Alright, here we go. Totally inspired by that “let’s just sit and chat” vibe. So, I jumped into this early version of Game of Thrones: Kingsroad—not the final Shebang yet—and I gotta say, it’s a wild ride. Or maybe a weird one? Probably both. Anyway, here I am diving into the medieval chaos and looking for power—good old motivator, right? But, I’m feeling this low-key dread creeping in. Yeah, it’s the grind. Ugh, right? Either I’m shelling out cash or stuck on this endless loop of fights. Fun times, huh?
So, you’re this illegitimate kid, last of House Tyre. Sounds intriguing, eh? Daddy dearest isn’t doing too good, and you need to hustle for some fans across Westeros. Whoever thought your character arc needed a broken family trope, kudos. You’ll run into Jon Snow, Sam, and even the delightful Boltons—lovely folks… not. You get a crash course in the GoT vibe with a dash of White Walkers terror, which seems like the tutors could have been less intense, but hey, it’s GoT.
Choosing your warrior type feels like picking ice cream—do you go Knight, Sellsword, or Assassin? I’m juggling swords, thanks to Tormund vibes, but for those who fear commitment, you can juggle classes like hobbies. Handy, except for replaying quests multiple times—yay, redundancy.
Playing dress-up is a thing too! The character creator lets you tweak everything, like face muscles (wild), and even glittery hair. Not as detailed as some games, but you can make your warrior look like they’ve seen stuff, or none of it, whatever floats your boat.
Now, making it big in King’s Landing isn’t a cakewalk. You gotta earn your keep, running errands and fighting pesky bandits. Sounds epic, but Kingsroad gets a bit lazy on making it exciting. The scenery, although stunning at first, starts glitching like a bad TikTok edit after a while. It’s supposed to feel all Hogwarts but ends up going Sims 1 on you.
NPCs? They’re the real horror show. Either they’re overly dramatic or stare you down like paintings that weren’t supposed to move. Conversations are a trip through uncanny valley, jaws flapping like they’re practicing for Hamlet. Weird, but kudos for the unintentional comedy.
The way you move around—man, it’s ice skating no matter what terrain. Imagine slipping into enemy camps by accident. Hilarious, until it’s not. Combat’s kinda hit or miss too. Fights start feeling like déjà vu real fast, all running around swatting at foes. There were some cool strategies, like picking off enemies stealthily, but mostly it’s repetitive duties, facing the same baddies wearing a new hat.
Cutscenes do tug at the heartstrings sometimes—save kids, save farmers, typical heroic deeds. But, despite all the efforts, the combat scenes dull the emotional punch. There are skill trees promising some variety, but we’ll see if they spice things up later on.
A silver lining is the fun platforming puzzles scattered around. It’s a relief from the usual hack and slash. The world kinda gives off Assassin’s Creed vibes, but with a medieval GoT skin. It’s fun spotting hidden gems and exploring dilapidated castles, even with all the floaty movements.
Oh, and about this Momentum business—it’s like your ticket to explore new digs. As expected with mobile roots, unless you grind like crazy, you hit this wall of pay-to-win mechanics. Surprising? Eh, not really. But it’s frustrating when everything good is locked behind a paywall—it’s like trying to enjoy a rollercoaster with no wheels.
The game has more currency options than words in a Shakespeare play. Side quests feel more like chores with cash traps everywhere. Pickpocketing your digital wallet seems to be the main game, not saving Westeros!
Yet, when you’re not sidetracked by the sneaky monetization schemes, it does capture the GoT magic. Riding dire wolves across frosty plains has a cinematic touch. But the magic blurs when money nags at every corner.
At 20 hours in, I feel like I’ve only dusted the surface. The full release has me curious with elements like estate management up for grabs. But here’s what’s clear post-early play: In Kingsroad, it’s pay or perish time!
