Game of Thrones (Xbox 360)

Game of Thrones is a role-playing game based on the A Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R.R. Martin and visually inspired by the HBO TV series adaptation that debuted in 2011. For the latter it uses the theme music, a number of voice actors and many recognizable elements in the scenery. The events and the setting of the game are inspired by the first book, A Game of Thrones. Instead of following the main storyline from the book and the TV series, the plot is set in parallel to it and does not overlap. As such, the struggle between the House Stark and the Lannister clan is only a reference in the game, but many locations and characters are shared.

The game is set on the continent Westeros, home of the Realm of the Seven Kingdoms. After the Targaryen line of kings ruled it for a long time, they were overthrown by a rebellion led by Robert Baratheon, who unified the lords and became the one to rule from the Iron Throne as lord of the Seven Kingdoms. The player gets to control two different characters in separate, alternating chapters. The first is Mors Westford, a member of the Night’s Watch who guards the wall dividing the continent. From Castle Black, they keep back the creatures beyond. The second character is Alester Sarwyck, a priest of R’hllor who becomes involved with the politics of court. He is only introduced in the second chapter and during the course of the game their stories intertwine.

Starting with Mors Westford, the player is able to customize both characters through a number of parameters. The first part is the combat style. Mors gets to choose between landed knight, hedge knight or magnar, while Alester has access to water dancer, sellsword, or archer. Next the player gets to distribute points between the abilities strength, agility, luck, endurance, and intelligence. Further abilities are defined through stance points with a skill tree, and a fourth step involves skill points for certain types of weapons and armour. Finally, character traits are determined through a list of strengths and weaknesses. These include for instance born leader, leech and acrobat as strengths, and witless, clumsy and allergic as weaknesses.

The game world consists of several locations marked on a map and cannot be explored freely unless corresponding quests are triggered. New areas on the world map are only opened up gradually and the story along with its quests are largely linear. The game contains typical RPG gameplay elements with primary and secondary quests, fighting opponents to complete quests and collect loot, and buying items at shopkeepers and blacksmiths to equip the character with weapons, flasks and armour. Dialogues with characters allow choices of responses that in some cases may affect plot events, but offer no conversation topics to discuss. Cutscenes are triggered automatically during certain parts of the game. Characters level up through experience points and get access to new abilities.

Combat is done in real-time, with a system reminiscent of Dragon Age: Origins. The characters do not need to be moved around to engage or dodge, and weapons are not controlled manually. Instead the player determines the actions through an action queue where different attacks, stances and abilities can be equipped and these are then performed automatically. At any moment, it is possible to “pause” the game where the gameplay is slowed down significantly, making room to re-arrange the queue with new attacks and abilities. Companions join and leave as dictated by the plot, and the player is unable to choose them and manage the party throughout the course of the game. It is possible to change to a team mate and control them directly in battles, guiding the entire party one member at a time with different attacks, cycling through targets, etc.