Telltale's Game of Thrones is the only game to match HBO's intensity

Game of Thrones is back in our lives with the return of House of the Dragon. But, instead of a new season, I have a hankering for a great Game of Thrones video game to get my high-fantasy-crossed-with-political-intrigue fix in. Unfortunately, there aren’t many great options; Reigns: Game of Thrones might be the best GOT game around, but a “swipe ‘em up” strategy game isn’t exactly what I’m looking for.

Instead, Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series is the closest we have to a Game of Thrones title that emulates the tense atmosphere of HBO’s original show (well, before it infamously drove off a cliff with a much-derided ending). While it falls into the same trappings as plenty of other Telltale adventures, it’s still an enjoyable time, especially for fans who remained loyal to House Stark.

In Game of Thrones, you play as several members of House Forrester, a house that ended up on the losing side of The Red Wedding, which is where the game’s narrative begins. It’s set concurrently with the end of season 3 and runs into season 4 of the TV show, and some cast members like Emilia Clarke and Peter Dinklage reprise their roles. Dialogue choices and narrative decisions influence how the Forresters’ stories, and that of a Forrester squire, play out. But, in true Telltale fashion, player choice only goes so far.

Frustration festers early on. No matter what you do, a certain character is bound to die in episode 1 and similar plot turns happen no matter what. There’s an illusion of choice throughout the game’s story, and that push and pull over narrative direction between you and the game itself might make you roll your eyes. For example, I seemingly lost the support of a Forrester ally in one episode, only for them to come back later on still offering allegiance. The plot demands what the plot demands.

Telltale's Game of Thrones episode 5: 'A Nest of Vipers' screenshots

The best way to play a choice-based game like Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series could be by caring less about trying to steer the game with your choices and more by just sitting back and enjoying it almost like a TV show where you occasionally choose what the characters say. It’s a captivating story, and the challenges House Forrester face rival those their Stark allies tackle head on in HBO’s show and George R.R. Martin’s novels. You control the fate of this proud house, and ensuring its survival is much trickier than it sounds. There are even parallels between the Forresters and Starks, like you playing as a Forrester daughter on her own in King’s Landing.

Of course, you only recognize those parallels if you’re familiar with the source material (seven years after the show ended, you likely are if you’re interested in Telltale’s Game of Thrones). Knowing how the show plays out does have some downsides when playing the game, however. At one point I’m given the option to stab Iwan Rheon’s Ramsey Snow, which you’d hope would be a killing blow. However, I know he’s gonna be eaten by dogs in a couple seasons, so what’s the point? I’d rather just not piss him off. I saw what he did to Theon Greyjoy.

Rheon, Clarke, Dinklage, and everyone else from the show do well in bringing their characters alive in the game. Rheon is especially menacing as Ramsey, delivering a performance that’ll surely send shivers down your spine.

The Forrester cast more than hold their own with excellent performances that carry the 12-hour adventure. Russ Bain (Rodrik), Martha Mackintosh (Mira), Alex Jordan (Asher), and more deftly handle whatever dialogue choices you throw at them. The emotion of the narrative (and things can get dark) rest on their shoulders as Telltale circa 2014 and 2015 could only do so much with its character models; they cycle between a handful of unaffecting expressions.

Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series is a great option for fans who want to go back to Westeros and pretend it’s still season 4 when the show was at the peak of its powers. While the lack of real player agency can frustrate at times, the tragic tale of House Forrester is still worth following.

Next up for Game of Thrones fans is the real-time strategy game War for Westeros, which looks interesting so far and feels like a good marriage between franchise and genre. But until War for Westeros gets released, Telltale’s adventure is your best bet for a video game that fits right alongside HBO’s masterpiece of a show (until it… wasn’t).