Despite having one of the most rich, vibrant, and popular fantasy worlds out there, the setting of Game of Thrones has been surprisingly lacking in the video game scene. If you’re really itching to visit a digital Westeros though, there are a few options.
Full Games
A Game of Thrones: Genesis
Cyanide – 2011
The first “official” Game of Thrones video game, Genesis was a strategy title that was released in the same year as the HBO show. The game charts almost the entire timeline of Westeros, as players guide their houses through approximately 1,000 years of history. While that sounds really cool, Genesis was not very well-received, with many reviewers knocking it for lackluster gameplay and half-baked concepts.
Game of Thrones
Cyanide – 2012
This action RPG was based a little more heavily on the HBO show, with a few actors from the series providing the voices for their characters. The game takes place alongside the first novel/season, with players seeing those events unfold while playing as both a Red Priest and a skinchanger. The game had a slightly better reception that Cyanide’s previous effort, but it was still widely panned for its weak gameplay and visuals.
Free-to-Play
Game of Thrones Ascent
Disrupter Beam – 2013
Game of Thrones Ascent is a text-heavy social game that’s playable on Facebook, mobile devices, and Gamestop’s Kongregate service. Social games are generally known for their commitment to quality, but Ascent is actually a pretty decent RPG (for that genre at least). The game also makes an effort to incorporate the subterfuge and intrigue that the source material is known for, although unsurprisingly, there are a lot of gameplay concessions made to the F2P model.
Blood of Dragons
Fan-Made – 2007
Technically the first ever game based on A Song of Ice and Fire, Blood of Dragons is an online, text-based game set 140 years before the events of the novels. While none of it is technically “canon,” it is maintained by the admins of Westeros.org, a resource that both George R.R. Martin and HBO writers consult to maintain the continuity of the series.
Upcoming
Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series
Telltale Games – 2014
Last year at VGX, Telltale announced plans to bring its distinctive adventure game stylings to the world of Game of Thrones. While we don’t know much about the specifics of the story, we do know that many major characters from the source material will show up, and that Telltale has hired Ty Corey Franck, the personal assistant of George R. R. Martin, as a story consultant.
As for the gameplay, expect lots of dialogue, tough decisions, and people remembering things.
Considering Telltale’s previous track record with The Walking Dead, this could be the proper Game of Thrones video game that we’ve all been waiting for.
Game of Thrones: Seven Kingdoms
Bigpoint/Artplant – TBA
Seven Kingdoms will be the first graphical MMO based on Game of Thrones. The game is being developed by the same team as Battlestar Galactica Online, and will focus mainly on PVP gameplay. Players will be able to align themselves with either the Baratheon, Stark, or Lannister houses, and engage in one-on-one duels, small group combat, and large scale siege battles.
Mods
Crusader Kings II : Game of Thrones
This total conversion mod for Cruasder Kings II allows you to participate in Robert Baratheon’s rebellion against the mad King Aerys. Arguably the coolest thing about this mod is the ability to play as just about any noble in Westeros, from the major players like King Aerys and Ned Stark, to literally hundreds of other minor lords.
Game Of Thrones Adaptation Mod For Skyrim
If strategy isn’t your bag, this mod transforms Skyrim into an impressive sandbox for some Game of Thrones-inspired adventures. In addition to transforming all of the major cities and castles into Westeros locations like Casterly Rock and Winterfell, the mod also adds a bunch of unique locales such as The Wall and Dragonstone. The game’s story and quests have also been overhauled, with all of the dialogue altered to fit the War Of The Five Kings era of the source material.
If that wasn’t enough, the mod also adds dozens of new companion characters including Tyrion Lannister and Arya Stark.
Westeros: Total War
This mod transforms Medieval II Total War into a pretty flexible way of recreating some famous Game of Thrones battles (or imagining some new ones). You can play as just about any of the major houses, and while there isn’t a whole lot of diplomacy or subterfuge, the Total War base package offers a lot of great combat options.
A Clash Of Kings: Mount & Blade: Warband
If you’d rather skip all of the story and just bash another player over the head with some Westeros weaponry, this mod might be for you. A Clash of Kings overhauls Mount & Blade with a map that covers the entire continent of Westeros and part of Essos, 20 unique factions including Dorne and The Stormlands, over 1,000 new items, and 26 new companions inspired by characters from the books, just to name a few of the new features.
