This review contains spoilers for Episodes 1, 2, and 3 of TellTale’s The Walking Dead: A New Frontier, and all previous seasons of the series
Above the Law succeeds in providing lots of information that was left ambiguous in previous episodes. The amount of twists and turns within the episode keeps you interested throughout the majority of its playtime, especially thanks to Clem’s flashbacks.
TellTale’s The Walking Dead: A New Frontier – Episode 3 – Above the Law
Developer: TellTale Games
Price: $24.99 for a Season Pass
Platforms: PS4 (reviewed), Xbox One, PC, Mac, Android, iOS
MonsterVine was provided with a PS4 code for review.
There was plenty for Above the Law to cover after the twist ending of Episode 2. David is alive and one of the leaders of the New Frontier, which Clementine was once a part of. Kate is on the verge of death, Prescott’s total destruction at the hands of the New Frontier is being revealed, and even Javi has no idea what will happen next. There were a lot of questions to be answered, and for the most part, they were answered in a satisfying way, while still leaving plenty of questions to be answered in the last two episodes.
Seeing David again, and as part of the New Frontier no less, served as a particularly shocking jumping-off point for the episode. While things seemed to be looking up at first, David’s willingness to toss aside Javi and his friends at the door was an ominous sign, especially since he didn’t feel the need to have his wife and son checked for bites. It was clear from the get-go that David’s emotional instability was still very much a part of him, and that it would lead to problems for Javi and friends.
The creepily calm council that runs Richmond was certainly unsettling, especially when they, David included, took little action against the society’s residents that murdered Marianna and destroyed Prescott. This felt a bit odd, since David has shown all signs of being volatile and ready-to-blow, yet the meeting about the killing of his daughter roused little emotion from him. While one could say this shows how influential the council is, it seemed out of character.
Things really pick up once Javi and pals are kicked out of Richmond, as they find an old factory that belongs to Richmond. The realization that Richmond has been taking supplies from a ton of other camps and settlements that were raided, including the subtly mentioned Kingdom, was a big one. Finding out that Joan, the seemingly most prominent council member, was in on, and even endorsing these attacks, revealed a lot about Richmond, and the events that befell Prescott. The twists and turns throughout Above the Law felt largely earned, and were particularly intriguing, making Above the Law feel like a step in the right direction for The New Frontier’s story. There are a lot of dirty secrets to uncover in the next couple episodes, which I’m more than excited to unravel.
Clementine’s ever-expanding story is still even more interesting than the main plot, though this could be because of my attachment to her from the past two seasons. Seeing how the New Frontier screwed her over, in my playthrough by stealing AJ and denying him medical supplies, was heart-wrenching. After seeing so many flashbacks of the lengths Clem and Kenny went through to protect AJ, it was difficult to watch Clem be torn away from him while both she and AJ screamed for one another. A whole new level of frustration with the New Frontier was awakened within me, which is impressive after the skeevy things they’ve done already.
Finally, while it’s a minor aspect, seeing Jesus in action was as fun as ever. Being chastised and/or praised by Jesus was also a good touch, as his dialogue with Javi after confronting Badger is very in line with Jesus’s character in the comics. The little nod to Rick’s group from the main comics towards the end was wonderful for fans of the comic such as myself, as it’s another easter egg that can go unnoticed by those who don’t read the source material, while being a huge deal to those who are fans. The visuals and sound didn’t change in the slightest in Above the Law, so the decent performance of previous episodes is still the status quo.
The Final Word
Above the Law is another exceptional episode of Season 3 of The Walking Dead. Plenty of information was given regarding David, the New Frontier, and Clementine, which left me satisfied and ready to dive into Episode 4. Jesus continued to be a highlight of the Season, so it’s a shame he had to leave so soon.
– MonsterVine Review Score: 4 out of 5 – Good
