Hands down, Daryl Dixon is my favorite character in AMC's The Walking Dead which is why I, along with many other fans I'm sure, am ecstatic Terminal Reality chose to go with him as the main character of their upcoming game. There's a certain depth within the character that makes him fun to follow; despite his rugged outside, there seems to be a really caring person on the inside – and it's really starting to come out in the show. That's also the reason Terminal Reality is choosing him as the main character in their game.
"We needed somebody who was rugged and capable of surviving alone in the ruins of civilization, but also sympathetic to the needs of others in a world where it only makes sense to help yourself," explained creative director Drew Haworth on the PS Blog. "We needed a protagonist who is tough enough to take on a swarm of raging walkers, but smart enough to know that there are probably safer alternatives. Finally, we wanted a fan-favorite character who you can’t wait to learn more about."
It's easy, when creating a first-person shooter, to lose sense of character and story – especially when you add zombies into the equation. If Terminal Reality has learned anything from the success of Telltale Games' version of The Walking Dead, it's that fans care more about story and character development than actual action. Sure, the blood and guts is nice, but we want depth. Judging from what Haworth revealed on the blog, it seems they have a good understanding of this.
"It’s been surprising for some of us to dive deeper into a character we thought we knew from the show. Did you know that even though Daryl has pulled a gun (and crossbow, and knife) more times than you can count, the only living person he’s actually killed is Dale, in a very clear-cut mercy killing? That’s the kind of attribute we’re interested in exposing beneath the leather-tough exterior," Haworth said.
"Our goal is to shape Daryl authentically, chronicling everything that happens to him from the initial Wildfire Global Outbreak until he joins with Rick Grimes’ group at that quarry near Atlanta. And on the way, we’ll reveal a couple of our own interesting backstory surprises that fans haven’t already gleaned from the series."
Haworth added, "As a bonus, we get to recreate that original dark blot of violence on mankind, Merle Dixon. The relationship between the Dixon brothers is complicated, to say the least. We get to illustrate from Daryl’s point of view the conflict created when the toughest, most capable-of-surviving-zombie-apocalypse person you know is also the most volatile, uncontainable force of nature left on the planet."
It looks like Terminal Reality is taking the same approach as the show: a focus on "morality and the choices people are forced to make in unusual circumstances."
That, to me, is the right approach they should take with The Walking Dead. We haven't seen much of the game aside from a brief teaser trailer, but it seems to be headed in the right direction.
"We’re really looking forward to letting everyone see how we’ve taken our appreciation for the series (and Daryl in particular) and turned it into an interactive experience," Haworth concluded. "Players will have the opportunity to meet some interesting characters and have a hand in deciding their fate."
The Walking Dead is set to release on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC in 2013.
