Soon, the new action RPG “Game of Thrones: Kingsroad” will be released, among others on Steam. MeinMMO author Linda Baumgartl has already spent some hours in digital Westeros and felt reminded of one of her favorite games.
The first time I saw a trailer for “Game of Thrones: Kingsroad”, I could hardly believe it. For years, I have wished for no game more than a modern, action-packed open-world RPG based on Game of Thrones. But the excitement quickly faded. Initially, Kingsroad seemed to be a pure mobile game—not exactly what I had envisioned.
The developer studio Netbarble didn’t give me much hope either. The company is primarily known for free-to-play titles, including numerous options for in-game purchases.
Fortunately, one point already turned out to be false. Kingsroad will not only be released for Android and Apple but also for PC (via Steam).
- The game is set to be released in the second quarter of 2025.
- Currently, there is a free demo version on Steam, where you can test the game until March 4th.
During the demo, I also took a look at the game and had more fun than expected.
We are simply rewriting history
One of the biggest advantages of “Game of Thrones: Kingsroad” for me is already the story, as well as the overall execution of the license.
What is it about? As the bastard of the minor House Tyre, we really don’t have much of a say in Westeros. However, when we are confronted with the horrors of the White Walkers on a trip beyond the Wall, we can’t just stand by idly. So we set out to procure support for the Night’s Watch—and the journey through Westeros begins.
We are situated in the timeline in the middle of the series, specifically at the beginning of Season 4. The North is shaken by the aftermath of the Red Wedding, and the unpopular Boltons are now ruling in Winterfell.
- On one hand, this timing is cleverly chosen, as it represents the high point of Game of Thrones for many. According to IMDb, for example, the episode of the Red Wedding is the best of the entire series. Kingsroad takes us back to this time and wonderfully evokes nostalgic feelings. What will happen in Season 7 or 8 does not concern us here. We can simply take control of the events ourselves.
- On the other hand, the setting itself offers many interesting conflicts. To gain the necessary support and help, my character has to get along well with the Boltons, for example. Will I let their atrocities slide? Will I betray the thieves who steal only to survive and acquire resources for the Night’s Watch?
Generally, the game focuses—at least so far—mainly on the lower population suffering from the War of the Five Kings. I think that’s a great strength, as it presents interesting, new perspectives without just retelling the series in a dull way.
Some gameplay mechanics are also interesting:
Like a simplified version of Witcher 3
The game that “Game of Thrones: Kingsroad” immediately reminded me of is one of my absolute favorite games: the RPG hit “Witcher 3”.
- On our loyal mount, we traverse the rough, medieval world.
- We make morally difficult decisions.
- We clear out bandit camps and liberate settlements.
- We unlock signposts as fast travel points.
- We roll around crazily in combat.
How is the control? As much as I enjoy all of this, I must say that you can definitely notice the mobile aspect of Kingsroad. This is particularly evident in the controls, which seem a bit simplified:
- The battles are action-packed, but we always automatically target an enemy.
- We can jump while running, but many obstacles cannot be overcome with this. Instead, we have to look for predefined places where the character can then automatically climb or jump.
- While riding, you cannot jump at all.
- Enemies are looted fully automatically.
Overall, Kingsroad feels to me like a stripped-down version of Witcher 3, just as a mobile game and in the “Game of Thrones” universe.
How is the open world? Kingsroad is marketed with “Westeros as an open world”. However, as a big fan of open-world games, I still feel relatively constrained here.
You unfortunately cannot explore all of Westeros, only certain areas. These are—at least at the beginning—still relatively tightly limited. A short expedition to King’s Landing with level 10 is therefore not possible.
This fits with the game’s narrative focus. However, curious explorers will quickly meet their limits.
What about monetization? The biggest elephant in the room right now is monetization. Nothing official is known about this yet, but it’s likely to be a free game with microtransactions.
There are a total of 11 different currencies in the game. I would suspect that at least the “Golden Dragon” mostly has to be purchased with real money. This can be used to recharge “RP” points, which must be spent to obtain rewards from repetitive tasks.
There is also an in-game shop where outfits, mounts, and resources can be purchased.
At least main and side quests do not seem to be hidden behind a paywall. Therefore, my hope remains that Kingsroad will also be reasonably playable as a free-to-play game if you’re willing to engage in a bit more grinding.
Conclusion? If “Game of Thrones: Kingsroad” finds a fair way of monetization, it could become the best game of the franchise. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel gameplay-wise, and the optimization for mobile gaming is notably felt. The execution of the license is quite successful, and it gives fans the opportunity to immerse themselves in the story once again.
Are you looking forward to “Game of Thrones: Kingsroad,” or are you still somewhat skeptical about the whole thing? Feel free to write it in the comments!
Currently, not all locations from Game of Thrones can be explored in Kingsroad. However, this may be expanded in the future. Statistically speaking, though, one should be cautious at certain locations. In the ranking, you can find out which are the most dangerous places in Westeros: These are the places where the most characters died in Game of Thrones
