Game of Thrones: Episode One - Iron From Ice

 PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 305 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 195 out of 305
  2. Mixed: 62 out of 305
  3. Negative: 48 out of 305

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  1. Cannily
    Dec 7, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When I first played it, I liked it very much. The atmosphere is great and the story, with the different characters you can play with, catches the feeling of the show and books.
    The only thing I was disappointed in, was the fact, that none of my decisions has an effect on the end of ep 1. It is really annoying, that the best part, which surprised me when playing it for the first time, is unchangeable, and becomes the worst part with that. Because with this, it is only an other TV Show you can watch but not a game.    … Expand
  2. flametail23
    Dec 7, 2014
    7
    For a TellTale game, this is disappointing. I was not really exited for this game but I bought it anyway. It's good but it's no where near as good as TWD, TWAU OR TFTB.
    7/10
  3. papadrew7
    Dec 3, 2014
    6
    I bought this game because it was set in the game of thrones universe and not because I thought this was going to be a great game. The story was interesting and kept me playing til the end BUT some of my decisions seemed to not matter at all. There is only an illusion of choice. I hope that this series doesn't turn out like mass effect 3 but only time will tell in that regard. The graphicsI bought this game because it was set in the game of thrones universe and not because I thought this was going to be a great game. The story was interesting and kept me playing til the end BUT some of my decisions seemed to not matter at all. There is only an illusion of choice. I hope that this series doesn't turn out like mass effect 3 but only time will tell in that regard. The graphics for this generation are subpar but it isn't game breaking. If you like game of thrones and have watched all of the seasons or read all of the books then you should enjoy this but if you are not then stay away.… Expand
  4. phAtBenJ
    Dec 4, 2014
    7
    I've been excited for a while since I heard Telltale would be developing an episodic adventure for Game of Thrones, one of the best television shows on currently. It's hard to approach this review because it's still an overall enjoyable experience, but Telltale games are definitely starting to show their age.

    From start to finish, the story is engaging, as we've come to expect from    I've been excited for a while since I heard Telltale would be developing an episodic adventure for Game of Thrones, one of the best television shows on currently. It's hard to approach this review because it's still an overall enjoyable experience, but Telltale games are definitely starting to show their age.

    From start to finish, the story is engaging, as we've come to expect from Telltale games. Due to this series being six episodes instead of the more recently used five, the writers are given the time to pace things out more in-line with the show. It's a slow build for the most part, with the majority of the gameplay being conversations. There's a couple scenes featuring some quicktime events, but overall this is a very dialogue driven episode. This can be to the gamer's pleasure or displeasure depending on their patience and preference, but I found it to be great. The episode features set pieces that viewers of the show would recognize and allows the gamer to experience a story in a universe that is alive and complex, which in itself is a joy.

    All this being said, I feel a sense of fatigue when I play Telltale games nowadays. Maybe it's in part because I've grown accustomed to the formula of gameplay and decision making that they've now become known for or maybe it's because I know the majority of my choices won't have any dire consequences as playthrough will end with very similar results. For example, I knew that with the first major decision given in the game, it wouldn't truly matter because the opposite of what I picked would ultimately happen regardless. To simplify, in any given binary decision to be made, the outcome will eventually account for both options. This lessens the impact of all the decisions you make and removes you emotionally from the story that's taking place. This is a problem featured in all the Telltale games I've played. It doesn't really remove any of the enjoyment from an initial playthrough, but it does severely limit replaying the game, especially with Telltale's continual refusal to remove the ability to skip cutscenes or lines of dialogue on repeat runs.

    Telltale's Game of Thrones adventure will prove to be another great story to live through, I'm sure. Despite this, Telltale's inability to evolve from its gaming format prevents the game from truly transcending to what it can be. I just hope they will eventually grow out of their formula before other gamers come to realize their tendencies.    … Expand
  5. Ser_Riggers
    Dec 8, 2014
    6
    If I had to pick a word to describe this game it would be "memorable". Telltale had a very high bar to hit for this game, and, although falling short, gave it a brilliant effort; the characters are great, the story is both familiar and new, and the graphics far exceed what I've come to expect from previous Telltale titles. The game is brought down, however, by it's material; it just can'tIf I had to pick a word to describe this game it would be "memorable". Telltale had a very high bar to hit for this game, and, although falling short, gave it a brilliant effort; the characters are great, the story is both familiar and new, and the graphics far exceed what I've come to expect from previous Telltale titles. The game is brought down, however, by it's material; it just can't match the excitement and grip of the television show, and comes nowhere near the amount of "epic" as the books do.

    It is not an episode I would play again, as the choices don't seem to matter ALL THAT MUCH by the end, but I will definitely be playing the next episode to see how the story progress. Hopefully they can flesh out the story and make it more engaging, as it is a six-part series, whereas the Walking Dead was a five-part series.

    PS: Great cliffhanger, Telltale.    … Expand
  6. WildingCarpet11
    Dec 3, 2014
    5
    The first episode is largely disappointing. You would think that with all those choices it would influence the ending or the course of the game by little, but that is not the case here. Worst telltale episode i ever played! Rest of the game is pretty good,funny characters and interesting plot but choices with no value and bad ending with the most irritating villain i have ever seen makeThe first episode is largely disappointing. You would think that with all those choices it would influence the ending or the course of the game by little, but that is not the case here. Worst telltale episode i ever played! Rest of the game is pretty good,funny characters and interesting plot but choices with no value and bad ending with the most irritating villain i have ever seen make the game worse than any of the walking dead,wolf among us or tales from borderlands episodes. I hope there will be improvements in the next episode really. If you don't know what game to buy (Tales from Borderlands or Game of Thrones) Tales from Borderlands should definitely be your choice because that game is unlike this one a masterpiece!… Expand
  7. Riskyreview
    Dec 2, 2014
    6
    Let me start by saying this game is not bad but it's not good either, this review is going to focus more on Telltale as a whole rather then just this one game.
    Telltale can be compared to a roller-coaster ride, they used to make games that where terrible until they made TWD S1 that game was the start of a whole new genre and it was amazing, all the characters where interesting and so was    Let me start by saying this game is not bad but it's not good either, this review is going to focus more on Telltale as a whole rather then just this one game.
    Telltale can be compared to a roller-coaster ride, they used to make games that where terrible until they made TWD S1 that game was the start of a whole new genre and it was amazing, all the characters where interesting and so was the story, but after they made TWD S1 they hit a downhill again.
    TWAU was the start of the downhill it was pretty good but not as good as TWD S1, then came TWD S2.
    Jesus H. Christ what a disappointment that was, none of the characters where interesting or likable except for the ones brought over from TWD S1!
    And now they're getting closer to the bottom with Iron from ice.
    First of it doesn't capture the feel of the show at all, second yet again none of the characters are interesting or likable in any way and yet again except for the ones brought over from the show.
    The story is extremely dull apart from some gory scenes.
    I think it's time for Telltale to hire some new writers or at least try and beg the ones that wrote for TWD S1 to come back.    … Expand
  8. rodericrinehart
    Jul 10, 2015
    7
    A light recommend IF on sale and IF you aren't sick of the Telltale formula. I checked both boxes lightly and enjoyed the game. I have come to realize that Telltale games are just choose-yur-own adventure books more than "games" in the traditional sense - but I'm ok with that and I enjoy the storytellign and mild interaction and choice.

    I prefer Life is Strange to Telltale, but The Wolf    A light recommend IF on sale and IF you aren't sick of the Telltale formula. I checked both boxes lightly and enjoyed the game. I have come to realize that Telltale games are just choose-yur-own adventure books more than "games" in the traditional sense - but I'm ok with that and I enjoy the storytellign and mild interaction and choice.

    I prefer Life is Strange to Telltale, but The Wolf Among Us was my favorite Telltale game and was close to that one.    … Expand
  9. ricklongo
    Jan 8, 2015
    6
    Based on George R. R. Martin’s seminal A Song of Ice and Fire book series, HBO’s Game of Thrones has been one of the main players in the pop culture of this decade. As any gaming fanatic would realize, Martin’s expansive world, with richly detailed lore and intricate plot lines, would be a perfect setting for a Skyrim-like type of open-world video game. We’ve yet to get something likeBased on George R. R. Martin’s seminal A Song of Ice and Fire book series, HBO’s Game of Thrones has been one of the main players in the pop culture of this decade. As any gaming fanatic would realize, Martin’s expansive world, with richly detailed lore and intricate plot lines, would be a perfect setting for a Skyrim-like type of open-world video game. We’ve yet to get something like that, but in the meantime Telltale Games is giving the series its already traditional choose-your-own-adventure treatment. The result should be pleasant for fans of the show, even if there are pitfalls along the way.

    The game is a point-and-click adventure with some very light exploration aspects. It focuses on the Forresters, a northerner house sworn to the Starks, and its struggles in the aftermath of that family’s downfall. You play as three different characters, making choices for them in what amounts to a 2-hour interactive episode that is canon to the TV series (but not the books). The graphics deserve special mention, going for a watercolor aesthetic that works quite well.

    The story takes place between seasons three and four of the series, and features cameos by a few of the main characters, fully voiced by the original actors. Odd stumbles aside (such as when a character somehow manages to go alone, without provisions and on foot from the Riverlands all the way to the Forrester ancient seat up north), it’s an effective and well-written story, presenting interesting choices that let players have a taste of the difficult politics required to live in Westeros.

    I must say I have my doubts about how much your choices actually affect the storyline, though. The plot twist that serves as the game’s emotional climax, for example, is something that I consciously tried to avoid during my playing time, and the fact that your options are limited in each decision means that I simply didn’t have the power to stop it from happening. This left kind of a sour taste in my mouth, making me realize I’d probably rather sit back and watch the story unfold instead of pretending to take any actual part on it. Yes, I realize this is just episode one of six, meaning some plot points have to happen for future episodes to even work, but for me this seems more like a sign that perhaps the episodic format doesn’t work very well.

    The other aspects of the gameplay are very dispensable. There are quick-time events that annoy more than entertain, while the exploration is so light it’s almost pointless, always confined to very tight spaces. As much as those aspects make the final product seem more like an actual game rather than simply a story, they don’t feel integral to the experience, often ruining the sense of immersion.

    The best thing about Iron From Ice is, by far, its status as an appetizer for people who are waiting for the next season or the next book. Even if player interaction seems, to use a Westerosi expression, more like a mummer’s farce, the game still gives players a taste of the incredible world crafted by Martin. If that’s what you expect, you should have quite a good time. If you’re looking for a full-fledged game set in Martin’s universe, the wait still isn’t over. Luckily, us Martin fans have grown accustomed to waiting.

    Rating: 6.5    … Expand
  10. sisho
    Dec 4, 2014
    5
    Iron from Ice is a strange game. It sure is a Telltale game, but it looks and plays like something far bellow. It's like they built it over the skeleton of their former games in such a rush, caring little for textures (which are mediocre), gameplay mechanics or characters. It is clearly an attempt of HBO to push the show to other medias and colonize new markets, but they did not succeded.Iron from Ice is a strange game. It sure is a Telltale game, but it looks and plays like something far bellow. It's like they built it over the skeleton of their former games in such a rush, caring little for textures (which are mediocre), gameplay mechanics or characters. It is clearly an attempt of HBO to push the show to other medias and colonize new markets, but they did not succeded. Maybe in the other episodes they improve it.
    Play at your own will, but be advised that except for the usual design, it is nothing like The wolf Among Us or The Walking Dead series.    … Expand
  11. Malleskoda
    Dec 7, 2014
    7
    Since this game is far from over, it doesn't exactly seem appropriate to judge it yet.
    I'm giving episode one a 7, but keep in mind that this easily could change as the rest of the episodes are released.
    First of all, if you don't know anything about Game of Thrones, and the universe of Westeros, i would not recommend this game. Even if someone knows just a little about the show/books,    Since this game is far from over, it doesn't exactly seem appropriate to judge it yet.
    I'm giving episode one a 7, but keep in mind that this easily could change as the rest of the episodes are released.

    First of all, if you don't know anything about Game of Thrones, and the universe of Westeros, i would not recommend this game. Even if someone knows just a little about the show/books, that won't cut it i'm afraid. Unless you don't care about knowing who's what, and what is happening in the game.

    If you do enjoy GoT, i would recommend this. Especially since it's the only game in the Game of Thrones world that actually is not a pile of human waste. (God that GoT RPG is horrible)

    The uniqueness of Telltale games i believe make all of their games worth a purchase. Even if i do think 1 and a half hour isn't really worth the money this first episode costs.

    Being unique can be both a good and a bad thing. In terms of choice, which is one of the key things of telltale games, do they matter? Uuuh, yes and no.
    Truth be told, in most cases, the choices in Telltale games are mostly an illusion of choice.
    A cosmetic change if you will. The dialogue might change, and in very few instances, some actual changes do occur to the game and the story, however a large portion of the choices you make do not matter. You might disagree, but it's the truth. The replayability is not as good as say a BioWare game, or a few Bethesda games. (Though that also has to do with different races, classes etc.)
    I'm fairly certain there are free visual novels that give you more choices that matter.

    The quality of the story is what makes Telltale great. Not the variety of choice. So far it's the same with this game. The story is intriguing, and while some of the "plot twists" aren't really plot twists, (seriously, was i the only one who kinda knew what was likely to happen at the end?) it's still a good story.
    Does it do justice to the source material? That's honestly too early to tell.

    A thing to keep in mind is, the first episodes of telltale games are usually pretty slow, and mostly serve as an introduction to everything. This was definitely no exception.

    Pros:
    -Good story, very intriguing plot so far.
    -Good voice acting, even from the GoT TV show actors (I knew you had it in you Dinklage)
    -Nice transitions between characters.
    -The graphics, though simple, are actually full of beautiful details.

    Cons:
    -Your choices don't serve any purpose other than a few changes in dialogue. You can't change any of the major plot points. Whether things in future episodes will change based on your actions remain to be seen.
    -While the facial animations are alright, the body animations are often stiff and awkward. This is most obvious doing combat scenes.
    -Gameplay is, like all Telltale games, very limited.

    Is it worth picking it up? Like i said, i don't think the current price is worth it for about 1 and a half hour of gameplay (a term used loosely in this instance) but i would recommend anyone who enjoys the TV show or the books to play this game at some point.    … Expand
  12. themdr127
    Dec 18, 2014
    7
    The first episode of a promising series has proven itself premiere worthy. But i must be honest, i almost exited the game within the first 5 minutes, due to unfamiliar events. I stuck through the boring beginning and started feeling more pulled towards the story, proving that the Foresters are Game Of Thrones quality characters.
    The female characters later on did not increase interest in    The first episode of a promising series has proven itself premiere worthy. But i must be honest, i almost exited the game within the first 5 minutes, due to unfamiliar events. I stuck through the boring beginning and started feeling more pulled towards the story, proving that the Foresters are Game Of Thrones quality characters.
    The female characters later on did not increase interest in the episode, and the scene by the forest with all the kids made the experience a bit boring.
    The strongest element of the episode was the small council, the choosing of the sentinel and the decisions that are made up by lord Ethan.
    I played it several times, answering everything differently but it seems that either way, the same result comes at place; Very small changes are adjusted, but tend to fade out as the story progresses.
    The animations are glitchy from time to time, but nothing to worry about.
    Overall, it has a good story, with an imagination that the books provide, an the excitement that the HBO Hit series provides.
    The pros outgrow the cons in many ways, and its a series to look forward for every 4-7 weeks.    … Expand
  13. FadeOutAgain
    Dec 7, 2014
    5
    Massive Telltale and Game of Thrones fan here. Was ecstatic to play this but was quite disappointed, especially compared to the superior Tales from the Borderlands game (I never enjoyed Borderlands prior to the Telltale game). This is the PS4 version review:

    Cons: 1. Terrible, terrible graphics. Horrible textures, poor representation of the show's characters (Margery especially looks    Massive Telltale and Game of Thrones fan here. Was ecstatic to play this but was quite disappointed, especially compared to the superior Tales from the Borderlands game (I never enjoyed Borderlands prior to the Telltale game). This is the PS4 version review:

    Cons:
    1. Terrible, terrible graphics. Horrible textures, poor representation of the show's characters (Margery especially looks hideous). Half the time I don't know if it's intentionally meant to look that way or if it's glitchy. This really takes you out of the immersion of being in a Game of Thrones episode.
    2. Story is mediocre. It has it's moments but it's generally dull and characters, although you control them, seem boring.
    3. Glitches. Everywhere. Visual, audio, and ESPECIALLY subtitle. Subtitles are incorrect, audio gets skipped, visual glitches galore. This can be solved by a patch, but referring to point 1, poor visuals are an issue.
    4. ABSOLUTELY ZERO EVOLUTION. Same telltale formula from the Walking Dead era (Haven't played any games prior to that). Being a telltale fan, it sucks that you can't expect more than quick time events and dialogue choices. This was most disappointing of all. Although Tales from Borderlands didn't evolve from the usual formula, it refined it to near perfection, and even then it was slightly disappointing.

    Pros
    1. Promise. A lot of promise, especially since it's a 6 episode season. I don't regret buying the season pass despite a weak first episode.
    2. True to the original work. If you can ignore the visuals and glitches, you are in Westeros.
    3. Interacting with the show's characters is excellent, it's one thing to watch them be monsters, it's another to interact with the monsters knowing their capabilities.
    4. Price. $4 is still a steal.

    Recommendation: Wait until episode 2 to see if the season picks up.    … Expand
  14. Junambo
    Jan 14, 2015
    7
    The first episode of Telltale's Game of Thrones in and of itself was a fairly decent introduction to the "series" of episodes. It did several things very well, but it also did several things surprisingly poorly.

    The art style and graphics were well put together and matched the overall art style of Telltale's other episodic series. There were a few graphical mistakes here and there,    The first episode of Telltale's Game of Thrones in and of itself was a fairly decent introduction to the "series" of episodes. It did several things very well, but it also did several things surprisingly poorly.

    The art style and graphics were well put together and matched the overall art style of Telltale's other episodic series. There were a few graphical mistakes here and there, especially in the animation, which is odd for a game that relies so heavily on its television-style storytelling. I've noticed a few instances where characters would just disappear or speak without moving their mouths.

    The storytelling itself was spot on. It did a fantastic job at relaying the sense of urgency and danger that is prevalent throughout the original television/book series. It even faithfully followed George R. R. Martin's style of switching character perspectives in an interesting way that kept the story feeling fresh.

    Gameplay was limited mostly to quick-time events, which has become some sort of staple in Telltale's latest games. It really is the weakest aspect of this game, so anyone not content with the game's story and dialogue may find it boring. The controls feel pretty rough in the few section where you get to walk around, especially on a mouse and keyboard. I found that on the keyboard, trying to switch from one direction to the other without circling around would result in the character standing in place, which seems a bit unprofessional. I like to think of the dialogue as its own gameplay element, which is just as strong as any Telltale game.

    Finally, probably the biggest flaw in this game is that the setting only makes sense if you are already familiar with the Game of Thrones series AND up to date to the HBO televisions series. In fact, to anyone who is just starting to read or watch the series, I heavily suggest actively avoiding this game, because it does contain spoilers. To those who are caught up, though, the game provides an interesting story close to par with the original books as long as you don't let the awkward controls and gameplay get in the way.    … Expand
  15. FakuB20
    Jun 23, 2015
    7
    Los gráficos son peores que los de The Walking Dead Season 1, al parece Telltale Games con el tiempo va bajando la calidad de los gráficos, pero bueno la historia es muy buena (es Game Of Thrones que mas decir), y para mi va a tener éxito.
    Las decisiones no cambian nada, todo termina igual.

Awards & Rankings

81
#81 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 44 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 44
  3. Negative: 3 out of 44
  1. DarkZero
    Feb 23, 2015
    70
    In the end, it’s the writing which defines these Telltale adaptations, and Game of Thrones is no exception. In fact, it’s thanks to the original source material’s penchant for sudden and shocking character deaths and betrayals that this game has potential to keep players glued for each subsequent episode.
    Read full review
  2. GameOver.gr
    Feb 17, 2015
    80
    By keeping the same design and basic gameplay principle from other franchises -such as The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us- Telltale delivered an interesting twist on the Game of Thrones saga that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
    Read full review
  3. Hyper Magazine
    Feb 9, 2015
    80
    The main characters are somewhat derivative, but the narrative is thrilling. [Issue#257, p.68]
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