Telltale have been on a roll like no other company has in some time. Just last week we got the start to the excellent Tales From The Borderlands series and this week we are treated to the much more serious Game of Thrones A Telltale Series. To be able to shift seamlessly between a comedic property and something as serious in nature as Game of Thrones without losing anything in-between is impressive for any company.
Let me get this out of the way for those people that only look at number scores or just skim the beginning of reviews for games; If you are a fan of Game of Thrones then you are going to want pick this up ASAP as you will not be disappointed. Telltale have done a master job at crafting an incredibly engaging story above all else with Game of Thrones A Telltale Series Episode 1: Iron from Ice.
If you aren’t familiar with Telltale and their games you should know that they are point-and-click adventures through and through. You can see them as the evolution of what early FMV games tried to do, but instead of using real actors and sets, we are presented with a fully 3D world done in a now very recognizable game engine. A game engine that while adequate and adaptable to multiple platforms (including mobiles) is starting to show its limitations.
If you are a fan of Telltale’s work then you aren’t coming into this looking for some next generation visual masterpiece, instead you are coming here for the storytelling above all other things. With episode one “Iron from Ice” you will get one of the deepest and most gut-wrenching experiences that Telltale has ever provided. No punches are pulled with this installment and you will be questioning yourself with every choice right from the outset.
As with most Telltale adventures choice plays a major role here. You have to decide how the story progresses and in doing so feel like you are taking part in an episode of Game of Thrones instead of just sitting on the couch watching one. Sure, there isn’t much to the gameplay here, in fact, it’s fair to say there is even less here that in last weeks Tales From The Borderlands, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The writing and voice work is more than enough to make any Game of Thrones fan salivate at the mouth for more. It’s the kind of game that demands not only to be played multiple times, but to talk about around the water cooler like an episode of the show. The episodic nature of the series fits right in with the flow of the television series and the first episode will run you around two or so hours to compete in a single sitting. I know it doesn’t seem like a lot of time, but what you are getting is so engrossing and powerful you’ll need a break after it all ends.
The voice work is strong with many of the characters from the Game of Thrones world reprising their roles throughout the story. What makes “Iron from Ice” great is that this isn’t a direct Game of Thrones game like many would expect. You won’t be playing as any of the characters from the show, but you will cross paths with them on several occasions, even going as far as to join forces or stand against certain ones of them.
What this means is that if you are new to the Game of Thrones world, you’ll be able to jump in to this adventure without missing a beat. Yes, if you watch the show you’ll have a better understanding on certain situations and how best to handle conversations, but being a rabid fan isn’t necessary. I am not caught up on the HBO series, but as someone who has read all the books I enjoyed every minute of this chapter.
So, that’s enough to get you fans excited, but I’m sure you want to hear about the story itself. I’ll do my best to give a spoiler free explanation on what you can expect, but be warned that as this is a review I may say some things to spoil a bit of the fun if you want to go in blind.
Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series tells the story of House Forrester. Caught up in the events of The War of the Five Kings, they are placed in a precarious position where members of the household must do everything they can to prevent the house from meeting its end at the hand of its enemies. The game has you playing from the perspective of five different characters. Each is a member of House Forrester; either a direct family member, or a person in service to the House and every action taken by one will have a ripple effect on the others.
Playing as five characters makes the game feel like an epic adventure with a large connected narrative just like the Game of Thrones books and television show, but is also something that you must weigh with every choice. This is because the actions of one character can have direct effects (both positive and negative) on House Forrester. Just like in the main series you’ll either win, or you’ll die, and because of the plethora of characters you know that even perceived main characters are expendable.
While the game hits it out of the park in the story aspect, there are lots of little things that keep it from truly being all that it can be. The Telltale engine here really shows its limitations when used to depict real people. Sure, it works amazingly well for things like Tales From The Borderlands, or a game like The Wolf Among Us that both have a cartoonish style to them, but with Game of Thrones is just comes up a bit short in the detail department. The engine just doesn’t seems to be able to provide the dark, gritty, and realistic nature of the show. I know that I complain a lot about dark and gritty, but in this context I would have liked to see something with more realistic graphics.
Another thing is the gameplay underneath everything, or better yet, the gameplay you won’t find underneath it. There just isn’t much here and that’s saying something when most Telltale games are already light on game interactions. Just know that outside selecting dialogue choices you’ll mostly be finding yourself hitting up, down, left, or right at the correct time just like an old FMV game. Again, I’d usually harp more on that, but that’s not what the game is going for. Instead Telltale is sticking more closely with giving players a unique string of episodes from the show told in an interactive format where lasting choices are its core.
All that being said “Iron from Ice” serves as a high-point for Telltale and does what a television/movie licensed game never has done before. It’s a great experience that will have you wrestling with tough moral choices and have you demanding that all your friends play it so you can have long discussions about it together. You can check out our gallery of gameplay screenshots below.
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