Celebrating the return of TV’s scariest show “The Walking Dead”, a flash game have been released online in anticipation of season 2 beginning this weekend. In this game you control Shane Walsh; played by Jon Bernthal.
The game starts off establishing that before the television adventures that fans are familiar with, there was the untold beginnings. Set at the earliest stages of the outbreak, you help Officer Shane Walsh Keep himself and his people safe from harm. The two objectives: “Prevent people from being killed or turned into walkers…and keep yourself alive!”
This game is more like a pick your own adventure comic book. Though the sounds are creepy, the options you’re given are limited.
- Do something stupid that you’ll know will end up getting you or someone killed
- Do something counter to Shane’s character and try being reasonable.
- Do something that wastes your time and brings you right back to the other decisions.
While I played this game I kept thinking, “Where’s option 4? Flip out and be loud?”
Set during the earliest stages of the outbreak, you run around as Shane and wonder more how this person ever became an officer of the law to begin with. A side story involving one of Shane’s exes reveals a little of what we suspect from the television show. While flipping out and being loud, Shane asks his ex why she lets her current boyfriend beat her. She replies with “You were no saint either when we were together” which suggests that he’s exactly how we picture corrupt police enforcement.
While Rick’s lights are still out in the hospital, it’s up to Shane to run the rest of the law in town. When responding to one of his co-workers advising him to be careful, he says, “Of course. I don’t have my head stuck up my ass like you.” Again, Shane is just not likable. Check out the game Dead Reckoning at the AMC TV website.
This brings me up to one of my pet peeves about the show. Why is Shane still alive? Forget that this show is based on the graphic novel of the same name; Though I do love the tank scene in the pilot of the show, the scene was spot on visually to the comic. Also forget that like the comic book, Shane’s character doesn’t make it out of the Atlanta camp; read the comic if you want to know why, it’s epic. If it wasn’t for these little changes, I wouldn’t be surprised by the show and we wouldn’t have Norman Reedus; a freakin Boondock Saint! ; on the show throwing around all sorts of Spiritus Sancti ass kickery.
Why is Shane alive when he’s clearly a liability to the survival of the rest of the crew? He’s not the bad ass of the group that the rest can say, “At least he’s our bad ass.” No, he’s a douche with a gun. Other than flipping out and being loud, there is no real function for him within the group that someone else can’t step in to take over; video games taught me to shoot. So let this be a lesson to you when; not if; the zombie apocalypse comes down. Make like a tree and use the Shane-types as your Redeker Plan.
*Apologies as only those that have watched Boondock Saints and read World War Z will get the last line.