One of the year’s unlikeliest collaborations shuffles into sight next week as indie prison-break sim The Escapists teams with zombie phenomenon The Walking Dead.
The Escapists: The Walking Dead releases on Xbox One and PC on September 30, not far behind Season 6 of the TV show The Walking Dead, which debuts October 11 on AMC. The Escapists: The Walking Dead is bringing its 8-bit pixel-art aesthetic and crafting mechanics to the story from the original comic book series, written by Robert Kirkman, that inspired the show.
It’s great to see a game that began as a tiny indie project team up with such a popular global franchise. Original Escapists creator Chris Davis — a former construction worker — built the first Escapists game on a tiny $12,000 Kickstarter-backed budget before getting together with developer and publisher Team 17.
The Escapists: The Walking Dead will feature faithful recreations of some of the panels and dialogue from the comic books. You play as main protagonist Rick Grimes, and you’ll meet a cast of characters that includes Carl, Lori, Glenn, Hershel, Maggie, Tyreese, and Michonne across five different levels.