Game of Thrones: Episode Four - Sons of Winter Reviews
Game of Thrones' fourth episode prioritizes verbal sparring over the physical kind, slowing down the action and packing in new twists to tension's detriment.
Telltale's Game of Thrones is looking more and more inconsequential.
Telltale's Game of Thrones series, now over halfway through its first season, has been a huge disappointment so far, but it's been improving steadily, and Episode Four – Sons of Winter proves there's real potential in the concept, even if Telltale might not have been the right candidate for the job. There are the occasional flashes of brilliance here that make you wish the series as a whole could match the same level of quality, but they're appreciated anyway.
While it's still a fun adventure, it's nowhere near as entertaining as the previous games in the series. At the same time, a weaker Telltale game is still a good one, but this time around, "Sons of Winter" will be most enjoyed by those who are in love with the series and not anyone looking for something different.
Backdrops still aren't easy on the eye, Gared's tale has dipped and it doesn't have the tension present in previous episodes, but Mira and Rodrik's gradual transformations are a delight, and Asher's narrative finally steps up.
It may be a fixed narrative with little alterations, but it's still an interesting narrative, but should that fail at any point than this entire castle built by Telltale may collapse.
Hopefully the fifth episode starts gearing up for a strong finale, because the plight of the Forrester family remains fundamental compelling.
A major improvement on past episodes, but the narrative arc is hard to distinguish and there's too much thematic crossover with the series. Game of Thrones looks and acts the part but lacks 'water-cooler' moments that shock and provoke discussion.
I feel conflicted about Game of Thrones by Telltale. I enjoy it at points, when it's happening. The voice acting is great, the graphics are fine, there are fewer bugs this time around, and if I were watching someone else play the game, I think I would enjoy it quite a bit. But the fact that everything I do just seems to be unwritten at the end of every episode, and not in any way that ever makes me triumph, takes me straight out of the action. I can't get invested in this game, because I feel like I'm not doing anything. It might be fine watching Tyrion get put in shackles and carried off as a prisoner, but when the same thing happens to me, I keep wondering why I can't fight back.
Game of Thrones' fourth episode is a solid Telltale affair, but it's just that. While the developer continues to churn out quality content using George R. R. Martin's famed license, it does so while struggling to maintain great pacing.
Overall, Sons of Winter focuses on moving the plot along but doesn't quite have the impact "Episode 1: Iron From Ice" and "Episode 3: The Sword in the Darkness." It appears to set up the table quite nicely for Episode 5, however, so it'll be interesting to see where the story moves on from here.
Game of Thrones: Episode 4 - Sons of Winter doesn't hit quite the same highs as its immediate predecessor – but it's likely to prove the most impactful instalment to date. The decisions made this time around reek of future importance, and the impending doom for House Forrester seems closer than ever before – even if the overall story's pace has, once again, slowed just a tad.
A mid-season episode which keeps the narrative wheels turning, steps up the action in places, and (at last) gives the Ironrath Forresters some brief moments of triumph.
The fourth 'Game of Thrones' episode delivers plenty of exciting plot advancement, but gets hindered by repetitive quicktime scenes and questionable choices.
It's obvious now that Game of Thrones simply won't be as successful as Telltale's other series. It's been a worthy experiment, and there have been some enjoyable scenes in there, but it just misses the mark, featuring too many characters and not enough real substance. However, Sons of Winter is certainly a more enjoyable episode than the previous two, with some decent character development. It often gets to the point much quicker with a lot less filler in between, while also taking characters to new places and surprising you along the way as we head towards the series' conclusion.
There aren't any heart-stopping moments or dramatic twists like there were in the early episodes, but Sons of Winter sets a good pace and keeps it up throughout the episode. It's great to see the continued focus on shrewdness over brute strength for most of the characters, especially considering House Forrester's situation in Westeros. What the family lacks in soldiers, it must make up for in cleverness. Being party to the events makes me feel clever, whether I truly have much of an effect or not.
Game of Thrones is really beginning to kick in to high gear as things start to possibly look up for the Forresters in Sons of Winter, but most importantly the characters start to get much-needed shots in the arm.
Despite these shortcomings, Game of Thrones: Episode 4 – Sons of Winter is still an enjoyable experience. While I left the episode feeling like all the choices I had made were, and still are, essentially worthless, I also wanted to dive right into Episode 5. The rising action and a few well-placed, surprising events kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I played through the episode, and I have a feeling that the next episode will be even more intense.
In the game of thrones, you win or you die, and though House Forrester has always been on the verge of death in the episodic series, Episode 4 finally puts them on the narrow path toward victory.
With just two episodes to go, Game of Thrones fans may soon get something for which they've been waiting years: A legitimate conclusion