Game of Thrones Ep. 6 (Xbox One) - Review

Well I have well and truly effed things up for the Forrester's....

As I mentioned in my review of Episode 5 of the Telltale Game of Thrones series I felt like they were tying up as much as they could ready for an epic finale. Well I was right.

My heart was pounding from beginning to end during this episode as I watched things go from bad to worse for the Forrester's because of the decisions I had made in the previous episodes. As ever this review will be spoiler free, which I'm sure you are aware is a very difficult task when speaking of Telltale games so as such it will be a fairly short one.

Every arcing story from the previous episodes comes to a head in this final episode. A bloody mess of a head, for me at least. It is nothing short of thrilling from beginning to end, that has left me INCREDIBLY excited for the now confirmed Season 2.

The ending did feel abrupt, but I think that may be because of the dire state I had lead the poor Forrester's into. Decisions I had made previously came back full force to bite me in the ass and I was constantly kicking myself for being such a bitch/walkover/idiot in the previous episodes. Usually game finales have a final swan song for the games hero, but mine (at least) just kinda limped to a very sad and sorry end. And you know what? That made it all the greater.

Telltale does as G.R.R.M does - that is give you a character, make you feel for them and want things for them and the cruelly snatches them away in the bloodiest of ways. Would we want anything else? This game has been as true to the series it comes from as I ever could have hoped for and I can't wait for more. But first I'm gonna replay it all as closely together as I can and come back with a spoilerific review for all of those interested. Keep your eyes peeled!*

*That is once I can tear myself away from the wasteland that is The Commonwealth. Sorry folks.

Blues and Bullets Episode 1 (Xbox One) - Review

Blues and Bullets Episode 1 is available now on the Xbox One and is priced at £3.99.

Episodic games are all over the Xbox Marketplace at the minute. I'm a big fan of them myself, I'm pretty busy so to be able to 'finish' a game in under 5 hours suits me well. Then we get the next instalment about a month or so later, which is something I always look forward to, particularly with Life is Strange, King's Quest and Telltale's Game of Thrones. Well Blues and Bullets is another one to add to that list after playing the first episode.

In Blues and Bullets you begin playing as a little girl who is trapped in a cell. The story soon moves to you playing as Eliot Ness, famous for taking down Al Capone, who now runs a diner after retiring from the force 20 years ago. As always on this blog I won't go into proper story detail, but it centres around Capone and his missing daughter.

The games graphics aren't the best ever, but the art style is truly beautiful and gives ample opportunity to capture some nice screenshots for you dashboard background. The game is exclusively in black and white, with red being the only colour that is picked out which more than makes up for the lacking graphics.

This game is NOT for the faint-hearted as it features a pretty grisly murder and I've a feeling this is setting a precedent for the upcoming episodes. The game looks more open than it is, it gives you fairly large environments but they are full of hidden walls that basically lead you to exactly where you need to be so there isn't really any space to explore.

I'm very excited for what's coming next in Blues and Bullets, episode one is left on quite a big cliffhanger and I can't wait to see what happens next. At £3.99 an episode, which I'm guessing will be once every 1-2 months it's an absolute steal and one that won't break the bank. Go grab this episode and see if its for you.

9/10 BUY IT!

A code was provided for the purpose of this review. 

Game of Thrones Ep. 5 (Xbox One) - Review

The next instalment of Telltale's Game of Thrones game came out last week. Episode Five of Six (eurgh how can it be almost at the end?!) is entitled 'A Nest of Vipers' and picks up where we left off, obviously. But is Episode Five as good as its predecessors?

I have to admit to being bitterly disappointed with this episode. It definitely feels like the lull in the series and has left me wondering whether Telltale should have just stuck to a five episode series as they have done with all games prior to this. It clocks in at very little over an hour long, and when you consider that much of this hour is spent watching cutscenes this episode really does fall short of what you would expect from Telltale.

I could forgive this though if it was edge-of-my-seat storytelling, but aside from the last few minutes which were pretty damn good, it really isn't anything that special. It feels very much like they are tying off a lot of lose ends ready for the next episode, but none of it is that exciting for now. And maybe I was being silly but I was kinda expecting this to be the best episode of the game, seeing as the penultimate episode of the show is usually the one where all the shit goes down.

This episode was the first one where I found myself plagued with bugs too, which was really unfortunate. For the vast majority of my playthrough I had little to no sound, something which was definitely not a problem on my end as some sound was getting through. There is nothing more disengaging in a game like this as having to do the RTE's with no sound effects. I found myself having to dodge blades with no real indication of whether I had actually dodged it effectively or not and with no real warning at all. For the most part the speech came through fine, it was the sound effects that didn't and I have to say I'd have preferred it the other way around, at least with speech you have the option of viewing subtitles.

All this being said it was still a fairly enjoyable foray into the world that Telltale has envisioned. We got to find out who was the traitor inside Ironrath, and I would be interested to see whether it changes depending on decisions you have made throughout the game. Things come to a head for the Limping Lord of Ironrath and the end of the episode is truly frantic.

Overall I'd say this is definitely the weakest episode of the Game of Thrones series so far, but I am still excited to see what is coming next. And anyway, if you wanted the Game of Thrones game you've bought the Season Pass, so it's no extra money out of your pocket for this episode. I just wish it could have reached the climes of the previous ones, as they were bloody fantastic.

Game of Thrones Ep. 4 (Xbox One) - Review

Wow! This was an explosive episode of my favourite Telltale episodic game yet. Yes the Game of Thrones game has managed to kick The Wolf Among Us off the top spot for me. That's a big achievement.

So. You pick up where you left off, obviously, which for me meant feeling shitty that I hadn't stopped Beskha from being hurt by the dragon seeing as she has stuck with me for a long time (or so it seems). This was just one of many regrets I have in this game. I can't wait until they are all out so I can play it over and over again, correcting all the things I have done wrong. Hindsight is a great gift in a Telltale game. But for now I am sticking with the decisions I make in the extremely small amount of time that they give you. And it sucks. Big time.

In the fourth instalment of the Game of Thrones game we get to spend quite a bit of time near/in Mereen with Asher, Beskha and Malcolm(?) Asher's Uncle. At the end of the last episode they had come face to face with Deaenerys. She isn't happy with me, but gives me a job to do - help her to take control of Mereen. I have to admit I absolutely love the nods to the show and how it is all interconnected. Anyway, things do get hairy for a bit, and she gives you the choice of approaching her dragon Viserion. I declined. I'm not absolutely mental.

Gared's story, as I thought, did play a great part in this Episode. I won't ruin it, as you know I am spoiler-free, generally. But suffice it to say that this part of the story is picking up quite a bit. Up to now, I've kinda hated playing as Gared. I hate his whiny voice, and that is mostly my beef with him, because actually his story hasn't been too dull. I just preferred everybody else's before and couldn't wait to get back to them. This is the first episode that I have not wanted Gared's segments to end. A great achievement.

In the previous episodes I guess I kinda forgot that it is clearly running alongside the show, seeing as it shows snippets of both the Red and Purple Weddings. I pitched myself to Tyrion when playing as Myra, forgetting the absolute mess he spent much of last series in. Oops. For now, at least, it seems no one is too mad at me for this. Maergery Tyrell is being a bit funny, but by this point it could be for a number of reasons. I have decided to play Mira as a pretty selfish girl, except for when it comes to her family. So there aren't many people in King's Landing that haven't been thrown under the metaphorical bus for her to get what she wants. And in this episode I was faced with protecting Sera's secret so that she could marry a Lord, or ruining this happy ending by telling him that she is a bastard. Guess which I chose? King's Landing has done horrible, horrible things to me. I am dreading what Sera will say to me when she inevitably finds out, but I figured better to not piss off a Lord. I hope I'm right, but I guess we will have to wait and see.

House Forrester, as always, is a hub of much discontent. They don't seem to have many friends, do they? In this part I will have to say SPOILER ALERT, as I'm not sure how my decisions in the previous episodes have changed what happens here. I managed to save my relationship with Elaena Glenmore, and convince her to marry me in one of the previous Episodes. She turns up with her brother Arthur in this episode, and 20 of their father's best men. YES! Her father has decided that she should marry Gryff Whitehill instead and she has come to see whether I can help her. I am concerned however, as I told her that I would kill Gryff. But I didn't. I didn't mean to save him really, but I accidentally said that I'd trade him for Ryon. I'm hoping I'll be able to double cross him when the trade comes in the next episode. The moment I got to confront Gryff Whitehill was THE BEST. It was perfect. I used the move that Ser Royland had taught me before to bring him to the floor and then banged my cane to bring the Glenmore soldiers in. It was spectacular.

So again, there have been many twists and turns in the fates of the Forresters. And, again, I am eagerly anticipating the next episode. A month is far too long to wait for a game this good. If you haven't already bought it, wait it out and save yourself the pain of having to wait after you've played the newest episode through on release day. The pain is just too much to bear.

10/10 BUY IT! (Eventually)

A code was provided for the purpose of this review. 

Game of Thrones Ep. 3 (Xbox One) - Review

You all know I have been absolutely loving my foray into the Telltale depiction of Westeros so far, so has it continued to keep me gripped into Episode 3?

Well the answer to that is yes. That's it. Review done. If you even remotely like Game of Thrones and do not own this game yet then you are mental. What? You expect more of a review than that? Oh go on then!

This episode sees you pick up where you left off (obviously!) and it is this episode in particular which really shows you how your choices have affected the fates of the Forrester family. This episode, more than either of the previous ones really drills home the sense of desperation the Forrester family must be feeling.

DAENERYS!

In this episode the cast of main characters is pretty well known, leaving more room for the plot to continue. The Whitehill occupation of Ironrath is still causing tension, forcing the limping Lord Rodrik into some kind of action, as always with a Telltale game, the nature of that action is yours to decide. Mira is clinging on in King's Landing, and in my story at least is now in a very precarious position, following the death of King Joffrey at The Purple Wedding. Gared's story at the Wall is also coming along nicely, and looks sure to be a brilliant part in the next episode. Asher makes his way to Mereen, and we meet the next big character from the show... Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, Mother of Dragons, etc. etc. Seriously how does she even recite all her titles anymore?

This episode, more than either of its predecessors had me hooked from start to finish. My heart was beating so fast in certain parts and I have questioned most of the decisions I have made almost constantly, to the point where I am now pissing off my other half with my constant ramblings about the state of House Forrester ('How will they cope if another one dies?' etc.). If you want a Game of Thrones gaming experience that feels true to the franchise then the Telltale game is the only way to go. They've hit the nail on the head with this one, and I cannot wait for the next three instalments.

10/10 BUY IT!

A code was provided for the purpose of this review.

Tales from the Borderlands Episode One (Xbox One) - Review

Hopefully you all know me enough by now to know I am a massive fan of Telltale Games and all that they do. Well almost all that they do. Because it turns out that I am not a fan of their foray into the world of Pandora.

My favourite Telltale Game by far is The Wolf Among Us. Even now that they have married two of my great loves and made the Game of Thrones episodic, I just can't displace Wolf Among Us from that top spot it so rightly deserves. It is fantastic. Don't get me wrong I have loved the Walking Dead series and I am really enjoying the Game of Thrones one too, but Wolf is the one that I would recommend to anyone new to beauty of a Telltale episodic game.

There is no doubt that the artstyle of Telltale Games lends itself brilliantly to Borderlands. It seemed like a match made in heaven and one that I was eagerly anticipating. But it falls short in many ways. The thing that I, along with many others I expect, love the most about Borderlands is the anarchy. Borderlands is absolutely mental. There are no rules, you run around killing anything and everything and hoping to score some wicked loot. And that is where it's beauty lies - in the simplicity of it. The story is neither here nor there (for me anyway) and I play the game purely for the fun of it. The unparalleled joy of getting a new gun and unloading it into a midget psycho.

You play as this bad ass. And this hapless sap. 

The Telltale episodic misses out on this I feel. The story in it feels kinda lazy too, with you being able to adapt it via your character just telling the tale to the person who has captured you. There are some thrilling moments, but it all feels removed as you struggle to feel anything for the characters you are playing as. I can honestly say I didn't really care what happened to any of them, a real shame as I think it is empathy for a characters situation that drives the Telltale games.

There was a really cool little bit when I had completed the game and skipped the credits. In the same vain that they use in the game when you make a decision that can change the course of the narrative it came across the top that 'Telltale Games will remember that' which did make me giggle.

Overall this game just doesn't work for me. It feels pretty lazy and lacks the emotive writing of Telltale's other offerings. It may get better as more episodes release, but for now I'd say it's safe to skip it until it's in the sale. Grab it in the half price Telltale Collection if they run the offer again and you definitely won't feel robbed. The other games in the collection more than make up for this one.

5/10 TRY IT!

A code was provided for the purpose of this review.

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.