The Walking Dead: A New Frontier Review (TheColorUrple)
Yes, Clementine is a side character.
No, this season isn't as strong as the previous 2, or even Michonne.
Yes, the choices are overall easier and less painful to make.
No, the writing and performances aren't consistent, which leads to a lot of awkward and unfinished-feeling scenes.
And yet, as with any game in The Walking Dead series, its most important feature is its heart - the relationships survivors form with each other, the bonds that keep them alive, and the differences that drive wedges in between them. To that end, A New Frontier is an excellent entry.
Although Clementine is certainly a bigger part of the story than I was expecting, and we see her grow a lot from her season 2 appearance, the emotional core is found within your player character, Javi. He has a lot of heart and an endless supply of optimism, and he's instantly relatable and likable. While going too deeply into the people in his group would spoil too much, suffice to say that his relationships are all very well developed and complex, and juggling your priorities to each individual person makes for some compelling drama, since they often clash with each other. You act as a glue in between a group that is always on the verge of collapse, and you as the player will act as a leader in a way that you never experienced with flawed and partially self-centered Lee, young and scared Clementine, or guarded loner Michonne.
It's a new spin on the formula that really works, and although it's "easier" to make the critical binary decisions the series is known for, A New Frontier's emotional challenge lies in its smaller conversations - the dialogue you share with your people as you try to walk across a tight-rope of disparate ideologies and loyalties.
There are many factors that make the game feel less polished, and I think this was developed at a time when Telltale was stretched too thin. And while the game frequently stumbles, I cared about the characters by the end. Sidelining Clementine was a big swing, but I think it was necessary to give the new cast time to shine, and A New Frontier succeeds in making you care about them. At the end of the day, that's the most important thing for a narrative game like this.