Title: Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series
Type of Game: Adventure
Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Released: December 2, 2014
Platforms Available: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC Game
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 3
Maturity: Mature 17+
Reading Time: 6 minutes
Introduction
Almost a decade ago, Telltale Games came out with a game based on the famous Game of Thrones series. They even recruited some of the leading actors from the popular TV series. The game has a catchy story with some intense moments. Still, the final impression is somewhat spoiled by choices with not always convincingly strong consequences or classically minimal gameplay, which is, of course, known for Telltale Games after all… this is, after all, a very tightly edited storyline.
Gameplay Mechanics
As a fan of the series, I was naturally drawn to a game set in the world of Game of Thrones. The game’s story, which spans just over ten hours, begins at an unnamed wedding gathering directed by Walder Frey and concludes after the first two episodes of the fourth season of the series, during the events following Joffrey’s wedding. While the game only lightly references the books and the series, it delves into the individual struggles of the Forrester family as they navigate the treacherous political landscape of Westeros.
In the game, you take turns controlling several main characters, each trying to help the Forresters from their own position. Prepare for classically bleak, depressing situations, injustice, shameful humiliation, as well as momentary glimpses of hope and blind defiance. The centerpiece is, of course, your mansion and the individual family members you must defend from the sadistic appetites of your fief lords. These are the Boltons, represented in the play by the creepy Ramsey. Another enemy is the rival Whitehill family, who are trying to deprive the Forresters of their land. The parts of the game in which you take on the role of Mira Forrester take place in the intrigue-ridden King’s Landing, where you take on the role of the mercenary Asher, and of course, the Wall and the Northlands, where the unjustly convicted squire Gared has been sent.
Story and Characters
The game’s story is not just engaging, but it also delves into some highly emotional moments that will resonate with any fan. Unlike the series, I found it easy to develop a liking for each of the individual main characters. However, the same cannot be said for the characters of your allies and friends. Most of them shower you with bad advice, can’t be trusted, and only help you when it suits them. This emotional depth of the story is what makes the game truly engaging.
Voice Acting
In Game of Thrones, you will also come across several characters who have been given form and voice by actors from the show. You can look forward to Ramsey, Jon, Cersei, Tyrion, Margaery and Daenerys. In Telltale games, the dubbing is usually of a very high standard and this is also true here. The actors mentioned above are the icing on the cake and deserve a lot of praise for their performances. Their voice acting brings the characters to life and adds a layer of immersion to the game that is hard to match.
Gameplay Critique
Now, I’m moving more to the negatives. At the time of release, Telltale Games remained completely immune to any criticism of their games up to that point. As such, actual gameplay remains absolutely minimal, and ninety percent of your time is spent listening to conversations and pressing buttons for your chosen answer. Only occasionally does this allow you to walk around the room and explore by clicking on an object or bloodstain on the floor? The pace of the game is occasionally increased by action passages in which you have to press a certain button at the right time. For some people, it’s just dull; for others, it’s relaxing in front of the TV and focusing purely on the movies and the story, so it’s hard to say whether this can actually be considered a negative aspect of the game or vice versa. But I can say for myself that as a gaming “veteran” of Telltale games, I don’t mind it at all, and I’ve kind of grown to like these video game ventures. Furthermore, for example, such animations of faces and movement are somewhat clunky, and the details are relatively minimal, even for Telltale games.
Graphics
The game tries to mask this with a graphical style reminiscent of watercolor painting as we know it from these games, but in this case it exceptionally doesn’t help much.
Choices and Consequences
Unfortunately, the game doesn’t excel in the area it prides itself, either. We are talking about choices and their consequences. The vast majority of the game’s time is spent talking and choosing one of the possible answers. The authors often try to convince you that you’re making a very crucial decision that will dramatically affect the next turn of events. However, this is usually not true… Yes, there were quite a few moments where I was surprised, but again, by Telltale standards, I expected more. While choices abound, the consequences are slim half the time. The really major and divergent consequences come only during a series of decisions in the last two episodes of the game. As for the rest of the game, it was nothing dazzling in that particular regard.
Conclusion
Despite all of the flaws mentioned above, I would happily recommend Game of Thrones to at least fans, but even newcomers won’t be offended by this game. The story and the main characters will definitely be worth some 10-15 euros to them if the game is on sale, for example. But at the same time, I feel these types of movie games has much more to offer. Just look at Until Dawn, which was released in the same year, for example.
Where to Buy Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series
Xbox Store (Xbox 360, Xbox One): Available for free download
Buy a physical copy of Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series on Amazon for your specific device
Steam (PC, Mac): Unfortunately not available anymore
