A Game of Thrones: Genesis

 PC
User Score
4.1

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 117 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 117
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 117
  3. Negative: 68 out of 117

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  1. jkapp
    Oct 1, 2011
    4
    The realm A Game of Thrones takes place in is wondrous, exciting, imaginative and unique. Regrettably, the same cannot be said for the game--mainly due to the fact that it does not immerse you in this world and the game mechanics are not polished. In retrospect, it seems as if the game fails to deliver because of lazy developers. If you desire a strategy game, get Total War (any of them),The realm A Game of Thrones takes place in is wondrous, exciting, imaginative and unique. Regrettably, the same cannot be said for the game--mainly due to the fact that it does not immerse you in this world and the game mechanics are not polished. In retrospect, it seems as if the game fails to deliver because of lazy developers. If you desire a strategy game, get Total War (any of them), a Civ game, Europa Univ or, if unit driven battles are your fancy, Star Wars: Empire at War. Whatever you do, don't be like me and buy this game for the lore, because it fails to deliver miserably in that respect.… Expand
  2. tripjay
    Oct 1, 2011
    0
    SAVE YOUR MONEY!!!! I downloaded this via Steam hoping to find an exciting RTS based on the wonderful Song of Ice and Fire story. What I received was a snooze-fest of a game. My roommate also played the game and we are in full agreement it sucks on a massive scale. First off I've seen better graphics on my smart phone. The character movements are extremely slow. The first fewSAVE YOUR MONEY!!!! I downloaded this via Steam hoping to find an exciting RTS based on the wonderful Song of Ice and Fire story. What I received was a snooze-fest of a game. My roommate also played the game and we are in full agreement it sucks on a massive scale. First off I've seen better graphics on my smart phone. The character movements are extremely slow. The first few missions make me feel like I am Bill Murray in Groundhog's Day. Send envoys, send spies, send assassins and repeat... ZZZZzzzzzz. My roommate suggested I wait for a professional review and game play footage before purchasing, damn I wish I would have listened to him. I thought how bad could it be? I wasn't expecting cutting edge graphics and I was fine with that as long as it had a cool storyline and decent game play. I strongly suggest that you do not purchase this game. The graphics are very poor, the characters are absolutely tiny even when fully zoomed in. There is little sound effects or music during game play. I can't believe I just blew $40 on this game. The graphics somewhat remind me of Age of Empires II which came out almost 10 years ago. The only upside to this game is that you may catch up on sleep. If the sheer boredom of the game does not send you into unconsciousness the ridiculous load times will. My roommate is a huge fan of the series of books that this game is supposedly based on and he is as disgusted with it as much as I am. That being said don't expect good graphics, good story, or good game play. Do expect less money in your pocket and a frown on your face.… Expand
  3. Skjuludde
    Sep 29, 2011
    2
    Some people here must be joking. Cyanides own forums is teeming over with people who are literally pissed off at this game for not delivering what it promised.
    Basically what it is, is a very shallow world, if we take the HvH mode. No location or city or town got any names assigned to them. Your own capital town is called Feudal home. Very rich, very immersive. The game itself bases around    Some people here must be joking. Cyanides own forums is teeming over with people who are literally pissed off at this game for not delivering what it promised.
    Basically what it is, is a very shallow world, if we take the HvH mode. No location or city or town got any names assigned to them. Your own capital town is called Feudal home. Very rich, very immersive. The game itself bases around gathering 100 presige points, which you have many ways to get but many fewer ways to lose. Generally speaking a game is rather short, since 100 prestige points isn't hard to achieve. When you've got them you won, game's over byebye cya next time. The only reason they label it "Brute military force is not the only way to win" is because brute military force can't win the game. By the time you get to tedious wars, the game is over. The game is really a capture the node game. Start with a base, send out envoys, noble ladies, spies and god knows what, and "ally" surrounding towns to gain income. You send out a peasant to manage the fields and 1-2 merchants to every town and gold mine to gain money. Essentially it's just a capture the node game dressed up and labelled as something creative. Unfortunately they failed to deliver. There are no hotkeys, no way to assign armies, the minimap is rubbish and the instructions and information is either wrong or contain typos. Unlike my review, their text should be flawless, the least to expect from a company. Nonetheless it's not. You can find "loose" instead of "lose" along with information that the minimap is on the left side while it's on the right. It could've been done so much better. In fact with a lot of tweaking it's a promising concept, just drop all the focus on the neutrals and increase the diplomacy and underhanding with the other houses. Give it a decent combat system, not combat focused, but you should atleast be able to fight your way through a game if you'd like that. Add more options. For heavens sake there's not even a way to change the victory requirements in HvH.
    No spend your money elsewhere and don't let those "I rank this game 8 because I've never played any other strategy game and I think this is kind of good" fool you. There's a flood of better Strategy games out there. Europa Universalis 3, The Total War series, Civilization etc etc.    … Expand
  4. darkcerb
    Sep 29, 2011
    2
    Gameplay that would feel right at home in the early 90's are the most forgivable of this games many faults. The campain and skirmish modes lack all that made the books so great. The ai is terrible, the political and underhanded side of the game is insulting after reading what the devs/publishers had to say...I know this sounds stunted and isn't much of a review but this game actually madeGameplay that would feel right at home in the early 90's are the most forgivable of this games many faults. The campain and skirmish modes lack all that made the books so great. The ai is terrible, the political and underhanded side of the game is insulting after reading what the devs/publishers had to say...I know this sounds stunted and isn't much of a review but this game actually made me angry, that's how bad it is the graphics match the 90's gameplay and yet the load times are terrible. The skirmish mode's victory conditions can't be altered so you will lose over and over again for no apparent reason often related to your kingdoms "prestige" stat...bah just don't buy it it's awful. Not only because it plays and looks bad but because the books deserve far far better. hopefully someone makes a total war nock off with the promised deep political system that cyanide would have us believe is in this game, now that would be worth $40.… Expand
  5. Gratson
    Sep 29, 2011
    3
    Very disappointed. Thought I was buying a fun wargame which uses the Game of Thrones lore, and instead it ended up looking like a very generic boring type of game with little combat and slow-paced diplomacy with no real depth. Just send your envoy, capture a random "town", gain more gold, rinse and repeat. I stopped playing after about an hour, I'm just really disappointed with this game,Very disappointed. Thought I was buying a fun wargame which uses the Game of Thrones lore, and instead it ended up looking like a very generic boring type of game with little combat and slow-paced diplomacy with no real depth. Just send your envoy, capture a random "town", gain more gold, rinse and repeat. I stopped playing after about an hour, I'm just really disappointed with this game, a good strategy wargame based on the Game of Thrones universe would have been awesome but alas that's not the case here.

    Note: You might like it if you enjoy slow-paced strategy games with a lot of repetetiveness and little combat, but if not then you'd probably be better off not spending your 40 bucks on this.    … Expand
  6. SpectralAnubis
    Oct 6, 2011
    4
    I enjoy RTS games, not as much as RPG's but being fed the tactical base building warcraft style from a early age. One can appreciate a much different approach. However, despite my intrigue A Game of Thrones just doesn't intrigue. The game is not superficial with the a song of ice and fire universe. It's clearly more of a tribute to George R.R. Martins works. Rather than a glorifiedI enjoy RTS games, not as much as RPG's but being fed the tactical base building warcraft style from a early age. One can appreciate a much different approach. However, despite my intrigue A Game of Thrones just doesn't intrigue. The game is not superficial with the a song of ice and fire universe. It's clearly more of a tribute to George R.R. Martins works. Rather than a glorified immersion, which only the books (so far) can deliver. The issue isn't so much in the gameplay, be it lacking in uniqueness. No the real issue is how technically ill-fated this product is. Obvious to anyone with moderate knowledge of game design, this RTS was not ready for release. Cyanide studio attempt to create a simplistic graphical game, only hindered their programming, and localization. A great percentage of games bought simply just didn't work on systems. Be it loading, single-player or Multi-player. Cyanide studio, shouldn't be happy with how porous their release was. They've engineered buggy video games in the past, Loki and Blood Bowl. I can personally live with a few kinks here and there, but having a product, that doesn't function for many users across the spectrum of present technology is absurd. I can live in this DRM era that we gamers have been albeit at times reluctantly pushed into. I cannot live with non-functioning, irresponsible development. Thus we have A Game of Thrones, I do hope the issues are worked within the quagmire of code lies a different take on the RTS gen. I would've liked to have tested this product for Cyanide before it's shoddy release. 4/10… Expand
  7. bigcrazewolf
    Oct 3, 2011
    0
    I thought I was back on my Compaq Presario in the 90's playing a C&C clone, all dreams aside...I did expect more from this game, all the complaints are true bad graphics, rotten interface, sad fact of not being able to save the game when, or where you want....because no one has a RL from time to time, the small family banner every unit has looks almost the same as all the others. Did theyI thought I was back on my Compaq Presario in the 90's playing a C&C clone, all dreams aside...I did expect more from this game, all the complaints are true bad graphics, rotten interface, sad fact of not being able to save the game when, or where you want....because no one has a RL from time to time, the small family banner every unit has looks almost the same as all the others. Did they not look at any of the books? It would of been nice, you know to have names to the towns, castles, or mines. Please don't waste your hard earned money on this game...the owner of the GoT name really needs to find a software company that will do justice for the series, unfortunately I heard the same company is also working on a RPG GoT title.......oh say it ain't so. Next time I even think of running this game I need to remember I have Civ 5...........I had to change my rating after playing this abomination longer.… Expand
  8. bilwit
    Oct 8, 2011
    0
    This would be a decent $10 bargain bin type of gain. Unfortunately for those of us who have spent $29.99 on it, it isn't. What we got was a lifeless game with outdated graphics, coupled with no support or documentation whatsoever.
  9. RRoels
    Oct 13, 2011
    3
    For the saga fans just a premier of what we are waiting for. For the people who don't know the novel an weak option full of programing mistakes, slow and low graphics. Disappointing...
  10. JakeDalay
    Jan 10, 2012
    2
    Well, what can I say. I give it a 2 out of 10, because while it does make some reference to the novels, which I have enjoyed, the gameplay and graphics are so terrible, they make the whole game appear to be little more than a feeble attempt to rip off the growing fan-base of the series with an expensive impulse buy. Do not buy this game, no matter how good the sale, it is a waste of money,Well, what can I say. I give it a 2 out of 10, because while it does make some reference to the novels, which I have enjoyed, the gameplay and graphics are so terrible, they make the whole game appear to be little more than a feeble attempt to rip off the growing fan-base of the series with an expensive impulse buy. Do not buy this game, no matter how good the sale, it is a waste of money, and whats more, time. That being said, if you like games with simple graphics that are absolutely not fun or enjoyable save for a few references to a book series, then by all means, waste your life playing A Game of Thrones: Genesis, and leave the fun games to the rest of us.… Expand
  11. MJR
    Oct 13, 2011
    0
    Do not let this game spoil A Song of Ice and Fire for you, as this in no way represents the books or TV series. I had a feeling in my gut that this was going to be terrible and unfortunately I was right. I didn't buy it but I did play and, well, it sucked a**. I really have no idea why they would make a game for the series in this particular way. If you were going to do a RTS style song ofDo not let this game spoil A Song of Ice and Fire for you, as this in no way represents the books or TV series. I had a feeling in my gut that this was going to be terrible and unfortunately I was right. I didn't buy it but I did play and, well, it sucked a**. I really have no idea why they would make a game for the series in this particular way. If you were going to do a RTS style song of ice and fire game make it like total war or something. Better yet make an awesome RPG. Just not this garbage.… Expand
  12. makis
    Oct 20, 2011
    2
    Worst way to spend your money, i mean this is a robbery this game would be a hit at the late 90's but come on...30 Euro? 10 Euro and it would still be expensive. Sometimes it reminds me the legendary Z (you must be at least 28 years old to remember that game) but this one sucks big time. The battles are boring,the dialogs are lame, no feeling and especialy those who are fan of the bookWorst way to spend your money, i mean this is a robbery this game would be a hit at the late 90's but come on...30 Euro? 10 Euro and it would still be expensive. Sometimes it reminds me the legendary Z (you must be at least 28 years old to remember that game) but this one sucks big time. The battles are boring,the dialogs are lame, no feeling and especialy those who are fan of the book and the TV series they will be disappointed.… Expand
  13. Zosimos
    Oct 30, 2011
    0
    OMG I truly hate wasting money on games that steal titles from actual quality works of art. George R.R. Martin should feel personally violated that this hunk of excrement uses the same title as his books. Oh wait, he contributed to this? This does not look positive for him ever finishing the series...

    Overall the game sucked incredibly - I sure wish steam gave refunds!
  14. mgstewart
    Nov 6, 2011
    0
    The major point for me is it is just so boring i can see positives in the game it is just really underdeveloped. Bad graphics and bad gameplay and what totally destorys it is the terrible animations.
  15. Baub
    Dec 15, 2011
    0
    This game... is just disgusting. the game play is the more dull and static thing i have ever seen. not only does it put you to sleep, but if you actually want to win its VERY tedious and annoying. its just an obnoxious game of who can spam the most diplomats and spies and rush them into surrounding territories. the graphics look like theyre from 2002, and to be honest, i woldnt even takeThis game... is just disgusting. the game play is the more dull and static thing i have ever seen. not only does it put you to sleep, but if you actually want to win its VERY tedious and annoying. its just an obnoxious game of who can spam the most diplomats and spies and rush them into surrounding territories. the graphics look like theyre from 2002, and to be honest, i woldnt even take this game if it was FREE, its not even worth the time or memory on my hard drive.… Expand
  16. kamryu
    Dec 23, 2011
    3
    1 out of 3 The story to this game is attrocious given what they had to work with it genuinly felt like your basic 1990's strategy story
    1 out of 3 gameplay is slow and basic at best just build the army send them down to siege the enemy and watch thats it very little in terms of real strategy in this game
    1 out of 3 for graphics yes it has them so it gets 1 point are they good or even    1 out of 3 The story to this game is attrocious given what they had to work with it genuinly felt like your basic 1990's strategy story
    1 out of 3 gameplay is slow and basic at best just build the army send them down to siege the enemy and watch thats it very little in terms of real strategy in this game
    1 out of 3 for graphics yes it has them so it gets 1 point are they good or even decent god lord no
    0 out of 1 replay value , Me personaly I regret buying it a Game of Thrones RTS you would think could be done so well in fact you wander how they managed to mess this up as badly as they did, it fails to deliver the atmosphere of the seven realms or the houses you will honestly find yourself at times just zoneing out while playing it it requires very little real strategy to play graphics do not make up for it neither does the single player story it MIGHT be interesting in multiplayer depending on who your playing against but even then given its severe lack of variety with units and strategy elements I doubt it    … Expand
  17. lucipher
    Apr 11, 2012
    0
    The controls are horrific, unresponsive, or just plain broken. You simply do not have the information you need visible when you need it. Things happen with your units, and you're never notified. It's extremely frustrating when critical unit dies, and it isn't until late in the game when you happen to notice its not where you left it, and you have no idea what happened to it.

    The combat is    The controls are horrific, unresponsive, or just plain broken. You simply do not have the information you need visible when you need it. Things happen with your units, and you're never notified. It's extremely frustrating when critical unit dies, and it isn't until late in the game when you happen to notice its not where you left it, and you have no idea what happened to it.

    The combat is ridiculous. For such a slow-paced game, I feel that the combat is virtually uncontrollable and even large engagements are over far too quickly. No formations, no tactics, not even the ability to actually see what's going on during a fight. Mass up a bunch of army guys and throw them at an enemy target. Hope you win. Where is the fun in that? It takes so long to get to this point that it's even more disappointing that the end-game basically turns into a roll of the dice / mash fest.

    Lastly, the bugs. Oh...the bugs. Units getting permanently stuck and refusing to move. Enemy armies walking right through each other without attacking. I love it when the entire land map flashes black--really immersive. And what is up with the levels reloading from the beginning after you beat them?

    Also beware - Cyanide astroturf posters - paid posters - are on Steam on Metacritic trying to game the score and convince more suckers to buy. Don't be fooled by these scum - this game is rubbish shovelware.    … Expand
  18. Elnet
    Feb 29, 2012
    1
    This game was created by a troll to steal our money, bigger **** i ever seen. I tried this game by 3 hours,, everyday i cry until fall sleep thinking at the poor people that buy this ****
  19. RexxRacerX
    Oct 1, 2011
    0
    This game is pure garbage, and I wish I had saved my money. Controls are antiquated,with no hotkeys, Nothing of note or groundbreaking, just horrible game that you feel like came from 1995 era RTS explosion.

    Even the Encyclopedia is light, with very limited and not very detailed information. Save your money, and time and play rock, paper, scissors, because this is what this game is    This game is pure garbage, and I wish I had saved my money. Controls are antiquated,with no hotkeys, Nothing of note or groundbreaking, just horrible game that you feel like came from 1995 era RTS explosion.

    Even the Encyclopedia is light, with very limited and not very detailed information.

    Save your money, and time and play rock, paper, scissors, because this is what this game is about, and has very very poor mechanics and adaptation of the George RR Martin world.    … Expand
  20. GraysonAC
    Sep 30, 2011
    1
    Of all the GoT characters that GRR Martin should have already killed of, this is surely the most worthy of being put out of our collective misery.
    Cyanide has a history of shoveling out games with extremely low production values, and Genesis is no exception. The company's only well-received game is the medicre (but acceptable) 'Pro Cycling Manager', although most gamers who even know they    Of all the GoT characters that GRR Martin should have already killed of, this is surely the most worthy of being put out of our collective misery.
    Cyanide has a history of shoveling out games with extremely low production values, and Genesis is no exception. The company's only well-received game is the medicre (but acceptable) 'Pro Cycling Manager', although most gamers who even know they exist will know them from their tragic adaptation of Blood Bowl (by Games Workshop).
    It would be possible to enjoy GoT:G, but there is no reason to even make the attempt - this game will not stand on it's own merits, and the only reason it may undeservedly turn a profit is the bizarre slapping of the GoT name on this abomination.    … Expand
  21. Heavymetal4life
    Oct 2, 2011
    0
    First off you can tell this game is a waste of time cause their is no major critic reviews an its been out almost a week now, Tells you that even big names like PCgamer,IGN,Gamestop wont even waste their time reviewing this Heep of **** Save your money game is worth maybe 5-10 dollars at the utmost, Just padding the pockets of people who release crap like this an as far as I am concernedFirst off you can tell this game is a waste of time cause their is no major critic reviews an its been out almost a week now, Tells you that even big names like PCgamer,IGN,Gamestop wont even waste their time reviewing this Heep of **** Save your money game is worth maybe 5-10 dollars at the utmost, Just padding the pockets of people who release crap like this an as far as I am concerned feel they can slap the faces of their customers by allowing **** like this to go live for sale.… Expand
  22. Parrk
    Sep 29, 2011
    3
    This game exhibits a stunning lack of depth. It is as though it were produced for play on machines from 3 generations ago and after they had implemented the lackluster graphics they decided that they should limit additional features to ensure that players could run it. More ridiculous then even the lack of depth is the publisher's decision to use tages, the most draconian of antiquated DRMThis game exhibits a stunning lack of depth. It is as though it were produced for play on machines from 3 generations ago and after they had implemented the lackluster graphics they decided that they should limit additional features to ensure that players could run it. More ridiculous then even the lack of depth is the publisher's decision to use tages, the most draconian of antiquated DRM schemes. I am sad for those who are genuine fans of GOT lore, because this game will certainly dash their hopes… Expand
  23. arcon72
    Sep 29, 2011
    3
    As a fan of the Game of Thrones series, I was enthusiastic about the release of this game and the boasting of his in depth gameplay. I was immediately smacked in the face with reality upon loading this game for the first time. First, the opening cinematics wouldn't display and the PC would just hang a black screen. This turned out to be because the game couldn't handle 1900x1200 graphics,As a fan of the Game of Thrones series, I was enthusiastic about the release of this game and the boasting of his in depth gameplay. I was immediately smacked in the face with reality upon loading this game for the first time. First, the opening cinematics wouldn't display and the PC would just hang a black screen. This turned out to be because the game couldn't handle 1900x1200 graphics, so I had to edit the config file to disable the cinematics just to get the game to load.

    Upon starting the game for the first time, I was filled with nostalgia as the games graphics and feel reminded me of the original Age of Empires game from the late 90's. The graphics aren't much more up to date than that.

    Ignoring the look of it though, I pressed on through a bit of the campaign and a few skirmish modes, hoping that the game play would reflect something more meaningful. Unfortunately, it did not.

    The "political intrigue" that was promised is nothing more than an annoying game of cat and mouse between your Envoy, Spy, Rogue, and Assassin characters. The entire political/underhanded sub plot to the game isn't anything new or exciting, it's just a tedious boredom.

    The "armies" are made up of generic looking units who follow the typical rock paper scissors approach to combat, and the combat itself doesn't feel very satisfying. Even after a massive battle between multiple units I was left feeling disappointed. Games such as Warcraft were able to capture the frenetic pace and feel of a large scale fight, while Game of Thrones was barely able to capture my attention to them.

    My love for the book and TV series drove me to continue playing, in hopes of finding a bright spot in the game. In the end though, I realized I had simply wasted $40 and a whole lot of time on a game that should have been relegated to the top shelves of Wal-Mart alongside the old $10 games.

    Don't waste your money or your time on this. The game is an injustice to the world that George RR Martin built, and a sadly outdated addition to the RTS world.    … Expand
  24. Poopypants
    Sep 29, 2011
    1
    I'm sorry, this is not a "political simulation" nor a "diplomacy-heavy" game. Europa Universalis is, Civilization is to some extent, but this is not. The "diplomatic and political" aspects of this game involve capturing towns with envoy characters and using crappy rock-paper-scissor mechanics for all other units. The graphics are atrocious, there are no hotkeys for an RTS game, theI'm sorry, this is not a "political simulation" nor a "diplomacy-heavy" game. Europa Universalis is, Civilization is to some extent, but this is not. The "diplomatic and political" aspects of this game involve capturing towns with envoy characters and using crappy rock-paper-scissor mechanics for all other units. The graphics are atrocious, there are no hotkeys for an RTS game, the movement and revealing of units is bugged, and the game even got rushed out without any voice work for the tutorial (but enough crappy voice work for the characters themselves, huzzah).

    I am rarely angry about purchasing a game, but GRRM's Song of Ice and Fire is a great series soiled by a horrible game. At least there's some precedent in it -- the first Star Wars games were pretty awful too, right? Graphics 0/10
    Sound 0/10
    Gameplay 1/10

    Final score: 1/10    … Expand
  25. Hubert
    Oct 10, 2011
    0
    This game is rubbish, it lasted one hour on my hard drive. It is a terrible game and you'd be well advised to save your money. I should have read the reviews here before I purchased it.
  26. mrFriendlydog
    Oct 2, 2011
    3
    an interesting "newish" approach to the RTS genre - which does not work that well. insultingly outdated graphics and nearly unusable navigation and interaction elements: soldiers are so tiny that your main game challenge will be figuring out where who or what is running around. the all too narrow zoom level on the cramped and tiny maps isnt helping either.
    as a game concept prototype and    an interesting "newish" approach to the RTS genre - which does not work that well. insultingly outdated graphics and nearly unusable navigation and interaction elements: soldiers are so tiny that your main game challenge will be figuring out where who or what is running around. the all too narrow zoom level on the cramped and tiny maps isnt helping either.
    as a game concept prototype and test candidate for, say, a game theory university: solid, if yet wanting. as a "a song of ice and fire" franchise game: insulting.
    has no game of thrones flair whatsoever. no castle has any other name then "feudal home" which leaves you guessing what things and locations are supposed to be - even if you are a die hard fan of the books. all in all: this game is sadly a total fail. especially when charged 40 euros on steam,. which is 54 USD.    … Expand
  27. wArrior_DoTa
    Nov 2, 2011
    6
    Not a bad game once you get into it, but it did take a while to get past the learning curve. I think some RTS gamers might enjoy GoT:G approach to RTS genre quite a bit - but this is definitely not for everybody. It`s great to see someone is trying to do something different - and not just another Total War clone - however - they should have spent more time developing their ideas andNot a bad game once you get into it, but it did take a while to get past the learning curve. I think some RTS gamers might enjoy GoT:G approach to RTS genre quite a bit - but this is definitely not for everybody. It`s great to see someone is trying to do something different - and not just another Total War clone - however - they should have spent more time developing their ideas and gameplay.
    Visually the game is really nothing special - and it`s really hard to figure out what units are where on the map.    … Expand
  28. Letho
    Sep 29, 2011
    0
    FUUUUUUUUUUUU, what is this crap??? Anyone trying to make the argument that this is anything but a garbage television ripoff has never played a good game before. Please keep your useless comments to yourselves so you don't confuse people and trick them into giving money to this dreadful developer, who should be burned at the stake for this desecration of GRRM's universe.
  29. xveganrox
    May 4, 2012
    0
    Really, really, painfully bad. A tragic abuse of the GoT IP, although this abomination would be unforgivable under any name. Terrible, late-90s graphics? Check. Lack of any sort of compelling storytelling (including no cinematics)? Check. Horrible, boring "gameplay" mechanics? Check. Avoid this at all costs.
  30. terrycyber
    Nov 3, 2011
    8
    Most reviews for this game are sounding like this game's game-play ( the core of most games ), is broken. I don't think the game-play is broken in anyway. Maybe sad enough for large battle rts fans, but that's just how the game plays, different approaches to expand and maintain your zone of influence, doesn't mean the game-play is broken.
  31. vcupike
    Sep 29, 2011
    8
    Worth $30 not $40 but its a diamond in the rough. The graphics certainly could have used more attention and it could have been better programmed (sluggish mouse, no sensitivity option). All that aside it is not your typical strategy game. Actual combat seems to be the worst way to win a match. The game wants you to win by all other means possible before you result to war aka actually howWorth $30 not $40 but its a diamond in the rough. The graphics certainly could have used more attention and it could have been better programmed (sluggish mouse, no sensitivity option). All that aside it is not your typical strategy game. Actual combat seems to be the worst way to win a match. The game wants you to win by all other means possible before you result to war aka actually how things get done. A.I. isn't the greatest but multiplayer potential is huge as you will have to be truly focused to see anything comin' otherwise you'll get blindsided hard. If you need a game now (holding off till skyrim and SWTOR here) go ahead and get it if you love the franchise, otherwise wait till it drops to $20 bucks its well worth that.… Expand
  32. Jengaship
    Sep 29, 2011
    8
    It seems that those who have negative reviews (particularly darkcerb and Gratson) seem disappointed that the game wasn't what they "thought it would be," but based on their reviews they clearly had no idea what they were buying. Not to sugar-coat anything, but give this game a fair chance. For those who do not need to have their eyes blasted from their sockets by stunning HD graphicsIt seems that those who have negative reviews (particularly darkcerb and Gratson) seem disappointed that the game wasn't what they "thought it would be," but based on their reviews they clearly had no idea what they were buying. Not to sugar-coat anything, but give this game a fair chance. For those who do not need to have their eyes blasted from their sockets by stunning HD graphics every time they log in, this is a fun, challenging game. The real strengths are the multiple paths to victory; Prestige is everything, and while you gain it slowly, you can also lose it very quickly depending upon your actions (breaking pacts with other Major Houses actually have consequences, unlike so many RTS's). You need a balanced approach; diplomacy abroad, marriages at home, eyes and ears on everything. The game does a fine job of not telling you when you've been duped: something I say "bravo!" to Cyanide for. If someone pulls the rug from under one of your alliances, you not only don't get notified, but the game will continually feed you inaccurate POV information. If one of your assassins gets bought out, you have no idea that the person he just "killed" for you is still alive and well; they vanished from the screen, so why give it another thought? Now, there are things that could be better; AI tends to be a bit too direct at times, and gives up too easily on certain challenges when they just need to try a different approach. Also, the sluggish mouse can make gameplay frustrating when you need to be keeping track of multiple things quickly. The lack of hotkeys can slow-down players used to high-speed swarming, but sorry, you'll not be winning this game in the first 2 minutes. The slow building process and only one spawn point are on purpose; you have to make hard choices about what to develop and when. You can't have it all, no matter what you were told as children. That said, the game is by no means sluggish; the full 8-player map of Westeroes has so far taken just around 30 minutes after 5 plays (3 wins, 2 losses). So I say here what anyone should already know; READ up on what you are buying. Understand the game before you get it and then don't be shocked that it isn't what you "expected." I don't think this will be wildly popular, but for those who are looking for something unique and are fans of the books, GoT:Genesis has more pros than cons.… Expand
  33. Hunterh22
    Sep 29, 2011
    8
    I believe when playing this game you need to keep a open mind. This game is not like most RTS games where you just build up and rush the other players to win. If you are looking for a game like that it would be wise to spend your money on something else. Personally I like this game because of how different it is. You have to use deception and a little more skill in order to win. I agreeI believe when playing this game you need to keep a open mind. This game is not like most RTS games where you just build up and rush the other players to win. If you are looking for a game like that it would be wise to spend your money on something else. Personally I like this game because of how different it is. You have to use deception and a little more skill in order to win. I agree that the graphics are not what they could be but I think this game still has its own unique beauty to it. The one place that I believe this game is going to shine at is the multiplayer. Overall this game does have some issues that hopefully they will patch up in the future but if you go into it and play the game for what it is and not for what you wanted it to be you will enjoy it. Also pardon any spelling and grammer errors in this I typed it up in a hurry while at work because I could not stand all the negative reviews on a game that is not as bad as they make it look to be.… Expand
  34. corecmdr
    Sep 29, 2011
    8
    Wow lotsa bad reviews, regardless heres my take on this game. its not shogun total war but has a MOO feel to it (masters of orion) instead of war being the only option the game has a heavy diplomatic system. War generally only happens after scheming and plotting have been done, finding out you have been betrayed and theres a town right by you can be a serious shock. I played this game withWow lotsa bad reviews, regardless heres my take on this game. its not shogun total war but has a MOO feel to it (masters of orion) instead of war being the only option the game has a heavy diplomatic system. War generally only happens after scheming and plotting have been done, finding out you have been betrayed and theres a town right by you can be a serious shock. I played this game with my roommate last night and it seems to have some good multiplayer replay value. HOWEVER its not for you RTS junkies that need to kill kill kill nor is it for suped up action junkies. Its not all about war and more about diplomacy. People who enjoy board games (as I do) will be impressed by the prestige points system and how quickly a game can go (jesus christ how does he have the most amount of aliances)

    worth the 40 bucks for me    … Expand
  35. AUT_Nessilian
    Sep 29, 2011
    7
    Well, I bought this game yesterday evening via Steam and expected a totally new approach to RTS games. Yes, this was, what i got and because i found not that much of tests or reviews, i write a comment:

    Basics - Graphics: 4/10 (for a game released in 2011, it`s not much more than a joke, but it has, what it needs) - UI/Controls: 7/10 (intuitive and not much to explore - easy to learn and    Well, I bought this game yesterday evening via Steam and expected a totally new approach to RTS games. Yes, this was, what i got and because i found not that much of tests or reviews, i write a comment:

    Basics
    - Graphics: 4/10 (for a game released in 2011, it`s not much more than a joke, but it has, what it needs)
    - UI/Controls: 7/10 (intuitive and not much to explore - easy to learn and master the controls of the game
    - Sound: 3/10 (nothing worthy to mention)
    - Loading time and Load screens: 2/10 (it really takes a while to get in he game finally - in the game though, nothing to load again)
    - Bugs: 9/10 (didn`t find any bugs but some clipping ..nothing to mention)

    Game
    - Idea: 9/10 (I really think, the dev. did a good job, trying to be unique. It works for me and i like this kind of STRATEGY game)
    - Starting/noobfriendlyness: 5/10 (it`s very complex if u go further in the game, because all new inventions and diplomatic depth can be used to u`r disadvantage by u`r opponents. It seems to take some time to find a good way to win a game
    - tutorial: 2/10 (a joke, nothing with love :))

    in general:
    - a game, which fits in every strategy collection and needs some time to learn. Well done idea and concept with "uurrrgghhss" graphics.

    Recommended?
    - yes, IF u have some patience    … Expand
  36. Aemilius
    Sep 30, 2011
    9
    I really enjoy this game it feels deep but it has a good UI so it is easy to discover new things and it feels really balance because of the small differences that the factions have between each other. The AI isn't that great but if you have friends to play with then you can expect very fun skirmishes and intriguing plots. Graphics are generally good though it lacks in combat animations andI really enjoy this game it feels deep but it has a good UI so it is easy to discover new things and it feels really balance because of the small differences that the factions have between each other. The AI isn't that great but if you have friends to play with then you can expect very fun skirmishes and intriguing plots. Graphics are generally good though it lacks in combat animations and it has quite long loading times. The Campaign is varied and the story is compelling. Overall I think this game will be really liked by those who don't really mind the slower game play of a Grand strategy game mixed with RTS.… Expand
  37. Xanthostemon
    Oct 5, 2011
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Graphics dont make the game, although, better animations would definately help. I should also point out that I have never read the books, nor have I watched the series, so I have zero predetermined biased opinions of what I would expect from the game, and unlike most other strategy games Ive played, I actually found the story in this one to be rather interesting. There is little I can say that is bad about this game, you can see that tonnes and tonnes of thought went into the mechanics and to accommodate different playstyles, but with all this aside, there is something there I just cannot put my finger on. Balance is perfect between the different units, with most units having multiple functions. Here is where it lost another point for me though. There is just toooo much going on sometimes.. you need lots of units to be efficient, but then you end up having to directly control nearly all of those units individually to get what you want done, there was sooo many times that many of my guys would just be forgotten because I was too busy preparing a bribe on a wandering envoy while trying to assasinate a noble lady so I could influence village with my spy and to be efficient, you need to be doing this in 6 different areas all the while making sure no-one is using underhand tactics on yourself! A more automated option would be nice for some units (Rogues bribing nearby wandering envoys for example) akin to the assassins ambush would help to improve the illusion of life within the game. After a while I got bored because really I was only using one or two units to play trying to be sneaky with them when I *know* I could have been doing so much more.

    The other thing I found is once war has begun, it cannot end, a nice ebb and flow to the game would have been for the war "timer" to increase with the hostilities, and then have some way for it to decrease over time again taking you back to a peaceful era. I felt that you invested so much time and effort into the peace time units only to have them rendered absolutely useless in war left me disapointed and also left me thinking "why didnt I just use all my resources on military and just kill stuff from the get go?" The answer to that question by the way is because the peace time gameplay IS a lot of fun and very sneaky.. just that war can be initiated at ANY time, which makes peope who prefer to play that way losing out big time.

    With all this being said about Graphics etc etc bad etc etc.. no.. no they are not the best.. but the mechanics, and the gameplay, in the right hands, have the potential to open up a whole new genre of strategy games.. oh yeah.. and with a few animation tweaks, it would have been fine..

    So in the end, One point gone for bad animations, another gone for somehow making me bored by giving me toooo many things to do, and another point gone for repetitive sound effects.. theres only so many times you can listen to your Assassin say "Im sorry" before you feel like slapping him in chains for sympathising with the enemy!    … Expand
  38. mateo22
    Sep 30, 2011
    9
    It's definetely very different. Graphics could be better but the gameplay is very deep. There are so many options, it feels like a perfect fit for the universe
  39. Tubie
    Oct 7, 2011
    10
    I can see it hard to justify the $40 price tag. In all honesty this game would be much better received at $20. Pricing issues aside, the game tries new things in a genre full of duplicates and tired old paradigms. You can't just gather resources and spam clicks to victory, it is a refreshing take on the genre, more like a bold experiment. Add all this innovation to the lore behind "A songI can see it hard to justify the $40 price tag. In all honesty this game would be much better received at $20. Pricing issues aside, the game tries new things in a genre full of duplicates and tired old paradigms. You can't just gather resources and spam clicks to victory, it is a refreshing take on the genre, more like a bold experiment. Add all this innovation to the lore behind "A song of ice and fire" and you got yourself a great experience if you are the right person. It is not perfect and at $40 I would only recommend this to fans of BOTH RTS and ASOIAF.… Expand
  40. zomboyd
    Oct 27, 2011
    7
    Not been a strategy game player but loving the world, the game fail s to deliver full perspective on the world and the campaigns fail to drag you into the world and immerse you in the lore and history of one of the greatest places ever written about. The true depth of this game will be found in multiplayer and if a strong base is found here the game will deliver its moneys worth. If likeNot been a strategy game player but loving the world, the game fail s to deliver full perspective on the world and the campaigns fail to drag you into the world and immerse you in the lore and history of one of the greatest places ever written about. The true depth of this game will be found in multiplayer and if a strong base is found here the game will deliver its moneys worth. If like me you are not much of a multiplayer strategy gamer, it is a diversion that really is worth about $20 not the $40 its been charged at currently, If you like multiplayer RTS games then this could be the game for you as it is unlike most strategy games out there as going to war is the wrong way to win the game.....… Expand
  41. Necrotaur
    Mar 13, 2013
    3
    Game of Thrones: Genesis somehow manages to make rock-paper-scissors mechanics overly complicated. You've got spies, which can see guardsmen, and guardsmen protect against envoys, who ally with towns, unless the town has a secret agreement with your enemy, because then it's only a FAKE agreement, and you'll never know unless you send your own spy in, so you'd better clear out the guardsGame of Thrones: Genesis somehow manages to make rock-paper-scissors mechanics overly complicated. You've got spies, which can see guardsmen, and guardsmen protect against envoys, who ally with towns, unless the town has a secret agreement with your enemy, because then it's only a FAKE agreement, and you'll never know unless you send your own spy in, so you'd better clear out the guards with assassins, except make sure the assassin isn't a double assassin because he'll only fake assassinate people and then a princess comes in and makes out with your envoy who... yeah. If that gives you the impression that it's got deep strategy, I apologize, it's really not. Repetitive and needlessly confusing is a better description. It's got a terrible UI and hard to read font that make learning everything extremely difficult. There is some lore there which is interesting enough, but if you're looking for lore, just read the books a fifth time. The game isn't worth it.… Expand
  42. Mayavin
    Oct 2, 2011
    9
    While the graphics are not great and the load times can definitely be improved, the intricate web of deceit and espionage covered by the gameplay itself more than makes up for all of that. With some patches to fix the minor bugs, this game might prove to be a little gem in the rough.
  43. StefanSasse
    Oct 3, 2011
    10
    I don't know what all people are **** about. I think the main problem is the same as with ADWD: folks expected something that was never promised nor intended to be done. Cyanide did a strategy game in the ASOIAF universe, period. They did not make an interactive version of the books, period. So, the game is interesting, I like it, and if you hoped for something else and bought it blindly,I don't know what all people are **** about. I think the main problem is the same as with ADWD: folks expected something that was never promised nor intended to be done. Cyanide did a strategy game in the ASOIAF universe, period. They did not make an interactive version of the books, period. So, the game is interesting, I like it, and if you hoped for something else and bought it blindly, you're to blame and not the game. It's like buying a washing machine and then complaining that you can't cake bake with it.… Expand
  44. keramp
    Oct 3, 2011
    9
    To start out, i have read the manual and gone through the tutorial. Not easy, but i found a lots of stuff to understand.
    It's not a Total war or stracraft ...
    Very strategique but Graphics are poor
    Very addictive in multiplayers mode :)
    I love this game
  45. Korkenzieher
    Nov 10, 2011
    5
    What a waste of the license. Some nice ideas, but the game gets after a few hours of average entertainment very boring. If youre in hope for a dramatic story like in the TV series - forget it...
  46. odennsonn
    Apr 25, 2012
    9
    Great innovation in the genre and excellently cached the spirit of westerosi intrigues. Bad aspects are immense graphics in combat and combat in general with no opportunities to develop any type of specific tactic or strategy, but since the game is focusing on intrigues you mostly win or lose before combat even begins.
  47. Killertehnoob
    Jul 19, 2012
    0
    Dont buy this game.. just dont. Its a waste of money. gj cyanide.. The game doesnt really look like Westeros.. if you want a real strategy game based on song of ice and fire, play Westeros: Total War mod of M2:TW-Kingdoms. The alpha version is out and they are bringing something new to the previews every weekend!
  48. MatikTheSeventh
    Oct 11, 2020
    2
    One of the worst, most boring RTS games out there. The gameplay is not engaging in any way, and it's downright boring to play through.

Awards & Rankings

90
#90 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
63
#63 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
53

Mixed or average reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 40
  3. Negative: 12 out of 40
  1. PC PowerPlay
    Dec 4, 2011
    30
    Revisit the Stupid Ned Stark meme instead. It's much more entertaining. [Christmas 2011, p.68]
  2. CD-Action
    Nov 29, 2011
    60
    Genesis doesn't work for the people who had no idea about 'A Song of Ice and Fire' before the HBO TV series came out. But if you consider yourself a master strategist and miss Good Old Times – buy it. [December 2011, p.94]
  3. GamingXP
    Nov 28, 2011
    72
    With a long campaign, A Game of Thrones: Genesis will captivate fans of the original series in particular. It's not a particularly good-looking game even by strategy standards, though.
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