Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game Series - A Song of Ice and Iron

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Rad Games > Game of Thrones: A Telltale Game Series - A Song of Ice and Iron

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Karpaw posted:

I think this series will show whether Telltale is stuck in a rut or has promise for the future. Focusing on story-driven games is all well and good but it doesn't absolve you of the need to innovate and experiment with mechanics, instead of thinking that PROFOUND MORAL CHOICES ON A TIMER (that eventually play out the same way except for minor details) is some kind of golden formula that you can coast on forever.

Yeah, TWD Season 2 and Wolf Among Us were still good, but they were a big step down from TWD Season 1 writing and gameplay-wise. Hopefully they can get back on track, though I have a sneaking suspicion that this will end up being a repeat of TWD Season 2 where Telltale had way too many characters than they knew what to do with so they were just shallow characters that they just offed for cheap and hollow drama.

# ¿ Nov 21, 2014 17:22

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# ¿ Sep 21, 2023 09:59

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Yeah, that was actually pretty solid, it had a lot more meat to it than the later episodes of both TWD Season 2 and TWAU did and its getting back to that feeling that TWD Season 1 had where while the plot is inevitable you still can shape the tone and relationships with the characters. You definitely need to have knowledge of the source material though, unlike those two. Good thing I binged on YouTube clips and Wiki articles after I got gifted the game. Hopefully Telltale keeps this up, because I feel they have been slipping lately but with this and what of I've heard Borderlands it seems it might have been just a rough patch.

# ¿ Dec 3, 2014 00:56

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

One question though, can Ethan's title be different depending on how you deal with being lord? Because I made Duncan Sentinel and was smart around Ramsay and didn't antagonize the man who tortures for fun and profit and in death people call Ethan "The Wise". Does this change if you hosed it up?

# ¿ Dec 3, 2014 02:12

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

See that's what I liked about Walking Dead Season 1 and what I thought was really missing in Season 2 and Wolf Among Us. I really hope they keep that up.

# ¿ Dec 3, 2014 02:19

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

I do also have to say that so far at least none of the deaths feel cheap like in Walking Dead Season 2. In that one it just felt like that they had no idea what to do with the characters so they just offed them in contrived situations. Not the case with this game so far.

# ¿ Dec 3, 2014 03:35

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Walking Dead Season 1 is fantastic and is one of the best games of all time. Season 2 and Wolf Among Us are big steps down in comparison due to weaker writing and really watered down gameplay and player input but they are still good games worth playing.

Yeah, I'd also recommend Sam and Max if you want some comedy. The first season is by the far weakest but its still solid enough, Season 2 is when they start hitting their stride, and then Devil's Playhouse is just as good if not better than Hit the Road.

The Back to the Future game also got the spirit of the series down pat and is good too.

Accordion Man fucked around with this message at 22:03 on Dec 3, 2014

# ¿ Dec 3, 2014 21:58

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Hakkesshu posted:

So it'll probably be out next week?

That's how Telltale's been doing their trailers for some time now, so yeah.

# ¿ Jan 22, 2015 03:30

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

DialTheDude posted:

Yeah, these were mine as well.

Also, what happens if you choose to attack Damien instead of running? Does she kill him right there, or just injure him? My line of thinking is that an injured guard would tell others which was something Mira could do without and I didn't want to take that 50/50 chance of somebody weeding her out.

On another note, I'm really glad that the actors from the show didn't phone it in. It's good to see that they take the side stuff as seriously as the real deal.

She kills him.

I wonder how far they are going to take some of these choices because they at least seem to have bigger impact than TWD Season 2 and TWAU, like Margery being unwilling to help because her first try didn't end so well.

Accordion Man fucked around with this message at 23:45 on Feb 3, 2015

# ¿ Feb 3, 2015 23:42

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Frankston posted:

I kissed the Whitehill dude's ring and immediately regretted it, but after what happened with Ethan I didn't want to risk causing another incident so soon. Can someone tell me what happens if you don't kiss his ring?

Whitehill threatens to just take all the Ironwood for himself. Elaena is also impressed by Roderick not backing down. Like Beefart I'm totally playing Roderick as a changed man wanting vengeance and not taking Whitehill's poo poo. Seemed pretty appropriate, especially after playing Ethan diplomatically.

# ¿ Feb 4, 2015 01:08

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Okay this game has officially gotten great and I have to say this has to be the most actually reactive game of theirs yet. I was flying by the seat of my pants really hard over hard I actually managed to almost completely gently caress up in Mira's section and it was actually thrilling but I saved my rear end because I knew it was smart to have one of the castle spies on my side. TWD Season 2 and TWAU must really have been a rough patch because this game is some real good poo poo.

Accordion Man fucked around with this message at 22:11 on Mar 24, 2015

# ¿ Mar 24, 2015 22:07

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Also it can't be Royland either because if he was really a traitor he could have easily murdered Rodrick on the corpse cart and no one would ever know. It's totally the maester.

# ¿ Mar 24, 2015 23:40

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Dolash posted:

Why would you ever burn the decree? I don't understand how that'd help at all.

Because Tyrion wrote it/potentially has his name on it so everyone would think Mira was potentially involved with Joffrey's assassination.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2015 00:41

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

StopHangingDjs posted:

But people already saw her associate with Tyrion. Why would the letter be necessary?

Concrete evidence that they had a deal going. Maybe I'm wrong though and I wouldn't mind, another round of barely avoiding crashing and burning with Mira would be fun.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2015 00:56

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

There's been no official word on why but Willingham nixing the police plot-line is the more plausible scenario taking the content that got cut and was left in the game into account.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2015 05:21

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Shimrra Jamaane posted:

What was the original plot going to be for TWAU?

The police, namely the female detective in the beginning of Episode 2, were going to have a far more prominent role. They would start to get suspicious of the Fables due to Lily's murder and the detective would have headed the investigation into the Fables. Its most likely why the Tweedles have a file on her in their office in Episode 3 for apparently little reason, originally they were keeping tabs on her due to her investigation. Said female detective also featured in the early teasers for Episode 2 as well. There's not much beyond that and as I said there's been no official word on it, but there's enough evidence that stuff did get cut.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2015 05:29

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Shimrra Jamaane posted:

But there's no evidence that they changed the killer though?

Not very. The red-headed guy who people predicted was The Boy Who Cried Wolf due to his tie with shepherd's crooks on them did stop appearing after Episode 1 where he appeared several times, but if he was the original killer (Which there's very little evidence of, unlike the cop plotline) he was most likely a casualty of Willingham stopping the original plotline and not because people came to the conclusion of his possible identity early. If Telltale worried so much about the latter they wouldn't have him pop up so much in Episode 1.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2015 05:41

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Seriously the only way for it not to be totally braindead stupid and contrived is for it to be the Maester

# ¿ Mar 28, 2015 03:29

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Frankston posted:

Some good moments in this episode, but it's getting to the point now that I don't really care which option I choose because things are just going to get even more hosed up somehow.

Like, Ramsay turning up at the end of the episode. Why is he back here? Anyway, smashing Gryff's face in with the cane was therapeutic at least but I know that that's going to backfire somehow when we make the trade.

Yeah, the game's been good but Ramsay in this game just feels like Edgy McEdgelord to me instead of feeling genuinely creepy and threatening. May be a problem in the source itself but I wouldn't really know for sure.

# ¿ May 27, 2015 00:29

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Asema posted:

A mixture of too many TellTale games and playing the far superior Life is Strange has me pretty sure this will be the last time I buy a Telltale game at launch.

I'll wait for the Steam sale for any future purchases

Yeah, I actually got this game is a gift and while I think so far its better than Walking Dead Season 2 and the last half of Wolf Among Us Life is Strange and Dreamfall Chapters are so much better that it's not even funny, both have far more character and less railroading and the latter actually had choices that I found legitimately hard to make. Telltale is going to have up their game to really stand out again, but I have a feeling they won't they've been losing a good chunk of their talent lately.

# ¿ May 27, 2015 06:51

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Yeah, its pretty bad how they don't even bother trying do any kind of shades of gray but still think they are, but I don't mind it so long as I can end Ludd's fatass.

# ¿ May 28, 2015 06:51

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Litany Unheard posted:

So this is half-off on Steam right now. Should I buy it?

Relevant info:

- I liked Walking Dead S1 and The Wolf Among Us, but found Walking Dead S2 disappointing.
- I read the first two GoT books and didn't like them enough to read the third.
- I haven't watched the TV show.
- I like pointing at things and then clicking on them.

Tell me how to waste my money, goons.

Buy Life is Strange instead.

# ¿ Jun 18, 2015 03:39

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Walking Dead Season 1 was the lightning in a bottle that Telltale will never get back, especially because Jake Rodkin and Sean Vanaman left right after it finished.

# ¿ Jun 18, 2015 04:45

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Spikeguy posted:

Where did they go?

To found their own studio, Campo Santo, along with the head designer of Mark of the Ninja and a few other devs. Their first game, Firewatch, looks like it'll be great and should be out at like the end of the year.

# ¿ Jun 18, 2015 22:33

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Asema posted:

What is Firewatch

It's Just Cause 3.

# ¿ Jun 18, 2015 23:01

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

hawaiian_robot posted:

Duncan is the spy - guessing Royland would be if he wasn't chosen as Sentinel

Telltale, you're really poo poo at this whole writing thing.

# ¿ Jul 21, 2015 13:45

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Yeah, I'm seeing this trainwreck through to the end but I'm totally done with Telltale after this. This is the exact same poo poo that happened in TWD Season 2 where characters do complete 180s and contradict past events all for the sake of cheap twists and contrived conflict.

Sean and Jake were really the ones keeping the ship in shape. At least Life is Strange Episode 4 should be out next week.

# ¿ Jul 21, 2015 23:31

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

So It Goes posted:

Tales from the Borderlands is really, really good and its too bad people aren't more interested in Telltale series that aren't grimdark.

I ain't giving any money to Gearbox though.

# ¿ Jul 22, 2015 01:19

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Knuc U Kinte posted:

Oh look its Ramsey Bolton *yawns and mashes buttons until he goes away*

# ¿ Jul 22, 2015 02:05

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Ineffiable posted:

I think telltale games, (not walking dead season 1 and maybe not borderlands because it probably doesn't rely as much on shock) have a heavy rain effect.

That is, it's fine if you play them once and never touch it again. As soon as you engage in discussion or play it again a second time, the illusion is severely ruined.

TWD Season 1's plot didn't deviate that much but relationships with characters did, like how people viewed Kenny in wildly different ways. Everything that Telltale's made after doesn't do that.

# ¿ Jul 22, 2015 17:30

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Max posted:

It's funny to me because once you know the Telltale formula, it's still kinda ruined, even if you don't go back through the game. I had brought the mean Night Watch dude along with me in the previous episode, so I knew without a shadow of a doubt he would be dead. Sure enough, it happened.

I keep thinking about how great season 1 of TWD was, and how they handled decisions like that. At least there they let characters live longer than an episode after a critical path decision was made, so you would let your guard down. Here, it's just been "was there a possibility for that character to not be here? They're gonna die."

Ben was a great example of this. No matter what he dies, but if you let him die at the clock tower at the end of Episode 4 like I did you miss out on a fantastic character moment between him and Kenny in the last episode that ties both their arcs up.

Accordion Man fucked around with this message at 17:36 on Jul 22, 2015

# ¿ Jul 22, 2015 17:34

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

a cop posted:

Glad to see the game doesn't know what to do or give a gently caress if you agree with Royland in almost all circumstances but make the other guy your sentinel.

I love that Royland was the only person to find Roderick on the corpse cart so he easily could have killed him right than and there and nobody would have known. Or how I traveled to Ludd's keep with him without an army and he was totally willing to kill Ludd for me and did so in that game over sequence. It's like he was a loyal retainer the whole time, same as Duncan, but Telltale just wanted a cheap twist.

Telltale is poo poo.

Accordion Man fucked around with this message at 00:28 on Jul 23, 2015

# ¿ Jul 23, 2015 00:22

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Jimmy4400nav posted:

I've mentioned it several times, but I'll likely echo my self and others here having 5 interlaced POV's just don't really work for this context, part of what makes ASOIF work a bit better is that while somewhat interlaced, quite a few of the POVS are independent of one another and in one way or another can stand on their own as stories (Deneys POV from book one actually got released as a standalone novella and it works well on its own). Think about it, the 2 POVS people like in this series have been Mira's and Ashers, they were the two most removed from the central story of whats happening at Ironwrath, Gared suffered from "being at the Wall" narrative syndrome.

Ideally, for the story, cutting out Rodrick's whole player control might have been better. Ethan's POV was fine, it didn't out stay its welcome and it does a good job setting the scene for the higher goings on at Ironwrath. Once his business is done, just focusing on Gared, Mira and Asher would have been a better bet. Gerald's story would have needed revision, the whole North Grove thing is getting a bit silly. Instead, to make it work better with what everyone else has been doing, imagine instead the Foresters have some secret dealings with the Wildlings, and Gared's mission North is instead to figure out a way to cash in on some favors the family has to get some Wildling muscle. True its kind of functionally similar to what Asher's goal is, but in the context of everything else it could have worked better. Heck Gared could have wandered more around the North trying to pave the way for wildlings, go back and forth between Ironwrath and the Wall and allowed us to see an incomplete picture of what was going back in the homestead.

I don't know maybe I'm reaching but I feel like the narrative of this game would have benefited from some serious trimming.

It totally didn't need to be six episodes either.

# ¿ Jul 23, 2015 00:58

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

RBA Starblade posted:

By the way with Tyrion, can it ever end with you not getting tossed out by the guard? I'm guessing no matter what Cersei won't help because she's Cersei.

Nope. I have no freakin clue how Mira's subplot is going to be in anyway relevant now unless Cersei just up and decides to help for the hell of it.

Last episode is going to a be trainwreck, I'm actually looking forward to seeing how bad it gets.

# ¿ Jul 23, 2015 20:44

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Yeah, seriously Asher and Beskha were pretty much the best part and you totally could just have them gallivanting around Essos, always trying to be two steps ahead of those mercenaries that were after them but just got forgotten about.

# ¿ Jul 24, 2015 00:54

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Yeah, that definitely would be way too clever for this game.

# ¿ Aug 14, 2015 18:18

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

From the sound of the title what could be in the North Grove could be a huge gently caress off ice dragon and I'd actually be totally fine with that, because it would be dumb but the fun kind of dumb and it would resolve the plot pretty well.Though Mira would still be pointless.

# ¿ Oct 22, 2015 23:51

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

RightClickSaveAs posted:

We can always pretend that the part where you stand your ground against Lord Whatshisface in his castle and everyone gets cut down, Game Over, is the real ending.

Tales from the Borderlands really is good though, so I think Telltale just got stuck with too big an IP with this one, and is also trying to crank out 6 episodes while doing Borderlands and the Minecraft one. By the way, I had no idea the Minecraft series had started coming out, there seemed to be very little fanfare surrounding it. Has anyone here even thought about playing it? I'm morbidly curious.

The only things I've heard is that it actually manages to be worse than this game.

# ¿ Oct 23, 2015 01:50

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Honestly I was thinking of playing the last episode to see how bad the trainwreck would be but it just sounds like its more boring edgelord poo poo that goes nowhere so I'm just uninstalling it.

What a poo poo game.

# ¿ Nov 18, 2015 00:21

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# ¿ Sep 21, 2023 09:59

Accordion Man: Nov 7, 2012; Buglord

Max posted:

It's funny when you think about walking dead season 1, because the story is still on rails, but what you're really controlling is your relationship to Clem, and only worked because that relationship was written very, very well. In Game of Thrones, I didn't care about anyone.

You're not also controlling Clem's relationship with Lee but every other character, i.e. just look at how divisive Kenny is. TWD Season 1 made your choices matter when it came to who Lee is and how he interacts with the other characters and responds to the events that unfold.

# ¿ Nov 22, 2015 01:09

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