game of thrones a telltale games series esrb

And it’s clear that Telltale’s talented storytellers respect and understand the material from which they’re working. So Telltale’s game is one meant for existing Game of Thrones fans, which is fine and probably how it should be. Telltale assumes players know all about maesters and castellans, ravens and the surname Snow, not to mention the histories of the houses and characters that appear her, which are key to understanding motivations and catching the foreboding nature of comments that might otherwise seem innocuous.

Happily, there’s a similarly satisfying exchange near the end of the episode in which the player’s character – in this case the newly appointed lord Ethan Forrester – meets with Ramsay Snow, a fellow whom fans know to be among the most truly and purely evil characters ever devised by Martin.Īt this point it’s worth noting, if it’s not already clear, that this game will likely be something close to incomprehensible to anyone unfamiliar with the franchise’s larger story. This kind of clever, thrilling interplay is exactly what I want from a Game of Thrones game, and I hope to see more of it in coming episodes.Īlas, the scene just described didn’t last quite as long as I’d have liked. Having always wondered how I might fare as a player in Game of Thrones’ great political game, I delighted in the ability to choose responses to Cersei’s pointed questions, and took even greater pleasure whenever I was given an approving comment by Tyrion, whose eyes twinkled at my sly ability to – as he put it – provide honest answers without really saying anything at all.

Cersei, dominant and petty as ever, questions Mira about her loyalties while Tyrion offers thoughts about Mira’s responses. Speaking of Queen Cersei, the best scene in the game is far and away one in which Mira Forrester – eldest daughter of the Forrester house and one of the game’s playable characters – is summoned to speak with the Queen and her brother Tyrion (played by the inimitable Peter Dinklage). However, given the presence of several strong female characters, including both Margaery Tyrell and Cersei Lannister (voiced by Natalie Dormer and Lena Headey the actors who play them in on the HBO show) and a sequence in which two girls play at pairing and marrying various nobles, one suspects scenes of steamy intimacy may just be a matter of time. That other R-rated hallmark of Martin’s fantasy storytelling – sex – is absent, as yet. Still more proof is offered in moments of shocking violence, which are properly described as gory as all get-out – and, in one case, almost as unexpected and devastating as the Red Wedding itself. The instant familiarity does, however, suggest that Telltale is invested in delivering a story that fits within the franchise’s established and peculiar atmosphere. One might have expected more from a studio known for crafting memorable characters. Indeed, the Forresters often feel like Stark surrogates rather than a fresh house of original characters. We see a young son taking over leadership after the loss of his father, a tough-as-nails mother providing firm but respectful guidance, an aristocratic daughter ensconced in King’s Landing, a son-like squire sent to The Wall, and an historic home under immanent attack from King Joffrey’ s bannermen. The Forresters are clearly designed as a replacement for the Starks. Picking up outside The Twins moments before Game of Thrones‘ notorious Red Wedding, the first episode begins the tale of the Forrester family – a noble house loyal to Winterfell and the Starks (and only briefly referenced in the books) – from a trio of perspectives, including that of a squire, a young lord, and a lord’s daughter. Martin’s pop culture fantasy phenomenon almost perfectly channels the dark, shock-laden brand of storytelling found in HBO’s hit TV show.īut it’s going to take more than the first (of a planned six) episodes to determine whether this channeling is a case of reverent but inspired exposition or simply the retelling of a familiar story with new names. Telltale’s new dialogue-driven adventure game based on George R.

Game of thrones a telltale games series esrb