Quick Review: Telltale’s Game of Thrones

Have you read the Song of Ice and Fire series? Did you watch the Game of Thrones show based on the books? If your answer is “no”, do not play Telltale’s Game of Thrones. It’s full of spoilers. Go and read the book now. Or watch the show if you’re lazy.

If you finished the book or show and are impatiently waiting for a new chapter/season to come out (only 9 months left at the moment), then stop what you’re doing right now and go buy the game!

Telltale’s Game of Thrones is a perfect addition to the chronicle of Westeros. It tells the story of House Forrester, sworn to House of Glover – one of the bannermen of House Stark. This tale is told in 6 episodes. I finished four of them, and I’m very excited about the rest. The story is woven into chain of events you’ll recognize from the books and TV show. It features both well-known characters and faces seen only in the game. Narration begins at the Red Wedding and continues in sync with main story timeline. Just like in book, the game’s point of view shifts from one character to another and the player is taken to various iconic locations: King’s Landing, the Wall, Yunkai, the North. I hope we get to visit some more places in upcoming episodes.

I’m not going to spoil the story, I’ll only say that it’s great. And once again, I beg you not to play the game if you’re not familiar with A Song of Ice and Fire.

Pros:

• Writing: The game plot is perfectly integrated into the timeline of Westeros. Characters are interesting and well-written – I actually care about them. Some events are unpredictable and shocking – it keeps the player excited.
• Meaningful choices: Just like other Telltale games, GoT is full of choices that will drastically influence the game story. And they are really intense. There are some tough choices in Game of Thrones – sometimes none of them feel right. And sometimes a seemingly right choice will lead to a disaster.
• QTE mechanics: Some will say that QTEs are not a good addition to any game. In Game of Thrones, QTEs keep the player engaged and break up long narrative sections (for impatient players). The player has to actually struggle (with controller) in order to win. Be fast, switch quickly from one task to another, see what happens and react. If you don’t… valar morghulis.
• Music: It is great. Listen to Talia’s song (spoilers).
• Multiplatform: This game is available on PC, consoles, and mobile devices – pick your poison.

Cons:

• Episodic structure: It might be just me, but I prefer to play through the full game and not have to wait a few months for the next episode. Especially after a great cliffhanger.
• Graphics: They’re a bit simple, probably because of the mobile release. But the game is so good that it doesn’t really bother me.
• Length: The game is quite short. I fancy a second season!

Should you bother?

Definitely! Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series is one of the best narrative games that has come out lately. Set in an iconic universe, it’s another great story for every Game of Thrones fan.

Score: 8.5/10