Rating of
4/5
Iron From Ice
Chris Kavan - wrote on 08/02/17
Telltale has made a name out of crafting stylized adventure games, starting with The Walking Dead but soon branching out to include Game of Thrones, Borderlands, Batman, Minecraft and Guardians of the Galaxy. They have also made a name for themselves by crafting stories that actually have an impact - gruesome and unexpected deaths, hard choices and far-reaching consequences. Game of Thrones is the perfect fit for their narrative storytelling and also their comic book aesthetic. If you have enjoyed their games, and are a Game of Thrones fan at all, this is a worthy addition to your library.
Presentation: Telltale's signature style - a kind of comic book look and feel - it back. While they have stuck to this type of visual storytelling in all their games, and some people are getting tired of the lack of progress in updating their graphics and the way you play, for Game of Thrones, it still works. Plus, they didn't slack off on talent - Emilia Clark, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Natalie Dormer, Kit Harington and Iwan Rheon are all here reprising their characters from the show. Paired with them are several voice-over vets, JB Blanc, Robin Atkin Downes, Yuri Lowenthal and more. Sometimes actors can be a bit wooden when it comes to trying to voice animation - but I thought the voice-acting was done pretty well. Plus, the main characters manage to bring some real emotion to their roles - while it's hard to match the impact The Walking Dead Season 1 brought, for Game of Thrones fans, seeing an existing story told from a different perspective is quite refreshing.
Story: (WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR GAME OF THRONES) The story concerns House Forrester - a minor northern house known for one thing: Ironwood. Their family is the keeper of much of the Ironwood forests and also craftsmen who can work the wood into shields and such for armies. They have a long-standing feud with House Whitehill, who also own their own Ironwood groves but are not considered as prominent. The game begins at The Red Wedding - with the Stark family and their allies being slain by the treacherous House Frey and their new alliance with the Lannisters. House Forrester is among the "guests" and a grueling battle ensues leading to the death of Lord Forrester and his son Rodrik Forrester - next in line for the throne. Gared Tuttle, who was all but assured knighthood, escapes with Lord's sword, tasked to return home and deliver the news. But nothing is ever that easy... Tuttle returns home to find his family being slaughtered by Whitehill men and, seeking revenge kills one - only to find out that the new Wardens of the North, the Boltons, have allied themselves with the Whitehills. Tuttle takes the only option - go North to The Wall, but is also given a secret task by his father Duncan Tuttle - seek out a hidden Ironwood grove north of The Wall and protect it at all costs.
The game then splits off into several stories - on one hand, we follow the trials and tribulations of House Forrester in their stronghold of Ironrath. We also follow Mira Forrester, a handmaiden to future queen Margaery Tyrell in King's Landing and the story of Asher Forrester, who is estranged from his family and fights as a mercenary across the Narrow Sea, and who will soon find himself caught up in the rebellion of Daenerys Targaryen. Each story has its merits, but I found Mira's path the most interesting as she turns from demure handmaiden, to a scheming, shrewd young woman (depending on your choices, of course) who eventually gets in over her head. The best part is seeing events like The Red Wedding, The Purple Wedding, the taking of Meereen and the rise of the Boltons play out from a much different perspective. I also like the fact that, just like Game of Thrones, no one is safe and there are plenty of moments that had me on the edge of my seat just like the show. It's a great story, well worth checking out.
Gameplay: Telltale adventure games all follow a pattern - most of the game has you choosing from several dialogue choices while the second part is quick-time events that have you dodging, fighting and otherwise trying not to be killed. Even if you die, you never lose too much progress and these events are never too hard. The dialogue options are final, however, and depending on whether you want to be strong, cunning, deferential - each characters has several traits you can choose to explore and it will affect the outcome (and possibly survival) of many of them. There are also a few places where you can walk around and explore (often picking up a few hints and triva) but there aren't as many here as The Walking Dead.
Replayability: While not every choice makes a huge difference in the story, they all add up - and there are certain choices that will have a major impact on the outcome of your characters, so if you like to explore all options, this gives you a reason to go back and experience the branching paths you can take.
Overall: If you've enjoyed any of the Telltale adventure games, you will probably enjoy this one too and, of course, being a Game of Thrones fan helps too. It's been quite awhile, but I'm holding out hope that will will eventually get a follow-up.
Presentation: 4/5
Story: 4/5
Gameplay: 3/5
Replayability: 4/5
Overall (not an average): 4/5
