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Winter comes to the iPhone with Telltale’s Game of Thrones for iOS

The latest point-and-click adventure title from the folks at Telltale Games transports iPhone owners to the world of George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” – or rather, the TV show based on the popular book series. Available now for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, the first episode from this much-anticipated iOS app can be purchased on the App Store for $4.99 – but does Game of Thrones live up to the hype?

In Game of Thrones, you'll be able to shape the app's narrative by choosing what characters say and do.

In Game of Thrones, you’ll be able to shape the app’s narrative by choosing what characters say and do.

Sadly, the short answer to that question is a fairly assertive “no.” But before sending Telltale’s latest app to the gallows, let’s talk about some of its better features. Game of Thrones’ first chapter (“Iron from Ice”), much like the developer’s Walking Dead: The Game and The Wolf Among Us, is a so-called “point-and-click” adventure game where iPhone owners are offered the chance of choosing their own adventure for the app’s protagonists to follow. Billed as a virtual mini-series in the Game of Thrones franchise, Telltale’s app introduces gamers to House Forrester and to an all-new, sprawling storyline that’ll be a real treat for fans of the book series and television show alike.

Graphically, Game of Thrones is an impressive creation from the folks at Telltale Games.

Graphically, Game of Thrones is an impressive creation from the folks at Telltale Games.

Graphically, the game is impressive, and it runs especially well on Apple’s newer iPhone handsets. More pleasing, however, is that Telltale was able to get actors from HBO’s “Game of Thrones” to reprise their roles for the iOS application. As such, iPhone owners can not only visit familiar locations from the television show in Telltale’s Game of Thrones, but they also have the chance of talking and interacting with characters from the series, too. If you’re a big fan of the show, you’ll no doubt find this element of Telltale’s app to be a real boon.

You can also interact with objects in the application using your iPhone's touchscreen - but only in a limited way.

You can also interact with objects in the application using your iPhone’s touchscreen – but only in a limited way.

Now for the bad news. Game of Thrones for iOS aims, much like the developer’s other iOS apps, to deliver a story through its gameplay. Yet though this has worked well in the past for Telltale, with Game of Thrones the resulant effect – at least for the app’s first episode – isn’t great. As a gamer, you’ll find that a good deal of your time in the app will be spent listening to scene-setting conversations discussing upcoming events and plotlines. Though this is clearly exciting, it nevertheless renders Game of Thrones’ first episode something of a letdown – it feels more like a $4.99 prologue than anything else.

A further five episodes will be available to unlock and download as in-app purchases (IAPs).

A further five episodes will be available to unlock and download as in-app purchases (IAPs).

Moreover, in terms of iOS device compatibility, as of this writing Game of Thrones has trouble running on the second-generation iPad mini. It’s also incompatible with the iPhone 4s or below, meaning you’ll need a newer device (and ideally a current-generation model) to enjoy the application.

Best of all, actors from HBO's "Game of Thrones" have reprised their roles for Telltale's app.

Best of all, actors from HBO’s “Game of Thrones” have reprised their roles for Telltale’s app.

That being said, the overall gaming experience offered by Game of Thrones is nevertheless a reasonably enjoyable one – if you’re running the app on the right device. And even though the first episode is a little slow, we’re holding out for more exciting things to come over the course of the app’s remaining five episodes.

Price: $4.99 / £2.99
Size: 755 MB
Version: 1.1
Platform: iOS Universal
Developer: Telltale Games

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