Game of Thrones: Kingsroad – Ongoing Review

Alright, here we go. So, I’m diving into this Game of Thrones thing, right? Kingsroad. That’s what it’s called. It’s like this early access-version game. You probably know the whole epic battles and dragons vibes the series is famous for. And what do you know? Netmarble decided to turn it into some open-world mobile RPG. Sounds fun at first, but hang on.

So, I’m bumbling around in this Early Access version for 20 hours—yes, really, 20 hours. Set during season four, if that means anything to you. Anyway, you start as this bastard kid (yeah, that’s the term) of House Tyre. Dad’s not doing well, so it’s your job to step up in this medieval soap opera. Get this: you even get to meet Jon Snow. Pretty cool, huh?

But—and there’s always a but—things get grindy. Like, I mean, do you enjoy chopping wood in your spare time? No? Then prepare yourself because the amount of effort or cash you gotta throw at this game is wild. And not in a good way.

When you first pop in, it throws you some choices about what kind of warrior you want to be. I tried the Sellsword. Thought I’d channel some Tormund vibes. But, if you’re like me and indecisive about these things, you can start over with another class—kinda helps you spread the pain, I guess.

Anyway, they kinda nailed the look of Westeros. At least at first glance! I was there, taking in the Wall and Winterfell, thinking, “Hey, this looks great.” But hang on, stick around too long, and you’d swear the grass is popping up like spring-loaded waffles. NPCs start acting like creepy marionettes—like, they stare at you and you wonder if they’ll pop a question or something. It’s all sorts of uncanny valley.

Now, let’s talk combat. Ever felt like you’re spinning in rinse-and-repeat dry cycles? Yeah, that’s combat for you. I mean, sure, different faces on baddies and varying numbers, but the dance is the same each time. You dodge, dash—standard fare. Sometimes there’s a challenge to pick apart groups, but mostly it’s a bag of repeated moves.

Story cutscenes tugged at my old heartstrings, luring me into helping with noble quests. But the combat? Meh, it’s just, you know, redundant. There are these upgrade trees, though. Looking forward to seeing if it spices things up. Crossed fingers.

Though it’s not all stale bread. There are these nifty platforming puzzles to break the monotony. Digging around for secrets—chests and lore, good stuff! Got me thinking of a stripped-down version of Assassin’s Creed, lite, if that clicks for you.

Ah, and then, the big ol’ microtransactions elephant. They nudge you towards your wallet faster than you’d say “Winter is coming.” Fast travel? Pay up. Speed through resurrection? Cash, please. Want better loot? Guess what. Yep. Who thought an appealing Game of Thrones setup would have so many cash traps, huh? Feels kinda sinister.

There’s more to see, they say. Still holding out hope the 1.0 version fleshes out better. But seriously, after 20 hours, you’d think I’d be knee-deep in Westeros by now, but no. I’m looking at artifacts, upgrades, and…estate stuff? Haven’t a clue what that really means yet.

So, in short, get ready to cough up the dough for a taste of ruling—or maybe just stick to watching the show. Save your coins for snacks.