetheless it is one of the most unique game experiences you'll have all year, even if its qualification as a "game" isn't wholly agreed upon. We think it's pretty special and definitely worth checking out.

Make sure to read our reviews of all 5 The Walking Dead Episodes:

The Walking Dead is available now for the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 in retail form. And is also available (in downloadable form) on the XBLA, PSN, iOS, Mac, and Android.