Game of Thrones - Season One Reviews
So beyond those minor quibbles, I found it to be every bit as good as their much celebrated Walking Dead, and I eagerly await the second season.
Game of Thrones' plot would have been interesting to play in an RPG, but the way Telltale Games handled it led to something that is mostly dialogue trees and quick-time events. There are a couple of moments where the game lets people hold the control stick up to move forward, but this is not a game with substantial gameplay at all.
These are their choices more than yours. One could argue that there's inconsistency between the player's ability to mold a protagonist of her own making and the game's propensity for predetermined resolutions, but at the very least the rocky relationship between the two adds an element of uncertainty to the equation that aligns quite nicely with the themes of a television show notorious for shockingly killing off main characters.
Game of Thrones will give you some pretty cool moments, especially when you start feeling the weight of your decisions. Overall, there's a good chance you'll be disappointed and frustrated with the game, rather than being mesmerized by an epic tale and great characters. You know, great characters really aren't THAT great, unless we have enough time to know them.
All in all, Telltale Games' Game of Thrones does not do well. Deciding how to play the game is impossible, because it's merely about reacting to events as they unfold. Frankly, the game is about creating one's own view of the playable characters. The most narrative impact a player can have is preventing one family member from getting killed, but, considering the game's tendencies, it wouldn't be surprising if that choice was for naught, too.
Trying to steer the Forresters away from disaster from the perspective of multiple characters makes for a lot of compelling moments; sadly the destination isn't as worthwhile as the journey.
Needless to say, it's the chain of circumstances that makes a Telltale game a Telltale game. They didn't really deliver superbly the game's ending compared to how they ended The Walking Dead's season 1 and 2, but at least they did not fail to deliver its gameplay. Compared to TWD's endings, GoT's ending is a tad bit underwhelming. It has its fair share of plot twists and shocking outcomes, though, so you better be prepared on what's going to happen next.
All in all, Telltale's Game of Thrones: Season 1 is an intriguing story of a small house in the north, loyal to the Starks, in the aftermath of one of the most shocking moments in the entirety of the Game of Thrones story. Telltale's well-honed formula serves the story well, and the art style provides a welcome visual treat at times too. A fine blend of ups and downs sees the narrative canter at times, but occasionally start to struggle under its own complexity. Fortunately, it brings it all together in the end, although the typical question is raised of 'just how much did *I* influence the story?' at the end. Still, with my ending proving to be as fittingly grim as I'd expected, it's left me looking forward to the recently confirmed Season 2, even though I'm still trying to figure out exactly why I'm bothered about the Forresters.