Game of Thrones: Episode One - Iron From Ice Reviews
Game of Thrones: Episode One – Iron From Ice is another great narrative effort by a rising development team. It's full of drama and well-choreographed action scenes, each of which push the plot forward at a brisk pace. Some of the sequences drag on a bit too long and some of the combat doesn't feel as gripping as in Tales from the Borderlands, but these aren't serious issues.
[W]hile Telltale's Game of Thrones gets all the surface details right, it's the subtler elements under the surface - the narrative and thematic conventions - that make it a terrific adaptation of and expansion to an already-terrific story.
The first episode, as is typical for Telltale, is nothing more than a foundation for the tale to come. It helps to establish new characters and the overall arc of the story. It's actually a slow start, but ends of such an incredibly cliffhanger that I really can't see anyone playing this and then not immediately investing in the season pass for the rest of the thing.
While it has some minor foibles, and you undoubtedly need to have watched up to the end of the show's Season 3 to get what's going on, if you're a fan of the show you'll definitely love this. Telltale have tied themselves to Westeros brilliantly - now let's see if they can survive their Second Episode Is The Worst In The Season curse.
It speaks volumes that "Iron From Ice" packs much of the same emotional wallop as the books and show. I'm just as excited to see where this story goes as I am the next book, and the knowledge that the game's next chapter will be released on a regular schedule is a balm to this impatient fan.
If you're a gamer who is familiar with Telltale, then the game is easy to recommend - it feels a little weaker than The Walking Dead, but there are moments of pure brilliance that show what is possible with this world. If you're a fan of Game of Thrones who doesn't play video games normally, then this is still easy to recommend. You don't need quick reflexes or to understand gaming. You just need to be invested in the story to play.
I can't wait to see what lies in-store for House Forrester in the future episodes.
Game of Thrones: Episode 1 - Iron from Ice is certainly not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but it hits nowhere near as hard as it maybe should have. Bits and pieces show promise for future episodes – particularly the conclusion – but all of the pieces are not yet in place. With more playable characters and an extra episode in this season, there's definitely potential here – it's just not been realised so far.
Game of Thrones Episode One: Iron and Ice isn't an easy game to play, mainly due to the nature of the theme at hand and the fact that no matter what you do, someone close to you is still going to get it. But that's just how Game of Thrones works, and the more of a fan of the show you are, the more captivated you'll feel playing the game. And if you're not a fan, it just might make you one. That Red Wedding, though…
All the elements to recommend Iron From Ice to Game of Thrones fans are there.
Telltale's Game of Thrones Episode 1: Iron from Ice is another in-depth game of storytelling that successfully links to the TV series. By giving gamers access to the Forrester clan, it helps expand the Game of Thrones universe without impeding on the current story. Although it does suffer from some graphical issues and at times clunky gameplay, the powerful story and characters far outweighs these slight inconsistencies that leaves the density of the player in their hands of whether House Forrester will survive or perish!
Iron from Ice makes gold from GoT
Despite its technical issues, Game of Thrones has strong content.
Telltale's video game version of Game of Thrones gets off to a good start, though it's more dialogue-focused than ever and the reliance on quick-time-events is beginning to wear thin. If you're a fan of the books and TV series then you'll be happy with Telltale's faithful approach to the fiction, and this first episode sets up some interesting situations for future chapters to exploit. It's far too early for a definitive verdict, but we like what we see and we're keen to see more.
Telltale has hit another home run with the debut episode of its licensed Game of Thrones series. However, it's not going to be for everyone, as it will only appeal to fans of the franchise and may be too wordy for some.
Iron From Ice's weak characters and water-treading story don't get the series off to a great start, but there is hope things will improve.
While Telltale's Game of Thrones may not be quite as epic in scope as the HBO show or Martin's books, it comes off as a focused deep dive into what's happening in some of the more minor houses while other self-declared kings and queens battle for the Iron Throne. And to its credit, the game does have at least one good shocking moment to keep you on your toes going into episode two, just don't expect a new "Red Wedding"—at least not yet.
Iron From Ice is a spectacular start to the series and if it keeps up this pace, will prove to be one of Telltale's best games.
By the end of Iron from Ice, Telltale proves they are worthy of telling a tale in Westeros. It makes sense to me now that Telltale wanted six episodes for Game of Thrones – the amount of time they need to explain why they are here demands it, and it will give the rest of the season room to breathe.
If you ever wanted to interact with Tyrion Lannister, now's your chance.