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. Alex19xD
    Dec 5, 2014
    8
    I think this game's story is amazing, and even though this episode wasn't the best, I'm expecting telltale to surprise us with the next ones. In my opinion, I kind of don't like the thing that telltale lets us play with more than one character in a game. While it's a nice and original idea, for example Mira's part in this episode was kinda boring, but Ethan's and Garden's one were very good.
  2. Thilus
    Dec 14, 2014
    8
    Another good start to the Telltale Game series (the other one was Borderlands). I'm not really that much into Game of Thrones, but this game got me going almost straight from the bat, up the unexpected finale. Story itself is nowhere near as enticing as the original, but it's well written enough to keep just the right amount of tension. Also, comparing it to different Telltale gamesAnother good start to the Telltale Game series (the other one was Borderlands). I'm not really that much into Game of Thrones, but this game got me going almost straight from the bat, up the unexpected finale. Story itself is nowhere near as enticing as the original, but it's well written enough to keep just the right amount of tension. Also, comparing it to different Telltale games lately, I had a feeling that my choices were of more consequences than in, say, TWD2. The biggest flaw? Once again it's more of an interactive experience with choices, than a game. You don't really collect any things, and you don't solve any puzzles. You just watch the show, and react to it. Not something I'd expect from a "game", even though I quite enjoyed this one.… Expand
  3. hanihamawi1
    Dec 16, 2014
    9
    the game is fun to play especialy if u are a devoted game of thrones fan..the storyline is close to the stark store line but offers enough differences to make it stand out..and the presence of much loved characters from the tv series really adds a good taste to the storyline and expands the lore of the universe ..+the 20 $ only price tag is very gd..the only thing that is wrong is thatthe game is fun to play especialy if u are a devoted game of thrones fan..the storyline is close to the stark store line but offers enough differences to make it stand out..and the presence of much loved characters from the tv series really adds a good taste to the storyline and expands the lore of the universe ..+the 20 $ only price tag is very gd..the only thing that is wrong is that certain decisions don't matter but of course know from the walking dead..they may matter in the coming episodes ..a great game but may be harder to appeal to non readers of the books and or tv show watchers ..… Expand
  4. Zimbardo
    Dec 9, 2014
    2
    Telltale has a reputation of excellent story telling and the majority of reviewers seem to feel that Iron From Ice captures the rich atmosphere found in the Game of Thrones universe. Lets take a look together as this rich narrative unfolds between one of the protagonists and the Forrester Maester (aka keeper of knowledge and family history)...

    Gared - "Why do the Whitehills hate the    Telltale has a reputation of excellent story telling and the majority of reviewers seem to feel that Iron From Ice captures the rich atmosphere found in the Game of Thrones universe. Lets take a look together as this rich narrative unfolds between one of the protagonists and the Forrester Maester (aka keeper of knowledge and family history)...

    Gared - "Why do the Whitehills hate the Forresters"?
    Maester - "I don't doubt someone killed someone, which led to more killings of somesones and then, well... here we are."

    Oh wow. So story, much deep.

    Anyways, Iron From Ice is a fanfic based on a Song of Ice and Fire. Like all Telltale games your decisions don't matter, and this fact is magnified given that the game is a non-cannon installment featuring high profile characters from the series. "Ouuu, I wonder what will happen to Ramsey Bolton?" Nothing. Why? Because he needs to show up in the books.

    The port to PC is bad. I gotta force quit to get back to my desktop because exiting the game wasn't a feature included in my menu settings. I can see environments and characters transition between scenes at the base of my screen. The game seems rushed and sloppy.

    I just wish Winds of Winter would finally come out. After playing Iron From Ice I feel like a smoker searching for cigarette butts on the ground in a desperate attempt for a fix.    … Expand
  5. FrankTCastle
    Dec 3, 2014
    9
    The first episode is fantastic and it really does capture the feel of the show. The voice acting is great from the shows stars to the new characters the game is introducing. The new characters seem interesting so far as does the story and the graphic style they are using for the game is good but could be better done on for the newer consoles.

    If you are a GoT fan pick this up and enjoy.
  6. Kanazawa
    Dec 26, 2014
    8
    The complaints all seem to be the same, that it plays like a typical Telltale game. After walking dead it's what I expected: heavy emphasis on story, not so much game play. I wanted to watch more game of thrones and this appeased me and then some. Solid.
  7. 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
  8. romanontherun
    Jan 13, 2015
    3
    1) graphics bad on it's own and it's clearly an downgrade from previous Telltale games (which was not shiny in the first place)
    2) story is ok, but still a downgrade from previous games. Plus the fact that you know you could not affect major series characters in any meaningful way.
    3) gameplay was downgraded and basically absent, QTE feels odd and awkward. 5) dialogues are meaningless,    1) graphics bad on it's own and it's clearly an downgrade from previous Telltale games (which was not shiny in the first place)
    2) story is ok, but still a downgrade from previous games. Plus the fact that you know you could not affect major series characters in any meaningful way.
    3) gameplay was downgraded and basically absent, QTE feels odd and awkward.
    5) dialogues are meaningless, there's clear an option A (be polite and humble) and option B (be honest and harsh) and thats it.
    4) choices are irrelevant, at least in first episode
    5) locations are empty rooms with nothing to do or to look at.
    6) no new info on world or sophisticated characters - everyone is a cliche and black or white in essence

    it's not near as good as The Wolf Among Us or Tales From Borderlands
    it's can not even be compared to Game of Thrones series
    it's not horrible, but everything feels so lazy and cheap that i can not recommend this game to anyone:    … Expand
  9. TheWayfarer73
    Dec 7, 2014
    3
    This isn't a game, this is a story with very small interactive aspects of it. The choices you make WILL NOT CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF THE STORY. The marketing is misleading when it says the users choices effect the story. HARDLY.

    Might as well just made this a 2 episode bonus DVD that comes with the GOT DVD set. Not gonna buy any future ones for sure.
  10. MegaMyxy
    Dec 4, 2014
    8
    I'd like to preface this review by saying that I have read all of the books in A Song Of Ice and Fire and I have also watched the show. Here's the spoiler free section of the review.

    You play as three characters, Gared Tuttle (Jon Snow's counterpart), Mira Forrester (Sansa), and Ethan Forrester (Robb/Bran). My personal favorite to play was Ethan Forrester, since he has to rule Ironrath    I'd like to preface this review by saying that I have read all of the books in A Song Of Ice and Fire and I have also watched the show. Here's the spoiler free section of the review.

    You play as three characters, Gared Tuttle (Jon Snow's counterpart), Mira Forrester (Sansa), and Ethan Forrester (Robb/Bran). My personal favorite to play was Ethan Forrester, since he has to rule Ironrath (House Forrester's seat) in place of his father, Lord Gregor Forrester, and his choices seem to have the most meaning. My least favorite character to play as was Gared Tuttle, because for now at least his story seems rather unimportant other than one action that ended up causing everyone trouble, and his story has quicktime events that are almost a burden in the middle of the conversations. Mira Forrester's story was pretty uneventful as well other than a few key choices that change the story quite a bit. All in all, it seems as if each character is a separate style of gameplay; Ethan, focusing on my personal favorite, the hard decisions and trying to rule at a young age, Mira, being 25% conversations and the other 75% point and click adventure, and Gared, focusing almost exclusively on quicktime events (with decisions that don't really change the course of the story). The game never bored me, which is great in my book, and don't get me wrong, none of the characters were a DRAG to play as, it's just that some are better than others. The game really left me wanting to play the next episode, and the ending left me gaping at my screen in horror. I wasn't sure if the final results were my fault or just the game, and that feeling definitely makes the replay value ten times as good. It made me want to go back and try to dodge those mistakes that resulted in the final moments of the game. There is a little teaser for the next episode at the end, which made me all the more eager to continue that story. That's about all I can say without spoiling anything, so I'll now make a new section for all of you who have played it or don't care about learning how I messed up.

    -----------------------------------------SPOILERS----------------------------------------------

    You have been warned. The beginning of the game immediately grabbed my attention, where I started in some form of army camp celebrating with some of the northern Houses, as well as House Forrester and Lord Gregor. I discover that the character I'm controlling is Gared Tuttle, and then the fun begins. I soon find out why we're celebrating, and my suspicions continued to grow in chance. Then they're finally confirmed; we're marching on Casterly Rock tomorrow. My heart immediately starts beating a little faster, as Gared continues to notice odd happenings such as weapons laying out and even a Frey drawing his crossbow (not to mention The Rains of Castamere booming from the castle). He finally figures out what's happening and has to either save a fellow squire or warn Lord Forrester. I of course choose my lord and watch the squire (Bowen) get stabbed in the throat. Then follows a slew of quicktime events as I watch the Red Wedding from the outside. I finally get to the lord, and he gets shot and ends up sacrificing his life for me, handing me his giant sword. Then, the iconic intro starts and I realize that that was only the beginning. Later, you play as Mira Forrester in a verbal dance with Cersei and Margaery Tyrell. You must choose your allegiance between the king and Margaery, and try not to piss both of them off. Also appearing is Tyrion, but it seems like he appears purely out of fan service, since he doesn't really contribute to the conversation. This scene is one of the strongest in the game, as you really have to set up the foundations for Mira's story in future episodes. Your first impression starts there. Then comes the highlight of Ethan Forrester's scenes, which as I've said are my personal favorite. You have to choose a sentinel (a right hand man), choose whether to invite Ramsey Snow in the hall or make him wait at the gates, then try to convince Ramsey Snow not to decimate your House. This scene is one of the tensest moments in gaming history, as you know that one misstep can get everyone you love killed. Ramsey is a truly terrifying figure in this section, and your life rests in his hands. Here's what happened to me;
    Ramsey is invited into the hall.
    He terrifies me in real life and in the game world.
    I begin bargaining for my life, offering him ironwood shields and ships, and show him that the Forresters are some badass crafters.
    He agrees, and begins talking to my family, in particular my younger brother.
    I defend him, and Ramsey lets off for a while.
    We talk more politics.
    He tries to take my sister.
    I grab her.
    "I don't want a bold lord." I get stabbed in the neck. No game over screen. Just death. This resulted in me feeling something I've never felt from a video game. Ever. That's why this game deserves immense praise.    … Expand
  11. LostSandwich
    Dec 5, 2014
    9
    Started to play this episode of Telltales new series just after finishing episode 1 of "Tales from the Borderlands", which was quite good. Seeing the mixed reviews from critics i was skeptical of its quality, but i should not have doubted Telltale Games, not sure why there are mixed reviews from the critics but this episode from Telltales new Game of Thrones series soared above Tales fromStarted to play this episode of Telltales new series just after finishing episode 1 of "Tales from the Borderlands", which was quite good. Seeing the mixed reviews from critics i was skeptical of its quality, but i should not have doubted Telltale Games, not sure why there are mixed reviews from the critics but this episode from Telltales new Game of Thrones series soared above Tales from the Borderlands: Episode 1. If you aren't sure whether to purchase Tales from the Borderlands or Game of Thrones i strongly recommend this game, with a fantastic story, good characters, fun action, and much more this starting entry into Telltales "Game of Thrones" really hypes me for what comes next. (Please note that if you are not past Season 3 of the Game of Thrones TV show OR have not read the 3rd book in the Song of Ice and Fire books, then there will be heavy spoilers in this game for the main series and i strongly recommend waiting before you purchase this game.… Expand
  12. Davisx3m
    Dec 2, 2014
    9
    Telltale seems to have adopted the same success in telling a story in the world of Westeros as HBO did with it's hit series. In the first episode you'll get to play as three different characters and explore different parts of Westeros. Each one of them are somehow related to the House Forrester, a house loyal to the Stark Family.

    You'll get to fight (QTE) and use diplomacy in a very    Telltale seems to have adopted the same success in telling a story in the world of Westeros as HBO did with it's hit series. In the first episode you'll get to play as three different characters and explore different parts of Westeros. Each one of them are somehow related to the House Forrester, a house loyal to the Stark Family.

    You'll get to fight (QTE) and use diplomacy in a very satisfactory way, everything you do seems to affect the whole story, even if most or some of it might just be an "illusion". But I can work with that, especially in Telltale Games, they always handle that in a good way. But there are some options that seem so... big, that there must be quite a big difference between those. And hopefully they will change parts of the story quite a lot.

    This game offers much more walking and inspecting objects and such comparing to let's say Tales from the Borderlands, which is quite nice since it makes the game feel more like a game than a interactive story. However I'm not sure how the objects will affect the game play, it will probably be shown in the coming episodes.

    One other thing is that to fully enjoy the game you need to have watched the series, because there are things that is connected directly to the show, like characters, voices, places, etc. I myself was really deep into the story, and I don't think people who haven't watched the show will feel the same way.

    The story starts at a slow pace for about 5 minutes and after that it has it's up and downs, which both fits perfectly to the story and the characters, and it's quite refreshing to switch between these characters, to move the story forward on all fronts.

    And let's end this review with the end of the first episode, I won't spoil anything, but it's worth the Game of Thrones name, I'll leave it at that!    … Expand
  13. adhamhany
    Dec 3, 2014
    8
    Very good game from Telltale set in the world of Game of Thrones.

    The story is interesting, with the same intense atmosphere of the TV show and a shocking ending (not so much, since this is Game of Thrones and you know what you're getting into). You play as 3 different characters, which helps keep things fresh. You get to make some very tough decisions with a big impact on the story's    Very good game from Telltale set in the world of Game of Thrones.

    The story is interesting, with the same intense atmosphere of the TV show and a shocking ending (not so much, since this is Game of Thrones and you know what you're getting into). You play as 3 different characters, which helps keep things fresh. You get to make some very tough decisions with a big impact on the story's progression, and play through some exciting action scenes. The characters are great, as is the script and the voice acting (the cast from the show reprise their roles, and give terrific performances).

    Perhaps the only disappointing aspect of the game are the graphics, which were not what i expected. The visual style was less of paint (which is one the things I enjoy most from Telltale).

    Overall, it's a strong start for a new series from a studio I respect. Looking forward to the rest.    … Expand
  14. daftshadow
    Dec 3, 2014
    8
    Telltale did a pretty good here. The tone of the game really resonates the feel of the show. If you're a fan of Telltale's other games such as TWD and The Wolf Among Us, you won't be disappointed. Telltale proves again it is the king of this genre.
  15. linkenski
    Dec 2, 2014
    9
    So far Telltale's take on Game of Thrones is quite impressive, both being authentic to the tone and feel of the main show (minus sex so far) by having the complexity and greyness in character-writing, the premise is well-shaped and captivates you within the first half hour of the game. All in all it sets the bar quite high from the get-go.

    To see cameos from the TV show performed by the    So far Telltale's take on Game of Thrones is quite impressive, both being authentic to the tone and feel of the main show (minus sex so far) by having the complexity and greyness in character-writing, the premise is well-shaped and captivates you within the first half hour of the game. All in all it sets the bar quite high from the get-go.

    To see cameos from the TV show performed by the real actors is a treat, one I would never have even hoped we could get, but the performances are as good as in the TV-show, and Peter Dinklage definitely got his redemption here after his lacklustre performance as Ghost in Bungie's Destiny earlier this year. The new and original characters who are the central element of the story are also well-acted but it is a little jarring to see the design-difference as they are not stylized sculptures of real actors, but instead Telltale's design-teams own artistically crafted designs, and to be honest this shows, but you will get used to it.

    There are choices to make that all seem to have proper weight to them, and no matter what there are shocking developments you will not see coming just in this first episode, in true GoT fashion. The best thing is, all of it feels properly developed and is not just shocking for the sake of nonsensical shock-value as we've seen in earlier franchise adaptations from Telltale. I'm pretty pleased to tell that Game of Thrones under Telltale's vision is as mature and sophisticated as the real thing. The coming episodes will determine if this quality lasts though, but so far all is good, heck, even better than I hoped it would be!    … Expand
  16. Ecko69x
    Dec 4, 2014
    9
    I preordered this game as I had high expectations from TellTale Games. I was not disappointed. The beautifully crafted environment and artwork resembles the Game of Thrones universe. The game retains the same shock and awe factor as we've seen from the TV series. I love the GoT introduction they created for the game. It was not expected and I was blown away. This game is a MUST have.I preordered this game as I had high expectations from TellTale Games. I was not disappointed. The beautifully crafted environment and artwork resembles the Game of Thrones universe. The game retains the same shock and awe factor as we've seen from the TV series. I love the GoT introduction they created for the game. It was not expected and I was blown away. This game is a MUST have.

    The only issue I have with the game is that the decisions once again seen to not ultimately matter. To avoid spoilers let's just say that the ending you get is the same regardless of your actions.    … Expand
  17. MrGrimm
    Dec 16, 2014
    4
    I've played only this, the first episode, and it's not clear to me that this is a game. This is an interactive narrative and a fairly interesting one, but not much of a game. On 3 play throughs what's clear is that the dialogs and cutscenes are all but identical. This will likely change with the releases of future episodes, but the passive nature of the interaction is disheartening evenI've played only this, the first episode, and it's not clear to me that this is a game. This is an interactive narrative and a fairly interesting one, but not much of a game. On 3 play throughs what's clear is that the dialogs and cutscenes are all but identical. This will likely change with the releases of future episodes, but the passive nature of the interaction is disheartening even if the options are almost always (superficially) very difficult choices. I might pick up the rest of the episodes if they drop below a dollar merely because I'm a fan of the world and genre, but honestly this seems like a high-class cut and paste of Game of thrones source material onto Telltale's "the Walking Dead" "game". If you like that sort of thing, this is probably right up your alley. If you favor games where doing things matters in the slightest however, it's probably not for you.… Expand
  18. Spedattack
    Dec 12, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The following spoilers are for the show not the game. I assume everyone who has played this game or plans to play has watched the show.
    Game of Thrones has always been about survival in the face of treachery and corruption. It has done well to establish a brutal Medieval world where one wrong mistake can bring dire consequences. This game does a great job of bringing that feeling into your own home as you try to save your Noble House from annihilation.
    The game puts you in the shoes of several individuals of House Forrester, a Noble House from the North loyal to House Stark. The game starts on the night of the Red Wedding which was the television event that shocked audiences around the world. But more importantly it is the event that saw the fall of House Stark and the Kingdom of the North. These events lead to House Forrester in desperate times as they try to survive with their sworn enemies being allied to the new Warden of the North, House Bolton.
    The game has excellent writing and performances from the cast. Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Iwan Rheon, and Natalie Dormer reprise the roles they played in the television show. I would say that Iwan Rheon steals the show in this episode as Ramsay Snow doing a fine job of reinforcing his reputation as a cruel and unpredictable sadist. Overall, the writing and performances are what make this an engaging experience that makes you feel you are actually there.
    There are a few complaints I had. The graphics were very glitchy and you see a lot of tearing on the PC version. Also, sometimes the characters words do not coincide with their mouth movements. Also, Ramsay Snow's character design did not go very well with what he looked like in the show which is strange because Tyrion, Margery, and Cersei all looked like the actors portraying them.
    The ending of the episode was brilliant and would definitely make George Martin proud. It ended in true Game of Thrones fashion and I applaud the writers for this.
    Overall, the game is great but a lot of graphical issues keep this game from being a masterpiece like The Walking Dead was.    … Expand
  19. Greywolf2001ca
    Dec 6, 2014
    2
    DO NOT BUY!
    Unless you want to pay 30$+ for 30 minutes of game play.
    The acting and writing is good though... although It is unfortunate that the actors get their names tarnished by this pathetic project. Graphics... well... some are good, like the landscape and some part of each characters, but their skin is ugly and inhuman (unless they are all walkers already? lol) and there is    DO NOT BUY!
    Unless you want to pay 30$+ for 30 minutes of game play.

    The acting and writing is good though... although It is unfortunate that the actors get their names tarnished by this pathetic project.

    Graphics... well... some are good, like the landscape and some part of each characters, but their skin is ugly and inhuman (unless they are all walkers already? lol) and there is no liquid (like wine when poured, water, etc.). So poorly done most of it... probably was made in a haste to make a quick buck.

    Sounds and music, well, half of it comes from the series, so you are hugely lazy Telltales, I understand for the theme of Game of Thrones, but the rest could have been your own design.

    Depth and replayability is equal to ZERO! No matter what choices you take, it changes nothing. For example, whether you choose A or B to be your sentinel changes absolutely NOTHING. Whether you take the wiseman or the reckless warrior, the outcome is the same over and over again, whether you tell Ramsey to get screwed or lick is behind, the end result is the same.... so why bother making all those choices and have that "x will remember that"? especially when the character you control dies... who cares if he remembers if I'm dead! LOL Also, how does my character know he or she will remember this or that? Are my characters telepaths? Telltale is so stupid! Half a brain at most or no heart for work, a lazy bunch.

    Finally, what kind of idiot would pay 30$++ for a 30 min game? I wouldn't even pay 5$!!! I mean, you can play games that lasts for 20 hours for free on Kongregate and many other websites (some adventure games, action-adventure, and hack'n'slashers just to name a few). Telltale overestimates itself and is pretty presumptuous with their "games.

    Oh, and their "games" are not games, they are built as interactive fiction, and even there they fail miserably at doing such type of game.

    Since their Walking Dead thingy, I've always said they should stop making "games" and make animated movies, they would make more money. Face it, who would pay for a 30 min game when you can get 2 or 3 good movies for the same price or a great one (such a star wars (4-6), Avatar, Lord of the rings, Frozen, etc. just to name a few of different genres)?

    I'm boycotting Telltales because they're not worth a penny when it comes to game design, they're lazy, stupid and there to make a quick buck only!

    The 2 ou of 10 goes to the writing and the actors, the rest of the crew receives a big nothing, zero, nada, null!    … Expand
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. pubiclice
    Dec 25, 2014
    3
    Firstly this is not what I would regard as a game, you move your character maybe 4 times. The rest of the time it is listening to mundane dialogue for 2 hours maximum then the game ends.

    The family you play as are Heavily based on the TV show Stark family most of them look like and are clearly based off them which is disappointing to see such lack of effort in character design. The    Firstly this is not what I would regard as a game, you move your character maybe 4 times. The rest of the time it is listening to mundane dialogue for 2 hours maximum then the game ends.

    The family you play as are Heavily based on the TV show Stark family most of them look like and are clearly based off them which is disappointing to see such lack of effort in character design.
    The character models are good with the exception of Margery and Ramsay who are attempts to look like the actors from the show and don't quite pull it off. In contrast the Cersei and Tyrion models are quite good.

    the dialogue is poor, its not unbearable but its fairly close. The choices you choose while speaking have zero impact on the story or the reactionary dialogue you receive in a conversation or after an "event". There are some definitive choices mainly the appointment of a sentinel however this has no impact on the story (at least in this episode). It is also misleading, you have an option towards the end of the game to flex your lordly might and show off your troops in an attempt to intimidate someone, when being presented this option it seems as if you have some power at your disposal ...you have four men.

    The animation is simply horrendous characters movements are jerky and unnatural which is particularly noticeable in the combat setting of the first part of this "game". A character dispatches someone trying to kill you only to then stop for 10 seconds to look longingly into your eyes then unsurprisingly get a arrow to the chest.

    Overall this is extremely disappointing and appears to be an abuse of the franchise to sell a sub par product    … Expand
  23. 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
  24. deathmachinept
    Dec 24, 2014
    0
    DONT BUY THIS WEB SERIES!!

    Well I register in Meta just to make this review. I'm also pretty sure there were people paid to crank the user score up because this so called "Game" is the worst "Game" I ever played, Duke Nuken Forever looks like an amazing game compare to this. This Interact(not so much) story is worth a 1$ nothing more... Why?? - You decisions make absolutely no    DONT BUY THIS WEB SERIES!!

    Well I register in Meta just to make this review.

    I'm also pretty sure there were people paid to crank the user score up because this so called "Game" is the worst "Game" I ever played, Duke Nuken Forever looks like an amazing game compare to this.

    This Interact(not so much) story is worth a 1$ nothing more... Why??

    - You decisions make absolutely no impact on the game(Ep.1) ZERO! Nada!(I'm not joking), illusion of choice has people said.
    - Gameplay is reduced to QTE many of these can be ignored and will have again no effect on the story.
    - Animations are really awful especially when characters are running or doing more complex animations.. I Lmao so hard in the beginning when you "Sprint"(Fast walking) with a two-handed sword carrying in one hand you look like a retard.
    - The end will always play the same and it seems forced especially when you do the perfect decisions which have a positive/impressed reaction from the antagonist.
    - Games are meant to make you have fun and enjoy the time you spend interacting with it, this games ends in a very bad way, truthfully to GoT but contrary to TV Show or Movie you can't put this things as the final ending(It's a big slap to the face to players that basically say fu#$ you you didn't have any impact playing) just like ME3 except you only found this after having other 2 games with meaningful decisions, fun and lot of gameplay and mechancis this has nothing of this.

    This thing would have been so much better as a 3D TV show like Star Wars Rebels etc... Here as it is you feel like you are eeing rip off, by having a company randomly split a game in 6 pieces without any attention to the player experience.

    This Story because of being label as a game is worth 0/10 and 1/10(for GoT fans still only buy it when all episodes have been release)    … Expand
  25. LiquidFrostbite
    Dec 7, 2014
    4
    I don't.. I don't understand how people enjoyed this iteration from Telltale. I'm a huge fan of The Wolf Among Us and the first episode of Tales from the Borderlands.

    This game was awful. The writing and pace of this story was horribly slow and only barely managed to pick up just before the credits rolled. The art style is very pixelated which I wasn't a fan of and you spend the entire    I don't.. I don't understand how people enjoyed this iteration from Telltale. I'm a huge fan of The Wolf Among Us and the first episode of Tales from the Borderlands.

    This game was awful. The writing and pace of this story was horribly slow and only barely managed to pick up just before the credits rolled. The art style is very pixelated which I wasn't a fan of and you spend the entire game playing a coward apprentice, a small child, and a selfish, entitled young girl.

    The young boy had easily the most interesting part in the story, which isn't saying much. The game was full of horrible dialogue and overly dramatic facial animations (mainly frowns) and unnecessarily drawn out conversations.

    I played this, along with two of my friends, one being a female.. All three of us were disappointed and thought it was incredibly boring and weak-written.

    And yet it's getting praise from just about every media outlet and gaming forum. Normally I consider myself to be with the majority, as far as game opinion is concerned, but I don't understand why everyone is going so crazy over this game.

    It is easily the weakest of all the Telltale games available currently. Even though it was only a first episode, it doesn't even compare to the blowout that was the first episode of Tales from the Borderlands and I'm not even a fan of the Borderlands universe. Yet both games are getting 8/10's as if on the same level.    … Expand
  26. 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
  27. Prosmooth
    Dec 7, 2014
    0
    This is one of the dumbest games I've ever played. Only played for half an hour, but it was the most frustrating 30 minutes of my life. All you do are watch scenes play out and then at a certain point you are required to hit a button on your mouse or keyboard that flashes on the screen. If you don't hit the button fast enough--you die and have to replay the scene again. That's it. That'sThis is one of the dumbest games I've ever played. Only played for half an hour, but it was the most frustrating 30 minutes of my life. All you do are watch scenes play out and then at a certain point you are required to hit a button on your mouse or keyboard that flashes on the screen. If you don't hit the button fast enough--you die and have to replay the scene again. That's it. That's the game. The graphics look 10 years old and in a game where all your required to do is hit buttons--you aren't even allowed to remap the keys. I cannot believe the high reviews from other users and critics. This is a ridiculous game and a waste of money.… Expand
  28. 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
  29. Thirdrail
    Dec 3, 2014
    9
    Of all the Telltale games I have played, this one works the best. The reason is simple: high stakes conversations exist in every genre of storytelling, but they genuinely represent the core of George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, aka Game of Thrones. I don't know how you'd create a gaming experience more authentic to this particular source material.

    I'm going to assume you're    Of all the Telltale games I have played, this one works the best. The reason is simple: high stakes conversations exist in every genre of storytelling, but they genuinely represent the core of George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, aka Game of Thrones. I don't know how you'd create a gaming experience more authentic to this particular source material.

    I'm going to assume you're familiar with Telltale's modernized choose-your-won-adventure meets quicktime event format. In this Game of Thrones iteration of it, you play as three different members of the Forrester family in the first episode. Presumably we'll be playing most or all of the family in future installments. They're a clan of middling Stark bannermen, trying to survive the continuing fall of House Stark. (The game begins at the Red Wedding.) In their favor, they are the realm's primary suppliers of Ironwood. In their detriment, their perennial rivals, the Whitehills, are tight with the sadistic and murderous Boltons, who now rule the North. If that made sense to you, great. If it didn't, welcome to one of this game's two major... perhaps not problems, but concerns.

    The first concern is the one we just found. This game relies extremely heavily on the player already knowing the kingdom of Westeros. For me, the ten minute conversation with Cersei was the scariest conversation I've ever had with an npc in a video game. But I know Cersei. I've read all the books and watched all the episodes of the show. If I hadn't, that same encounter would probably have felt like a brief exchange with a lady who acted like a fussy landlord. As much as I enjoyed this episode of the game, I could not recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen at least three or four seasons of the show.

    The other concern is a little more adult. The game captures the random, brutal violence of Game of Thrones quite well, but the absence of sexual content is very noticeable. If it's just a matter of how this opening episode plotted out, then it's no big deal, but if they're really planning on doing the entire thing at PG-13 levels, it's not going to feel like Game of Thrones by the time it's over. Finally having a fantasy setting that treats its audience like grown ups is so much of the point of George RR Martin's work, there is simply no way to dial that back and retain the soul of Westeros.

    I look forward to more of this one. With slight reservation. We're off to a good start, but it's pretty obvious this whole thing could go from Game of Thrones to Game of Thrones-lite at any moment.    … Expand
  30. ziffgetsmeta
    Dec 12, 2014
    9
    Telltale does an amazing job of taking the emotional experience of watching/reading GOT and turning it into a playable story that feels fresh, yet familiar. You will make social and strategic decisions that FEEL impactful, even if some plot points are pre-determined. The fun is in the experience of getting there, developing certain personality traits along the way, and seeing how otherTelltale does an amazing job of taking the emotional experience of watching/reading GOT and turning it into a playable story that feels fresh, yet familiar. You will make social and strategic decisions that FEEL impactful, even if some plot points are pre-determined. The fun is in the experience of getting there, developing certain personality traits along the way, and seeing how other characters react to your choices.

    What would you say if you were called before Cersei? How would you run your estate as a new lord trying to earn the respect of his people? Who can you trust? If you allow yourself to become immersed in this world, the game will take you on an intense emotional journey.

    You will also feel that all too common sense of shock and injustice when bad things happen to the good guys--except this time it feels more personal because you said or did things that feel like they may have made those things happen. But in that traditional GOT way, perhaps there is nothing you could have done.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

81
#81 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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.
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  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.
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  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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