A few days ago, the official trailer for HBO’s Game of Thrones season seven was released, and the final countdown to the airing of the newest instalment based on George R.R.Martin’s epic novels has begun.
To shorten the wait of these few weeks, recap on some of the highlights of the past seasons, and to really get in the mood for the upcoming premiere, why not explore some of these GoT gaming titles?
Some of these are older projects, some are quite fresh, but all are varied in genre and style, and all have something to offer for the fans of the series.
Game of Thrones Ascent for iOS, Android, Facebook
This is a highly accessible, moderately simplistic game which you can play on-the-go. It features mini-quests, unlockables, and interesting, though mostly unknown characters. It’s nothing to write home about, but is one of those highly addictive games you can’t put down until you level up just one more time.
Also, though it features loads of in-game purchases and annoying add-ons, the basic free level of the game is pretty good, and some of the detailing surpasses that which you’d expect from a free-to-play game.
A Game of Thrones: Genesis for PC
This is a real-time strategy title featuring many familiar faces from both the book and the televised series. Although the graphics are meh, as this game is a few years old, the mechanics are still relevant and the world, as well as the lore, is immersive. Reminiscent of some of Blizzard’s Starcraft campaigns, this is a rustic, quite charming take on Westeros.
Game of Thrones for PC, PS3, Xbox360
An action-RPG title, this game features Final Fantasy-esque action-wheel battle sequences, long cinematic scenes and numerous familiar names. True to the RPG genre, there is sufficient looting, sneaking, crafting and upgrading, and the title features a whole separate ability tree for your faithful canine companion, as well as parallel story-lines.
I found the conflict mechanics tedious and boring, but on the flip side, the world is depicted beautifully, and you get a chance to interact with some of your favourite characters (thought many are *sigh* no longer alive).
Game of Thrones 2014 for PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Android, iOS, PC
This is probably the most satisfying project of all the ones listed here, as it is essentially an interactive movie. Telltale Games, the developer behind The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us and Batman titles, have incorporated their unique graphics and gameplay mechanics into this game, resulting in a smooth fit with the GoT style that fans have grown to love. Interact with, embody, and control numerous of the series’ protagonists, as you choose your own path, and part to play, in the build-up to the Great War.
There are also numerous mods, such as Game of Thrones Total War mod, and Crusader Kings II – A Game of Thrones mod, both of which are lore-heavy, upscale, highly-detailed strategy games for the more dedicated fans. Also, HBO and Bigpoint are in the process of creating Game of Thrones: Seven Kingdoms – a highly-anticipated, singular GoT MMORPG, so keep an eye out for that title.
Hi there. I'm Irina, a student/staff member at University of Stirling, studying English and Journalism.
