Telltale Games has done it again, this time with a great game for all you George R.R. Martin fans. If you’re a diehard fan of the books and the HBO series “Game of Thrones,” like myself, then you’ll love this all-new Game of Thrones – A Telltale Game Series. It’s a 6-episode point-and-click graphic adventure fantasy drama video game based on the “A Song of Ice and Fire” fantasy novels.
Game of Thrones is like the other Telltale games where player choices and actions influence later events across the later episodes. It’s also every bit of the books and the show as well. It’s full of harsh realities in a war torn environment. It’s dark, emotional and gritty, everything we expect from Game of Thrones.
Telltale spares nothing here by allowing you to feel the full weight of every decision on your shoulders.
The game includes settings, characters and voice actors from the novels and TV series. You’ll get to see characters we like, some we haven’t met on the show yet and others we loathe like “Ramsay Snow” voiced by actor Iwan Rheon. Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister) and Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell) also voice their characters as well.
Characters
Throughout the entire game, you get to control one of the 5 members or servants of the Forresters. The decisions made by one character affect the others, and the fate of the house. The playable characters are:
- Gared Tuttle (Daniel Kendrick): Squire to Lord Forrester and nephew to Duncan
- Ethan Forrester (Christopher Nelson): Talia’s twin, the third-born son, a scholarly boy
- Mira Forrester (Martha Mackintosh): Eldest daughter of the House and handmaiden to Margaery Tyrell
The story revolves around the northern House of Forrester, the rulers of the Ironwood. The game opens to a army’s camp where we meet Gared Tuttle (you), squire to Lord Forrester serving in King Robb’s army. Here we learn everyone is celebrating a wedding, the infamous “Red Wedding” we all know. After some dialogue with other characters in a timed event type of style, making the choice to save or sacrifice everyone around you is at hand, and a battle commences.
You’re quickly on the move, interacting as prompted when to dodge, go underneath a burning wagon, pick up a sword, and even fight–though briefly. Throughout the vast bloodshed, you escape thanks to the help of Lord Forrester. You’re given a task to deliver a secret message to Maester Ortengryn, the Maester of Ironrath.
On you’re way to get back to House Forrester, you see that you’re father is being attacked by the new Warden’s men, a confrontation occurs and from there every decision impacts all around you.
We then meet the other members of the House Forrester and from there is where you become Ethan and Mira. There’s a back and forth between playing these characters as a lot is occuring in a whirlwind effect due to the aftermath of the “Red Wedding.” Playing Ethan Forrester is more of the challenging parts of this first episode since most of the difficult decisions are heavily weighed upon him. You must bear in mind he is young and the third-born son.
From choosing a new Castellan of Ironrath (your advisor) to the handling of Ramsay Snow’s arrival–every choice will have consequence for the Forrester family.
Mira Forrester gives us a great perspective at the politics involved in Game of Thrones.
Being the handmaiden to Margaery Tyrell in King’s Landing when your family is the enemy of the Lannisters is not an easy position to be in. Cersei makes this quite clear by making Mira answer her questions.The struggle is real between Margaery and Cersei. Here you’re quickly responding to what you “think” will be right without upsetting Margaery because she’s always been so good to you.
I honestly don’t know if I answered correctly since I answered with a “what Cersei would want to hear” hoping Margaery would know that. Ugh! I need to know if it will bite me in the a** later. Politics!
For anyone who has read the books and/or seen the show, you’ll know how intense it becomes, the constant twists at every turn. Telltale spares nothing here by allowing you to feel the full weight of every decision on your shoulders. This is a story of violence, betrayal, hopelessness, and death. You’ll walk away emotionally drained and that’s the point. Being a spectator is one thing but in the driver’s seat–it’s different story.
I gained a whole new respect and also felt pity for these characters.
I will tell you that the graphics are just stunning. They’re like oil paintings rather than the comic drawings we’re used to from Telltale Games. Here they succeed in the world of “Game of Thrones” because it fits perfectly. The attention to detail and how realistic the characters are to the actors themselves are astonishing.
You’ll walk away emotionally drained and that’s the point. Being a spectator is one thing but in the driver’s seat–it’s different story.
This first episode “Iron From Ice” was eye-opening and intense. It sets the scene from start to a very “oh my goodness” finish. If this is how the following episodes are going to be–I cannot wait for the rest! I highly recommend this for any fan and this is for fans. Telltale’s game is designed for those who are up-to-date on what is currently going on in this world. If you’re not, you may feel a bit lost, great thing there’s HBO Go to catch up.
