Telltale’s Game of Thrones: does it suck?

The scores are out for Telltale’s take on the Game of Thrones franchise

The game – which is available for PC, Mac, PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and iOS – is scheduled to be broken up into six episodes, with the first iteration titled Iron From Ice.

Iron From Ice will pick up near the end of the third season of the TV show, and ends just before the beginning of season five. Gamers will get to take control of five characters as they seek to survive the hostile world they inhabit.

First up, let’s see what Metacritic had to say.

Game of Thrones: Iron From Ice
Platform	Metacritic Score
PC	78
Xbox One	80
PS4	N/A at time of writing

Now the reviews.

Gamespot – 8/10 (PS4)

Telltale has again successfully paired itself with a franchise that knows how to wring emotion from its audience. Game of Thrones is off to a slow but not uneventful start, with an almost unfairly large heap of teases and promises for the next episode.

The pacing is true to its source material–slow, taking its own time–but the payoff for major scenes is worth wading through. If the show makes you scream, the game will make you scream.

IGN – 8/10 (PC, PS4, Xbox One)

Tough decisions, well-acted original characters in interesting situations, and a strong, provocative ending kick off Telltale’s new Game of Thrones series in a great way.

Its nature as a side-story to the HBO show means we won’t get to decide the fate of Westeros, but this introduction is convincing evidence that the future of House Forrester puts enough at stake to make choices matter.

Game Informer – 8.5/10 (Xbox One)

Duplicating its success from The Walking Dead, Telltale has created an excellent new way for fans to enter Westeros – one that has a unique vibe that sets it apart from the books and show.

The Forresters’ story boils with intrigue in this first episode, and with Telltale’s scribes mimicking George R. R. Martin’s cruel pen, concludes with a cliffhanger and chaos.

Polygon – 6.5/10 (All platforms)

Anyone new to the setting will likely become bored long before anything interesting happens. So far, Telltale’s game leans too heavily on prior investment in this world.

It’s possible all of this is leading someplace interesting, and the final scene shows the kind of spirit and verve missing in the first two hours. But Iron from Ice is a rocky start to a promising story.

Game of Thrones

Destructoid – 7/10 (PC)

The bad situation that House Forrester is in is only going to get worse. It feels like a punch to the gut, and it sets the stage for an intensely emotionally draining experience. In spite of its blemishes, so far it looks like Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game Series deserves its place in the A Song of Ice and Fire lore.

The Escapist – 4.5/5

The first episode of Telltale’s Game of Thrones series isn’t exactly groundbreaking but it successfully draws you in to learn what happens next to the Forresters. The art style and the vocal talents are superb and the new characters feel ripped from Martin’s pages, for better or worse.

Fans of the show or the books will appreciate this adaptation, but if you’re looking for an original fantasy tale, you should search elsewhere.

Will you be playing Game of Thrones? Let us know in the comments and forum.