Game of Thrones: Episode One - Iron From Ice Reviews
Game of Thrones' first episode is a slow-burn beginning to a bloody political thriller with an original cast that shines.
Give me more. Let me undo what I have done. Telltale, I need to see what happens next, and I need to make sure that I can fix it.
The first episode of Telltale's Game of Thrones series isn't exactly groundbreaking but it successfully draws you in to learn what happens next to the Forresters. The art style and the vocal talents are superb and the new characters feel ripped from Martin's pages, for better or worse.
'Iron from Ice' is a rocky start to a promising story
Game of Thrones Ep 1: Iron from Ice is a strong start for Telltale's adventure in George R. R. Martin's fantasy world.
Adapting a prestige cable drama like Game of Thrones is no easy feat and could have easily ended in embarrassment for Telltale Games. Thankfully, they've done a very good job of capturing the show's often depressing essence, setting the stage for an intriguing story to come. With the show's fifth season still four months out, Iron from Ice proves itself a very good appetizer for one of the most popular series on television despite the occasional technical hiccup.
Iron From Ice is a strong start to the series, which some promising narrative setups, a believable atmosphere, and one particularly shocking moment that made my jaw drop.
Anyway, my final take on the game is that Game of Thrones fans will love it. They will probably like it less if they aren't current, as the game will spoil a whole bunch of stuff for them. People who have only read the series might have some problems telling which character is which, and people who haven't experienced the series at all might get lost in a huge pool of names and events that aren't really explained. Even so, the narrative woven by Game of Thrones is a compelling one, filled with intrigue, conflict, and death… lots and lots of death. I'd highly recommend it to either fans of the books, the HBO series, or Telltale games in general.
An intriguing and suspenseful first look into the Forresters' lives that hits all of the tones that Telltale and George R. R. Martin are known for
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.
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.
Fans of the TV show can breath a sigh of relief as, even with graphical hiccups, the foundation for an engrossing story is there.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The game channels the TV show – complete with a surrogate Stark family – but does it hew too close to carve out its own identity?
It will scratch the itch of fans waiting for the next book and next season of the show.
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.