Michonne’s inner demons torment her throughout the episode, and cause her to hallucinate and see her kids at unexpected moments. Their sudden appearance legitimately made me jump at one point, which definitely added to the game’s impact and put me on the edge of my seat for a little bit. I probably would have been on-edge for longer, but In Too Deep played out over a meager hour and a half, which doesn’t leave much time to stay tense. Most other Telltale episodes can last anywhere from two to four hours, so the length of this one came as a disappointment. This is a mini-series, lasting only three episodes instead of the usual five, so it would have been nice if each episode was a bit more content-heavy to make it feel more worthwhile.

Perhaps the reason the episode felt too short was because everything plays out incredibly fast. There are minimal instances of wandering around talking to the locals, with many quick-time events to fill those gaps. This makes sense since Michonne is a less-talk/more-action kind of woman, and she knows how to handle a blade well enough to make the QTE fight sequences thrilling.

It’s a slight letdown to see Michonne without her iconic katana, but her prowess with a machete is just as impressive and lethal as one would expect. It’s just that, when you hear that there’s a game where you get to play as Michonne from The Walking Dead, one of the first things that excites people is the prospect of swinging that katana around. She feels almost incomplete without it.

A topic that seems to come up with every new release from Telltale Games is the matter of their tired old game engine. Happily, it seems they’re learning how to make their titles play smoothly on consoles without a single hiccup. This title doesn’t just play great, it looks great too. They’ve done the comic book style in several games now, such as Tales from the Borderlands and The Wolf Among Us, and the quality only improves with every title. It would still be nice to see them bring out an updated engine this year, but it is comforting to know they’re on the right track.

It would also be remiss of me to ignore Samira Wiley’s performance as our leading lady. Her voice brings a gravitas worthy of the stoic Michonne, and it’s one of those rare instances where the voice you hear in your head when reading the comics is eerily similar to what you’re hearing on-screen. Wiley’s casting in the role is spot-on, and her continued performance is one of the most exciting things to look forward to in the upcoming episodes.

All things considered, The Walking Dead: Michonne is off to a decent start with plenty of room for improvement. Most of the new characters may feel like zombie fodder, but they’ve got some interesting personalities that will be fun to follow. Plus, Michonne may be immortal in the game, but that doesn’t mean she won’t get banged up along the way through both physically and mentally demanding trials. If you’re new to The Walking Dead and haven’t read the comics, you’ll probably really love the game. If you’re already a fan, well, just go in with an open mind.

Score: 3/5