Game of Thrones: Episode One - Iron From Ice Reviews
There are reasons to like Iron From Ice, but they're few and far between. In the moment, it can be thrilling to spar words with Cersei or choose whether to execute a thief or send him to the Wall.
I felt more like a spectator than a player – and whilst I imagine that is partly the intention, it makes it harder to fully immerse yourself in the game
Plagued by technical issues (on Xbox One, at least), odd stylistic choices, occasional iffy writing, but nonetheless with a definite feel of George R. R. Martin's world
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's weak characters and water-treading story don't get the series off to a great start, but there is hope things will improve.
'Iron from Ice' is a rocky start to a promising story
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.
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.
It will scratch the itch of fans waiting for the next book and next season of the show.
The first episode already comes and goes by taking an ax to the Forrester family, so it will be interesting to see how many of these characters will manage to avoid the chopping block from here on out.
Fans of the show would be remiss in ignoring this opportunity to explore more of the world. It's also an excellent gateway to gaming for fans of the show who may not be accustomed to the feel of a controller.
Iron From Ice, the first chapter in Telltale Games's Game of Thrones series, lays down a great foundation. The presentation suffers from weak visuals, but the story scenarios, intense rhetorical dueling, and dynamic protagonist perspectives recreate a world rich with intrigue and drama.
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.
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.
This video game adaptation of Game of Thrones is solid enough to be mandatory for fans of the series, but should be considered carefully by fans of the adventure genre.
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.
For an introductory chapter, it sets up Telltale's take on the Game of Thrones universe very well.
The game channels the TV show – complete with a surrogate Stark family – but does it hew too close to carve out its own identity?
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.
Game of Thrones has a lot of potential judging by this first effort, but needs a lot more polish before it really hits new heights.