Game of Thrones fans are about to be introduced to one of the bigger names in game development lately, Telltale Games. Telltale got the license for the HBO series, and the first episode drops this week… and since it’s arriving on PCs, mobile, and consoles, a lot of novice gamers will be giving it a shot. So, here’s a primer on Telltale and how to play the games.
I remember every game based on a movie sucked when I was a kid. This isn’t actually good, is it?
Well, Telltale was personally selected by George R.R. Martin and his assistant was put on the project as a story consultant. The reason? Telltale broke through to critical acclaim with the highly praised Walking Dead series and has adapted the beloved comic series Fables to a game as The Wolf Among Us, not to mention their takes on Back To The Future and Jurassic Park.
What’s the plot?
The game follows House Forrester, which is loyal to House Stark. That does not go well for them for obvious reasons, and it’s up to you to work out how to get them out from under. Here’s a trailer!
So this will be tied to the series?
Technically, yes, although you’re not going to miss anything in the show if you don’t play this game. The reverse, however, might be true.
So what, exactly, is this game like to play?
It’s a dialogue-driven adventure game. Telltale’s style is marked by simple gameplay, mostly choosing dialogue options, to drive the story, and generally some simple puzzle solving or interactive gameplay where you get a circle into another circle and hit a button to complete an action.
Most importantly, though, there’s not one path through. What you say and what choices you make will change the direction of the game. If you call Tyrion a talking stump early on in the game, he’ll remember it and act accordingly later on. It won’t screw you over and send you back to the beginning, but it may make life harder for you and different options will close off or open up depending on your choices.
Will we see anybody from the show?
Cersei, Tyrion, Margaery, and Ramsay Snow will all pop up, and those are just the characters we know about. HBO’s involved, so expect more surprises along the way.
Beyond having a few actors, will it be anything like the show?
To answer that question, here’s the second-worst thing you have to do in the first episode of The Walking Dead: Season Two.
Gah! What’s the worst thing?!
You really don’t want to know.
What do mean by “episode?”
The game will be sold in six parts; you can buy the episodes individually, or shell out for the full “season” of games for a lower overall price.
When will the other episodes be out?
Telltale tends to deliver them on a bimonthly basis, usually alternating with another game; in this case, that would be Tales From The Borderlands. But they also tend to drop them without warning; we didn’t know the first episode was arriving this week until the day before Thanksgiving. Again, buying the season pass means you just download it when it comes out, and that’s really the best way to keep track.
Will there be boobs?
We’ll let you know.
