Review in Progress: Kingsroad from Game of Thrones

So, here’s my two cents on Game of Thrones: Kingsroad. I spent a good 20 hours wandering around this world, and let me tell ya, it’s bittersweet and kinda chaotic. The game drops you smack dab in the middle of all that intense GoT drama we love — think family squabbles and those epic battles that just suck you in. But, boy oh boy, the grind is real, my friends. It’s like walking through mud and expecting you to cough up cash every time you wanna pick up the pace.

Right off the bat, you’re thrown into the shoes of the last Tyre standing with a sick lord dad (bummer). You know the drill — wander Westeros, shake some hands, stab some foes, and ditch that “bastard” label. Crossing paths with Jon and Sam plus the Boltons amps up the drama. I chose to wield an axe, felt like channelling my inner Tormund, because who doesn’t love a big, burly Sellsword? Weird, right? Maybe. Maybe not.

Anyway — wait, no, backtrack — you also get to craft your own dude (or dudette) with a pretty neat character setup thing. Mess around with face sliders, try on scars, and tweak beard sheens. It’s kinda like playing digital dress-up but with swords.

Now, here’s where things start to unravel — the landscapes. Sure, Westeros initially looks fab with all that wintry charm. But stick around too long and it’s like the world starts glitching out — grass bouncing around, NPCs acting all funky like they’re possessed paintings. It’s like stepping into a weird, medieval Snapchat filter.

Oh, and moving’s a trip, sliding around like someone left butter on the roads. Great for a laugh at first, but then you’re face-planting into enemy camps without warning. Combat? Let’s just say it’s a rinse-and-repeat show — bash a few baddies, repeat. Once in a blue moon, you’ll need some strategy, but mostly it’s just swatting at the same old faces.

Hold up, gotta mention these cutscenes. They do tug at the heartstrings, like when you’re finding some lost kid or swatting bandits away. But then, boom, more irritating fights zap you back to a grindy reality. Despite having these combat upgrade tree thingamajigs, it still felt meh. Cooler stuff awaits in the full version, I bet — at least I hope.

Here’s a neat thing though: there are puzzles hidden around (keeps your brain from turning to mush), and already before hitting Level 1.0, it felt like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla but lite. You ping around for secrets, but that damned paywall always seems to lurk, ready to trip you.

And see, here’s the kicker — as if the grind wasn’t already grinding enough, the game loves waving microtransactions in your face. Yeah, pay to revive faster, or pay for faster travel. Suddenly, my wallet felt like the key to real progress, not actual skill or time.

Honestly, behind the pay-to-play scheme, there’s potential here. Riding dire wolves through misty lands? Very cool, super cinematic — if you squint past the cash-grab nudges. Alas, each swipe across the screen echoes a silent ‘cha-ching’ that pulls you out of immersion.

I’m not done with this wild Westeros journey because there’s still much to unravel in the main game. With hopes high for a deeper dive into artifacts and estates, the GoT potential feels tantalizingly close but, for now, what’s crystal clear is: play or pay, my fellow wanderers.