Game of Choices....and lots of them.
User Rating: 8.5 | Game of Thrones X360
I don't write alot of reviews. Usually, I'm only provoked into action when I passionately feel a game is getting a raw deal and can't find a reviewer that seems to have played it for more than an hour. Evidentially, gamespot is the only credible web site / review house that did that. This game is a story driven masterpiece, backed up by some very inventive combat ideas. I'm not going to tell you that you must know the "Game of Thrones" lore to enjoy this game (like every other review I've read), because I knew none of it when I bought it, never watched the show, didn't read the novel. I know some of it's lore now, from playing this ingenious interactive novel. I must emphasize, the first hour of playing this game is rough, even painful at times, with a steep learning curve on the controls concept. It takes a serious investment to get the hang of switching between characters, including an awesome pooch, your powers, your potions and in Alester's case his religous boons. I was frustrated, but then it "Clicked" and I realized how it was meant to be played! Suddenly, I longed for battle, revenge and loot. The dialogue choices and results rival any game I have played including ME3. Ser Mors Westford is just a badass, and would fit well in the Warhammer universe, in fact, I believe he is voiced by the actor who has done the pc games for THQ. The parallel story lines come together brilliantly and I found myself recognizing characters and imposters from Mors' storyline, acting and betrayiing in Alester's story, and wanted badly to intervene, but that's the brilliance of this game, it's not only an RPG, it is a game of intrigue and strategy like no other. Atlus / Cyanide threw away the cookie cutter with this project and took huge risks to make something unique and different. Unfortunately, the button mashing masses and the generic Hack and Slash RPG fans will find none of that here. This is a smart person's game, and that's meant as a sheer compliment to those that are enjoying it. Nothing about this game is black and white, try to be evil, you will fail, try to be the heavenly do-gooder and you will be defeated. See the big picture and take the sometimes not so obvious diplomatic route to your goal - and you might succeed. Then again, you might be betrayed by your own brother. Give this one a chance if you consider yourself a hardcore strategist and enjoy hybrid turn based combat. Invest that hour, it pays off.
