Playing Telltale’s Game of Thrones series feels like experiencing a slightly interactive two-hour version of the TV show every two months. Whether this is a strength or weakness is entirely up to personal preference. Those still on the fence about the series should know that Telltale’s quality writers who honor and respect the source material have captured the delivery and essence of HBO’s take on the novels.
The method of storytelling solidifies in Episode Two, as players change perspectives as different Forresters throughout the episode. The timing of each “segment” is excellent, as no one character hogs the limelight, and yet there’s enough interaction and storytelling to warrant moving on to the next. This maintains one’s attention throughout the episode, and also demonstrates Telltale’s ability to adapt to different writing styles, as this form of narrative has not been employed in other titles they’ve produced.
New protagonists join the first-person ensemble while others’ arcs develop further. All characters are welcome additions and flesh out rumor from fact. What’s fascinating is taking on different personas who make comments or lay expectations on protagonists the player has control over at other times. No other developer has attempted this and I can’t wait to see what Telltale does with this design choice. How much will I be able to say about a sister or brother, and will my difficult decisions impact the flow of storytelling for another character I’m about to play as in the next fifteen minutes?
Telltale’s come to be known for its daunting decisions, and this one could put further onus on the player as his or her choices could directly affect another character he or she plays as. For example, NPCs have been continuously placing demands on another character who has the ear of a person in power. If this character chooses not to help the Forresters, then that could change the trajectory of the story, perhaps even kill a key character. Episode 2 offers a taste of this, but with four more installments promised, I have trouble living in the present, focused on possibilities instead.
Architectural commentary aside, Episode 2 seems to have given the plot footing, with Episode 1 acting more as a prelude. Here, key characters arrive on scene with the kind of stage presence that identifies them as mainstays. You know, the kinds of characters Martin has had no problem offing in the past. Tensions remain constant throughout the episode as several scenes prep themselves as cliff hangers for Episode 3, yet there’s always more of Episode 2 to enjoy. These kinds of hooks keep the two-hour experience fresh, with little downtime. However, Episode 2 still feels a little bit like table-setting rather than the plot going anywhere at full speed.
In terms of gameplay, Telltale seems comfortable letting players miss a few Quick-Time-Event cues. I missed one or two without any meaningful consequence. That said, missing a cue seems to impact the flow of battles, as not hitting “W” at the right time might get one pinned against a wall momentarily. Few areas involve walking around “Looking At” or “Using” different objects. Since these instances happen infrequently, they’re permissible, but I’m still at a loss for what they add to the experience.
Decisions made in Episode 1 have affected the flow of dialogue and NPC interaction, but no meaningful impact on the story seems to have resulted from these decisions as far as I can tell. Telltale has promised that these decisions will change the game, but to what extent I think only Telltale knows right now. As I’ve made clear in previous Telltale reviews, just changing the dialogue and my personal experience is all that matters to me, and they’ve done that ably.
In terms of presentation, the voice acting has a few odd deliveries and the graphics freeze up on occasion, but these instances are too few to substantively harm the sense of immersion. A few odd control issues arise, one of which got me killed, but, again, not enough to matter. My previous comments about the uncanny valley remain true here, but the style is sitting a little more easily now. Without spoiling too much, an old friend appears on screen, and the likeness is impressive. If only all of the characters enjoyed the same level of detail.
Indeed, Telltale’s take on Game of Thrones expertly matches that of the TV show. Unfortunately, that means the break between episodes is even more excruciating, with two month breaks versus one week (and then nine months). With fresh design choices and the heart of the source material preserved, I hope to catch the next episode before the fifth season airs on HBO.
