TellTale Legacy

Founded in 2004 by former LucasArts developers, Telltale focused on story-first adventure games using its proprietary Telltale Tool engine. After early niche successes, the company achieved mainstream breakthrough with The Walking Dead in 2012, redefining modern episodic storytelling.

Rapid expansion followed, with major licenses including DC, Marvel, HBO and Mojang. However, internal crunch culture, engine limitations, and financial instability led to studio closure in October 2018. The brand was later revived in 2019 under LCG Entertainment, operating as a restructured version of Telltale Games.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/207610/The_Walking_Dead/
https://youtu.be/RtkkHAmgYWs
Release: April 25, 2012
Steam Reviews: over 24,000 reviews

Based on Robert Kirkman’s comic universe, the game follows Lee Everett, a convicted man who becomes guardian to Clementine during the outbreak of a zombie apocalypse in Georgia. Across five episodes (plus the later 400 Days DLC), players make morally complex decisions that shape character relationships and certain narrative outcomes.

This was lightning in a bottle. The emotional bond between Lee and Clementine carried the entire experience, and the timed dialogue choices made every decision feel urgent and personal.

The game won multiple Game of the Year awards and sold millions of episodes, revitalizing the adventure genre. After Telltale’s collapse, the rights reverted to Skybound, which released The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series in 2019.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/250320/The_Wolf_Among_Us/
https://youtu.be/ceEw3TJMkDM
Release: October 11, 2013
Steam Reviews: over 18,000 reviews

Based on Bill Willingham’s Fables comic series, the game follows Bigby Wolf, the sheriff of Fabletown, investigating a brutal murder in a dark, noir-inspired version of New York City where fairy-tale characters live in secret.

The gritty tone and detective structure worked perfectly for Telltale’s formula. Bigby is one of their strongest protagonists, and the moral ambiguity of choices felt especially fitting here.

The game was critically praised and developed a strong cult following. After the studio’s closure, the license was retained by the revived Telltale under LCG Entertainment, and The Wolf Among Us 2 is now in development.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/261030/The_Walking_Dead_Season_Two/
https://youtu.be/sSG_IlSksso
Release: December 18, 2013
Steam Reviews: over 12,000 reviews

Season Two shifts perspective to Clementine as the playable protagonist. Now forced to survive among adults who constantly make questionable decisions, she must grow up quickly in a world without mercy.

Playing as Clementine was a bold and powerful choice. While it didn’t quite match the emotional peak of Season One, it deepened the world and matured the storytelling.

The season maintained strong sales and reception. Rights later moved to Skybound, which ensured continued distribution after Telltale’s shutdown.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/330830/Tales_from_the_Borderlands/
https://youtu.be/9sztWWoEcVQ
Release: November 1, 2014
Steam Reviews: over 10,000 reviews

Set in the chaotic universe of Borderlands, the story alternates between Rhys, a Hyperion employee, and Fiona, a con artist, as they chase a rumored Vault on Pandora.

This might be Telltale at its funniest. The humor, pacing, and soundtrack were exceptional, and the dual-protagonist structure felt fresh within their usual framework.

The rights reverted to Gearbox after Telltale’s closure, and the game was re-released digitally in 2021.

https://youtu.be/6Q1vt9BX4Eg
Release: December 3, 2014 link
Steam Reviews: over 6,000 reviews

Set during the events of HBO’s Game of Thrones, the game follows House Forrester, a minor noble family caught in the War of the Five Kings.

The political tension was strong, and the multiple playable characters fit the franchise well. However, the series ended on a cliffhanger that was never resolved.

Plans for a second season were canceled after the 2018 closure. Rights reverted back to HBO/Warner Bros.

https://youtu.be/HAnRtMEDrvU
Release: October 14, 2015 link
Steam Reviews: over 4,000 reviews

A family-friendly adventure set in Mojang’s Minecraft universe, following Jesse and friends on a quest to save the world from a destructive force.

Lighter in tone and clearly aimed at younger audiences, but surprisingly heartfelt. It showed Telltale could adapt its structure to a broader demographic.

After closure, episodes were temporarily removed from storefronts. Netflix adapted it into an interactive series, and rights reverted to Mojang/Microsoft.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/429570/The_Walking_Dead_Michonne__A_Telltale_Miniseries/
https://youtu.be/fBQJyoaJ7AI
Release: February 24, 2016
Steam Reviews: over 2,000 reviews

A three-episode mini-series focusing on Michonne during her absence from the comics’ main storyline, exploring her trauma and inner struggles.

Short but emotionally intense. It didn’t reach the heights of the main seasons, yet it added meaningful character depth.

Rights reverted to Skybound, later included in definitive collections.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/498240/Batman__The_Telltale_Series/
https://youtu.be/hrG_GfF_wWk
Release: August 3, 2016
Steam Reviews: over 7,000 reviews

An original take on Bruce Wayne’s early years as Batman, emphasizing political corruption, identity, and moral compromise.

I appreciated the focus on Bruce Wayne as much as Batman. The reimagined villains were bold, and the choices felt more impactful than usual.

After the shutdown, the revived Telltale retained the Batman license and re-released the game in 2019 with visual enhancements.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/536220/The_Walking_Dead_A_New_Frontier/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SkY8VTKO5M
Release: December 21, 2016
Steam Reviews: over 5,000 reviews

Season Three introduces Javier García as a new lead while continuing Clementine’s journey.

A fresh perspective helped, but sidelining Clementine frustrated some fans. Still, it expanded the universe in interesting ways.

Rights later consolidated under Skybound.

https://youtu.be/1oqAprZOFNI
Release: April 19, 2017 link
Steam Reviews: over 1,000 reviews

An original story starring Star-Lord and the Guardians, centered on a powerful cosmic artifact.

Entertaining and stylish, though it leaned heavily into familiar MCU-style humor. It felt fun but not groundbreaking.

After Telltale’s collapse, it was removed from digital storefronts as licensing expired.

https://youtu.be/VLRWko9-k58
Release: July 12, 2017 link
Steam Reviews: over 1,000 reviews

A continuation of Jesse’s story, introducing new threats and deeper character arcs.

A solid follow-up that refined gameplay slightly. It maintained charm but didn’t significantly evolve the formula.

Episodes were later delisted; rights remain with Mojang/Microsoft.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/675260/Batman_The_Enemy_Within__The_Telltale_Series/
https://youtu.be/cXdUBq30gP4
Release: August 9, 2017
Steam Reviews: over 4,000 reviews

A direct sequel focusing heavily on Bruce Wayne’s relationship with John Doe (the Joker), whose personality shifts depending on player choices.

One of Telltale’s strongest later works. The dynamic with John Doe was genuinely compelling and offered meaningful branching character development.

The revived Telltale retains the Batman license.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/866800/The_Walking_Dead_The_Final_Season/
https://youtu.be/4whlGmkTge0
Release: August 14, 2018
Steam Reviews: over 6,000 reviews

Clementine’s final chapter sees her protecting young AJ while confronting her past. Development was interrupted by Telltale’s collapse.

A heartfelt return to form. It felt like a love letter to fans, and Clementine’s growth came full circle beautifully.

After the majority studio closure, Skybound stepped in to complete the final two episodes using much of the original team. The series concluded properly despite the studio’s fall.

Telltale’s games rarely evolved mechanically. Their formula (dialogue choices, quick-time events, light exploration) remained largely unchanged. Yet I never played these games for their mechanics. I played them for their stories, characters, and emotional impact. To me, they were interactive visual novels with cinematic presentation.

It’s unfortunate the original studio collapsed under its own rapid expansion, but I’m hopeful about the revived Telltale under new leadership. I created this Steam Guide mainly for myself ... to keep all thirteen core games in one place, summarized for future reference, and to remember TellTale's golden era of emotionally driven, choice-based storytelling.