Game of Thrones

Title: Game of Thrones
Publisher: Telltale Games
Developer: Telltale Games
Release Date: December 2, 2014
Genres: Narrative Adventure
Platform: Android, iOS, macOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Steam, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Where to Buy: Amazon, Steam
Rating:

Game of Thrones - A Telltale Games Series is a six part episodic game series set in the world of HBO's groundbreaking TV show.

This new story tells of House Forrester, a noble family from the north of Westeros, loyal to the Starks of Winterfell. Caught up in the events surrounding the War of the Five Kings, they are thrown into a maelstrom of bloody warfare, revenge, intrigue, and horror as they fight to survive while the seven kingdoms tear themselves apart. You will take on the role of different members of the Forrester household, and determine their fate through the choices you make; your actions and decisions will change the story around you.

Review

Game of Thrones was the Telltale series we were robbed of. Released in 2014 at the height of both the show and the game studio’s popularity, the first game in the would-be series was ambitious and setting up for something great – and just like the unfinished book series, this never came to pass as Telltale had folded four years later. It was released during a time when Telltale was snapping up licenses from popular franchises to recreate the magic of The Walking Dead.

Despite that, I have fond memories of this game. It plays exactly the way you expect if you’ve ever played a Telltale game, and I don’t see that as a negative. The game begins at the Red Wedding, an event every Game of Thrones fan will know, and introduces audiences to a brand new northern house, the Forresters. Members of the Forrester family are separated just as the Stark children were, and the episodes jump between characters as they become embroiled in the major events of the series.

Some of the plot lines become a little predictable, as each character’s path progression mirrors that of the Starks. While not the freshest idea to build characters this way, setting the game up this way offered fans of the series a chance to play out major events and interact with many of the main cast of characters. There were moments of extreme tension that had me nervous and the story builds to an epic conclusion that had me clamoring for the next game.

Sadly, as the game was meant to set up for a sequel, all character stories end on cliffhangers. Now that the television show has ended and fan fervor has died down, the knowledge that there will never be a sequel is disappointing even to this day. Despite the story being incomplete, I still think it’s a fun game that fans of the series would enjoy with curbed expectations.