Game of Thrones: Episode One - Iron From Ice Reviews
A well-paced, well-observed and suitably vicious opening episode, showing that Telltale's latest series is up to the task of matching the theme and tone of the Game of Thrones source material.
The best thing about this game's first episode is how true to the series it feels - if it maintains this level of quality, this will be a must-play for fans.
What this first episode sets up though, holds tremendous potential for the season ahead. And while banking on potential can be dangerous for an episodic game, if Telltale can maintain the precedent it's setting here for narrative risks and twists then the payoff will be all the better for it in the end.
Much like the mega-hit HBO drama, "Game of Thrones: Episode One: Iron From Ice" is bloody, smart and addictive. Thanks for in part to an awesome script, beautiful backgrounds and the success of original characters, "Game of Thrones: Episode One: Iron From Ice" is anything but a joke.
Experienced Telltale fans and achievement hunters probably know exactly what to expect here; an easy completion. All of the achievements are automatically unlocked through natural progression, so players can sit back, "relax", and "enjoy" the story. And what a story it is. While my ending left my jaw on the floor and a burning desire to "set things right", it held me captivated for just over two hours.
Despite graphical hiccups and some decisions that don't affect the end result, the series premiere of Telltale's 'Game of Thrones' is worth the journey.
An uninspiring start to the season, that even fans of the show will find stilted and tedious. Although they can still foster high hopes for later episodes.
Iron From Ice could have been The Walking Dead in a Westeros winter coat, yet it is a fresh and faithful addition to the Game of Thrones universe. The story, is of course, as well written and compelling as we've come to expect of Telltale, but it's the frantic decision-making that makes this latest series another hit in the making.
Despite the high standard of the property and developer, Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series Episode 1 - Iron From Ice manages to hold up to nearly every expectation and delivers a gaming experience on par with the HBO show.
Though I'm sure the boobs will come, the interesting characters and nail-biting situations that Telltale puts you in, in just the first episode alone, is a nice setup to the cruel series you are about to experience. It's not going to be easy for House Forrester -- as evidenced by the events of the first episode -- but I look forward to seeing how things unfold in the remaining five.
All told though, no previous Telltale game has made me feel this tense and this wary. It's dangerous. Its pacing is nothing at all like the show's, but its ever-looming dread very much is. I only hope the rest of the series similarly refuses to pull punches.
It will scratch the itch of fans waiting for the next book and next season of the show.
The game channels the TV show – complete with a surrogate Stark family – but does it hew too close to carve out its own identity?
The first episode of the game series is a finely crafted adventure game adaptation — it's a good blade with a few imperfections, but with some polish and sharpening, it will be keen as a blade in the night.
This first episode is a bit dense, particularly for newcomers, but the attention to detail is meticulous and appreciated. Telltale's Game of Thrones manages to capture all the heart-racing moments and sweaty-palmed intensity fans have come to love. This episode sets up a sprawling adventure on the outskirts of the Westeros we know, and need more of immediately.
Game of Thrones Episode 1 acts more or less as a prologue by setting the stage for the many events that will happen in the next five chapters. It delivers a decent experience in terms of dialog but falls short when it comes to action sequences or impactful choices. The visuals in particular weigh it down, so let's hope some improvement can be made with the next few episodes.
All the same, Iron From Ice succeeds far more often than it falters. It's yet another Telltale game that lives in those difficult moments, when you're glad it's your on-screen character standing there and not you.
Fans of the TV show can breath a sigh of relief as, even with graphical hiccups, the foundation for an engrossing story is there.
Still, that narrative is the focus, and it is strong. If Zer0 Sum left me looking forward to future episodes of Tales from the Borderlands because things are going to get awesome, Iron From Ice does the polar opposite for Game of Thrones. The bad situation that House Forrester is in is only going to get worse. It feels like a punch to the gut, and it sets the stage for an intensely emotionally draining experience. In spite of its blemishes, so far it looks like Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game Series deserves its place in the A Song of Ice and Fire lore.
The Lost Lords is an improvement, then. A significant one. But by introducing two new characters, there hasn't been enough development, despite the fact that we're approaching the halfway point of the series.