Game of Thrones Ep. 2 (Xbox One) - Review

If you've been reading my blog you will remember that I gave the first episode in the new Telltale Game of Thrones series a 10/10, so the second had a lot to live up to...

Well I'll cut to the chase and say that it did! In many ways it was better, mostly because you started to see the effects of your decisions in the first episode, many of the decisions made in episode one are quite far reaching, indeed, you didn't really see many consequences in the first episode.

In this episode we get to meet Jon Snow! Gared makes it to the wall and after making some friends/enemies we get to go to the top of the wall with the man himself. It is a great rendering of Jon Snow, just as dour as he is in the TV series and I was truly excited when in the trailer for this episode I first got a glimpse of him.

Jon Snow. He knows nothing...

We also got to see a bit more of Mira in King's Landing and see how the choices you made in the first episode effect her life there. Which I think up to now has been one of the most interesting parts of the game. I don't really like Mira though, but there's no mistaking the fact that she is playing in the big leagues with regards to who she can reach out to.

Lord Whitehill makes another appearance at House Forrester, to gloat and be generally horrible. There are many things going on in House Forrester which I won't ruin here, but suffice it to say that it is incredibly interesting.

We also get to play as Asher, the Forrester that was exiled to Essos. Although I don't know how for me really as I chose NOT to send Malcolm to Essos in search of him, maybe I found a glitch? Anyhow I'm not going to complain. Asher is a great character that I feel will really come into his own when or if he makes it back to Westeros.

Asher in Essos. Try saying it drunk.

Reviews for these games are fairly difficult to do, as I really don't want to spoil any of the big surprises for you guys. But, just like in the show, the twists and turns keep coming and it really keeps you on your toes. There is no slacking on this game, with every decision you make you may be endangering the lives of others, and lets be honest its Game of Thrones, you probably are. With each choice that comes I am constantly pressing the corresponding button at the last minute as I desperately struggle to decipher every possible way it could be construed. It's a real thinker and I absolutely love it for that. There have been many Game of Thrones games to date, but none has captured the true spirit of Westeros quite like this one has. If you haven't already got it DO IT. At the time of writing this the whole Telltale Collection is half price on the store, and in my opinion they are five games that you just can't do without!

10/10 BUY IT!

A code was provided for the purpose of this review.

Unmechanical: Extended (Xbox One) - Review

Unmechanical: Extended released on 11th February in Europe and is priced at £7.99. Unmechanical was a game released in 2012 for Windows, and the devs have now seen fit to bring it to the console with a bit of an extension. It features quite possibly the cutest robot ever on its apparent quest to escape from....well somewhere.

This was one of the most intriguing things about Unmechanical: Extended for me, it has literally no dialogue. There is no over-arching plotline. Nothing to guide you on your way, and NO TUTORIAL! Many people have grown sick of the hand holding tutorials within games now, that stop you from getting into the action for what seems like a huge amount of time. Well have no fears with this game, as everything is left for you to figure out, and it's all the better for it.

Cutest robot ever?

As you make your way through the scenery, you come across little puzzles that will unblock that route and allow you to venture forth. These puzzles are simplistic but brilliant, much like the game. There is enough variety that you won't get bored, but at the same time the game never really throes you a huge curveball. With just a little thought these puzzles are quite easily overcome, and this isn't a bad thing - quite the opposite in fact - as it makes for a truly enjoyable experience instead of one marred with frustration at the sometimes silly solutions to the puzzles. we've all been there right?

No Unmechanical:Extended takes puzzle games back to their beautiful basics. The music is relaxing and so so fitting to the overall feel of the game. The lack of story only makes the game MORE interesting, as you attempt to fill in the gaps. Who is this robot? Where is he? Why does he need to escape? The graphics are gorgeous and the extremely simple controls are a pleasure to use. This game is proof that a simple little game can be excellent if done correctly.

Priced at £7.99 I'd say this is very competitively priced (although what happened to indies being <£5!?). Considering the last game I reviewed was also this much I have absolutely no qualms in stating that if you have that amount sitting about then THIS is the game you should get. It is a brilliant experience, and one that you won't regret. For the hardcore gamer it might feel a little slow, but for anyone else I'd say give it a go!

9/10 BUY IT!

A code was provided for the purpose of this review.