The Walking Dead: Michonne - Episode 1: In Too Deep

In Too Deep is the first of three episodes of The Walking Dead: Michonne, an episodic adventure game in the series of Telltale adaptations of the The Walking Dead comic series. It is centered around the female character Michonne and it takes place between issues 129 and the 139 of the comic books series. Michonne temporarily departs from the group of survivors led by Rick Grimes during the zombie apocalypse and this game shows what happened to her during the time she was away. None of the game's events are part of the comic book series. For the platforms listed here, the first episode can be purchased separately and it acts as the base game where the remaining episodes are then acquired as an in-app purchase or DLC.

Most of the mechanics of the previous Telltale games return. It is largely story-driven with many long sequences. Interaction is limited to three areas. There are choices during conversations that influence the direction of the story and the relationships between the characters. There are often three to four options and characters will behave differently based on the chosen answer. A timer counts down and not answering is also an option. At the end of each episode an overview of the important choices is shown, compared to players worldwide. There are also many quick time events, fleeing from walkers or fighting. These require a quick response or someone dies and the section has to be replayed. The final form of interaction is short sequences with freedom of movement to explore and examine the environment. Sometimes small puzzles need to be solved to progress and certain items can be stored in an inventory. Visually the game uses the same cel shaded style from the previous The Walking Dead games.

The game starts in the woods, with a staggering Michonne fighting walkers interspersed with flashbacks of how she abandoned her daughters. Just before she is about to commit suicide, she is rescued by a group who takes her aboard their boat. That entire sequence then turns out to be another flashback and the game then starts aboard the boat, when Michonne is already an established member of the group and familiar with everyone. They pick up a radio signal of what may be Rashid and Vanessa, two friends of Pete, one of the group members. When he and Michonne head out in a small boat to investigate, they are attacked by walkers and have to board the ferry where the two friends are about to reside. The game then introduces many different characters at once, of different groups, and important choices about allegiances have to be made.