Telltale’s ‘Game of Thrones: Iron from Ice’ according to the internet

A television and novel series as big and popular as Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, for you literature lovers) was bound to get a video game series sooner or later. Thanks to Telltale Games — the chaps behind The Walking Dead game series — that vision (of probably a good millions of Game of Thrones fans) is now an iron reality.

Broken up into six episodes, the first dubbed “Iron from Ice” was released to much of the world’s consoles and systems 2 December, and is causing quite a few waves in the gaming industry across the internet.

So what are gaming aficionados, journalists and YouTubers saying about the game?

From this point on I should issue a spoiler warning: if you’re not too familiar with the show and planning with the long December binge you might want to stop right where you are. Additionally, if you’re in the midst of the novels, the same can be said.

Read more: Telltale’s ‘Game of Thrones: Iron from Ice’ video game trailer is here

As an introduction for those who wish to soldier on, here’s GameHQMedia‘s helpful little walk through of the first few minutes of gameplay. It sets the tone and style of the title up nicely.

Note the oil-painting-like graphics, something that sets the game apart from most released this year.

Of course, all publications seem to have differing opinions on the game.

Kotaku‘s Kirk Hamilton gets a gold star for funniest review thus far, suggesting that those “difficult decisions” that gamers often have to make in games are even more pertinent in Iron from Ice. Additionally, “the writing is solid, the world feels like Westeros” and gamers are forced to be “in control of several different characters”. Hamilton names five, while three are actually playable in the first episode.

But here’s the most memorable quip:

The game opens during the Red Wedding, which effectively sets the tone for the rest of the episode. Everyone is so happy! Everything’s great! Remember when we captured the Kingslayer? Good times! Next stop: Casterly Rock! Except no, nope, none of that is going to happen, because this is Westeros, where everything inevitably turns to dogshit.

Remember that infamous Red Wedding episode, don’t you? Of course, depression isn’t the cure for everyone’s laughter, and that’s especially true based on The Verge‘s view.

Andrew Webster draws many comparisons between the game and the TV series, noting its pace, or lack thereof. With new unknown-to-TV characters to introduce, the first episode is slow and “lacks the punch you’d expect from a series like this.”

He also remarks (like Hamilton) that the gamer is faced with some tough decisions off the bat that means the difference between life and death for certain characters. In a sense, the game gives you George R.R. Martin’s shoes to plod around in. Thanks in part to this, Webster notes that the haphazard, multiple perspective scenarios that makes the novels and TV series so addictive, doesn’t quite work in the gaming world:

Splitting time between three new characters in just two hours means I never got the chance to really learn much about any of them. This is particularly problematic when you have to make sudden decisions (you usually have to make choices within just a few seconds, forcing you to act quickly).

With that said, the game sounds more like a DLC pack for the TV series (if you will) as opposed to a game, and this is a Redditor’s major criticism of the title:

While this makes me sound like a book-elitist, I really wish this wasn’t tied into the show. While I understand that’s where the majority of the fans are, there are so many stories that are mentioned in the books, but not expanded on, that would be awesome to see fleshed out.

Some are more partial to the similarities.

Read more: Is this the Game of Thrones video game we all so desperately crave?

IGN‘s Dan Stapleton emphasises the TV series’ characters’ roles in voicing their respective characters and lauds the “likenesses” between the two media. Something he’s not as chuffed with is the strange and glitchy animations, especially when characters (and their limbs, no less) suffered from strange warping motions, or hilariously, completely vanishing.

Overall, he notes that Telltale’s Game of Thrones debut was a “strong, provocative ending kick off” to the episodic series. The game was awarded an 8/10.

But what does the rest of the internet make of the game?

Other Redditors suggested that the title take place in an awkward timeframe, and not the more intriguing time, like before Robert’s Rebellion — a curious period which isn’t captured in the TV series, except for the occasional dialogue.

Twitter however has a different opinion altogether on this matter:

The highest praise I can give @telltalegames‘ #IronFromIce is that it feels like an episode of @GameOfThrones. A fantastic one. Bravo.

— Occupy Westeros (@OccupyWesteros) December 3, 2014

Telltale’s “Game of Thrones” is pretty cool so far, although I feel like I’m actually not good at it at all. #IronFromIce

— Uncle Dommy (@DomMahoney) December 3, 2014

Others are already comparing this title to Telltales other games, notably Tales from the Borderlands:

But so much has already happened. We’ll see if this episode keeps up the pace like #talesfromtheborderlands did. #IronFromIce #GameOfThrones— Kevin Atteridg (@katteridg) December 3, 2014

Of course, the beauty of an episodic game is that it can be tweaked along the line, even if ever so subtly. Telltale’s games are usually blessed with intriguing story lines and engrossing ambiances and with Game of Thrones‘ fan backing, it’ll probably go on to be one of the more talked about games this December.

But is there a shock or two to come?