- As always with any of my Telltale Game reviews, I will attempt to keep spoilers to a minimum, but there still maybe some spoilers ahead, especially when talking about episode one. So with that in mind, you have been warned.
Time has certainly flown by with Telltale’s Game of Thrones and it’s no wonder why, because other then the episode 2 hiccup, the season is going from strength to strength and episode 4; Sons of Winter is no exception. What really stands out for me in this episode is that business is really picking up for each of our four main leads. The choices that you make and the situations that you find yourself in will clearly have more repercussions then before, with just about every major choice you make is bound to come full circle and splat you in the face like a clown at a carnival. In the first few episodes, the Forrester family were getting pushed around (with the exception of Asher), but it seems that the family are growing a new set and the game is about to change.
Let’s start with Gared Tuttle, the loyal and former squire of House Forrester, banished to the Nights Watch. In this episode, his journey has only really just begun. After he was attacked by one of the Bolton guards in the previous episode, it was never going to end well. Despite being the one attacked, and depending on what choices you made while defending yourself (I was reluctant to fight), the Nights Watch views this as a break of an oath by killing a fellow “brother”. Regardless of whether it was in self-defence or not.
However, as they say, when one door closes, another door opens and while being imprisoned and a death sentence looming, with nothing to lose, Gared escapes the Nights Watch. But if Gared is going to make it to the North Grove in the hope of helping his House Forrester, he’s going to need a little help along the way and he doesn’t leave the Watch alone and he is accompanied by at least one of his now deserted brothers. In the previous episode, Cotter revealed that he was once a Wildling, which raised questions over his level of trust. It becomes apparent that he has more than one motive in why he would help you escape The Wall and join you on your journey. Gared soon discovers his motives on why he would escape and without giving too much away, it will be interesting to see where Gareds tale takes us next. I think he may have the biggest role to play in episode 5.
Asher, the man exiled from House Forrester found himself at his family’s calling in previous episodes, and is tasked to bring an army to help aid his family against the Bolton’s and Whitehall’s. Asher comes across as a gambling man and in order to persuade Khaleesi to send soldiers to aid his family, he must gain her trust and that means venturing into Yunkai in order to free the slaves from their masters. But it might be too much to bear for his close friend Beskha as her brutal past has been dug up as a consequence. This is a gamble that he must take and he’s not even sure if the Mother of Dragons will live up to end of her bargain. Whether the mission is a success and the slaves are freed, it may just be at the expense of Beskha’s loyal friendship. Whichever way the mission goes down, Asher has everything to lose and everything to gain. In Sons of Winter, we begin to learn more about Asher and we get a taste of his combatant skills, but there is perhaps more to the man then we expected.
Mira’s part in this episode over in King’s Landing is possibly the shortest of all segments, but if there ever was a character in this season that is coming of age, it’s Mira. Knowledge is power in King’s Landing and without it; you are powerless in the game of politics. Mira has learned that someone is conspiring against her family and selling her families legacy, Iron Wood from under their noses and without their trade, her family is sure to perish at the hand of the Whitehall’s and Ramsey Bolton. After learning who the mole is, Mira becomes ruthless and is fine-tuning the art of manipulation and it is in these moments, we see her change. Mira’s newly found attitude and confidence is either going to go one of two ways, she will win the game and provide the aid for her family or she will simply not be able to handle swimming with the sharks of Kings Landing.
The whole of this season so far has been centred on the survival of House Forrester and in-house invasion of the Whitehall’s at hand of Ramsey Bolton. The Lord of the House, Rodrick has had to put up with a lot of shit, more than most would have to bear. It’s in all these previous moments that Telltale has been testing our character, you impulse to act within that instant by acting now and worrying about the consequences later. Of course depending on how much tolerance you’ve had and the choices you make, will ultimately depending on your outcome. Without giving too much away, Rodrick is gifted with a proposal that will stick it too Gryff Whitehill who is playing Lord in House Forrester, while embarrassing, tormenting and generally being a complete ass to its residents and none more so then Rodrick.
However, a fight back is surely not going to please Gryff’s father; Lord Ludd Whitehill and he is certainly not a man to be taken lightly. This unexpected opportunity will surely have some serious repercussions, but if the Forresters want to take back their home and rescue the youngest born in the family; Ryon, who has been held captive since episode one via the orders of Ramsey Bolton. As they say “desperate times, call for desperate measures”, but will this be a calculated risk too far? Only time will tell.
To wrap up my review of Sons of Winter, this is easily one of the standout episodes of the season so far. Truth be told, I would find it very difficult to pick out the best episode between Iron from Ice, The Sword in the Darkness and this. What I would say, is that Sons of Winter is the most intense episode yet, from start to finish. With just about every key moment taunting you to act on your instincts and these moments will force you to question yourself more than ever. Do you want revenge or do you want to do what’s right? Given time to think, most would do what’s right, but during those high intense moments, this is when your more animalistic and sinister side of your ego seeps through.
I questioned my choices that much on reflection, that I even contemplated playing through certain scenes again, which is something that I have never done before in a Telltale game. Thankfully I resisted that temptation and I stood by the choices that I made to see how things will play out. After all, this is what a Telltale game is all about and in a game such as Game of Thrones; you’ll quickly learn that there is no real right choice to make. Even as I come to the collusion of my review, I’m questioning myself even now, which just goes to show this is a fine example of Telltale Games being at their storytelling best and it should only get better from here on out.
- Episode One: Iron From Ice Review
- Episode Two: The Lost Lords Review
- Episode Three: The Sword in the Darkness Review